Not to be stereotypical, but most mid-twenty-something couples usually do things in stepping stones. Sometimes things don’t go as planned, but generally there’s an order in how we operate. It all starts out by falling in love. Then you make the decision that you want to share a space with that person. At this point you’re probably early in your career and working obscene hours and doing anything you can to get ahead. When you’re not working, you spend your weekends going on adventures or traveling, being ridiculously lazy lounging on the couch watching re-runs and old movies, and being so self-absorbed and consumed with each other that there’s not much room for anything else. The next step would be to get a puppy and test the waters. To see how you would fare at being parents. If you could handle a puppy you could certainly handle a kid is what they say. Well…let me tell ya, I think we are very much still in the we-only-want-to-be-with-each other-and-selfish-with-our-time phase.
Anytime one of those insanely cute videos pop up on Facebook of puppies, we always ooh and ahh and say how we can’t wait to get one. So when the opportunity arose to dog sit my friends golden retriever puppy for an entire week we jumped at the opportunity! Little Cooper moved into our apartment for a full 7 days and we had a blast, but holy hell it was a lot of work. When you live by yourself without pets or children, I think you take for granted the peace and quiet you have all the time. We loved the experience of watching Coop, but it made us realize that our little one bedroom and our lifestyle just doesn’t permit having a puppy at the moment.
For now, we’ll just be the fun aunt and uncle who spoil the kids for a few days and then happily give them back. In the spirit of spoiling, Cooper was such a good boy walking on his leash and doing a handful of tricks that I wanted to make him fun treats as a reward. Plus, he’s just such a darn cute fluff ball that how could I not?! Since Fall is upon us, I found it only fitting to bake him Pumpkin Doggie Treats! I saw this recipe over at Fix Feast Flair a while back and I instantly thought of it when we got the pup. They turned out so cute and so easy to make! I just used letter cutouts for his name and then the edges of a shot glass for the rest of the biscuits.
Happy Puppy Parenting to all of you out there!
PUMPKIN DOGGIE TREATS
Ingredients What to do
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the pumpkin, peanut butter, and egg together on medium-high speed for a minute or until throughly combined.
- Reduce speed to low and gradually add the flours until just incorporated then turn out onto a lightly oat floured surface.
- Knead for a minute then roll out to 1/4″ thickness. Cut out with cookie cutters then place on parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.
- Let cool completely then store in an airtight jar or container
-1/2 c. unsweetened pumpkin puree
-1/4 c. natural peanut butter (no additives)
-1 large egg
-3/4 c. garbanzo flour
-3/4 c. oat flour
Tools
-Stand mixer or mixing bowl and whisk
-Rolling pin
-Cookie cutters
-Parchment lined baking sheet
-Wire cooling rack
