There have been so many dogs in my life that I can’t even tell you how many I have had or even the names of them all. I have always had a love for animals.
As you all know from reading my columns, I helped on a farm growing up. So I have milked cows, got down and dirty with the pigs and collected chicken eggs. I may have helped a time or two help get some of the animals ready for the freezer.
Enough about the farm life, I am here to talk about dogs.
We now have four dogs, plus a fifth that comes to visit every day. To say we love dogs is an understatement.
Our kids think we are crazy, but to us, this is better than having a gambling or alcohol problem. Not all dogs are in the house, but three of the smaller dogs are. They don’t think they are dogs either. So don’t tell them.
I believe if you are going to have pets you need to spend time with them and take care of them. That means you play, feed, water and just plain love on them. I have a hard time with people that own pets, only to tie them up outside. Then they only go see them enough to feed them. Why have a pet if you aren’t going to love on them?
It is a lot of work to have a pet. Now that we have four it is four times the work. But we take time out each day and play with them and love on them.
We are in the middle of training a six-month-old puppy. We have gotten the potty training down for the most part, now we are trying to teach her not to jump up on and bite people.
Most dogs greet people with a gentle bite, where they just open their mouth and put it on your arm.
The problem with this type of greeting, is that it scares people and they pull away which causes the dog to think you are playing and they go after your arm again or when you pull away they scrape your arm and it doesn’t feel real good.
Lately, as my dad calls it, “I Bluetooth it”’ or should I say I YouTube several things on how to train a dog. I found out you can teach a dog anything as long as you are patient and consistent with them.
Some things they learn very fast ,and some will take a couple of weeks for them to learn it. I do know that other dogs around them will pick up on what you are wanting and do what you command especially if there is a treat involved.
We have a dog that just loves, loves to play with a frisbee! He goes insane about it. You can’t mention it if you are not going to go out and throw it. If he sees the frisbee he sees nothing else. He will run right through you to get it.
The other dog just love to run right along with him as he gets it. I love that all our dogs get along. They even get along with the one cat we have.
Another thing that bothers me with people is when they decide the dog is too much, can’t afford or can’t keep it anymore. Them they just take them to the country and drop them off. They can’t fend for themselves. Just because people live in the country doesn’t mean they can take on every dog that is abandoned. Dogs are a lot of work.
Think about if you are not going to be able spend time with your animals, before you get them. If you have dog, and it’s too much for you, find a rescue or other adoption group. There are lots of people out there that would love to take them in.
Banana Pudding Cheesecake
2 – 8 oz bricks of cream cheese softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. Pure Vanilla extract
1 small box of instant banana cream pudding
3/4 cup milk
18 mini Graham cracker pie shells or 1 graham cracker pie shell
Nilla Wafer cookies
Whipped cream or cool whip(optional, for serving)
Cheesecake filling
In a medium mixing bowl, using a hand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat cream cheese until there are no lumps. Add sugar and mix until smooth and fluffy. Add heavy whipping cream and vanilla extract. Mix with hand mixer until stiff peaks form.
Banana pudding -not prepped as instructed on the box
Whisk milk and pudding powder together until there are no clumps. Let thicken in the fridge for 3 minutes. Then fold into cheesecake mixture until combined.
Fill pie shell half way then place a layer of Nilla wafer cookies (sliced bananas, optional). Cover cookie layer with the rest of the cheesecake filling. Crush some cookies and sprinkle over the top, as garnish. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight. Add whipped topping when serving, not before.
Tina Specht is co-publisher of the Minden Press-Herald. She shares her thoughts and recipes each Thursday.