I have never seen anything like this. I had no idea American Staffordshire Terriers could, or rather, would climb a tree. This is amazing!

Although this vaccination schedule is not specific to the Amstaff, I think it’s important to include because one should understand the responsibilities of dog ownership prior to entering into the commitment. Please regard this as mandatory, not optional. Please consult with your primary vet to find out what they and the state require. In further posts, we will discuss what each of these vaccines means. More to come!

Canine Distemper
First vaccination at 6 to 10 weeks of age
Second vaccination at 10 to 12 weeks of age
Third vaccination at 14 to 16 weeks of age
Re-vaccination: annually

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This one looks fairly labor intensive, but good! For those interested in going with a homemade dog food rather than the dog food in the stores (often comprised mostly of fillers) this is a great solution!

• 2 pounds ground turkey
• 3/4 ground beef
• 2 tablespoons bone meal
• 1 tablespoon fenugreek
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves, use less if dried
• 1/4 cup marigold petals
• 1 cup roughly chopped parsley leaves
• 2 apples, or 8 ounces fruit, no grapes or raisins, roughly chopped
• 1 squash, roughly chopped
• 2 carrots, roughly chopped
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 1 cup dandelion greens
• 1/2 pound haddock, chopped into 1-inch squares
• 1/4 pound beef heart, chopped into 1-inch squares
• 1/4 pound liver, chopped into 1-inch squares
• 1/4 pound kidney, chopped into 1-inch squares
• 1/4 pound gizzards, chopped into 1-inch squares
• 1/4 pound beef fat, chopped into 1-inch squares
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 4 cloves pressed garlic
• 1/2 cup dried organic seaweed, soaked and strained to remove the salt
• 2 cups chicken or beef stock, optional

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I personally haven’t been brave enough to try this on my own, but I came across this tutorial and would challenge you to give it a whirl. I’d love to hear your experience with it and perhaps I’ll be clever enough to try it sometime soon!

Note: this is for the nylon type dog collar pictured; I’m still on the hunt for what I believe is called a “martingale” collar. I’ll keep you posted.

How to Make a Dog Collar – Dog Collar Hardware and Supplies

You will need to visit a fabric store and a hardware store to get your supplies, unless you’d like to order them online. First, measure your dog’s neck with a ribbon-style tape measure designed for sewing. Add 6-8″ to that measurement to determine the amount of webbing and ribbon to purchase.

• polypropylene or nylon webbing*
• coordinating printed ribbons or grosgrain ribbons in same or smaller width than chosen webbing. Choose something with pizzaz!
• clip-style buckle, sometimes called a “parachute buckle”**
• brass or nickel D-ring – width across the flat side should be the same as your webbing width. (find D-rings on the hardware aisle of your local home improvement store)
• small accent buttons or fancy trims to embellish collar
• coordinating thread

*Webbing – nylon webbing is softer and thicker than polypro, but can stretch when wet. If your dog swims, either remove the nylon collar before allowing them to swim, or consider polypropylene webbing. If your dog has a sensitive neck, though, nylon is less scratchy and will keep them more comfortable. Another option for sensitive skin is a cotton or hemp dog collar. These webbings are also available. Decide on a width of webbing that suits the size of your dog. This is entirely subjective, but most people like widths of 1/2″ to 1″ for tiny dogs, 1″- 2″ for medium dogs and 1″ to 2 1/2″ for Large/giant breeds. Webbing can be purchased at your local fabric store.

**Buckle – Although it is possible to find metal side clip buckles, most of the time, these are plastic. They are the same type of buckle that is found on backpacks and fanny packs, and are easily found in your local sewing notions department. The buckle size needs to match the width of webbing you are going to use. For best results, see what sizes of buckles are available before you select webbing.

Thanks to dog-paw-print.com!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 pinches ground cinnamon
• 1 cup chunky peanut butter
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup carob chips

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine that flour, baking powder and cinnamon. Place the peanut butter in a medium bowl and microwave at high power to soften, 5 to 10 seconds. Whisk in the milk, then stir the mixture into the dry ingredients.

Shape the dough into a long, flattened log and place on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes; remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Slice the log crosswise on an angle into 1-inch-thick pieces. Set the slices on their sides (they should look like biscotti) and bake until crisp, 10 to 12 minutes more. Transfer to a rack to cool.

Melt the carob in a microwave or on the stovetop over low heat. Thin the melted carob with 1 tablespoon water, if needed. Using a spoon, drizzle the melted carob over the biscuits. Let cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Thanks to Rachael Ray!

As an owner of a Bully Breed, Rachael Ray is dedicated to feeding her PitBull, Isaboo, healthy homemade treats. I ran across some of her fabulous recipes for dogs and can only believe that since she feeds her PitBull these treats, they would obviously be just as healthy for an Amstaff.

Please try the recipes in this series and comment us back to let us know what you think!

Power Pooch Smoothies

• 1 (8-ounce) container plain yogurt
• 1 cup blackberries or raspberries or 5 large, hulled strawberries
• 1 mango, sliced
• 1 very ripe banana
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 cup ice water

Directions:
Process all ingredients in a blender at high speed until smooth. Pour pooch smoothies into small bowls and freeze. Remove from the freezer, set on the floor and let your pooch lick the treat.

Thanks to Rachael Ray for lending us her recipe!

Different people have mixed views on teaching Amstaffs to play Tug-Of-War. However, you just don’t know how much fun she has playing tug. She’s a good girl and I’ve always been extremely careful to not let the game get out of hand or be played inappropriately. She is aware of when is an appropriate time to play tug and when isn’t. Owning an American Staffordshire Terrier is a responsibility, more so than owning a smaller less powerful dog and I’ve taken that into consideration at all times, even during play.

Let’s face it: dogs are expensive. I tend to think that the money spent is easily justified because of the joy, companionship and love given to me by my dog. To me, it’s priceless. However, if we were concerned about the total investment over the average lifespan of a dog, here it is:

The total

If a dog’s average lifespan is twelve years, buying a puppy and caring for him throughout his life will cost $4,620 to $32,990. You may spend more or less depending on the dog you adopt and where you live. Keep in mind that this doesn’t include expenses like emergency medical care or dealing with the issues of old-age in dogs, which can run into the thousands of dollars.

It’s also important to consider factors other than money, as suggested by the Petcare Information and Advisory Service of Australia in their study on the emotional cost of a dog or pet. Raising a dog through sickness and health can be as trying as it is rewarding.

The cost of a dog is an investment, both of your money and your love. So before you adopt a puppy or dog make sure you’re willing to spend what it takes to keep a pet healthy and happy for his lifetime.

Thanks to raisingspot.com for some of this valuable info!

Although these numbers seem huge, you can bet you won’t be paying this entire investment upfront. It is important to be prepared for costs that result from accidents, sickness, etc. Being a responsible dog owner means being prepared for the worst and hoping for the best. Here is a good breakdown of what you could expect as an annual investment when owning a dog. If you can’t imagine paying this over the course of 12 months, it’s probably best to not commit to an animal that will rely on you entirely.

Annual cost of a dog

After the first year, you can estimate the yearly price of owning a dog as follows:

• Food: $150-500
• Veterinary Exams: $45-150
• Vaccinations: $10-100
• Worming and Fecal Exams: $20-40
• Heartworm Treatment: $25-130
• Grooming: $10-400
• Training: $0-500
• Supplies: $0-200
• Miscellaneous: $100-500

The yearly cost can start at $360 and rise to $2,520 or more.

Thanks to raisingspot.com for some very important info.

I love good Samaritan stories, tales of people with heart helping animals and just feel good stories in general. I ran across this the other day and wanted to post it because it warmed my heart. Enjoy.

WARWICK, R.I.—A local Samaritan has rescued a dog, but the animal’s plight is far from over.

His name is Buddha and by all accounts the 6-month-old American Staffordshire terrier shouldn’t even be alive today, but he is thanks to Kevin Leo.

Their story starts the day after Thanksgiving.  Leo was leaving work at the West Shore Nursing Home.  Leo saw a woman with a dog, the animal had one of his legs bandaged up and he was hardly able to walk.

The woman told Leo she could no longer care for the dog and she was looking for a place to leave him. Leo took the dog, and right away started calling places for help.

Leo ended up at the 4 Paws Pet Resort and Animal Hospital on Warwick Avenue.

“This was the only place open and they were closing in 30 minutes and they were like how far are you? I’ll be there in 10 minutes,“ says Leo.

Buddha was in very bad condition, he had open sores all over his body and he was very thin.

He had a parasite that ate away at his skin and left him with no fur and he could barely walk. Despite his poor condition, veterinarian Darcie Lewis knew Buddha was not a lost cause.

“When I looked in his face, he looked at me with those eyes that said I’d really like to try to get better if you can help me,“ says Lewis.

They did help. Buddha is feeling much better now and he is getting regular skin treatments and eating well. Emaciated before, he’s gained 8 pounds and also gained a new lease on life with a companion who believes it was just meant to be.

“I always wanted a dog, never thought I’d get one this way, but I looked at him and I said I’m going to keep him, I’ll do whatever it takes,“ says Leo.

If you want to help with Buddha’s care, you can donate to a fund in his name at the 4 Paws Animal Medical Center.

Or you can help other animals like Buddha, whose owners need help caring for them by donating to Rhode Island’s Companion Animal Foundation.