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Teri's Homemade Dog Food Recipe

2/22/2015

How would you like it if you had to live on a diet of dog kibble day in and out? I can't imagine how boring that would be. Most kibbles are lacking enzymes that you can only find in fresh food. I won't go into all that here - just thought I would share my basic recipe with you in case you feel inclined to make your dog something different (and a lot healthier) for a change.
Warning! Once you feed your dog homemade dog food they may become spoiled and refuse to eat full rations of dry old kibble.

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Snugs Cuts Me Off At The Pass

2/9/2015

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There were times when I would have to tell Snugs he couldn't go riding with me. Reason being many - perhaps I was training a new horse that wasn't used to a dog yet. Or it was Rusty's turn to go and the two of them together could be a handful if I wasn't paying attention to their shenanigans. Another reason was Snugs was a very hard keeper. He looked like an Ethiopian marathon runner - it didn't matter how much or what he got fed; he never gained an ounce. I worried about him burning too many calories.

After I had saddled up a string of horses and tied them all up along the fence line, half the day had gone by. I was in a hurry to get moving and the first horse was going to go on the river loop. This day Snugs needed to stay behind so I tied him up with a horse lead rope in the shade with a water dish and gave the command to stay and behave. What was I thinking? Those two commands never registered with Sneaky Snugs boy. He had come to me a little late in life and already had an opinion on how things should be.

I climbed on board my horse and lit out on the trail which leads out behind our 100 year old redwood barn that rims Bernard Creek. We headed west at the old Highway 166 that separates the old Bernard Homestead from the Garcin Ranch Homestead. This is mountain country with ridges leading down to the Cuyama river bottom. As I dropped off the old highway I took a dirt road that leads to a large tunnel and goes under the new highway. It's big enough to ride a horse through and take all the cattle from one side to the other. The road becomes very steep nearing the tunnel entrance and I had to focus on the slippery terrain with loose dirt. I reined in my mount to shorten his stride and keep from sliding awkwardly down the hill. Right about then, out of the corner of my eye, I spied a black and white streak of movement up ahead. Lifting my eyes I saw Snugs snickering at me, bouncing up and down on his front legs. I was shocked to see him there, as he didn't come up from behind. He had to have crossed the canyon and gone over the ridge and dropped down at the precise moment, like he knew where I would be!

"Oh my gosh," I said out loud. "I can't believe it Snuggie Snookums Sneaky Snickers - how did you get loose?!" Turns out he had chewed through the lead rope and freed himself. He looked just like he was snickering at me as if to say, "You can't leave me behind - I will go wherever you go and cut you off at the pass. Haha, aren't I cunning!"

"All right boy, you can go. I'm not about to turn around now that I've come this far, you sneaky Snookum." I laughed out loud and I swear he he was laughing back with a gleam in his eye and a bounce in his step.

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Snugs Takes on Ornery Cow, Saves the Day!

2/4/2015

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Similar encounter with Jeff Jaquish's dog Dot. Used with permission. zingpix.com

One day I was minding my own business working the training horses when my hubby Justy showed up. He said he had one of the neighbors cows on us by Porter Flat in the river bottom area. He had come to get a couple of his dogs and a horse.
It wasn't more than a half hour later and he returned to get two more dogs and told me the story. This cow was mean and ornery and had brushed up in the arrow weed. He had roped her off his horse and sent the dogs into the brush to bring her out. She wasn't budging so he took the two fresh dogs with him for a total of four dogs. He was going to show that old cow - she had better get in the trailer or she was going to be chewed to pieces!
I continued to saddle my training horses and go about my daily work, when no sooner did Justy show up again and asked for Snugs. His dogs were not getting the job done. As much as he despised Snugs at times for chewing the ears off his cattle, he needed the toughest dog on the ranch.
So I agreed to bring Snugs down and away we went. As soon as we got there I untethered Snugs from the back of the pick up and asked Justy where to send him. He pointed to the dense arrow weed and made a skiitlehimup sound - ssssskkkkiiitttllehhhmmuuppp, sssshhhhhh, get'm snookum snickers snuggles and away he flew, disappearing into the thick brush. Within seconds you could hear the bawling sound of the cow and the brush crackling.
Justy was on his horse and holding the end of his lariat when suddenly the cow came busting out of the arrow weed with Snugs attached to her nose! She shook violently, trying to throw him off. Snugs was relentless and held on. Justy moved into position and threw the end of the rope to me to quick feed it through the slats in the trailer side. I got it done and got the rope back to him. He took a daly to the saddle horn and held fast. The cow jumped into the trailer and was able to rid herself of Snugs while I quickly flung the trailer door shut and latched it.
Whew! Snugs saved the day! Four dogs could not accomplish what one Snugs could - he was our hero! The dog with the brave heart!

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Author

I'm Teri Garcin and I breed McNab collies. I want to share my love and knowledge of the breed and help promote to the world what great dogs they are. Please share your own knowledge here as we come together to support this awesome breed, the McNab!

MCNAB GAB

Teri's Homemade Dog Food Recipe

Snugs Cuts Me Off At The Pass

Snugs Takes on Ornery Cow, Saves the Day!

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