Our friends at ONEHOPE Wine just released a new California Pinot Noir (they are calling “Pinot for Paws”) where every case sold helps a homeless animal find its forever home through the ASPCA. How cool is that?
We first tried it at one of our favorite local restaurants, and loved it so much we purchased a case! It’s such a fun wine to give as gifts and take it to dinner parties (since, like us, all of our friends are obsessed with their four-legged children!). Like them on facebook and share your pet pictures with them using #PinotforPaws on Facebook & Instagram.
This wine does so many wonderful things for the animal community.. that these guys just had to give it a kiss!
Thank you ONEHOPE for making it easier than ever to help our furry friends! Cheers!!
And so our 12 Days of Christmas draws to a close.. But – before we go, we wanted to share this final gift suggestion!
Golden Gift #12: Homemade dog treats
Personally, I think a homemade gift is the best gift of all – something that someone put a lot of heart into.. and nothing says that more than a warm homemade baked biscuit! There are tons of recipes available online – but here’s one that is super simple (great for beginner bakers) and affordable! Plus, they’re healthy! The peanut butter provides just the right amount of protein while the canned pumpkin is extremely high in fiber, excellent for your doggy’s tummy!
Pumpkin & Peanut Butter Doggy Biscuits
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour
2 eggs
1/2 8 oz can of pumpkin (approx 1 1/2 cups) – just eyeball it
2. Place all ingredients into a stand mixer and whisk together (or whisk it yourself – it will be tough though so be ready to get an arm workout!). You may have to add a bit of water (tablespoon or so) if the dough is really hard to mix. Confession: I’m embarrassed to say this is the first time we have used our Kitchenaid stand mixer. I’ve always been so intimidated to use it.. but it was surprisingly really easy to learn and so easy to clean. Can’t wait to use it again!
3. Roll out dough onto a floured surface
4. Use cookie cutter to cut out individual cookies. Take excess dough, roll it out again, and repeat until you’ve used most of the dough.
5. Place cookies on a cookie sheet coated with some Pam and bake for approx 40 minutes – until hard. Warning: while cooking your dog’s nose will be going crazy with the lovely smells throughout your kitchen!
6. Remove from oven and let cool – enjoy! I tried a bite (you know you’re going to do the same!). Let’s just say these biscuits better suit your dog’s pallet – so don’t be expecting super yummy human food. 🙂
Once whisked, dough will be in a big lumpUse whatever cookie cutter you'd like!The best part..Ready to go into the oven!
You can wrap several of these up in some basic cellophane wrap with holiday ribbon and take them to your friends’ pups. Easy, inexpensive, yet a very thoughtful and appreciated gift – done and done!
Quincey Shroyer February 3, 2007 - November 19, 2014
I know we are a little biased.. but we think our i heart golden retriever online store has some super cute gift ideas for golden retriever lovers! Plus, a portion of your purchase goes to help goldens in need of a home. It’s a win, win!
Golden Gift Suggestion #11: i heart golden retriever gear
This is one of my favorites! In the photo above I’m wearing the charcoal color. Note: it does run small, so order a size up. 10% of the profits donated to Rescue A Golden of Arizona.
I love this tote bag. I use it all of the time when we travel with the pups for their leashes, treats, and food bowls. I even use it at the grocery store and have gotten so many compliments! 10% of the profits are donated to Rescue A Golden of Arizona.
We have several other options available at our online store – food/water bowls for your pups, coffee mugs, mens clothing, performance jackets, car magnets.. the list goes on! Check us out!
We absolutely love this book! It’s easy to navigate and search through, and is up-to-date info on thousands of pet-friendly hotels! Also, every year they have a fun photo contest to see which pup will land the cover. Quincey was a finalist and his photo is featured in it!
This awesome crate not only comes in a variety of fun colors, but it folds flat for easy storage and travel. This is great for keeping your dogs safe and secure while alone in a hotel room so you can sneak out for a quick dinner.
Please visit our Travel Section to learn more about traveling with your dog, and some of our favorite places to visit with them.
One of my favorite times of the day is enjoying a nice morning speed-walk with the pups. Here’s a great gift for those who love walking their dogs as much as I do!
Golden Gift Suggestion #8: Nike + for the iPod, iPod Nano & iPhone
This amazing gadget syncs with your iPod (3Gs or later), iPhone, or Nano – and tracks the distance, speed and calories burned during your workout. I love ending a good power walk with a little voice saying “You have burned 429 calories” – makes me feel even better! Your workouts are then uploaded and synched with your Nike+ account, tracking all of the miles and workouts you have done. I’m proud to say that since I purchased the Nike+ this summer, the dogs and I have walked 297 miles together!
We love our walks!
I have the iPod Nano because I unfortunately I don’t have the iPhone. However, I really like it because it’s super tiny with a clip that can hook right onto my yoga pants, and the battery lasts for weeks! I didn’t purchase the special Nike shoes for the sensor because I love my New Balances.. but for less than $5 I bought this silicone sensor pouch on Amazon.com that straps right onto my shoe laces and it works perfectly!
Rain, snow, or shine – I love a good walk with my pups 🙂
If your goldens retrievers are like ours – they LOVE to chew. Sometime’s it’s difficult to find toys that will last them a while.. there’s nothing more frustrating than spending $15 on a new toy and having it destroyed within 5 minutes – and having tons of pieces to pick up all over your house! Here are our suggestions on some chew toys, for tough chewers, that make great stocking stuffers!
How cute are these? I’ve never seen them before at my local pet store, so I was so excited to find them online! They also got terrific reviews. Roxy and Quincey can look forward to opening these Christmas morning!
Let’s be honest, dog parents need to be spoiled, too. On Day 6 – here’s a great gift suggestion for animal lovers that will be sure to please!
Golden Gift Suggestion #6: ONEHOPE Wine
ONEHOPE’s award-winning portfolio is produced by world-renown winemaker Rob Mondavi Jr, and HALF of the profits are donated to a good cause. We love that online shoppers can see how much of their purchase is going to charity, and that they also can choose a charity of their choice to receive an additional donation. Animal lovers can choose the ASPCA to receive 10% of the purchase – all at www.onehopewine.com!
Here are some of our favorite gifts from their site:
$15.00 goes to the ONEHOPE Foundation, and $12.00 goes to the ASPCA if you pick it!
I love that I can support the ASPCA and other fabulous charities by simply enjoying a bottle of wine – we love ONEHOPE Wine! So does Quincey 🙂 – his favorite is the Zinfandel because it supports the troops, and his dad is a Veteran!
We are excited to introduce everyone to the newest item in our online shop – The Paw of Love – Ornament for Charity. Our Paw of Love Ornament is the perfect holiday gift for all animal lovers. For every ornament sold, 100% of the profits are donated to HALO Animal Rescue – A No-Kill Animal Shelter. For only $9.99 – give the perfect gift that also gives back.
HALO is an acronym that stands for Helping Animals Live On. It is a succinct, four-word definition of what we are here for. It is the reason each and every employee and volunteer puts two feet on the ground. It is a passion that goes beyond just loving dogs and cats. It is a driving force in our lives; to make this community, this world, a safe place for homeless pets.
Located in sunny Phoenix, Arizona, HALO Animal Rescue is a safety net for thousands of homeless dogs and cats each year. We are a no-kill facility, which means we never euthanize an animal because we have run out of room, but it also means we are limited in the animals we can take in at any given time. Our specialty is to provide a refuge to those pets who might otherwise be destroyed at other Valley shelters for reasons such as a treatable injury, illness, or those who are too scared or too young to go up for adoption at their time of arrival.
When decorating your house for the holidays, why not add a little holiday flare to your pup? Check out these holiday dog collars that would look oh so fab on a golden!
