Valentine’s Day with that special someone!

Valentine's Day is the perfect time to show and shower your spoiled rotten puppy that you love them. How can you show these family members how special they are? Here are some ideas from our friends at americanhumane.org.

Give them a pet-friendly Valentine's Day treat.Offer your dog a new chew toy or bone. Whichever treat you choose, though, remember: No Chocolate!!! Chocolate can be toxic to dogs. And that is definitely something no one wants to deal with.

Buy or make something special.Perhaps your dog would like a new bed or new rhinestone collar. Get creative!

Spend some quality time with your pet.

Go for a long walk, plan a special grooming session, or curl up together for a good cuddle.

Celebrate Valentine's Day by enhancing the bond you share -- your pet will love it!

Doggie Valentine's Day Cookies

According to eHow.com
here is a fun little recipe for your dog on Valentines Day!


Show your dog you love them in a special way on Valentine's Day. Make them heart-shaped, delicious doggie treats! Will they realize the treats are heart-shaped? No, but they'll know you love them because you gave them treats!

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy (10 easy steps)

Ingredients
· 3 1/2 cups flour
· 2 cups rye flour
· 1 cup corn meal
· 1/2 cup dry milk
· 2 cups cracked wheat
· 4 teaspoons sea salt
· 1 packet active dry yeast
· 1/4 cup warm (almost hot) water
· 2 to 2 1/2 cups water, beef broth or chicken broth (your choice)
· 1 large egg, beaten + 1 Tablespoon milk
· Cookie sheets
· Rolling pin
· Small and large bowl
· Heart-shaped cookie cutter

Steps

Step One
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

Step Two
Mix the first six ingredients in a large bowl.

Step Three
Sprinkle yeast over the almost hot water and stir in a small bowl.

Step Four
Add the yeast plus 2 cups of your choice of broth to the dry ingredients.

Step Five
Using your hands, mix well. If it is done properly, the dough should have a rather stiff consistency. If it is too difficult to work with, add a bit more broth to the mixture.

Step Six
On a flat, floured surface, roll out the dough to about 1/4-inch thickness.

Step Seven
Using your heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out shapes from the dough.

Step Eight
The cookie sheets should not be greased. Place the heart-shaped cut outs onto the ungreased cookie sheets. Brush with the egg and milk mixture.

Step Nine
Bake the treats at 300 degress for about 45 minutes. At the end of that time, don't remove them from the oven. Simply turn off the oven and leave the baked treats in the oven overnight.

Step Ten
Remove the treats from the oven the next morning and voila, you have delicious biscuit treats for your favorite pet!

Dogs Deserve Better Press Release

Dogs Deserve Better
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Tammy S. Grimes • founder, Dogs Deserve Better http://www.dogsdeservebetter.org/
P.O. Box 23, Tipton, PA 16684 • 1.877.636.1408 • 814.941.7447
GROUP SET TO PAIR 10,000 VALENTINES WITH CHAINED DOGS DURING "HAVE A HEART FOR CHAINED DOGS"
WEEK, FEB. 7-14
SEEKS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS, CLUBS, GROUPS, AND INDIVIDUALS TO MAKE VALENTINES FOR DELIVERY TO CHAINED DOGS NATIONWIDE
Tipton, PA -- January 06, 2008 --
As Valentine’s Day approaches, non-profit Dogs Deserve Better is asking for help from dog lovers and others in an unusual direct mail outreach which pairs Valentines created by schoolchildren with America's chained dogs.
Dogs Deserve Better, a national rescue and advocacy group dedicated to ending the suffering endured by perpetually chained dogs, annually sends Valentines and dog treat coupons to chained canines across the country. The group includes a brochure for the dog’s caretakers, explaining why the antiquated practice of chaining dogs for their lives is a form of abuse. The materials encourage people to bring their dogs into the home and family or to find better homes for the animals.
By the end of January, the group needs 10,000 addresses for perpetually chained dogs, volunteers to make the Valentines, and donations of coupons for dog treats or dog food.
“Winter is a critical time to reach out directly to the people who chain their dogs, and what better excuse than Valentine’s Day to send these forgotten animals a little love,” says Tammy Grimes, founder and direc­tor of the five-year-old non-profit. “Every winter our rescuers see dogs that have frozen in the snow, suf­fered frostbite, or otherwise endured horrific living conditions because of the longstanding misperception that it is appropriate to chain a dog outside in any kind of weather.”
“This is the perfect opportunity for people who pass chained dogs every day, or who live next door to these poor animals, but feel powerless to make a difference,” continues Grimes. “People can anonymously pro­vide us with the addresses of these dogs, or perhaps make a batch of Valentines, and we do the rest.”
Dogs Deserve Better sees success stories every year from its grassroots direct mail campaign. “Of course, we get angry calls from people who are mired in habit or tradition and don’t see anything wrong with chain­ing a dog for 10 or 15 years. However, on the flip side, we always learn of situations where the recipients of our Valentines take the opportunity to think about the suffering they are causing and either bring the dog inside or find the dog a better home.”
The creation of the Valentines is an ideal project for schools, scouting troops, and other similar organiza­tions. “Children have a natural affinity for animals and they enjoy making art projects,” says Grimes, an artist herself.
Although the practice of 24/7 chaining is pervasive in many parts of the country, especially in rural areas, states and cities have, in recent years, started to pass laws against the practice. California passed a law in 2006 and Texas followed suit in 2007. Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and South Carolina are among the states currently considering laws that would put reasonable limits on how long a dog may be chained outdoors.
Hundreds of cities have passed, or are considering, similar legislation.
Meanwhile, countless “backyard dogs” are spending yet another winter in the cold. Often, they shiver day and night in leaky, uninsulated doghouses, suffer from thirst because their water is frozen, and pace neurotically from lack of exercise and attention. Perpetually chained dogs can become aggressive or insane from their constant con­finement, often posing a danger to people.
Dogs Deserve Better provides a variety of services to people who agree to take their dogs off their chains, including providing help with socialization, housetraining, and fencing.
For more information about the Valentine’s Day outreach, go to http://www.dogsdeservebetter.org/Valentines2008.html or email info@dogsdeservebetter.org.
Valentines, addresses and donations can be sent to: P.O. Box 23, Tipton, Pennsylvania 16684.
For general information about Dogs Deserve Better go to http://www.dogsdeservebetter.org/.