Bananas, Ice, and Dogs…

This morning Stig and I took Redman and Isabella to Hamar and walked around. It was a social training trip for Redman, but also Isabella had a great time. There were so many sounds and things to see and smell. We were so proud of Redman who really has made improvement since we first got him. I truly believe he will get over his fears and be a normal boy again before we know it! We went into the pet store to get some chewy things for them in the car while we had lunch and I was inspired looking around the pet store for treats to come home and make some of my own dog treats. Below is a recipe for Banana Biscotti Dog Treats. All six of my dogs love these…so it’s definitely 6 stars out of six and worth trying if you want something different for you dogs..

Banana Biscotti For Dogs

5 cups flour
1/4 cup peanuts, chopped
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 egg
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 ½ cups banana, pureed
2 teaspoons vanilla
water

Preheat oven to 325F. Place dry ingredients in large bowl. Make a well in the center. Blend egg, oil and banana together. Add into the dry ingredinets in well. start combining together. Add water, one teaspoon at a time as needed. Knead by hand on table until mixed thoroughly. Form into logs approximately 2" - 2 1/2" high. Flatten so that log iis 6" - 7" wide by 1" high. Place on non-stick baking sheets or lightly greased ones. Bake 30 - 40 minutes. Remove and cool for 10 minutes. Slice into 1/2" - 3/4" slices. Place on baking sheets and bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool. Store in airtight container.

After I made these and Sarah got home from school we gathered three dogs (Nanna, Birdy, and Bently) and Stig, Sarah, and I went to walk on the Mjøsa. Norway’s largest lake is frozen and the ice is measured at 50cm thick. So we took a road that was made by a tractor and goes from a place 10 minutes from our house with car over to Hamar.

It said in the newspaper that it was about an hour long trip there and back, but I have to disagree with that. I don’t know who walked it and then wrote that in the newspaper, but we walked for a good half hour and were just about at the half way mark. We decided to turn around as it was getting dark fast and walk it another day. But here are some photos from the walk..

The above photo is our island as seen from the middle of the lake…

Check the cracks in the ice….YIKES!!!

 

The dogs loved walking out on the ice also. There was a ski path next to the road and Stig and I talked about bringing Redman and coming back here to go skiing next time. I’m not good enough to ski with a dog attached to me, but it would be good for Redman as it’s a straight shot so no risk of him stopping on a hill and Stig skiing over him like what happened a couple days ago!!! So Stig will use the bungee cord and let Redman ski ahead of him next time. Look at those two below- Nanna and Bently, they sure know how to behave when there are cookies in the picture…hahaha…

Bently promises to be as good as he was this time if we bring him back again too….and look at that face below I have no reason to believe he’s lying do you?

Oh my silly LITTLE puppy…..

To get down to this ice road we made a mistake and drove a little wrong and our wrong way took us past this amazing farm which overlooks the ice road and the lake…the photo is taken from my car and doesn’t do the place justice…it was AMAZING and HUGE.

This pretty baby was standing near the road chewing on the fence when we stopped and asked to take her photo…the dogs REALLY wanted out of the car to “play” with her…they wanted out so badly we had to hurry and roll the windows up and drive away fast….hahahaha…

I could never afford a farm like this….but the neighbour house might be a little more affordable….however, the exorcisim to remove the ghosts that probably live there might cost me…

I don’t mean to toot our own horn, but I really think our dogs are lucky to have us, I mean, how many others would roll their windows down in the winter to let their dogs do this?

And I seriously don’t know anyone who lets their dogs drive the car….do you?

Hahahahaha…..Yep, bunch of lucky dogs if you ask me…

Until next time my friends….