M and Zee Gourmet Dog Cookies

WOW- BASKET RAFFLE FOR HEALTH CHALLENGE & RESCUE !!!

2008-12-17T06:21:00.000-08:00

First of all....I want to THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU for supporting this very important fund-raiser for our Newfoundlands.

Based on what I am seeing on the Rescue List not only for Newfs but for other breeds...the numbers of of dogs needing re-homed due to the economy ..well...it's GROWING astronomically and I doubt that there is any end in sight.

We feel badly for the families that have to face losing their jobs...their homes ...and very often they have to surrender a much loved family pet because they can barely afford to maintain themselves...let alone a pet.

Sad to say, I think, even with the most concerted efforts it is soon going to come to a point when even the MOST dedicated shelters and Rescues..organized as well as Individuals and Independents just cannot save them all....so in some small way...I truly have the belief that between ALL of us we can help a few more...and those few more dogs are going to be VERY appreciative of OUR collective efforts.

Also THANKS for all your prayers and good thoughts; we'd had some nasty weather last night but a safe trip to the Cardiologist and back...breakfast sucked but you can't win them all. Ron will be having a Thallium Stress Test the Monday after Christmas and this will confirm the validity of the Treadmill Test he'd had last month; he will also have another Echocardiogram and Lower Extremity ultrasound as he has some other complaints which could be cardiac vs sciatic vs diabetic so we should know a lot more after the Thallium test and where we need to go from there.

SO....YOU WANNA KNOW WHO THE WINNERS ARE ?????

First of all....
THANKS TO YOU.... THE FINAL TOTAL WAS.......

$ 2,050.00

WHICH MAKES EACH SHARE WORTH

$1,025.00

1227 Tickets were sold and the half-gallon jar I was using was plumb FULL so hubby had to reach into a pillow case to pull the winning ticket...was the ONLY way to make sure tickets were all mixed up properly.

THE BASKET WINNER IS.........MICHELLE SUMNER of Laguna Beach, CA

SO....Michelle.....you need to get back with me to let me know where to ship ALL your Goodies. the cookies will be shipped separately as I still have to bake the Grain Free ones...those are only done by Special Order and the base mixture is thawing out.

.......... NOW....YOU WANNA KNOW WHO THE WINNING RESCUE IS ????

WELL, DO YOU ??????

.
.

THE RESCUE 50% CHECK GOES TO:

Newfoundland Health & Rescue of the Newfoundland Club of Northern California and it was a great pleasure to telephone Summer Poris with this news and to forward the envelope of checks to Mrs. June Gibson ( Rescue Chair ).

The Health Challenge Committee of the Newfoundland Club of America ( Mrs Kathy Paxton ) received the other $ 1,025.00 from you to further their involvement in medical research for health problems plaguing our Newfoundlands.

UPDATE: Our Basket Winner, Michelle Sumner has gracious donated the contents of the Basket back to Rescue so after the Holidays I will be splitting the contents up into 4 separate boxes and drawing the names of 4 Newfoundland Rescues and ship a box to each of them .

These Rescues will then have the option of using the contents for their own Rescue Intakes, using them in their Rescue Fund-raiser "Brown Bag Auctions" or in their baskets that each Club assembles and takes to the National Speciality for the Health Challenge Silent Auctions.

So...THANKS AGAIN to Michelle who has really shown the "Pay it Forward" aspect of these fund-raisers.

WOW- 50/50 RAFFLE UPDATE & New Prizes

2008-11-26T18:48:00.000-08:00

Ya know...I am definitely going to have to find a BIGGER BOX ...because YES, there are still MORE Prizes now added to the Gift Collection for the 50/50 Basket Raffle for NCA Health Challenge and a Lucky rescue.

So....lets get to the Money Thing FIRST....

I always had a PERSONAL GOAL in mind, maybe some think it's Pie-In-The-SKY but, hey....but as the late great Tennessee Ernie Ford was famous for singing..." High Hopes" ....and high hopes I do indeed have because as you all know...EVERYTHING GOES TO THE DOGS !

My Personal Goal is $ 1,000.00...which would mean a Nice $500.00 check each for NCA Health Challenge and a Lucky rescue and wouldn't those make a lovely Holiday Gift...especially when it seems that more and more Newfs and other dogs are losing their homes and families due to the Economic Crisis. Rescues will tell you that they haven't yet seen the full impact of this and Rescues, both Club sponsored and Independent , are often bursting at the seams and sad to say...sometimes there just " ain't no room at the Inn" and often this is due to lack of funding as well as lack of qualified foster homes.

So....hang on folks...I am going to do a LOT of cheering on til the end of this Raffle in the High Hopes of hitting that Goal and maybe even beyond.

Current status of the Pot...thanks to a big surge in entries is: $ 610.00 ...less the PayPal bite of $ 23.36...leaving a NET of $ 586.64,
which means we are just over 60% towards that Goal. And there are still TWO weeks to go.....

Now for the added prizes:

Back to the wonderfully generous box from Tara Mc Grath...a very nice collection of Newfie photo frames, decals and Note Cards...THANKS SO MUCH TO TARA, JOSIE AND BUFFY......

What does the Best Dressed Newfoundland wear ??? Of course...a custom ordered Drool Bib with the ultimate order: DROOL'S THE RULE. This Bib is in deep Red so suitable for any slobbery Boy or Girl Newfie. Susan Putt makes these bibs and she made this one with a button closure as well as the fabric covered elastic band.

Next week will be the last Prize addition and one is such a TREASURE that I am not even going to tell you what it is....just that it is UNIQUE and GREAT......

Remember: Raffle Entries close 10 December 2008 and the Drawing for the Prize Collection as well as the Rescue will be on 11 December and announced that evening !

Tickets are $ 2.00 each or a block of 6 for $ 10.00. Each block of tickets lets you nominate a Rescue for an additional Ticket to for the Rescue Check drawing. PayPal entries can be done at: landlubbernewf@yahoo.com and you can do credit and debit cards. In the comment block make sure you add the Name of the Rescue you'd like to nominate for the Prize check.

I will also take checks and money orders for entries but these need to be postmarked by 4 December 2008 to make it here in time for me to assign and e-mail you your Raffle ticket numbers. If coming close to that deadline, please e-mail me here ( merrymutts@aol.com ) and give me a head's up so I can get your ticket numbers assigned.

You'll need to make out TWO checks: one made payable to NCA Health Challenge and one payable to ______ rescue so I can fill in the name of the winning Rescue when drawn. These checks will be placed in a marked envelope and included along with the main Prize checks written as soon as the PayPal funds are transferred into the checking account ( 3-4 business days usual ) .

Address for checks:

Susan Aspeotes
25510 Rocky Mount Lane
Waynesville MO 65583

Currently there are 29 Tickets in the rescue Jar and they are assigned as follows:

North Central Newfoundland Club - 1 Newfoundland Club of New England - 3
NEWF-FLA - 2 Bear Mountain Newfoundland Club - 2
Southeastern Newfoundland Club - 3 Autumn Acres - 7
New-Pen-Del - 2 NCA Rescue - 2
Old West Newfoundland Club - 3 South Central Newfoundland Club - 1
Penn-Ohio Newfoundland Club - 1 Newf Rescue NWFD - 1
Newfoundland Club of Seattle - 1

OK....I did my Cheer last night and I am going to do it again ! We still have some "Orphans"...Clubs which have not yet been nominated for a chance to win half of the Pot. Some have an Organized Rescue Program and some do NOT. However, just because a Club does NOT actually have an Organized Rescue does NOT mean that Newfs in their territory have been abandoned. Far from it...they are still monitored, picked up and fostered by Club members which means these Clubs are just as worthy of a chance to win that Prize Check...often all it takes is a little "seed money" to get them going again.

Unsponsored Clubs are:

Colonial Newfoundland Club - Genesee Region Newfoundland Club

Columbia River Newfoundland Club - Heart of America Newfoundland Club

Mesquite Newfoundland Club - Newfoundland Club of Hawaii

Newfoundland Club of Northern California - Newfoundland Club of San Diego

Northland Newfoundland Club - Newfoundland Club of Southern California

Northstar Newfoundland Club - High Country Newfoundland Club

Pacific Northwest Newfoundland Club - Niagara Frontier Newfoundland Club

Great Lakes Newfoundland Club

I also want to add another Great lady...Chris Pulver ...she does a LOT of Independent Newfoundland Rescue...most out of her own pocket...so in my humble opinion, she, too , deserves a chance for that Rescue Check !!!

That's a whole lot of NICE people dedicated to the Newfoundlands and I, for one, would not want to see these people not have a chance at that Prize check So, how 'bout it folks...buy a block of tickets, take a chance to win some GREAT prizes and let's get these Clubs in the jar for a chance to win that check !!!!

BASKET RAFFLE UPDATE

2008-11-15T15:46:00.000-08:00

The 50/50 Basket Raffle benefiting NCA Health Challenge and Rescue is coming along GREAT and I am so grateful for all of your support.

There are several NEW prizes added this week:

Large Fleece Paw Print Blanket....nice and cuddly for your pets to rest on...or to protect your furniture when you want your pets to snuggle with you on your couch.

Have a cup of tea with Rachel Hale with this wonderful Newfie Tea cup set - donated by Tara McGrath. This is a unique and delightful addition to the Basket and is sure to make you smile as you sip your cup of tea.

Tara also donated a great Newfie Address/Telephone book...a great thing to have by your home phone and also to keep track of addresses for your upcoming Christmas Card lists.

Total raised so far is $ 440.00...deducting Pay Pal fees the NET stands at $ 422.02 so this means that with this week's entries we are inching ever closer towards the goal. My actual "personal" goal will be announced in two weeks time...and hopefully I can count further on your support to be able to send some BIG checks off to not only NCA Health Challenge but to ONE lucky Rescue to help further their cause for assisting in the care and re homing of Newfoundlands.

Tickets are $ 2.00 each or 6 for $ 10.00.

PayPal ( for debit and credit card entries ) address is:

landlubbernewf@yahoo.com

If you choose this option, please be sure to e-mail me at : merrymutts@aol.com to let me know which Rescue you would like to see win 1/2 of the total Pot. The more tickets a Rescue has in their separate container...the better their chances of winning.

If you wish to enter by check or money order, you'll need to write TWO checks....one made payable to NCA Health Challenge and the second with the word "Rescue" in the Pay to the Order of line...just please leave me enough room to write in the name of the winning Rescue Group. And, let me know the day you are sending your checks so I can issue your ticket numbers and e-mail them to you...again: merrymutts@aol.com and also let me know which Rescue to add to the drawing.

Raffle closes on 10 December 2008 with the drawing on 11 December 2008. The winner of the HUGE GIFT BASKET will need to respond as soon as possible so I can confirm a mailing address and get your prizes ready to send to you.

50/50 Raffle UPDATE

2008-11-08T14:36:00.001-08:00

A BIG THANKS TO ALL WHO HAVE PARTICIPATED SO FAR.

REMEMBER: RAFFLE CLOSES DECEMBER 10, 2008

We have some terrific NEW additions to the Raffle Gift Box, which one lucky person will win...THE WHOLE SHOOTING MATCH. So, I can guarantee someone is going to have some VERY SPOILED FUR KIDS.

Thanks to Tara McGrath...who sent a HUGE Box of goodies to add to the Gift Box....FOUR of which I will name here....the rest will be added in as the weeks go by until the drawing.

IN THE COMPANY OF NEWFIES by Rhoda Lerman....this is an author SIGNED COPY.

This was one of my first Newf books and one of my most treasured...although mine is not signed.

REAL FOOD FOR DOGS - a Guide to Home Cooking for your Dogs.

THUNDER FROM THE SEA by Joan Hiatt Harlow

this is great book for older kids

NEAT SHEET - a nice protector for floors when grooming your dogs or also nice for a backyard picnic.

I, too, have some other goodies coming which are a surprise but right now, I can safely estimate that the TOTAL VALUE of this Gift Treasure Trove will end up being close to $ 400.00...if not MORE.

This a great way to add to your collection of Newfie goodies...with some to share and perhaps some to "PAY IT FORWARD" and donate to your regional Club or Local All-Breed Club's fund-raisers.

FULL DETAILS OF THE RAFFLE ARE LISTED IN THE POST BELOW....REMEMBER YOU HAVE UNTIL 10 DECEMBER 2008 FOR PAY PAL ENTRIES but Checks/Money orders need to be mailed by 4 December 2008 to ensure that they are received prior to the Raffle's end and can be included in the final disbursement of funds.

BIG HOLIDAY RAFFLE FOR NCA HEALTH CHALLENGE & NEWFOUNDLAND RESCUE

2008-11-04T15:34:00.000-08:00

UPDATE TO CONTENTS OF BASKET:

Set of Hand-drawn Newfie notecards - donated by Cindy Williams (Pipeline Newfs )

2 bars of Celestial Sensations Doggie Bath Bar ( these are made by one of our local home
businesses and they smell terrific and are great on dog coats )

More coming ......

*********************************************************************

Something a little different this year and I believe you all will enjoy it.

Here's your chance to help support NCA Health Challenge AND your favorite Newf Rescue...and win a HUGE Gift Basket for yourself and your beloved pets.

RAFFLE PROCEEDS WILL BE SPLIT WITH 50% OF THE TOTAL GOING TO BENEFIT HEALTH CHALLENGE AND THE REMAINING 50% TO A US OR CANADIAN NEWF RESCUE.

I wanted to add Canadian Groups to this because each Province's Rescue is totally self-sufficient and receives NO funding from the Canadian Newfoundland Club. If you nominate your Regional Club and it does not have an ACTIVE rescue program, then NCA Rescue would be the beneficiary if drawn as the winner.

As everyone knows, the current state of the economy has impacted many, many people....they're losing their jobs and homes; small businesses are closing every day it seems .. and all too often this also means that beloved pets are being surrendered to shelters and rescues because their families can no longer afford to care for them.

Newf rescue has been hit especially hard...just ask any of them...so spend a few $$$ and help those who cannot speak for themselves.

Partial List of the contents of the Gift Basket , with an estimated total value of almost $ 200.00 ... ( and could end up even more ?? ) just to whet you and your dog's fancy:

Trip Tails Auto Bag ( attached to seat of your vehicle to help keep Pup's Travel Goodies Organized )
Newfie Tie Tack/Pin ...choice of Black or Landseer
Paw Brothers Coarse Coat Raake ( similar to a Mars Coat King )
Large Plush Purple Man Stuffie
Large Plush Lamb Stuffie
Large Mallard Duck Stuffie
Large Dragon Stuffie
2009 Tessie Calendar ( Tessie is an NCNE Rescue loved by Alison Cole and she is QUITE the Model )
Large Embroidered Fleece Blanket
Christmas is Good by Trixie Koontz as told to Dean Koontz
12 oz bottle of Natural Espree Plum Perfect Shampoo (All-Natural Pesticide Free product )
20 oz bottle Tropiclean Papaya Plus Shampoo ( All Natural Coconut base product )
Large Chamois Bath Towel
Set of Arayo Notecards ( donated by Arayo's Mom, Karyn Carpenter )
1 yr Gift Subscription to Whole Dog Journal
4 Pounds of M & Zee's Treats ( 8 oz of each of the regular flavors and 8 oz Grain Free )

I will have MORE to add as the items get shipped in....but thought this list would get ya going.....and as you can see...there's lots for you....and for your dogs...and some for them to share with doggie friends.

Tickets are $ 2.00 each or 6 for $ 10.00 . PayPal is preferred...there's no way around the PayPal admin fees for this, sad to say...but it is a lot more SECURE and will allow you to use a Credit or a Debit card.

At the end of the raffle, the total will be electronically deposited into my account ( transaction takes 3-4 business days ) and at that time the checks will be issued along with a list of contributors for those of you needing a receipt for tax purposes.

The PayPal address is: landlubbernewf@yahoo.com

When you purchase your tickets please e-mail me ( merrymutts@aol.com ) with your nomination for the Rescue portion of the proceeds.

You will have your information (name, address, e-mail and nominated Rescue ) entered into my spreadsheet and I will e-mail you with your lucky ticket numbers.

Your Nominated Rescue will have a separate ticket issued and be listed in it's own database. Please...only ONE Rescue nomination per person per transaction..BUT you may purchasse tickets more than once...

You can buy tickets via PayPal up until the 10th of December...but if you are sending a checks/money orders...these will need to be mailed NLT 4 December so I get them in time to add you into the database and issue your ticket numbers.

A Rescue can have more than one ticket for the drawing, however.

Raffle begins 1 November 2008 and ends on 10 Dec 2008; winner will be announced on 11 December 2008 and I will e-mail the winner to confirm your shipping information. and YES...I will ship to Canada if that's where the winner resides.

I did one of these Basket Raffles some years ago for a Golden Retriever Rescue ; it went very smoothly and the Rescue received donations in excess of $ 2,400.00 ...the Goal was $ 1,000.00.

Those of you who remember the Health Challenge "Ultimate Bookshelf" raffle ( won by Gerry Haines ), that garnered over $ 1,800.00 for NCA Health Challenge so every little bit helps US help the Newfs.

Since there were so many people who'd asked about checks, here is how I believe it will best work out.

You'll need to write TWO checks/money orders...sounds like a pain but here's how I'll handle them.

I will have two envelopes...one made out to NCA Health Challenge with Mary Jane Spackman's mailing address and the Second will just be marked "Rescue".

One check should be made out to NCA Health Challenge and the other check should just state "Rescue" on the "Pay to the Order of.." line...just leave me enough space to write in the name of the winning Rescue Group.

Checks/money orders will then be logged in and placed in the appropriate envelope.

Ticket prices are $2.00 each...6 for $ 10.00...12 for $ 20.00 and so on...so if buying 12 tickets, for example, make one check out to Health Challenge for $ 10.00 and the other to "Rescue" for $ 10.00

When the winners are drawn and the PayPal funds are ready for disbursement...your checks will be included in the same envelope with the ones that I write and the list of all donors.

So, for those needing a receipt for tax purposes...your canceled check/money order copy should qualify as your receipt.

Since the Raffle will end on December 10th, the Pay Pal transfer should be completed by 16-17th and checks will be mailed the next business day...well in advance of the year-end deadline.Sound OK you you all ??

My mailing address is:

Susan Aspeotes
25510 Rocky Mount Lane
Waynesville MO 65583

The Move to RAW

2008-07-05T18:23:00.000-07:00

It's a humid summer's evening here and I finally have a chance to sit down and update some more....

Let's talk about Morgan now...she is my remaining Golden Retriever and she will be 14 in a few weeks. This sweet old gal had battled recurrent hot spots and other skin issues for many years....I changed foods....I had her tested for thyroid problems...and while she'd enjoy some small measure of relief....the skin problems just did not go away.

Last Fall...I put her on Grain Free dog food and the change was dramatic...no more hot spots or chewing on her legs....even her stinky ears were clearing up. Well....give a Stupid Smack...Morgan wasn't just allergic to corn and wheat in her former dog foods...she was simply GRAIN INTOLERANT !

She'd done so well on Grain Free that I soon changed the other dogs to the same dog food and they, too, showed improvements in their coat condition.

A few weeks ago...I took the dietary change one step further....to a RAW diet. Of course the dogs still get some dog food in the evenings ( still grain free )....the RAW now encompasses abut 70% of their total dietary intake...and will remain so for a while yet as I still have several large sacks of kibble to use up ... after that I will keep some small bags handy for hubby to feed if necessary,,,in case of illness, boarding or if I should have to travel overnight for work.

The dogs were sure comical at their first RAW snack. I had gone shopping with hubby and picked up a package of raw chicken wings and after putting away the rest of the groceries...opened the package up and gave each dog a wing.

Morgan munched hers down right away....Penny was a little more reserved BUT Peggy Sue and Zander glared at me as if I had totally lost my mind...

" Uhhhhh......'cuse me.....what is this ??? It's RAW....ewwwwww....GROSS !!!! "

Took a few minutes to convince the Newfs that I really, truly wasn't trying to POISON them and decided to give in and crunch-munch on the wing. Next morning they got raw meaty pork neck bones and those met with immediate approval....and now they get so excited when the raw food comes out of the freezer or fridge that I would hate to accidentally drop a package of meat as I am sure the herd would come thundering in...grab it and run.

Of course, they are also now capitalizing on the fact that they get TWO meals a day instead of just the dog food in the evenings when I come home from work. Their main meal is now BREAKFAST and this is the RAW meal; dinner is just a small portion of grain free kibble....probably about 1/4 of what they got before.

I get an excellent price on raw chicken necks ( in a 40 lb case ) from one of our local grocery stores ( in fact just placed another order ) ; and I divide this up into 3-4 lb freezer bags. I also get large packages of raw pork necks ( will see about a case lot of those ) and large raw meaty shank bones from the same store. From another supplier I get 1 and 2 lb containers of raw green tripe and this last order also got the dogs some beef organ and chicken organ blend and also some ground Rabbit/Vegetables. Once a week or so the dogs get canned mackerel...OK...not technically RAW...but still a good protein source and a source of essential fatty acids.

When the dogs get a meal of other than the raw chicken or pork bones, they get a portion of steamed mashed vegetables and oatmeal which they all love. We also supplement with cold pressed salmon and sardine oils and a kelp supplement made especially for dogs on the RAW diet.

I believe my dogs are coming into the best shape of their lives and I wish I had not thought for years that people who fed their pets a RAW diet were crackpots...because they sure are NOT. In fact, I even recently purchased another freezer...a small frost free that became the family freezer and the older, manual defrost, is now the storage freezer for the dogs' food and also some of my cookie ingredients.

Morgan had had severe tartar encrusted on her teeth and after just a little over a month on RAW...her teeth are almost perfectly CLEAN; Zander had been scheduled for a dental cleaning last month and after the diet change I was able to cancel the appointment. Peggy Sue had shown just a little staining of her teeth....GONE...and Penny's teeth have also shown massive improvement.

No stinky ears and cotton pads full of greasy smelling discharge ...coats no longer show dryness and doggy dandruff and all (especially Morgan ) seem much more mentally alert and that is saying a lot for this almost 14 year old dog. And, since, at her last check-up, her geriatric blood panels were all normal...I have reason to believe that this sweet old gal will be with me a lot longer....

Huge thanks go to Peggy Lange and many, many other Newf-L members for educating me on the benefits of the RAW diet and for their reading shelf recommendations to further the learning process.

Back Again !!!!

2008-07-01T16:03:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's been far too long since the blog was updated...so since I am enjoying a long-overdue and well-deserved week's leave....time to get this taken care of.

There have been loads of changes since November....so first with the dogs...

Most of you know that my darling Mollie ( Good Golly Miss Mollie JT, CGC ) passed away on March 5, 2008. Mollie was my very first Newfoundland and the absolute light of my life. Mollie was 11 years, 9 months and 5 days old at the time of her passing...a good long life for a Newf...although far too short of a time for us to love each other.

Mollie came to me as a breeder re-home from Julie Thomas ( Windancer Newfoundlands ) in August of 2001; Mollie and I bonded, I believe, right from the beginning. She thoroughly enjoyed life as a spoiled rotten house Newf.

Although Mollie had had her CGC and was listed with Therapy Dogs, Inc for a few years, due to work commitments we did not make near as many Therapy visits as I would have wanted to make...but what we did do, we enjoyed. Perhaps Mollie's greatest joy was in being around children...all ages and sizes...she loved them all. The summer before she passed away, we took every Wednesday off during a local school's Summer program and two classes took turns reading to Mollie .. and one day we taught a special Safety program. She grew to look forward to those Wednesday afternoons.

Mollie was the "M" in M & Zee's...she always will be....she loved her morning and evening cookies so very much and often when I was late in handing out her "allotment"...she would stand by the cookie canister and BOOF insistently until I gave her her due.

Mollie had had increasing arthritis issues and living in a two story house with the main living area upstairs did not help the matter. In February she also got a diagnosis of Spondylosis with neurological complications. A series of supplements and the use of a Lift & Assist Harness bought us more time than what she would have had otherwise...but..soon these had no effect and although Mollie's mind remained sharply intact...she simply could not walk without difficulty and this was the deciding factor in helping her to the Bridge. It allows a dog no dignity if they lower themselves to potty and then cannot get up and away from their wastes...and I bawled that whole last evening and morning when I took her to the vet for a final relief from her pain.

Things were very unsettling with my sadness over Mollie's death and a sudden, dramatic increase in work responsibilities.....and I noticed that Jessie, a Golden Retriever of advancing age, was having difficulties keeping food down. It came on, I thought, rather suddenly.

Jessie was adopted in January 2000 and I believe she was around 5 years old at that time. She came from an irresponsible family who had allowed this tiny Golden to whelp litter after litter of puppies; the one she'd had shortly before adoption left her an emaciated wreck. She weighed 33 lbs...no kidding...when I took her to the vet the day I'd picked her up ..and her lack of grooming care necessitated the 4-65 Air conditioner ( translation...4 windows down and 65 miles per hour ). As soon as we got home it was into the bathtub and the full effect of her emaciation became really apparent. This was a lost soul if there ever was one.

I had had no intention of adopting Jessie but God, in His Infinite Wisdom, had another plan ..and Jessie stayed on. Jessie was very quiet and unassuming...and at times almost annoyingly "clingy" and velcro. But she made it quite clear that she was happy here.

A trip to the vet after alterations in diet and supplements gave no relief...and to my horror...she was given a diagnosis of Kidney Failure. She was placed on special renal diet dog food...which she hated .... and soon afterwards was placed on twice daily subcutaneous fluid infusions. The vomiting soon came back and I then opted to try to syringe feed her with pureed baby food.

She started to come back, I thought, and then just 6 weeks after her first diagnosis, developed a massive gastrointestinal hemorrhage and was sadly and lovingly helped to the Bridge.

So...in the space of a little over 2 months our herd was reduced by 1/3; and hopefully we will not see another passing for a long, long time.

Morgan will be celebrating her 14th Birthday later this month and she is still going hale and hearty..and were it not for the silver throughout her gorgeous Golden Retriever coat...one would find it hard to believe that she is that old.

Zander was rather perplexed when Mollie and Jessie were no longer here...so that made me extra glad that Peggy Sue so charmed Ron that he was the one to decide that she was going to stay.

Penny, the little Beagle mix, still rules the house; she makes the two Newfs sit sharply and say " Yes Ma'am" ..which never fails to amuse everyone.

There have also been loads of changes in the Cookie line-up; after careful consideration..I decided to discontinue the Apple/Carrot flavor and substitute it with Apple/Peanut Butter. This new flavor is a special favorite of my crew...made with freshly ground dry roasted peanuts..this is a cookie that even YOU could snack on and enjoy.

I also added a special Grain Free variety and this is also getting some good reviews. I took the ever popular Veggie/Parmesan recipe and eliminated all the grains..even the oatmeal...and added fresh white potatoes and an organic sweet potato flour. This is an interesting cookie to bake since there are no grains to bind the mixture....it certainly is NOT a pretty cookie and is somewhat difficult to shape and bake but those who have tried this for their dogs tell me that the dogs love them....so this is a flavor which will definitely stay.

I have been honored to be asked to support several Rescue fund-raisers...some for Newfoundlands and also for Golden and Labrador Retrievers and these are always a pleasure to do. We have also been able to support several local Shelter events with Gift Baskets and I have been told that these are always a hot item to bid for or to buy a raffle ticket for.

And coming again this year, we will have the Hanukkah treats...for our Jewish doggie friends....these were a spur of the moment addition last year. I take the regular recipes and bake them in the traditional Hanukkah shapes and package them in the appropriate theme bags. This was a fun addition as well as educational for me as I learned more about Jewish customs and traditions while researching and ensuring that my recipes were within the dietary guidelines ( although I do not have a kosher kitchen per se ) and baking the treats.

Due to all the responsibilities with the two ill dogs I had temporarily suspended the Challenge contests but these will again take place very soon. These were always a lot of fun for me and especially for those who participated...as not only did a Rescue get a prize check but the winner of the contest also got a nice assortment of cookies as a Thank You from me.

This is getting very long....so I will continue with more updates in a future installment.

Against the Grain - Part One

2007-12-01T15:36:00.000-08:00

Morgan , my 13+ year old Golden Retriever, has been struggling with allergies for a very long time, over 10 years as a matter of fact. She gets hot spots , chews on her feet constantly and has recently started chewing on one front leg so badly that she has developed a tendon sheath tumor. She doesn't appear to have IBD or other gastrointestinal issues but folks have also told me that these can go hand in hand ( or paw in paw ) and Morgan may indeed have some mild components of IBD.

Doing a lot of research and looking back at what we have done for her in the past....I made the decision to put Morgan on a totally Grain-Free diet. I am sure that the problem has always been food oriented plus environmental allergies....

One of the ladies from the Newf List, Peggy Lange , ( she co-owns 2005 NCA National Specialty winner, CH Cypress Bay's Sea Sea Baby ) is a great supporter of RAW and Grain free feeding for dogs and especially those with allergies such as Morgan.

Peggy is just delightful and extremely helpful without being pushy....so on her recommendation.....Morgan is starting on a Duck, Turkey & Salmon diet...totally grain free...and wouldn't it be something if this will, after all these years, solve her problem ??

God knows nothing else we've tried has worked....the best feed she'd done well on was Solid Gold, but we'd had to switch from them because our distributor was becoming very unreliable and since I had to take a day off from work to meet her and had FAXED my order ahead of time, I didn't thin k it unreasonable to expect the correct items in the correct quantities....so I dropped them a few years ago and went with Canidae.

Morgan does OK on Canidae but still had outbreaks....same with Pro Plan Special Care for Sensitive Skin & Stomach....so basically, unless I went to a totally RAW diet ( gives me the creeps unless one knows WHERE the meat is coming from plus I just don't have time to prepare it )....Grain Free was my only option for this sweet but itchy old Golden.

So....I got two cases of canned Duck/Vegetables...and yesterday picked up a sack of Nature's Variety Instinct Duck/Turkey kibble and will start transitioning her this weekend. I call it the " Daffy Diet " and now I just have to wait for the Sweet Potato flour I ordered the other day to come in because I will also have to formulate a Grain Free treat so Morgan can still have her cookies...that won't be so bad because I already have a good base in the Veggie/Parmesan and will split off part of that for the Grain Free variety. I think I may be able to add this to my line-up after January 2008 as I've had some interest from some clients in a Grain-Free dog cookie.

I am hoping we can finally help Morgan....she has been with us since she was 6 weeks old and for her age is still very active and cuddly and loving and so deserves the very best we can offer her.

Morgan got a well deserved and much enjoyed bath this afternoon....I truly LOVE the Eqyss products ... so now all her lesions are thoroughly cleaned off and we can better follow her progress into the Grain Free way of life.

Here is a close up of the tear stains and irritation from Morgan's left eye area.

This is an area on Morgan's left front leg where she's been chewing; if you look closely you can see the small tendon sheath tumor.....

This is Morgan's left front paw where she's also been chewing and licking constantly. You can see the raw area and also the discoloration of the fur.

All photos were taken Thursday 29 November 2007.

Update: 1 December 2007

Morgan began her feed transition Thursday when her canned "Daffy" aka Nature's Variety Prairie Duck/Vegetables canned food was delivered. She got about 1/3 of the 5.5 oz can mixed in with her Pro Plan kibble along with some warm water, her usual medications ( thyroid and arthritis medications ) and her normal small scoop of yogurt.

At first she looked at the change " What the HELL is THIS ???" but soon hunger got the best of her and she soon cleaned her bowl.

She got the same ration with another 1/3 can of the Duck on Friday and this evening I started replacing some of the Pro Plan with the Nature's Variety Duck & Turkey dry food ( along with some warm water per Peggy's instructions ). Morgan dove right in to her meal ; thankfully none of my dogs have ever been finicky eaters ; so I know we'll not have a problem getting Morgan to eat her new dog food or to accept the grain-free treats when all is in readiness for those.

The main thing will be to always have some grain free treats on hand for Morgan and to have them labeled and set next to the regular cookies with a small sign to remind myself and Ron that these will be the ONLY treats ( besides sometimes raw fruits and veggies and perhaps meat from our dinner ) that Morgan will be permitted to have.

I will continue to update Morgan's progress along with updated photos and when she goes to the vet in late January ( she, too, now goes to Dr Howard in Jefferson City because he has a very special affinity and loving touch with the older pets ) I will download and print these blog entries out to show him.

I'd be willing to bet he will be very interested in Morgan's ( I pray ) improvement...even though he'd said last time that Morgan looked very well for a dog her age.

Whirlwinds of Change

2007-11-03T16:07:00.000-07:00

Hi friends and welcome to this installment of the M and Zee's Blog.

It's been an odd end to summer and beginning of Fall here in South Central Missouri. While we are having cool mornings and evenings, for the most part the afternoons are sunny and fairly warm. One never know just what to wear to work any more...I can pretty well bet most days if I dress warmly in the morning by afternoon I will be wishing I hadn't. I am sure that will change. We've yet to fire up our wood stove but it's all ready to go...just have to finish cracking and stacking some wood and gather up the kindling for the bucket.

The World Series is over and CONGRATULATIONS to my favorite baseball team...the BOSTON RED SOX ...on winning their second World Series in 4 years. People have asked me why I love the Red Sox so much and it's very simple. All to often you hear news stories of athletes running afoul of the law...violence and drug abuse and all that. It may not be all that common percentage wise considering the vast number of professional athletes in this country but because of their public visibility any time one gets in trouble it's all over the news. From what I have seen, the personnel involved in the Red Sox organization have very strict behavior policies and you just don't hear anything bad about them on or off the field. They all appear to conduct themselves in a professional manner ...good family men and very much involved in their respective communities.

Congratulations are also in order for the players and support staff of the National League Champion COLORADO ROCKIES. They have an awesome stadium and talented players and I know they will continue to be a driving force in major league baseball.

The Newf-L Baseball for Rescue is also over and I will mail the last of my donation checks ( matching what Donna Palen - who supported the New York Yankees ) donated. For those who missed it, those of us who participated ( Bronn Dennery, Mary Belford, Marlis Batscher, Donna and myself ) decided to pool our donations and select ONE Rescue...and this was the Independent Rescue run by Chris Pulver of Ridge, NY. I believe the total donations was around $ 300.00 for Chris' work...most of which come out of her own pocket.

The Newf-L Fall Challenge is also over. I still do not know what caused the glitch that did not enable me to post the Challenge to the List and that, I am sure, accounted for the decrease in participants. The Winner was Monica Mathews who won a Variety Pack of treats for Hera...and selected Health Challenge as the recipient of the $ 50.00 prize donation.

The next Newf-L Challenge will be closer to Thanksgiving and I hope the H.A.L 9000 of the University of Colorado will allow me to post the Challenge in it's entirety to the List...and if not....then it's back to posting it on the Blog.

Now...on to the Home Front....and yes, kiddies, there HAVE been quite a few changes here !!

For those of you who might have missed it...the first week of October I came across an online ad from a person looking for a home for a (then ) 9 month old Newfoundland ...and she was firm in that BREEDERS NEED NOT APPLY. While we often shrug our shoulders and seethe at the numbers of people who get Newfs and either do not care for them properly or keep them for a while and then, because they had no knowledge of the breed and it's needs , decide to "get rid of them"....this one was ...different.

So, I contacted the advertiser and forwarded the dog's information to Donna Palen and made arrangements to pick up the dog and foster her. She'd had the name " ONY"...and I'm not sure what that meant...except that perhaps it was short for "ORNERY"....and as I sat at work and pondered over a new name....I decided on "PEGGY SUE"...not sure why except that it was cute and bouncy and a happy sounding name. ..and when I laid eyes on this pretty little girl the name FIT.

It's pretty obvious that Peggy Sue comes from a BYB or a Puppy Mill...in many respects she does indeed look purebred except that her coat is very short...whether this is due to bad breeding or perhaps an all-too-exuberant clipping down by her former owners..I'm not sure...I figure if it is meant to grow in lush and full as we would expect of a Newf then it will and if not...oh well....she would just be a short coated Newf.

Peggy Sue fits right in with the pack....so well that within a week she had charmed the Bejesus out of my husband ( aka Mr No-More-God****-Dogs ) and it was decided that Peggy Sue had found here Forever Home. Made sense all the way around because we knew, because of severe separation issues, Zander would always require a companion and with Mollie being up there in years keeping Peggy Sue around for Zander was just a good idea.

Peggy Sue is around 10 months old now and somehow I suspect she is yet another litter mate to the two boy Newf Rescues I'd had earlier in the summer. She's the right age and even somewhat resembles Fortune ( aka Phoenix )..so it is a possibility and really kinda neat. Peggy Sue, as you can see, is solid black, hut she does have a while diamond on her chest. She's yet to come in season so since the people I'd asked...those whose expert opinions I truly respect....said I should wait until Peggy Sue has at least ONE and if possible TWO seasons prior to spaying...we shall see how she is developmentally after the first before making the spay appointment.

Peggy Sue came pretty much house trained and now is fully crate trained. She has trained US to put our shoes and stuff away and I still believe that issue was one of adjustment into new surroundings. She IS a digger...though...and has had several attempts to " dig all the way to China" in the pen....so I have filled the holes nearer the fence with heavy bricks and gravel/dirt and with dirt and rocks in the ones away from the fence. I also used an old trick of burying some dog poop in some of those holes...and I am considering renting out Peggy Sue as a garden tiller as she does a very GOOD job of loosening up soil.

She is very affectionate and yet quiet...and she will let me know when she has to go out to potty and quickly decided that getting her share of M and Zee's treats is very GOOD.

Mollie continues to do well...she'd had some rough days not too long ago and I was ( still am ) considering Adequan and/or acupuncture as a pain relief therapy. Although Mollie's primary vet is still Dr Jim in Jefferson City, because of Mollie's age I wanted her established with a local "back-up" or "emergency" vet because Jim is a 90 minute drive from my house and in a emergency this would not work. Too, because I am so very emotional when "that time" comes for one of my animals and I always stay with them as they are sent to the Bridge...I just did not want to subject Jim to a horribly shaking and bawling woman...most assuredly NOT a pretty sight. Anyway, the local vet Dr Deanna Tolliver is very nice...very active in breed rescue....and well understands Mollie's issues. She did not, however, think that Adequan would be beneficial to Mollie given her age ( 11 years and 4 months ) but that is just her opinion....whereas Jim would support the use of this injectable drug.

So....on to research.....most of you are well aware that short of heroics I will do and get for my dogs whatever they need and with Mollie...I laughingly state that you could probably sell me "snake oil" and tell me it would help my dog and I would buy it from you. One of patients where I work was telling me of a holistic website that he buys a lot of his vitamins from and there was also a section for pet remedies. So, I took a few minutes and checked it out...and took what I had read back to the KV Vet web site where I order just about all of my dog supplies.

The first site talked about the use of SUPER OXIDE DISMUTASE or SOD ...a natural substance that has purportedly been a "life-saver" for many pets with severe arthritis pain and other health issues. Apparently there have been lots of studies and personal testimonials on several other sites using various brand name forms of this free-radical eliminating supplement...so I found a bottle of this on KV Vet and figured " What the HELL"...it certainly wasn't going to hurt Mollie any and just maybe...just maybe...it would help her pain. It was reasonable priced and given the dosage recommended...the bottle would last 100 days ...time to see if it would help.

Well...this SOD 4000 may indeed be that " snake oil"....but I am here to tell you that even after only 6 days on this...not only am I seeing a definite positive response in Mollie but I have also been able to significantly DECREASE her pain medications ! When I would take Mollie anywhere it was always a chore to hoist her into the van.; she does not like to use the ramp...however, when I took her to Dr Tolliver's Friday afternoon ( November 2nd )...Mollie not only WANTED to get into the van....she darn near leaped up and into the crate on her own...something she has not done for AGES. At the clinic, where Mollie had in past years had some difficulty in walking on shiny tile floors...no problems at all and honestly she even looks happier !

Now...your mileage may vary and it may not be that panacea that those of with old dogs pray for...and the response may not increase as time goes on....but methinks that Mollie is going to stay on this supplement. As I mentioned earlier....I have been able to decrease Mollie's pain medications ( the Tramadol by 25 % and the aspirin by 33 % ) and soon will try to decrease her meloxicam and see if she continues to have that greater mobility and lessening of her arthritis pain.

On the COOKIE front...again there have been come changes that you will begin to see very soon. I had been using Sorbic Acid as my natural preservative and it always worked very well except that I noted as did several clients, that it would leave behind an "off " odor...almost fishy smelling and for sure made some clients wonder if the treats were indeed safe for their pets and I would, of course, assure them that the treats were indeed OK.

My supplier for the Sorbic Acid went out of business so several months ago I went back to research to find an alternative solution...a substance that would extend the shelf life of the treats but still it HAD to be all-natural. Although I do not refrigerate the treats I retain for my own dogs....I still and always will STRONGLY RECOMMEND to my clients that they keep their dogs' treats refrigerated or frozen !

I came across a supplier for commercial bakeries, Althytec Specialty Ingredients , based in Ohio and they market a substance labeled " Longer Shelf Life " which is a blend of natural flavors in a "tea" like liquid. I contacted them asking for more information and have exchanged several phone calls and e-mails with their customer service rep...who not only spent loads of time with me but also helped me calculate how much of the Longer Shelf Life I would need to add to each batch of cookies. I have just started this week using the Longer Shelf Life in my cookie recipes and so far I am pleased with the results and now will have to get into my label program and change my labels to reflect the change in my cookie preservative.

The worst problem I had was getting the damned bucket open...and thanks to my son who did so for me last weekend. The Longer Shelf Life is, as I stated, a liquid...almost vinegary in appearance and aroma...but this not only bakes away but leaves the cookies much more natural smelling....now your and your dogs will now more fully appreciate the aroma of the fruits and vegetables that go onto the M and Zee's Treats. While it was, I thought at first, somewhat pricey...using the calculations given to me the 10 gallon bucket will last quite a long time and does not need to be refrigerated after opening so I can dip out a gallon jug at a time to keep with the rest of my cookie baking supplies and keep the larger bucket sealed and safe. And, of course...whatever the price...the IMPORTANT thing is still being able to provide my own dogs and those of my clients with a safe and healthy ( as well as affordable ) treat alternative to the ones found on grocery store shelves.

Later I will be changing the Veggie Parmesan treat formula and instead of using the dehydrated potato flakes as one of the ingredients, I will be changing that to fresh REAL potatoes...again making this a healthier and I hope ( for your dogs ) a tastier treat.

In January 2008, I will also be adding a NEW flavor....due to client requests I had been asked to come up with a Peanut Butter based cookie and I have formulated a Peanut Butter/Apple cookie. As I must first secure approval of this formula from the Missouri Dept of Agriculture before offering this new flavor on my web site and renewal time is in December, I have decided to simply delay the new flavor until January. The formula, which will be made from fresh Apples, dry roasted unsalted peanuts and organic peanut oil, has already had several taste tests here and with several clients and all have given a FOUR PAWS UP rating so I am sure that once the Peanut Butter/Apple becomes available for sale...it will quickly become a favorite with your dogs as well as mine. As with all the others, it will be available in Regular as well as as Wheat Free.

We still have the Puppy Play Packs and Gift Certificates and from what I have been told the Gift Certificates that I have sent on to some of the Regional Clubs as donations to their activities have been quite welcomed and I hope have helped raise well needed funds for their Rescues and other Club activities. I welcome any requests from Regional Clubs for a Gift Certificate. They are easily e-mailed out to the Fund Raising Chair and easy for the winners to redeem via e-mail back to me.

Well....back to the kitchen....I have a nice new batch of Sweet Potato/Carrot dough to get ready to finish mixing and ready to bake tomorrow...

All of you have a GREAT weekend and remember WHO to thank for it !

Newf-L Fall Challenge

2007-09-24T04:03:00.000-07:00

Sorry for this guys....I never before have had an issue with posting the regular Challenges to the List....I have done some extra editing in the hopes that THIS time it will go through. The only thing I can figure is that having the prize amounts in currency format is causing the server to block the message so I have spelled the mounts out in words so once again I am sorry to be such a piss ant about this....let me know if you do or do not receive it.If not, whom should I contact at University of Colorado to determine what the problem might be ???*************************************************************************************************Yeah....though I'd forgotten didn't ya ??? Nope...no way would I miss the Challenges that many of you have come to enjoy....so here we go....

I love Fall...even with the leaves falling and yard messes to clean up...there is something about the crispness of the night air that tends to recharge my batteries...especially after such a long, hot and dry summer as we've had this year. I love sleeping with my windows open at night and once again hearing the crickets and other night sounds and I know the pups are enjoying the cooler weather coming up.

Of course, this also means preparing for Winter and getting the wood stove cleaned out, the chimney swept and the wood split and hauled closer to the house but all in all....Fall is such a lovely time of year. I enjoy seeing the myriad of colors in the trees on my daily drives home from work and there's always some wonderful opportunities for spectacular photographs...although...LOL...they most likely won't be coming from my camera !

Baseball season is winding down...yet gearing up for the Post Season....Hockey teams are holding training camps and FOOTBALL is in the air....

For those of you who have never participated in the Challenges here....they began almost 5 years ago when I wanted to increase my regular donations to Rescue...but also wanted it to be more fun so I decided to make it FUN for everyone.

So, for your List newcomers...here's a brief recap of the rules....such as they are.....

1) You do NOT have to be an NCA or Regional Club member to participate...just being on the List qualifies you. I am also going to be extending an invitation to the folks at Newf.Net to play along.
Past winners are invited to participate and each adult in the family may submit answers to the 2 questions posted.

One answer correct puts you in the drawing....if the winner ( drawn at random ) only had one correct...the prize donation is TWENTY FIVE dollars...but if BOTH submitted answers are correct...then the prize doubles to FIFTY dollars in addiition...the winner also receives a special prize for their dogs but you will have to go to my Blog to see what it is. www.bestdogcookies.blogspot.com

2) You may use any resource necessary to come up with the correct answers except that you may NOT ask me. If you submit an incorrect answer you will be sent an e-mail and have as many chances as you need to submit amended answers. I do try to research my questions although in the past there have been some discrepancies in my sources so I do make allowances for those.

3) The Fall Challenge commences immediately and will run through Wednesday October 3, 2007....6:00 PM CDT.

4) Please include your full name and where you are from with your answer. Please also include your choice for the recipient for the prize donation if you are drawn as the winner. You may select an NCA Regional Club Rescue, NCA Charitable Trust ( Health Challenge, NCA Rescue and Junior Showmanship Scholarship Fund ) or you may also select a Canadian Newfoundland Club Rescue programme.

5) Contest closes October 3, 2007 @ 6:00 PM CDT and the winner will be drawn shortly thereafter and announced to Newf-L and Newf.net. I will also confirm the mailing address for the winner so I can mail you your prize.

Have fun....and BATTER UP !!!!

NOTE: My source for these questions is the St Louis (MO) Post Dispatch Newspaper....

A) Other than Barry Bonds....what active MLB player has the MOST career RBI's ( Runs Batted In ) ?

B) Which player, past or present, holds the record for the most major league games played in ?

Good Luck to all....and may the best Team (aka Boston Red Sox ) win the World Series.......

Take Me Out To The Ball Game

2007-09-23T14:46:00.000-07:00

Good Evening Friends and welcome to the next installment of the M and Zee's Blog Spot.

Those of you who, like, me, follow Major League Baseball are sitting now with baited breath to see how the Post Season will shape up. No matter which way it goes, it's bound to be a great World Series.

The Newf-L Baseball bet is still going strong....however Mary Belford's St Louis Cardinals are now officially out of the running for the National League Play-offs.

The Cardinals have had a really rough season: Chris Carpenter, their premier pitcher had been on the Disabled List most of the season and a few months ago underwent major surgery to his elbow which out him out for the rest of the season and perhaps well into the 2008 season. Jeff Suppan and Jason Marquis were traded to the Milwaukee Brewers and the Chicago Cubs respectively....and sadly Josh Hancock found out the hard way that living in the fast lane is not a good thing. Juan Encarnacion suffered a devastating facial injury from a wild foul ball; Scott Rolen had repeat shoulder surgery and Scott Spezio had had some personal issues that sidelined him for a number of weeks. Just a rough season all the way around. Perhaps 2008 will be a better season for the 2006 World Series winners.

Bronn Dennery's New York Mets have had their share of slumps this year as well but are still tops in the National League East Division and while they've won their last 3 games, the Philadelphia Phillies ( who had a remarkably entertaining celebration for their 10,000th LOSS this year ) have been sneaking up the Met's back door. The race is still wide open for the 4 Post season berths in the National League....although those Elimination numbers are getting smaller and smaller and soon we shall see who the contenders are.

In the American League...my beloved Boston Red Sox are still # 1 in the East but not by much as Donna Palen's New York Yankees are but 1.5 GB of the Sox. The Yankees won today over Toronto ( already eliminated ) but the Red Sox lost to Tampa Bay ( also eliminated earlier )....so the match ups should be interesting since the Yankees and the Red Sox would not play each other in the ALDS ( American League Division Series )...they would only play each other if both should win their games against the Cleveland Indians and the Los Angeles Angels.

But....since all monies wagered go to the dogs....even if we lose....the dogs WIN and that means we all win. Donna and I have already discussed and selected the recipient of the funds for the AL winners but we will not announce it till the winner is determined......

On the home front....Mollie continues to do well and each day I thank God for her and for that Lift and Assist harness I told you about last time. I really believe this device has been a God send and I wish at times I had had one for Ron's old Lab, Bonnie, when she'd had so much trouble walking. However, Bonnie's mobility problems were so much worse than Mollie's because Bonnie had been battling hip dysplasia and congestive heart failure for several years prior to her passing....and I have to learn not to beat myself up over the " Could have" ,"Should have" and "If only" ' s.

Zander, of course , is doing well and I have been considering some possibilities for a companion dog for him for when Mollie does make that final journey. One breed I have always liked is the French Bulldog....something about those bat ears and that wonderful smooshed-in face just gets to me . The main reason for my delay in actually adding a Frenchie is that many Rescues will not adopt to a home with cats because these little fellers can have quite a strong prey-drive where felines are concerned...and one thing I am NOT willing to do is re-home Smokie, my Siamese-mix cat just so I can have a Frenchie. I have been in communication with a show breeder that has some older, retired Champion bitches available for re-homing and since they have not been around cats this may indeed work out. I discussed this with Dr Howard ( who is himself a Frenchie owner ) and he doesn't seem to think that this would be a problem since a "eat the kitty" prey drive has not been allowed to develop...so we shall see how this goes. As I told the breeder in my introductory e-mail....time is not an issue....what I want is the RIGHT Frenchie to fit in and be a companion to Zander....and I am more than willing to wait for that RIGHT one.

If I were to name Zander's main problem...it is that of Separation Anxiety....I had noted this when he first came in as a foster and a short course of Clomicalm did help considerably...but it seemed that ( and you may remember this from Part 2 of his story )...Gramma Dog was also a very integral part of him learning to accept crating and separation from his humans. When Gramma passed away the issues came back and then some and now Zander, we have found, does not tolerate crating at all...he will break out of any wire crate made and the only crate he could not escape from was the Vari-Kennel and he would flood the crate almost every day with urine and sometimes poop. Well....this is NOT good and we then decided to clear out a spare bedroom and make this a secure kennel room for the dogs. Each dog still has it's own crate but all crates are left open and after the last potty run of the morning before I go to work the dogs are told to " Go to your bedroom" and they all herd in....lie down and I shut the door and head on into work. Ron comes home usually around 6 hours later and lets them out. This seems to work for Zander...he may indeed lie down and rest in his crate and I suspect that he does....but if he doesn't there's nothing he can get into. The floor in that room is in need of repair anyway and I hope to have that completely re-done in the Spring...possibly with Porcelain or other quarry type tile...some type of sturdy flooring that is easy to clean and resists damage from toe nails.

Jessie and Morgan, my elderly Goldens, are hanging in there. Jessie is around 12 1/2 ( we figure - she's a Rescue ) and Morgan was 13 in late July of this year. Morgan had had a problem with a recurring fluid filled cysts on her neck and I had decided to consult with Dr Howard ( Mollie and Zander's vet ) but just before we went to that consult, Morgan tore the cyst open ( we had been draining it with a sterile syringe and needle quite regularly before this ) and apparently this took care of the issue because the cyst shrank down after healing and has never come back. The initial injury certainly had me concerned as there was blood as well as the watery fluid but the area healed with no secondary infection . Morgan did enjoy her visit with Dr Howard and it certainly seems that he has a way with the older dogs so Morgan will hopefully be going back in January for another routine physical and blood work. It's always great to know that there are vets who appreciate and spend extra time taking care of our senior companions.

Now....for M and Zee's news....if you've been to the main page of my site, you will see a great new addition to our line.....the Puppy Play Pack. This came about in a rather interesting way. I was looking for a way for creatively package the treats for gift giving since the Holiday season will be on us before we know it. Having logo biscuit boxes made seems to be well out of my budget and since I insist on operating totally on on-hand funds and not to finance anything...that was a major concern. I wanted something unique as well as sturdy and one evening it came to me....Dogs like to play with Frisbees !!!! They're sturdy plastic ( US Made ) , fun for the dogs, and give us some exercise as well as that special one-on-one play and bonding time with our pets....so I found a supplier to add my new Logo to the Frisbees and there ya go.....

The Puppy Play Packs are a great gift to give when a friend or family member welcomes a new dog into their home and also a nice inclusion for those Puppy Packs that many breeders send off when placing their Show and Companion pups. Each includes an assortment of Regular or Wheat Free treats and a sturdy puppy toy...and the Logo Frisbee acts as the tray....so when the puppy finishes their, they still have 2 toys to play with and no box to throw away. For those of you who would not want the squeaky toy, let me know and I will add another package of treats in lieu of the toy....at no additional charge.

I have also been delving more into the advertising field ( again keeping in mind that I do not want to finance anything )...so I am anxiously awaiting this next copy of Newf Tide because you will now see our 1/4 page ad...letting more and more people know just how great M and Zee's Treats are.

I will also discuss with Regional Clubs on a special price for packaged ring favors for their Working Events and Specialty Shows....Newfoundland Club of New England members told me that their dogs at their recent Water test thoroughly enjoyed their cookies as a special reward for working so hard at their tests...

Now....on to the making of the post for the Newf -L Fall Challenge contest and yet another chance for you to help me decide where the prize donation will go....and the winner of the Fall Challenge will also win a Puppy Pack for their dogs.....the VERY first one to go out and I believe that with all the support you all have given me in the past months...that was the appropriate thing to do......

All of you have a great evening and please be kind to everyone you meet and remember Who to thanks for these glorious Fall days ahead.

Helping Mollie Along and Other Things

2007-08-26T17:27:00.000-07:00

Good evening friends and welcome to another installment of the M and Zee's Blog.

There's been some neat things happening here ! And a lot of it is thanks to all of you !!

First, I'd like to thank the Newfoundland Club of New England for their purchase of M and Zee's Treats as favors for their recent Water Test. Each dog that earned a Title also got an extra pack of Title ( WD and WRD ) cookies and some that tried and just didn't quite hit the mark also had the opportunity to enjoy some extra treats as an incentive to keep on trying.

I'd gotten some wonderful comments on the Title cookies I'd posted the picture on last month's entry....so many of you thought they were very cool and very unique.....so...in response I now have:

yes....celebrate a Championship with some C-H-A-M-P-I-O-N cookies !! I have already sold several and I think it's a great way to treat your dog for accomplishing this very prestigious title or to congratulate a friend ! While they are not yet available on the web site...you can still order them....they are $ 7.00 and that includes the postage...and if this is a gift for someone else...I will include a CONGRATULATIONS card as well as a Gift Card from YOU !

I also have:

Mark a Special Day for your Dog with this set of HAPPY BOOF-DAY cookies !!! This "platter" averages 8 oz net weight cookies...in Regular or Wheat Free and are $ 10.00 including Postage. And as with the CHAMPION cookies, this will include a CONGRATS card and a Gift Card if you want me to send this on to a lucky dog that would enjoy a special healthy treat for their special day !

Other Titles and Greetings are available upon request......all you need to do is let me know what you want to say in cookies and I'll make it up for you !

Soon...there will some rather unique packaging....M and Zee's Logo Frisbees !! What better way to have a sturdy....yet reusable packing for the cookies....your dog will not only get some delicious treats but when the treats are gone....they will still enjoy a toy ! Those should be available within a few weeks.

Now.....most of you know that my darling Mollie, age 11, has an on-going battle with arthritis...but hey, 11 is a grand age for a Newfoundland and in remembering that comparison age chart I saw in her vet's office...she would be the equivalent of a 90+ year old woman...and I hope to God when I am that age I get along as well as Mollie does.

But...the kicker is that we live in a 2 story house with the main living area upstairs. Mollie doesn't particularly like to do stairs...she never has...BUT she wants to be with "HER" people and if that's what Mollie wants then I will do my darndest to see that I can make that happen for her. She is already on a "cocktail" of anti-inflammatory as well as analgesic and herbal medications and so far she continues to respond to those...and we haven't really hit the "industrial strength" pain medications as of yet....thank God ! Although I will tell you, several future options are being considered as Mollie ages more and more....

When Mollie has her not-so-good days, she gets very wobbly in the rear...sometimes her rear legs will buckle underneath her and I find myself having to "hoist" her upright again and then after a short rest she is OK....so the question was...what to do to help her along more ??

I do have a sling from Northland Newfoundland Club and have had to use it several times already and on the UP side it does the job...but on the DOWN side...I'd still have to be able to get the sling ON Mollie when she got wobbly or her legs collapsed. This, I can imagine could be quite painful for Mollie so I needed another alternative and off to the Internet to search....

About two weeks ago I happened onto a site http://www.handicappedpets.com/ and lo and behold it looked like they had the solution ! What I wanted was something lightweight that Mollie could literally wear 24/7...so it had to be easy on-easy off....comfortable for Mollie, non-restrictive under normal conditions ( walking, standing lying down, and pottying ). It had to be washable...and it had to enable me to assist Mollie without "interfering" with her movements. And, it had to be affordable......

After discussion with Julie Thomas...yes, even after all these years as Mollie's Mom, Julie stands by as a mentor and I know I can discuss any aspect of Mollie's care with her...and exchanging several e-mails to the Handicapped Pets people....I selected what I believe will be the best daily option for assisting Mollie and after I tell you more and you see the pictures...I believe this device may be of use for other things Newfie.

What I chose was the Lift and Assist harness....shaped in many ways like a regular dog harness but it is made of a lightweight , sturdy neoprene...has two adjustable cinches...the front one loops though the breast plate...and the second one is a little further back at what would be Mollie's "waist" level. The best thing is that on the top of the harness is a built in handle; while Mollie is going up or down stairs I can still walk beside her and hold onto the handle to support and ease her along but without interfering with her walking and without stressing her out by rushing to loop the sling around her to help her.

The Large size fit Mollie perfectly and that is even without adjusting the cinches to their maximum lengths...I believe the Large would fit a dog with up to a 48" girth and folks that would be one helluva BIG dog.

One can view this harness on the http://www.handicappedpets.com/ web site and they also have an eBay store.

The price was so affordable that I ordered two harnesses; since they have to be hand washed and line dried, I wanted a "spare" for Mollie to wear while the other one was being cleaned. The Lift and Assist is Easy On and Easy Off so it can be quickly removed for grooming and bathing and it does not interfere with Mollie's collar. And...the color Red really suits Mollie's glorious coat, too.

Now Mollie being Mollie...at first she was not too amused when I first put the Lift and Assist on her but after adjusting the cinches she quickly accepted it and now seems quite comfortable wearing it. I feel better knowing I can better assist her while she is going up and down the stairs....I simply grab the handle as I would a suitcase handle ( shades of Fred Flintstone ) and we go strolling along.

Here are some views of Mollie in her harness...and please bear in mind a photographer I am NOT:

Now....as for other potential uses....I think some of you were also discussing harnesses which could be used to help your Newfie while swimming...and also perhaps helping the Newf in and out of a boat ...well...could this Lift and Assist harness also maybe serve that need as well ????

Have a great evening folks....there's a ball game coming on soon and I have cookies in the oven....so please hug your dogs....be kind to everyone and remember Who to thanks for the love of friends, family...and your dogs !

Now It's YOUR Turn !!!

2007-07-31T03:48:00.000-07:00

Ok folks....I think I had promised you last time that there were more surprises in store from M and Zee's....so now I am in need of your assistance.

Last week I was taking some cookie dough out of the freezer and thought..." What can I do to increase interest in the BEST Dog Cookies around ?? ".

I had purchased some new cookie cutters....Alphabet Letters....so started experimenting and this is what I came up with.....

For lack of imagination....I called them the " Bribery Cookies"....and several packages of these were made and will be sent to NCNE for their upcoming Water Test. Extra packages not claimed by the title winners will hopefully be going home with the judges as a Thank You gift. Some will also be shipped to HANC for their Water Test and I hope everyone enjoys these new creations.

I have been bouncing around the idea of adding these and other Title Cookies to my existing line...sort of an "Edible Congratulations" or "Greeting Cookies" theme. For example, if you would like to congratulate a friend for her dogs' new Championship.....you would order cookies spelling out C-H-A-M-P-I-O-N . The cookies would be packaged up as ordered, shrink wrapped and forwarded to your friend along with a Gift Card from YOU. I'd like to come up with some sort of "package deal"...where everything , including the Gift Card and shipping would be contained in the price of the "Edible Greeting".

But....I would like to know what YOU think of this idea....after all....I rely heavily on your Feedback on anything that I bake and offer through my site. Would you consider this as a purchase option...and more importantly...would you ( and your dogs ) enjoy RECEIVING one ?

Now....for those of you who were not able to view the new M and Zee's Logo....here it is:

I already have this on my new letterhead and soon, once I figure out how to do it, I will have all new business cards made and will be adding this newly designed logo to my brochures that are now being enclosed with each cookie order.

As always, your comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated......

In The Good Old Summer-Time

2007-07-29T13:29:00.000-07:00

For some darn reason that song keeps popping back into my head and I find myself humming this all afternoon....chalk it up to old age.

There's been lots of new happenings here at M and Zee's..so I will tell you some right now and save some for later blogs.

First, we now have a brand new Logo design...designed by the talented graphic artist, Adam Gaudreau of AMG Graphic Design, North Eastam, MA. I had sent him some pictures of the dogs and also a picture of my first Logo and Adam re-designed and enhanced it with bolder colors and text. I had 4 choices and believe you me...it was a TOUGH decision. I had asked several friends for their opinions before making my final choice. Adam e-mailed me the files and sent me a back-up CD as well and when I asked if he had dogs, he replied that he had two, a Yorkie and a Beagle, so of course I sent him some samples of my great Gourmet Treats. I will be anxiously awaiting his reply.

Here is Adam's website in case you would like to look over some of his other works.....

www.freewebs.com/amgraphic

Sales had slowed down considerably due to the summer months so I started concentrating my efforts on advertising more...after all...we can't SELL the best and healthiest dog treats if people don't know about us. You may expect to see our ad in upcoming Newf Tide magazines as well as catalogs from upcoming Regional Club performance events such as Water and Draft Tests as well as Regional Specialties. It's a great way to spread the word about M and Zee's as well as support the Regional Clubs...so this I not so much view as a necessary expense but as a WIN-WIN deal.

I suspect, though, that once the summer ( aka vacation ) months wind down I will again see an upswing in orders and hopefully more so once the time comes for Holiday gifts and I do hope many of you will remember M and Zee's for your Holiday gift-giving. Remember we now have Gift Certificates which can be redeemed through the web site.

Most of you know that I am a Rabid Boston Red Sox fan so this past week I, along with many other Baseball fans , was thrilled to see the return of Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester to the mound. As you may recall, this very nice young man was diagnosed with Lymphoma last August and even as he was going through the trauma of chemotherapy, always stood fast to the thought that he WOULD return to Major League Baseball.

So, those of us who followed his progress and believed in him, gave Thanks to God, Jon's family and all of those involved in his treatment and pray for Jon's continued progress and health. Now, it may sound silly to some of you, but I did send young Jon a Welcome Back card with pictures of Mollie and Zander sporting their Red Sox drool bibs. These pictures always bring a smile to people who have seen them so we hope the thought of my big babies wearing their Red Sox regalia make him smile as well. Plus, we also sent a donation to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Jon's honor as they were the initial treating facility for Jon prior to his transfer for continued treatment near his home in Washington State.

We were fortunate also to be able to donate Cookie assortments to the New-Pen- Del Paws and Claws Get Together as well as the Newf Net Get Together (Iowa ) . Congratulations are in order to Jeff and Diane Weber (PA ) who won the Paws and Claws basket and to Darby Harris (NC) who won the offering from the Newf Net Get Together. In August we will be sending donations to Newfoundland Club of New England, River King Newfoundland Club and to the Heart of America Newfoundland Club Water Tests....so if you are going to any or all of these events, please support their Rescue Programs by taking a chance on one of these baskets.

Now....back to some garden work....since M and Zee's Treats are made with REAL fruits and veegtables, some of which I am growing in my back yard, I have to keep my garden well watered and weed free. I have picked some wonderful looking Zucchini and have several baby pumpkins in various stages of growth and since my garden is pesticide free you can be assured that those cookies really will be the BEST tasting around.

See ya later !!!

Happy Summer Happenings

2007-07-03T07:41:00.000-07:00

Hi Friends.....

It's been several weeks since our cookie blog has been updated...and most of you know this has been a very busy time for all of us.

M and Zee's had a good showing at the 2007 Newfoundland Club of America's National Specialty in Boulder, Colorado...and we extend our heartiest CONGRATULATIONS to all who showed and won....and lest I forget...THANKS to Ted and Melanie Peck of Newf Emporium for taking M and Zee's treats to Boulder and promoting them in their booth.

I also want to thank Monica and Lonnie, Chuck Holtzen, Mary Lou and all of those who kept us updated with such wonderful photographs. You all deserve a standing ovation.

Congratulations also to the winner of the Newf-L Summar Challenge...Carol Ann ( Dimmie ) Campbell of Southington, CT. Dimmie won , for herself and her dogs, a Variety Pack of M and Zee's treats and also a 2008 Tessie calendar produced by Alison Cole ( remember Tessie from the last Blog entry ?? ).

I was kept quite busy being Foster Mama to two very needy Newfoundland ( mix possibly ) puppies, Eli and Fortune, supposedly litter mates but coming from two separate households in our County. These poor puppies were certainly in need of veterinary care, good solid nutrition and most of all, LOVE....and they surely got it here. I don't normally foster very often because I do admit to allowing myself to become far too attached to my fosters ( as Zander can tell you....LOL ). But, the premise of fostering is to treat the foster dogs as if they were your very own....and this I try to do to the letter.

Eli stayed here for 10 days; he might have stayed longer but as neither puppy had had even the bare minimum of human bonding and socialization...I observed that they were becoming far too bonded to each other and not responding as well to human contact as I would have liked....thus it became necessary to split them up. Eli eventually made his way to the metro Chicago area where he is now Exelby and other than some minor adjustment issues is doing very well.

Fortune was by far the puppy that was in the worst shape. When I picked him up he was covered in fleas and hundreds of ticks and seriously anemic from the chronic blood loss caused by the tick infestation....not to mention emaciated. I kid you not...not only could you feel every bone in his little body...the bones could be SEEN !! I opted to keep him a few more weeks to get his weight built up and happily since most puppies and especially Newf puppies are quite resilient...he quickly gained weight and confidence and soon became ready for adoption.

Fortune was the hardest one to let go...perhaps because he started to bounce back to health so quickly or perhaps because he'd been here for four weeks. I know that when I saw his little head pop up in the window of the transport car that was starting him on his journey to his Forever Home....I bawled like a baby.

Fortune now lives the GOOD life in the metro Kansas City area with a Mom and a Dad...several children and a Sheltie for a play mate that another adult child often comes to visit with...and to celebrate his " rebirth"....his new family has christened him Phoenix.

For both puppies I hope that the bad memories soon fade completely away as they revel in the LOVE and CARE that all dogs deserve...and to the families who opened up their homes and hearts to these two little guys...I say THANK YOU !

And to all of you who Rescue and Foster....and contribute to this very important activity...THANK YOU as well. There are far too many people amongst you who gave freely of their advice, experience and suggestions to help me help these puppies....but I don't want to leave anyone out so you all know who you are and I know I could have done all this without all of you.

My late father's home in Florida finally sold and my brother will now be living in Northwestern Tennessee and it will be so wonderful to have him a lot closer to me. He picked out a very nice, quiet town and while the timing is not right ( at least now )....he is wanting me to pull up stakes and move to that part of the country eventually.

There will be a whole lot to consider if this move would be contemplated in the future....I have far too many years in my current job to leave now...retirement is still a couple of years away...plus there would be finding a good sturdy house and of course proper and compassionate veterinary care for my dogs....and health care for myself. John is VERY supportive of my emergence into the dog cookie entrepreneurship and it should be a relatively simple matter to transfer my licenses and all from Missouri to Tennessee ( or Kentucky - since where he will be living is very close to the Kentucky border ) .

LOOK OUT world...because you will be see a LOT more of M and Zee's in the future. As sales have slowed down I have finally gotten off my rear , " come out of the closet " and will soon be doing a LOT more advertising. I am working with Maredith Reggie ( Newf Tide editor ) and will soon be signing a contract for a recurring ad in the Newf Tide magazine. We will also be placing ads in various Performance and Conformation event catalogs....after all...one has to spend money to make money....and I want more and more people to know just how GREAT M and Zee's Gourmet Treats are...and how much your dog will enjoy them.

M and Zee's, as you know, heartily supports Rescue through the NCA and it's Regional Clubs and we will be making donations of cookie baskets and Gift Certificates for Variety Packs in many upcoming Club sponsored events. You will have a chance to support your Regional Club's Rescue and perhaps win one of those baskets if you are going to the following events this summer:

New-Pen-Del Paws and Claws

River King Newfoundland Club Water Test

Heart of America Newfoundland Club Water Test

Newf.Net Iowa Get Together

Newfoundland Club of New England Water Test

There are many more events coming up in the next few months that we will be supporting , so I urge you to attend these events....whether as a spectator or a participant; have a GREAT time visiting with Newf people ( the BEST in the world ) and get to know more about M and Zee's treats.

Have a Happy and SAFE Fourth of July.....I took some time off to do some much needed house cleaning...and much to their collective consternation....I have 3 of the 4 dogs all groomed out and bathed...and Zander...it's YOUR turn next....

Spotlighting: Tessie - A VERY Special Newfoundland

2007-05-23T15:57:00.000-07:00

Welcome to a new feature of the M and Zee's Blog....one which puts a well deserved Spotlight on Rescued Newfoundlands and the families that love them...

As most of you know the Rescues are very near and dear to my heart; after all....there would be no Zee in M and Zee's and perhaps not even a Company at all had my Zander not been taken in by the Heart of America Newfoundland Club's Rescue Program.

This time I would like to introduce you to Tessie....a beautiful and very special Newfoundland that was rescued by some great people in the Newfoundland Club of New England...and who found her Forever Home with Alison (AJ ) Cole and her husband Jim of Pittsfield, MA...and also found a brand new "career" as a model.

Tessie's story had a very sad beginning....she had been bounced around from several homes...mostly, it was told, due to behavior problems. At one time, she was turned into a vet clinic and slated to be euthanized...but a tech saw her and not only that...saw a Newf that still had a chance...and called Newfoundland Club of New England to see if they could help Tessie become a "real Newfoundland".

AJ and Jim had been hoping to add another Newfoundland to their family; they already were proud parents of Owen....another Newfoundland rescued by NCNE...and they were assured that the Rescue would happily provide any advice and assistance necessary to help Tessie with her transition to a new life with a family.

Life with Tessie was not easy and she presented many challenges to AJ and Jim and their incumbent pets ( they are also loved by two Golden Retrievers- Simon and Corey and two Siamese kitties )....Tessie was VERY opinionated and was much in need not only of structure and consistency in her life...but also needed to know that she really could trust these people to LOVE her and do the right thing by her.

I likened Tessie to some human foster children...ones who had never known the comfort and security of a home and family...and to avoid the the fear of rejection and disappointment...they would act out so that when that rejection came...perhaps it would not hurt so badly...but it always does. In that respect dogs are no different from children....they behave as they have learned.

Tessie loved to fight and fight she did...and it seemed that poor Corey, the Golden with a progressive eye disorder that will eventually plunge him into total blindness...bore the brunt of Tessie's temper. There were times that AJ and Jim even considered sending Tessie back to NCNE Rescue...even though they knew in their hearts that this would have been the end of the line for this beautiful but testy girl Newfoundland. However, through a LOT of grit and determination....lots of structure and "time outs" in her crate, and most of all a LOT of the 3 P's ( Patience, Perseverance and PRAISE ) and LOVE....Tessie began to come around and soon became able to give back the unconditional love that was being bestowed on her.

Not that Tessie still isn't a challenge from time to time but in following Tessie's journey...I can tell you for fact that she is a totally different dog than the scared, defiant and unloved Newf she once was.....now Tessie is a REAL NEWFOUNDLAND !

AJ is very active in NCNE Working Dog events ( and is an NCNE Board Member ) and has put several titles so far on Owen ( a Companion Dog, Water Dog and multiple Rally titlist; is currently but one leg away from his Companion Dog Excellent title and ALSO registered with Therapy Dogs Inc and part of their READ program -- busy Newf at work here) and decided to try some Obedience and Rally training with Tessie. AJ knew the structured training as well as the socialization would be a definite benefit for Tessie whether they, as a team , eventually earned titles or not.

BUT....Tessie earned her Rally Novice title less than a year ago and during this time AJ realized that Tessie was not only intelligent but very photogenic and for those of you who are not aware of this...among AJ's many talents....she is a wonderful semi-professional photographer and with a gifted eye for candid and posed animal subjects.

AJ discovered that Tessie enjoyed being dressed up...and it didn't matter the color or style of the costume....she simply basked in the attention she got while letting AJ try different hats and scarves and other clothing articles on her. And thus began Tessie's modeling career....and it seems that THIS is now Tessie's little niche in life.....and this dog GLOWS as a model.

A sudden change in employment led AJ to consider some sort of home based business. She looked into publishing a line of photographs and note cards featuring Owen and Tessie and the idea came to market Tessie's very own Calendar .

Tessie was dressed in several costumes appropriate to each month and the final product is now getting ready for sales and distribution....and this is YOUR chance to own one of the very FIRST Tessie Calendars for 2008...and help support NCNE Rescue as well !

The Tessie Calendars are priced at $ 20.00 each....plus postage and handling....with 25% of sales donated to NCNE to help other Newfs like Tessie find a warm and safe home with families that will give them the same unconditional love that Tessie has been blessed with. This is a WIN-WIN-WIN thing for everyone.

For more information on the Tessie Calendars and to inquire on purchasing one or more for yourself or as gifts....please visit AJ's Blogger site:

http://valhallaswimmers.blogspot.com/

I already have two ordered ( to begin with ) and no doubt you, too, will want your own...and Tessie's glorious tail will wag for joy....just as it was meant to do all along !!!!

and one more thing....when I asked AJ to approve this in draft format, she told me that Tessie's name comes from the song by that same name and is one of the musical selections chosen for play during the Boston Red Sox baseball games.

****************************

I am now going to invite other families of those very special "chosen" Newfs to allow them to earn their Spotlight in the M and Zee's blogspot.....They all deserve to be celebrated....the dogs, the people who love them and those Rescue people, who by their dedication and love, give these special dogs a chance to shine in a REAL home.....

Courting Doug Stephan

2007-04-28T17:29:00.000-07:00

No...not at all what you might be thinking.....but this is a story I've been burning to tell.....

I am an avid Talk Radio listener....it is the ONE station on my van radio and I listen every morning on the way into work and on the way home....and often when I am home on leave.

My favorite show is the "Good Day" show...hosted by syndicated radio personality Doug Stephan. Doug is a very multi-faceted man....he is a dairy farmer in Massachusetts as well as a radio personality. His "Good Day" show is broadcast world-wide and he often broadcasts from various locations in the United States and Overseas.

I think perhaps the reason I like Doug's show best is that, while he is very upfront and firm about his opinions certain issues, he is also welcome to listen to other opinions...he may not agree but , within reason, he will let anyone have their say. His professionalism and On and Off the Air courtesy would be hard to beat....

Back in March....just before the start of the regular season for Major League Baseball, the Good Day Show was sponsoring a "Fly Me Out To The Ball Game " contest. Several times during the shows broadcast hours, listeners could call in and answer a multiple choice Baseball Trivia question.....Correct entrants would win a baseball autographed by Doug Stephan....at the end of the promotion, all correct entrants names were added to a pool and one lucky listener would win tickets plus airfare to Arlington, Texas to watch the Boston Red Sox-Texas Rangers baseball game with Doug....and the next day would be treated to tickets to Six Flags theme park.

The only thing wrong was....the recorded contest promotion indicated that this particular game ( played on April 5, 2007 ) was to be the Opening Day for the Red Sox team...and that was most assuredly incorrect....as the Red Sox opening game was April 2, 2007 against the Kansas City Royals.....

Hum-m-mm....what to do ?????

I really....REALLY...wanted one of those autographed baseballs to add to my growing collection ....and having one autographed by Doug himself....well, this baseball would have a place of honor amid my other Red Sox collection......

So-o-o-o....I waited for the opportune moment...and when Doug was inviting listeners to call in with their opinion on an issue he was discussing with his co-hosts....I grabbed my cell phone and called into the station.....

After I had entered in my response to the issue....I added:

"Shame on you, Doug !! "

Well....obviously this nice man wanted to know why I said this and I explained that the contest commercial was technically incorrect and when he checked out my information....agreed that I was right.

We then spoke at length about the Red Sox and how it felt for me to be a fan when I was ( and had been for fa-a-a-ar too long ) living in the middle of St Louis Cardinals country.

Before I got off the phone, I asked for one of the autographed baseballs anyway....since I had "caught" his error and all the on-the - air co-hosts....and Doug....agreed that I had definitely earned a prize.

Doug then commented that, in business, what I had just accomplished was " asking for the sale"....and asked me what I did for a living.....

Well....funny he should ask this because I did indeed tell him that I was in sales and had my own home based business and we entered into a long discussion about M and Zee's dog treats; co-host Roberta Fascinelli then brought up my web site and we all discussed the impact that the current dog food recalls had had on my business....and I stated "None" and explained how I formulated the treats.

I then told Doug that if he would send me his address I would be happy to send him a sample box of treats for his and his wife's ( Hilary Kramer ) two Bulldogs....the gorgeous Charlotte and the handsome Frankie.

By this time , I had to report into my "day job"....and I was absolutely beside myself....I had gotten what I wanted....a Doug Stephan baseball....and strutting into the Hospital like a petite banty rooster..." Yeah....I'm Good !!! "....

....until a co-worker told me, as did several other people....that the ENTIRE conversation with Doug, Roberta , Kenny and myself...was ON THE AIR !! Now, this was something I was not aware of due to the fact that when one calls into a radio show, the radio must be turned all the way down to avoid "feedback".....

Now....although this was pretty much some free world-wide advertising....I checked my site and e-mail and found a few inquiries...but nothing overwhelming ( remember...right now M and Zee's is still a "One Woman Orchestra" )....

Three weeks later....the Doug Stephan baseball arrived in the mail....with the main California corporate address on the envelope..... along with a photo of Doug's face superimposed onto a baseball player ...and this was also autographed.

Hum-m-m-m-m-m....what to do ???? After listening to the show for a couple of mornings....I knew that Doug was back in his Massachusetts home....so I looked him up on a telephone directory web site that I use at work anyway....found a "D. Stephan" listed with an address...but still wasn't sure if this was Doug. One wouldn't really expect to discover that a celebrity would have a listed address and telephone number.

At the recommendation of yet another co-worker....I called back to the show and spoke with one of the program managers and explained my dilemna....I wanted to keep my word and send that box of cookies to Doug but because the cookies are perishable ( I explained to the manager ) did not want to send them to California...and have the box bounce all over the country and end up arriving at Doug's place in less than perfect condition.

He then confirmed that the address I had researched was the correct one and a few days later, a box stuffed with a large variety of treats was dispatched to Massachusetts....along with a long Thank You letter and some information on my business....and the Very Bad Poem just for extra giggles...and because it showed Mollie and Zander wearing their Rabid Red Sox Fan bibs that were specially made for them by our own Patrice Baker.

The package of cookies was tracked and shipped in record time so I knew Doug got it....actually what I was hoping for ( and still am )....is a return of the postage paid Comment Card that I place inside all new order boxes and in random repeat order cartons....because I really DO want his feedback.

Last week I was on leave as it was time for the annual renovation project on the house....this year was brand new windows....so while I am not much of a television person except for History Channel ...and Baseball, of course....as soon as I'd get up in the morning I would take all the dogs out to potty and then get a pot of coffee brewing....and turn on the radio for the "Good Day " show......except for Thursday...as I had a session scheduled with Ralph & Tim, my SCORE counselors.

When I got home, I found an e-mail from a co-worker who told me that one of our physicians had stopped by the office as he'd heard all about me on the radio that day....of course, the ONE day I am not listening.....however she could not tell me if this physician indicated at what time he'd heard about me....

Now, being a member of the "Doug Club" affords me many privileges....one of which is being able to download past pod casts of the "Good Day" show....so the next evening I downloaded all 5 hours and listened to them one by one....until I found what I was listening for....

Doug and his co-hosts were discussing the package of dog cookies and Doug not only mentioned me by name but also the staff Googled my site and again made some wonderfully nice comments on the site...and on Mollie and Zander....and how nice it was to get my letter thanking him for the baseball and also sending the box of cookies.

I believe Doug mentioned that Charlotte and Frankie were happily enjoying their cookie treats and that Charlotte's favorite were the Apple/Zucchini....

While my opinion of Doug Stephan and staff has always been very high because I value his conservative, unshakable New England values, this world-wide broadcast of his appreciation for the cookies goes to show what a gentleman he is. I would bet that most celebrities either have staff discard basically unsolicited gifts from fans...or just do not acknowledge them at all ...and to have this accolade broadcast during his program ...well, I just cannot find enough words to express my thanks to everyone associated with the Good Day Show.

Here is the website for the show....and if you click on the link with Charlotte's picture you, too, can join the Doug Club....Whether your opinions are conservative or somewhat liberal, I believe you will find a LOT to like about the Good Day show....and become as hooked on it as I am.

http://www.dougstephan.com/

And to think....all I really wanted was that baseball.....

THANKS, DOUG !!!!

April Showers

2007-04-14T17:56:00.000-07:00

...are purported to bring May flowers but much as rain may be needed...I would happy to be warm and dry again...very difficult to keep Newfs clean and well brushed out with this soggy weather.

While we had some pretty wicked freezes the past few weeks I don't believe that my oh-so-very-important apple tree sustained any damage and I will still see a good crop of fresh apples for my cookie recipes this fall. Happily now, since I have the freezer I will be able to store more fresh ground fruit for the making of the cookies....buying apples is OK ( a necessary evil ) but I like to think that the cookies made with my own home grown fruits and vegtables make the cookies just that more special. I will be planting another apple tree this Spring and within a few years there will be more fruit for my recipes.

M ans Zee's had a very good First Quarter....no profits yet but in time that will come. I filed my first Quarterly Feed Report with the Missouri Dept of Agriculture this week. I am pleased to report that M and Zee's has sold almost 200 lbs of cookies since mid-January ! This figure does not include the replacements sent to those who had reported mold back in February nor does it include cookies sent as samples or those included in donations for various Regional Club events.

The site has now been updated with more customer comments and each time I get a comment card in the mail I am so very tickled to hear just how much your dogs enjoy their cookies and of course I hope you will come back for more.

We sent entrants favors and a gift basket to River King Newfoundland Club for it's Spring Draft Test....being held this weekend....and we hope that each entry enjoys their special treat. We will also be sending bags of special Wheat Free treats for each Newf entered in the 2007 NCA National Specialty Living Legends Parade and there will be a limited number of treats available through Ted & Melanie Peck's Newf Emporium booth at the National site and we hope lots of you stop by and have your dogs sample some cookies and take some home ( and ordering information, too ) for your beloved Newfs and other furry kids. Thanks to Ted & Melanie for helping me out.

We will also be supporting the Newf.Net Iowa Get-Together in July , the Newfoundland Club of New England's Water Test ( August ) and several of the New-Pen-Del Newfoundland Club events.

I am also starting something NEW......I am so very pleased when an order comes in from a regular customer that I have started a Customer Loyalty Reward program. Simply stated....when a person purchases their 10th Variety Pack of M and Zee's Treats....in the shipping box will be a Gift Certificate for a FREE Variety Pack...just my way of saying THANKS for all your support.

I mailed the first of these Gift Certificates off this morning and I hope to send many, many more as satisfied clients spread the word of these homemade treats to their friends and family.

Mollie continues to show improvement with her arthritis pain and we send our Thanks once again to her vet, Dr James Howard of Jefferson City, MO. I think we have her medication combination tweaked about right for now. Mollie now gets 75 mg Tramadol in the morning and 50 mg in the evening plus 3.75 mg Meloxicam with her dinner ...as well as her Zantac to help guard against tummy discomfort. While a lot of her movements are still slow...and what Newf isn't somewhat slow at nearly 11 years of age...I can tell that she definitely feels much better and she is back to doing a happy dance when she sees the yogurt container come out of the fridge to be added to her dinner. And she is back to her insistent " I want a Cookie, Mama " WOOF...and of course I see to it that she gets what she wants. I hope Dr Howard will be as pleased with Mollie's progress at her next check-up due in July as I am.

Zander is also doing well....soon he will have been with me for 2 years....although his actual Gotcha Day isn't until November....it was on May 1st 2005 when he first came home with me....and he has relished being a cherished house Newf and I doubt he has any memories left of the Kansas Puppy Mill that he originally came from. What a difference being loved and cared for has made in this Newf.

Baseball season is in full swing now and most evenings are spent either watching a game on TV or ( new for me this year ) listening to a game on my PC with Game Day Audio....this afternoon I caught the last few innings of the Red Sox-Angels game and was particularly pleased to hear that Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling gained a win in his Fenway Park Opener. We have the Cardinals-Brewers game on TV tonight and this is particularly interesting in that Brewers starting pitcher Jeff Suppan was with the World Series Cardinals last season. It was nice to hear how much Suppan was applauded by BOTH teams when he was presented with his World Series ring .

We hope all of you ennjoy the remainder of your weekend and please remember Who to thank for it.

The "Tail" of the Ultimate Fans

2007-04-02T02:42:00.000-07:00

The "Tail" of the Ultimate Fans

I originally wrote this VERY BAD Poem in response to a contest sponsored last year by the Poland Spring bottled water company to find the Ultimate Boston Red Sox baseball fans. The prize was round trip airfare and tickets to a game at Fenway Park.

Sweet Mollie is pictured at Left...and the Mighty Zander is on the Right..............sporting their Ultimate Fan bibs

However, after writing the poem, I discovered that I did not live within the region specified in the official rules to be eligible for the prize, so the VERY BAD poem was relegated to a save file.

But....since today is OPENING DAY for the Red Sox...they are playing against the Kansas City Royals in Kansas City, Missouri....I felt I could embarrass myself and share this poem with you.

Of course, since writing this very bad poem, there have been some changes to the Red Sox roster. We bid sad farewells to second baseman Mark Loretta and we wish him well with the Houston Astros. Christopher Trotman "Trot" Nixon is now with the Cleveland Indians. Trot will be especially missed as not only did he play a good game, but he was a dedicated family man and was very, very supportive of community charity events in the Boston area. David Wells went to the San Diego Padres late in the 2006 season.

We welcomed multi-position player Eric Hinske and Japanese superstar Daisuke Matsuzaka to the pitching rotation. Rookie sensation Jon Lester will start the year in the Minors and we hope to see him back in the Big Leagues very soon. Young Lester was diagnosed with a rare form of Hodgkin's Lymphoma last year and underwent chemotherapy treatments but with a great medical team and the support of his family and friends....he said he WOULD be back and he is.

So-----without further ado.....

THE TAIL OF THE ULTIMATE SOX FANS

We’ve never tasted a Fenway Frank
Don’t know what all that fuss is about.
Mom watches her Red Sox when she can on TV.
And when our guys score…we just BARK !

We’ve never met Wally the Mascot
We think he’d scare us to death
We WOOF when Papelbon sends them
1-2-3 GONE
Without even taking a breath.

We’ve never seen the Green Monster
Nor chased down a pitch by Curt.
We think Varitek’s nifty
The Alex’s, too
And Big Papi and Manny are tops !

We’d love to run after a Beckett pitch
And run ‘round the bases with Crisp
Our Mom let’s us watch all the games that we want
When the Networks don’t black-out, that is.

We’d trot after Trot any day
Mike, Mark and Youkilis, too
It’s a shame we can’t get to the ball park
To cheer on our favorite Sox Crew.

So, while we can’t get the Sox T-shirts
They only fit Mom; she has TWO
Don’t worry ‘bout us
We’re not really distressed
‘Cause as Red Sox Fans…

WE’RE BEST DRESSED !!!

Love, Mollie and Zander

Many thanks go to Patrice Baker for making these very special Red Sox drool bibs for Mollie and Zander !!!!

Happy Spring !!

2007-03-24T15:49:00.000-07:00

AH....probably the most favored of the seasons....I truly enjoy Spring. There is something about the newness of this season that is so uplifting to the soul.

Each year I anxiously await the return of the migratory birds....the budding out of the trees...and the emergence of the perennial flowers in the gardens....and the anticipation of getting my personal vegetable garden going once again. I even enjoy mowing the lawn...one can get some very productive and stress busting venting going on while mowing the yard....

Those of you who know me well know that I thoroughly enjoy my small vegetable garden....I can my own tomatoes and this year will effect some changes in what I plant. This year, I will try zucchini and pumpkins since these will now be a major staples in M and Zee's cookie recipes along with the largess from my apple tree.. ..and I hope that using more of my own home grown produce will make those cookies taste even better to your dogs ( and cats ). I became friends with a soldier who raises free-range chickens and I hope to be able to purchase most, if not ALL, the eggs that I use in my recipes from him.

Mollie continues to do well....which is a relief for me since she's had some issues with the Tramadol dosage she'd been on before. I now believe that her system was just not able to tolerate that amount of the pain reliever....but I will keep the medication and may use an even more reduced amount as a supplement to the meloxicam ( Metacam ) she is currently taking. Before I do this, I will discuss the matter in full with Dr Howard, her vet.

Mollie can now go up the stairs by herself with no assist from the sling. I still walk beside her going down the stairs and behind her going up in case she requires a little support....but the change in her from two weeks ago is, to me, miraculous. I was so afraid her "time" had come and with some other personal issues going on...I did NOT want to lose my precious Newf without a darn good fight.

I think her biggest issue is not so much the stairs themselves but the fact that at the bottom of the stairs is a narrow hallway and ...well...remember those little wind-up cars we played with as kids...they had to be " Revved up " prior to seeing them race across the floor...I think it's the same with Mollie....once she gets going she is OK...it's just getting the momentum to GET going up those stairs...she has no problems with the few outside steps because there is that extra space for her to get-a-going .

I would like to take a minute to say THANKS to Dr Greg Boyer, who is Dr Howard's partner, for stepping up to the plate and calling in the prescription for the meloxicam for Mollie while Dr Howard was on vacation. This act was even more appreciated since , although Mollie's chart was available for review, Dr Boyer had not yet met me in person so I could well understand his perceived hesitation in doing this for Mollie and me. Next time I am at the clinic, I will make sure to get an introduction to Dr Boyer and personally thank him for helping me help Mollie through a very difficult period.

I am pleased to see continued support for the Newf-L Challenges and although in the past I made the prize donations from personal funds....I have now transferred the administration of these donations to the M and Zee's account...and will now be adding a special prize packages to the winners of each of the Challenges.

CONGRATULATIONS TO PATRICIA SMOCK OF WARNER ROBINS, GA....WINNER OF THE SPRING INTO SPRING CHALLENGE !!

Baseball season is right around the corner and those of you who are baseball fans can click onto the link for the Boston Red Sox on my Home Page and follow my beloved team... along with me.

This coming week will be a very exciting one for me....I will finally, FINALLY get a chance to meet another almost-sister Charlotte ( Chuck ) Holtzen and her family as they travel back from visiting other family members....they will be stopping off in Jefferson City to visit with Jim Howard so we plan on meeting for lunch this coming Friday. I always enjoy the chance to meet a fellow Newf List-er and hope that there are many such opportunities in the future to meet more of you.

I had the added surprise this week of finding out that another employee in the Hospital where I work is a Newf owner...and she was equally happy to know that she now has a Newf friend nearby. Hopefully we can juggle our schedules and get to know each other better and perhaps do some activities together with our dogs.

I now have to get with my brilliant webmistress, Donna Hudson, and figure out how to add some of comments from the cards I send along with the cookie orders. Some of them are so funny...especially from those who maybe only purchased a small amount....not knowing if they actually were as good as several people have proclaimed....and then found out just how much their pets enjoy these special treats.

Your comments are VERY IMPORTANT to me and any time you believe you have a suggestion which you think will help me enhance operations in the Company....please, PLEASE feel free to do so. I know many of you are or have been Small Business owners or work in the Business related fields as a profession and I am always very appreciative of any advice you have to give me.

Please have a nice week....and take a few minutes and remember Who gave it to you.

Mollie Update and Other Happenings

2007-03-16T14:56:00.000-07:00

Mollie has been on the Tramadol for her severe arthritis now for one week...it will be a long, slow battle and one which will take some very careful observations and balancing to obtain maximum results with a minimum of the side effects of this opiate - type pain reliever.

I first started Mollie on one 50mg tablet twice a day...titrating her up to two tablets twice a day...which was the dosage recommended by Dr Howard.

However, this led to some problems with Mollie's appetite as well as some minor vomiting. Further research on the Tramadol indicated another side effect besides the lethargy and Constipation...and that was nausea. Now, this may be simply an adjustment to the medication and may go away on it's own or it may also be something to continue to watch very carefully.

As Dr Howard is currently on a much needed and well deserved vacation, I chose to take matters into my own hands until he returns: I stepped back Mollie's dosage to one tablet in the morning and two with her evening meal...and thus far this has decreased the nausea. When Dr Howard returns to duty I will call him and discuss the matter with him further and perhaps we can come up with alternative dosages or perhaps splitting up Mollie's meals. She, as all my dogs do, eats once a day....in the evenings...and it may be that to obtain max results and keep the nausea under control...I may need to begin twice a day feedings.

Mollie appears to be in much less pain although she still has some hindquarter weakness. I am now doubly thankful that last year I purchased a sling from those wonderful people at Northland Newfoundland Club. Folks, if you haven't yet bought one for your dogs...even if right now you DON"T need, please don't wait....buy one NOW ! Not only will you help support a very worthwhile Rescue, but...as with me....one NEVER knows just when a sling would be needed.

Mollie is not too wild about the sling...but it is something she will have to get used to...as she now needs assistance in getting up the stairs to the main living area of the house. And again, those of you who know me know that at my height and weight...I could not possibly assist Mollie with those stairs comfortably for her without this sling....and I truly believe that even if Northland doubled the price....it would still be well worth it...and I would still purchase one.

I promised Mollie that I would do everything possible to make her "Golden " years as happy and comfortable as possible...and to that end, she now has a brand new bed ! I had purchased a ( very cheaply made ) PVC cot bed for her about 15 months ago at a dog show and while she really liked it...it just wasn't as sturdy as a dog her size needed. Added to that, Zander also liked the bed and since he weighs considerably MORE than Mollie...the first time he climbed upon it...well...that was all she wrote.

After researching several orthopedic type beds in the pet supply sites, I opted for a 150 coil Sealy baby crib mattress...and since the standard crib mattress size is 38" wide x 52 " long...this was the perfect size for Mollie...and if Zander chooses to also rest on it...it will support his weight as well. Plus, the crib mattresses also are covered in waterproof vinyl...great if there is some unexpected vomiting or urine leakage from Mollie.

As most of you know, I am an avid eBay-er.....and found a vendor BOWWOWBEDS from Kentucky. Amberlii makes custom sized beds for all dogs...most of which are made to accommodate the insertion of standard bed pillows as the fillers...this making the beds fully machine washable. I contacted Amberlii and asked if she could make a cotton duck cover to fit the crib mattress and she did indeed do so...so Mollie's mattress has a cover especially made for it and it fits just perfect...like a pillow sham would ! Please check out Amberlii's web site"

www.bowwowbeds.com

I guarantee you will be as impressed as I was with the prices and her workmanship...and I was so pleased I have now signed on to her Affiliate program....for each person ( once the link is set ) that purchases a bed from Amberlii through my site....I earn a small commission....which I have already decided will be earmarked for a worthy Newfoundland program. If, I believe, within a month's time 15 beds are sold through my site, I will earn a FREE bed which will be donated to that group's fund-raising ventures. After careful consideration, I have selected Newfoundland Health and Longevity as the recipient for all commissions earned through these Affiliate Sales and they would also receive the free bed to raffle or auction off to further their cause.

Now for some GREAT news from the Cookie Corner......I have just received approval from the Missouri Dept of Agriculture and once the site is updates....you now will have two new flavors of cookies to choose from: APPLE/ZUCCHINI and ZUCCHINI/CARROT. Both will be available in Regular and Wheat-Free versions and now this gives you the opportunity to "Build your OWN Variety Packs "....you may now select up to 5 8 oz packages of your dog's favorite flavors...or try one or both of the new ones....for the same price !

I was also able to come up with a recipe for the Grain-free treats and samples have been sent to the two potential clients who had asked me to develop one for their Special Needs dogs. After all, they deserve a tasty and healthy treat as well and one which is in accordance with their dietary needs. I will also hopefully be able to solicit two more "testers" from the IBDogs@yahoogroups.com e-mail list....and once I get the feedback from all outside testers, I will check the prices of the needed supplies and be able to come up with what I believe will be a reasonable price. At that time approval paperwork will be filed with the MO Dept of Agriculture and very soon....dogs with intestinal issues and other conditions necessitating a very restrictive diet will have a small variety ( probably max of two choices at first ) of treats to make them happy as well !!! As you can see....the needs of the dogs and their parents are extremely important to me.

That is all for now....all of you have a wonderful and safe weekend and please remember Who to thank for it !

Progress in the Cookie Field

2007-03-14T06:02:00.000-07:00

Good Morning all,

M and Zee's continues to thrive and I have been blessed with many new as well as repeat clients and I continue to put their best interests and those of their dogs in the forefront.

I have recently purchased a freezer for long term storage....both for baked treats and for pre-made dough as well as the prepped fruits and veggies that I can now stock up on when they are on sale or in season . This will guarantee the absolute freshest treats I can possibly provide for your beloved pets.

Last week I filed paperwork with the Missouri Department of Agriculture for approval of two new flavors: Apple/Zucchini and Zucchini/Carrot and once approval is secured for these new flavors, Donna will add them to the web site and to the Shopping Cart. I thoroughly tested these treats with my own dogs as well as with outside testers and I believe that these new flavors will also meet with your dogs' approval. They will be available in Regular as well as Wheat Free varieties.

At the request of two potential clients, I am also working to develop a Grain Free Treat for those dogs which are on severely restricted diets due to the canine version of Celiac ( IBD type ) Disease and those with severe skin and other allergies.

The Grain Free treats will use plain dehydrated white potato flakes, Tapioca and Potato flours as the binders instead of the oatmeal, wheat and rye flours the other treats contain.

The Grain Free Treats are still in the testing phase and will not be available for a while....they have to be tested for palatability and storage by the clients who requested this variety ( they have already met the approval of mine....need you ask ) plus research into the marketing costs of these treats. They would also, as with all treats, have to have documents filed and approved by the Missouri Department of Agriculture.

Unfortunately, the price for these will have to be markedly higher than the other treats simply because I do not have a local bulk source for the Tapioca and Potato Flours and to buy them in the 1 lb packages is just not cost-efficient....one of the goals of M and Zee's is to provide an affordable treat for your dogs....not just the best tasting ones. Due to storage issues, the Grain Free will only be available in one or perhaps at most two flavors....to be determined at a later time.

So, we shall see what transpires on this front......

As many of you know, my darling Mollie ( almost 11 years old ) is not doing very well. Her arthritis is progressing rapidly, which necessitated the addition of an opiate type pain reliever. There will have to be some careful balancing so that we may obtain the optimal response to the Tramadol and have her experience as few of the side effects ( nausea, constipation and lethargy ) as possible.

I will be relying on the expertise of all my friends, especially Suzi Bidwell, Julie Thomas, Donna Hudson, Chuck Holtzen as well as Mollie's vet, Dr James Howard of Jefferson City, MO, but also ask for your prayers and good wishes as well. Mollie, as you all know, is my first Newf and she is very special to me so I assure you that I will not give up without a darn good fight.

Have a Great Day all of you and please take a moment to remember Who gave it to you.

Many Thanks

2007-02-28T05:00:00.000-08:00

I would like to send a HUGE THANK YOU to all my current supporters.

As some of you may know, recently there was an issue with some cookies that I had sent out. I had pretty well determined, after a LOT of research and a melt-down ( or two )...that the cause had to be exposure to some extreme temperatures in shipping or handling and the sad end result was that some of the cookies were developing mold....and developing it rapidly...some were even arriving at their destinations with MOLD.

Needless to say, this was an appalling situation....each past customer ( and friends ) were contacted and asked if they had ever ....EVER...had a problem with any cookies that I had shipped them. I even contacted people who had purchased or received cookies as a gift several months ago.

Because, for me at least, the issue was not a "business thing"....but a FRIEND thing, each of the tainted orders were replaced ( still have one more to replace )....with complete new packages of treats....even if only a small portion of the original shipment was not to standards. I would much rather take the "bite" in profits than disappoint a friend or supporter/customer.

Because the replacement orders were given top Priority, some current shipments have been delayed but I hope to have all current orders in the mail by this weekend ( March 3, 2007 ).

I have also taken extra (permanent ) precautions to reasonably ensure that this issue NEVER arises again:

I recently purchased a Tilia Vacuum sealer and am now vacuum packing all packages of cookies. They will still be placed in a labeled Ziploc bag but essentially each package of cookies is now double bagged.....finally got the hang of cutting the vacuum bags down to ensure a good seal and still allow me to offer the product with a neatly placed and readable label as per regulations.

Each label has been re-formatted with a very clear recommendation to either Refrigerate or Freeze the cookies and also includes a "Use By" date; while I do not and never have refrigerated the treats that I keep out of each batch for my resident dogs ( and Official Taste testers )....and have NEVER encountered mold development in those treats and have often had treats kept out for several weeks ...I still firmly recommend that added storage instruction for your dogs' health and safety.

While I had shipped treats previously to all parts of the country....in the cold of winter and the wicked Midwest heat and had never before encountered problems....each shipment box is now clearly marked as "PERISHABLE" and when possible, bags of treats will be further wrapped in newspaper or other insulating materials as available.

I believe, as a manufacturer of these very tasty, all Natural treats, it is my duty not only as the seller but as a friend, to keep everyone apprised of any issues past, present and future which might affect M and Zee's Gourmet Treats and invite any questions or comments.

Once again....HUGE THANKS to all ...especially those who gave me the opportunity to "cry on your shoulder"....including Mollie and Zander's vet.....and to all of you for your patience and support during this very difficult time for M and Zee's....

Zander's Story- Part Tres

2007-02-20T05:20:00.000-08:00

...the weeks and then months passed.....and strangely enough there were no applications for Zander....there were a few prospects but they either changed their minds or for some reason it just wasn't the best place for him...and not that I wasn't trying to keep him from being adopted....because I was so in love with this dog I wanted the very best place for him.

Because he'd had some issues with Ox, I was rather reluctant to have him placed in a home with another male dog....because he was a young, energetic dog he needed to be in a home which could accomodate his energy levels.....

Summer 2005 waxed and waned....and my buddy was still at my side......he'd pretty much gotten over his dislike of the crate and to my knowledge did not potty in the house ( but like most dog folks....I figure that is why God invented cleaners, rug shampooers and paper towels )...he was a young healthy male who just wasn't getting looked at.

By this time, personal issues made me cling even more to Zander and silly as it may sound to some of you....I emphatically believe that he somehow sensed that I needed HIM as much as he needed ME....and as Fall approached....my decision was made....this dog was going to STAY and let the chips fall where they may....

Zander had made it quite clear that he was happy with me....and the night he first slinked up onto my bed...OK so it was 0200 and I initially was NOT amused....I knew that this dog and I were just meant to be....others who knew me had pointed this out on several occasions and I was just too Irish stubborn to listen to them....but....

In November 2005 , I sent the check off to HANC to formally adopt Zander ( or HE adopted ME )....and he became MINE......

Now, Zander had come ( I was told ) from a Puppy Mill in Kansas.....so his feeding habits were pretty boring and routine....kibble and water was probably it.

My resident dogs always enjoyed fruits and vegetables as treats...sometimes raw....sometimes cooked.....if you want to see some happy Newfs....try eating an apple around them....refusal to share is a most definite NO GO.

However, the first attempts I'd made to introduce Zander to some healthy treats met with the famous Newf " You have got to be kidding....that stuff is POISON !!" glare....and he would promptly spit out the apple or sweet potato and stalk off....wherein the other dogs would happily scarf up his discards.

One day, I was munching on a raw sweet potato and was tossing some chunks to the other dogs and Zander happened to catch one and before I knew it he had gobbled it down and then in that moment he must have understood that Mom was NOT trying to poison him and this stuff was actually good and now he jockeys for his position when I toss the goodies around.....

Zander is a one of a kind Newf....and I would like to think that he really was Specially Chosen for me....he watches baseball with me....traveled to Florida with me this past summer when my father passed away....tell me who is going to mess with a little bitty woman with a big black dog and Zander took his duties as my security guard very seriously and if anything the experience bonded us even more firmly to each other.

He still snuggles on the bed from time to time....although spends most of the night on the floor....and is my "back-up alarm clock"....I am permitted to hit the Snooze button a maximum of 3 times ( bearing in mind that first alarm rings at 0300 )....and if I have not crawled out of bed by them.....a series of BOOFS and a flying leap and I am getting my Good Morning kiss from a huge, slobbery beast that at that hour of the morning clearly resembles a cross between Darth Vader and Chewbacca....and I wouldn't have it any other way.....

So, when I first started baking the treats....it just seemed natural to include the Newfs names as part of the official Company name....after all....I might NOT have done it had it not been for these incredibly loving and gentle beasts.......

Now...if I can just find the time to get him out more for Therapy Dog visits because....among his other accomplishments, Zander is registered with Therapy Dogs Inc....having passed all the evaluations and testing in the Fall of 2006......what a dog !!!!!

Zander's Story - Part Deaux

2007-02-19T15:35:00.000-08:00

....so now we are on our way home and this poor scared Newfoundland is in a fabric mesh crate in the van....and whining and crying from time to time. I knew in my mind and heart this THIS was a dog clearly in need of someone to LOVE him and I was that person to do it !

I turned on the radio and also started talking to him and soon he settled down for the tad over an hour's ride home.

We got to the house and I put him on leash and took him to the pen so he could go potty and also so the other dogs could get introduced to him ....while I believe in the "total immersion" method of teaching fosters to learn to accept a new ( even temporary) home ( after all, there ARE rules ) and do well, introductions still have to be done very carefully and with a giant breed dog and my own size, one should take extra precautions.

Introductions went well so Zander and the others were brought into the house....wherein he immediately hiked his leg against a crate...OK...not unexpected so he was simply told NO and the accident cleaned up.

As with all my other fosters, Zander spent his first two days literally joined to my hip....leash on and clipped to my belt loop...where I went ...he went....no choice. My reasoning for this is that I have immediate control should an altercation even begin to brew between a foster and the "incumbents". Usually after the first day or so they begin to get a little more freedon....still leash on but looped into a shorter length....enough to safely grab ontlo and haul away from a potential situtation.

After the second day, I noticed that Zander was definitely bonding to old Gramma Dog ( Labrador Retriever ) and her story will come later. Seems that old Gramma decided this THIS was just the right time to come into full blown season....and OMG....here is the newly neutered male who STILL thinks he is a MAN and I know I have to get control of this at once.

Poor Zander....for the first few days and nights I am sure he thought his name was ": Dammit Zander go lie down and behave yourself your're neutered".....after the third night of little no sleep it was time to fix his little red wagon .....

I call the local vet and ascertain that although Zander is now neutered there might still be a miniscule chance of an accidental breeding and since Gramma was 13 years old I certainly did NOT want this to happen. Ken suggested I get a pair of doggy panties for Gramma and see if that would discourage my new boy....not really....so the next morning I put Zander in the pen and took my not so happy butt to the Dollar store and purchased the BIGGEST tube of Ben Gay ( yes...THAT Ben Gay )...and drove home. Took Gramma out to potty, put her panties back on and smeareda goodly portion of this noxious ointment all over the outside of the garment.

Gramma, you must understand, was NOT amused at having to wear clothes anyway and was even more disturbed at the odor now emanating from her hiney.

Brought Zander back in and he immediately put his tail up in the air....trotted very confidently over to Gramma dog....and sniffed....and backed CLEAR ACROSS the room with the most priceless puzzled expression on his face.....

Sheeeesh, Lady....you STINK !!!!

She shoots....she scores !!!! And back to bed for a well deserved nap....and Zander bothered Gramma very little after than....all I had to do was re-new the Ben Gay twice a day and his desires were soon quashed.....and soon Gramma exited her season ......

Now, as most of you know, life with a foster hardly ever is pure joy....there is the usual "honeymoon period" wherein they really, REALLY toe the line because everything is new and especially if now they finally know what it is like to be loved, they want to keep that.

Then, comes the test period and it came within less than 2 weeks....seems that the reidient male ( also neutered Lab ), Ox, decided that he was Supreme Male Being and this new male was NOT welcome and there were several altercations...nothing too serious in my mind....sometimes they just need to work out the pecking order thing on their own, but the altercations were causing some major strifes in an already shaky relationship and while I first caved and agreed that Zander would have to go.....and told Marty...I also wanted to work it through....it would NOT have been fair to Zander when Ox was clearly the instigator in these altercations. I stood fast on this.

Things soon worked themselves out and while several times the boys would eye each other with that " I'm gonna wipe up the floor with your butt" stare....they were also as quickly defused.

Time passed and soon Zander relaxed to become firmly ensconced in my home...it was claer he loved me and it was equally clear to him that I loved him back....Mlollie soon accepted her brother...Zander got some much needed training and grooming and I soon began to dread the day when I would get the call that a new family wanted to adopt him......

More to come......