Guess who is having a birthday today???
Sammy! One thing people don’t get about Sammy is that he is not your typical chihuahua. He is not a barker, a heel biter, or a shaking scared little puppy. He is very calm and friendly; he has converted chihuahua haters to love him!
Doesn’t he look like a vicious killer???
It was about 3 years ago that Sammy found me. He was in a pretty bad situation, and I rescued him. But then, I was in a pretty bad situation too, and I certainly would never have guessed a little dog with a big personality is what I needed! So really, I’m not sure who rescued who.
I come from a family of big dogs – we had border collies growing up, and I would never have seen myself with a little dog! So glad I gave Sammy a chance!
When I first got him, they told me he was not eating, or drinking any water. He wouldn’t even take drops of water from a medicine dropper. So, I put out a bowl of water, and he started drinking bowl after bowl of water! I truly believe animals can see into our souls, and know who is a good person, and who they can trust. Sammy trusted me right away.
When I met Rob, I told him – Sammy are I are a team, and we come together. Love me, love my dog
He is so good to Sammy. They say chihuahuas pick one person to be their person, who they are attached to. Sammy is definitely attached to me, but he loves Rob too.
Did you know that dogs can have problems digesting gluten too? Not just humans? Sammy has always had a very sensitive stomach. In the beginning, Sammy was super scared I was going to be mad at him for making messes. I came home from work one day, and there were messes from him throwing up all over the apartment – probably 10-15 spots on the carpet. And he was so scared he hid under a chair! Poor dude – I tried to reassure him I was not mad at him. And still today – we have to do that every time his tummy gets messed up. Little clues that he gives us that tells us he didn’t have such a great past.
Sammy mainly eats the same food we do – so he is a gluten free dog! His food problems are so random – I am still trying to figure them out. He will be fine, and then all the sudden he will be throwing up from something he ate. Lots of blankets are necessary for him to feel safe and warm. Kinda like me!
He really is such a good dog though – he is small enough we can take him practically anywhere. He has been hiking, fishing, biking, to Alaska, and in our wedding! I got a backpack that we call the “Sammy-pack”, and he fits perfectly inside it with his blanket!
I made these gluten free dog cookies for him as treats – he loves them! What dog doesn’t like peanut butter? And all the ingredients are things I would eat!
Sammy Approved Gluten Free Peanut Butter Dog Cookies
Adapted from my friend Nora, and here
Print this recipe!
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup flour (I used garbanzo-fava)
1/2 cup water
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix together all ingredients. It should come together in an easy to work with ball of dough.
Place on a floured surface, and roll out, about 1/4 inch thick.
Cut into shapes – either just circles, or use a bone cookie cutter.
Place on a greased baking sheet, and bake for 10 minutes – depending on size. My cookies were about 1 3/4 inch long. If you cut yours out bigger, they may need to bake longer. They should be lightly browned.
Remove from oven, and place on a wire rack to cool. Store these treats in a covered container in the fridge. The last time I made these was 2 years ago, and I still have some left over! They last a long time!
This is what Sammy did the whole time I was making his treats – take a nap!
Happy 3rd birthday, baby!
Of course, I really don’t know how old Sammy is, or when he was born. It has been about 3 years since I got him, and I chose March 15th as his birthday, because it is 10 days before mine! I’ll let you figure that out!
Sammy is such a cuddler. He has many favorite things to do – one is sitting in front of the fire:
With the other yellow dog, of course.
His next favorite thing to do is to cuddle up and go to sleep!
Of course, I don’t mind!
Question: Are you a dog lover? I am an animal lover in general, but dogs do have a special place in my heart, especially one little guy. Can you tell??
This is being submitted to Wellness Weekend and the Homestead Barn Hop.
Happy Birthday to your companion and your dear friend. Dogs are wonderful animals. And those biscuits are something I can do for my own dog. Thanks for sharing Jane
m.
maria recently posted..everyday is Sacred
Thanks Maria — the birthday boy is currently still sleeping under about 6 blankets in our bed. LOL!
That Sammy is one lucky dog! He looks so cute and contented. Georgie thanks you for the recipe!
Jane recently posted..ROOTING AND STEWING
Happy Birthday Sammy! (love from Aunt Julia)
Thanks Julia! He is living it up today .. naps in front of the fire, sun bathing, and peanut butter has been consumed!
I echo the sentiments. Happy Birthday Sammy!
Oh my gosh what a cutie!!! I’m totally eating birthday cheesecake right now! (Ok, so it was for my co-worker, but still!) haha
Liz @ IHeartVegetables recently posted..What I Ate [Here and There] Wednesday
Yum! I love cheesecake!
Happy Birthday little Sammy! My dogs are on Orijen food which is mostly meat and they do so well on it. I am definitely a dog lover, my two Bostons are spoiled rotten.
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That’s interesting! I have never heard of that food, but just googled it. I have been thinking of making food specific for Sammy, but he normally eats what we eat so I don’t know if it would be that much different! But I will have to look into Orijen, thanks!
We have been feeding our guys Orijen for a while. I did a lot of research on food and found it to have the best ingredients and they really seem to care about quality. It is a little pricey but my guys are worth it
Rhonda recently posted..Favorite Things #12 – Cookbooks!
Awwww….Happy Birthday Sammy!
I am not a dog person, but the older I get without having kids, it makes me think that maybe I should consider getting a dog. I’ve always thought it would be just a drag of responsibility and vet bills. My ex-bf and I had a rescue black lab/pit bull mix, sully, and I loved him…but I kept my distance a little and didn’t let myself be too attached (I knew things weren’t working out with us).
You and Sammy definitely make this dog thing tempting! (I’d have to have a tiny one!)
Lisa recently posted..Start Today…
In my opinion, chihuahuas are really low maintenance, or maybe it is just Sammy, I don’t know! Sometimes I think he is more like a cat, because he sleeps all the time! But it is fun because I can still take him on walks, and take him places with me.
What a wonderful post. That little Sammy is a punkin. I totally relate to everything you’ve said about dogs. I think they were sent from Heaven to make us happy. I had a little Sammy that I lost two years ago. He was 11, a Yorkshire Terrier and we were a team. He crawled right into my heart the day I laid eyes on him and he’s still there.
Lea Ann recently posted..Patsy’s Italian Restaurant, Denver
ahhh, I’m sorry. I know one day something will happen to Sammy, and I will need to be prepared for it. Luckily, chihuahuas have pretty long lives, for dogs, anyways. Glad you were able to leave a comment!
Such a cutie! Will have to give those treats a try for my dog.
My dog likes to play with his food before he eats it .. it is like a game to him! hahah, but he does eat it, so I guess that means it passed his test!
How adorable are these?? What a perfect birthday treat. Thanks so much for submitting to Wellness Weekend!
Thanks, Ricki!
Oh my goodness, Sammy is totally adorable. I have never been fond of chihuahuas for the reasons you cited, but Sammy is certainly an exception! We’ve always had rescue dogs, mostly collies, and they’ve all rescued us more than we’ve rescued them. Love these easy dog treats you’ve made for Sammy! Might have to make some for our Sonny. We have Sonny on grain-free food with real ingredients only and he is so much better for it. Birthday hugs to Sammy! Thanks for sharing his treats with us, Jane!
Shirley
Shirley @ gfe recently posted..The GFE Version of the Shamrock Shake (Gluten Free, Grain Free, Dairy Free, Refined Sugar Free, Corn Free, Vegan … Healthy!)
Thank you very much Shirley. I grew up with collies, so having a small dog is a big change for me! Sammy really is an a-typical chihuahua, I used to live next to one that yapped all the time, and it was so annoying! And you can definitely replace the g-word flour in this recipe.
Haha on the g-word flour … you know me too well!
Shirley
Shirley @ gfe recently posted..The GFE Version of the Shamrock Shake (Gluten Free, Grain Free, Dairy Free, Refined Sugar Free, Corn Free, Vegan … Healthy!)
I just love your post! What a sweet little guy.
He’s even extra special because he’s been to Alaska! Thank you for the dog treat recipe. We have a 14 week old yellow lab puppy, and I have been looking for treat recipes that are gluten and grain free. This is perfect!
Happy Birthday, Sammy!!
Megan
Megan @ MAID in Alaska recently posted..Pretty Pretty Pink Princess Slime
Thanks Megan! We love Alaska … the plan is to move there someday! My hubby has family in Eagle River, and we got married in Talkeetna. We try to go once a year, so I’m definitely jealous of you living there!
No kidding?! That’s awesome! We live in Wasilla, so we aren’t very far from Eagle River. There are even some houses for sale in our neighborhood!
LOL!
Megan @ MAID in Alaska recently posted..Pretty Pretty Pink Princess Slime