Dog Tip: Ginger Snaps as a Treat! The Benefits

Do you love Ginger Snaps? Guess what…Your furry friend probably does also! Ginger Snaps are a GREAT Daily Treat for your dog. Most “Picky eaters” like Gingers snaps, and the added benefit, Ginger is beneficial to them!

Ginger is GREAT for car sickness, helps with diarrhea, & soothes their stomach. Ginger also is reported to help with inflamed tissues and muscles.

Our dog gets one Ginger Snap Cookie a day. Everyday I break one into four, and the four times he goes out, he gets a piece.

HE LOVES THEM!

I learned this GREAT tip from my Vet on our Dogs last visit. Usually he is VERY picky and will not take a treat, these he gobbled right up to my surprise, so of course I asked what type of treat it was. His assistant said to grab a bag at the dollar store during our next trip and he has been enjoying them ever since!

If you have the time, you could even make your own healthy option at home for them! (Recipe Below)

Keep in mind, SUGAR is not good for them or for their teeth, SO PLEASE make sure you limit the amount you give them daily. In most cases, a few a day is fine, but of course, with anything you will be feeding your furry friend, check with your vet FIRST!

Dog Ginger Treat Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 tbsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup canola oil

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325° F
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon and cloves until combined.
3. In a small bowl, using a sturdy spoon, stir together the molasses, water and canola oil.
4. Pour the molasses mixture into the flour.
5. Using the same sturdy spoon, stir ingredients until thoroughly combined.
6. Roll out the dough to about 1/2 inch thickness.
7. Use your favorite dog cookie cutters to cut shapes.
8. Lightly spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
9. Place your cut outs on the baking sheet.
10. Continue to roll and cut out shapes with the remaining dough.
11. Bake for 20 minutes.
12. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Secret to Keeping a CRYSTAL CLEAR Fish Tank…
NEVER CLEAN IT!

Yup, you heard me right…If you want to keep a healthy, clean, fish tank, DO NOT EVER CLEAN IT COMPLETELY! Why you ask? Let me explain…

When you start a fish tank, it is unestablished…YOU DO NOT have any beneficial bacteria in your water to eat the ammonia the fish produce when they go to the bathroom. That is why when you start a fish tank, YOU NEVER want to overload it with fish right away…You only add two or three for the first few weeks, depending on the size of your tank to get the beneficial bacteria built in your tank. If you completely stock your tank right away, within a short time the water will fill with ammonia, get cloudy, and your fish will die off FAST. (Imagine swimming in straight ammonia)

If you add fish to your tank slowly, it gives the beneficial bacteria time to build on the rocks in your tank, and the more and more it builds, the more and more it will eat the ammonia waste of the fish, keeping your water CRYSTAL CLEAR!

Which brings me to cleaning your Fish Tank. SO MANY people make the mistake of cleaning the plants, the rocks, and draining their tank all the way or even half of the way to clean there tank. NEVER EVER do this…You will get rid of all that GOOD BACTERIA that eats the bad!

ALL YOU have to do is get a tank siphon, clean noticeable debris with your siphon once every two weeks ONLY taking the tank down 10 percent with the water and then top it off with fresh water! YOU CAN GO YEARS having a crystal clear fish tank by doing ONLY THIS on a regular basis! Of course you still need to change your filter cartridge as suggested for your filter. In between changes, washing it off helps also.

If right now you have a VERY DIRTY tank… Clean it, BUT DO NOT clean the rocks off, you will lose all that beneficial bacteria. It would also be a good idea in this situation NOT to change the filter out if you are going to start all over. This will leave beneficial bacteria in the rocks and in the filter to give your tank a “Kick Start.”

Does your Fur Baby have Diarrhea? Constipated? Or Upset Stomach? Grab a can of PURE (No spices added) canned pumpkin! I have been doing this for years!

Pumpkins are VERY rich in fiber, along with MANY other benefits. Canned pumpkin is rich in dietary fiber and will absorb any excess water in your dogs intestines within hours! So how does it work for constipation also? It softens your dogs stool, eases his stomach pains, and helps him go. (Think of how fiber works for us)

Dosage: Small dogs get one and a half to two teaspoons of canned pumpkin. Larger dogs give two tablespoons. Most dogs will eat it right out of a bowl and think it is a treat.

Pumpkin is also a good source of Vitamin E, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Potassium.

Disclaimer: As always, Make sure you discuss this with your vet and get their approval. Animals can dehydrate VERY QUICKLY, always seek medical attention for your pet.