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NOVEMBER 2018
The Best Human Holiday
Bubba’s Thoughts on Thanksgiving
D ogs don’t have holidays, but if we did, I would take Thanksgiving over any other human holiday. Christmas is fun, but buying a bunch of gifts looks pretty stressful. Meanwhile, Thanksgiving is a whole day dedicated to eating great food and taking naps. That’s the dream. My friend Dr. Derrick Nelson also enjoys Thanksgiving. At our house, Derrick and his wife, Tiffany, both love to cook, so they split the menu. The kitchen smells all kinds of delicious for hours! I know I’m not supposed to eat table scraps, but when Derrick is smoking the turkey and Tiffany is whipping up her famous dressing, it’s hard not to beg. On Thanksgiving, I get to enjoy a peaceful day full of naps at home. Meanwhile, the family heads out to visit some other relatives. I’m not sure who they’re going to have Thanksgiving dinner with because they alternate between spending the day with Derrick’s family one year and Tiffany’s family the next. It sounds like one household would really miss out every other Thanksgiving, but come Christmas, they will be at the other house for the holiday, so it all works out. A funny thing I have noticed about human Thanksgivings is how much they change. I’ve heard stories about Derrick’s Thanksgiving traditions when he was a young pup. They’d go to his aunt and uncle’s house every year for a big celebration. These days, Derrick’s siblings are all grown and married, so everyone is more scattered around for the holidays. It’s a little sad, but this kind of change also makes the time families are able to spend together more special. And you have the chance to create new traditions as the years go by.
and the family scored tickets to the Cowboys’ Thanksgiving Day game against the Washington Redskins. Derrick and Tiffany have been to many
games, but this will be the first time the girls, Savannah and Charley, are going to a live game. It’s no fetch, but football is still pretty great, so I’m sure the family is going to have a good time.
Thanksgiving isn’t all about football and food, of course. The holiday is about giving thanks — it’s right in the name! Derrick says the main reason he loves Thanksgiving is because it’s a time to be thankful to God and appreciate all the blessings He has given us. For Derrick, the blessings he appreciates are his loving family, supportive friends, and the staff and clients at the clinic — all the people in his life who make each day a little better. As for what I’m thankful for, well, it’s hard to say. We dogs appreciate everything in life, from an interesting new smell to a well-thrown ball, but there are two things that I’m extra thankful for. First, I’m thankful I am on a strict weight loss diet, because the second thing I am thankful for is Savannah and Charley feeding me whenever I want. I can enjoy plenty of food without getting a spare tire, as they say.
Happy Thanksgiving to you all. I hope you have good food and great traditions to look forward to this year.
–Bubba
This year, a new tradition may be born. Now that the clinic has partnered with The Star, proud home of the Dallas Cowboys, Derrick
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Treating Your Pets Like Family
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Throughout November, everyone is eagerly looking forward to Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday, but you shouldn’t let the rest of the month slip past you! Enjoy these other fall activities with the whole family. Homemade Caramel Apples Homemade treats are no doubt far better than their store-bought counterparts. Try your hand at making your own caramel apples for the whole family to enjoy. You can also add a number of toppings to liven things up, such as nuts, white or milk chocolate, coconut, sprinkles, or pecans. Backyard Bonfire During these cold months, you may be tempted to stay indoors, but heading outside for a bonfire is a great way to spend time with your family while enjoying the brisk weather. If you have a fire pit in your backyard, now is the perfect time to take advantage of it by bundling up with some hot chocolate and s’mores. Autumn Arrangements It’s time to get crafty! Creating your own fall arrangements will ensure that your home has the seasonal decorations you want. Making beautiful fall flower arrangements for your kitchen table or wreaths for your front door to greet guests will create the desired autumn vibe you’ve been searching for. Movie Night Gather your loved ones in the living room with popcorn, blankets, and a great film. Make the most of your autumn evenings by cozying up and spending quality time with each other while watching some family holiday favorites, like “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” or the Thanksgiving comedy-drama “Pieces of April.” Home-Cooked Food When autumn rolls around, pie and warm cider may be high on your list of tasty treats you’re eagerly anticipating. This fall, encourage your family to take part in making annual goodies and sharing them with your neighbors. Nothing warms the heart more than receiving a loaf of freshly baked pumpkin bread during these increasingly cold days. Knitted Scarves If you’re handy with knitting needles, now is the season to put them to work. Hand-knitted scarves are great gifts to give throughout the fall and winter, and you can also make it a family activity! Take some time to teach your kids how to knit and crochet to create scarves of their very own. Enjoy These 6 Autumn Activities Fun for the Whole Family!
Thanksgiving Prep For the Whole Family
Thanksgiving is more than just a feast; it’s about coming together as a family and being thankful for one another. So why wait to get into the spirit until everyone is seated at the table? Here are a few ways you can make the actual preparation of Thanksgiving dinner fun and engaging for the whole family! Give Everyone a Role No, not those rolls — yet. Making the feast a family project can turn the day from a hectic list of chores into a magical bonding experience. It’s important to match each family member to a job that best fits their abilities. Young children can mash potatoes or rinse ingredients in the sink. Older kids can take on more responsibility, like measuring ingredients, keeping an eye on timers, and setting the table. Teens and young adults can supervise their younger siblings and cousins in these important tasks and may be called upon to stir what’s on the stove while an adult checks on the football game. Roll Out the Decorations Still not talking about bread. Not everything in Thanksgiving preparation needs to be tied to the kitchen. Creative family members of all ages can work together to bring some seasonal flare to the dining room. Maybe this means picking up some Thanksgiving coloring books, or perhaps the family can venture outdoors to collect autumn trimmings for crafts. It’s a great way to let each family member put their own personal spin on the holiday! Have a ‘Roller Derby’ Finally . While an adult should be the one to put these delicious baked goods in the oven, the whole family can help shape the dough. In fact, Care.com recommends making this a contest. Set aside a time when everyone can vie for the title of Fastest Roll Maker, and you’ll have plenty of warm, flaky, delicious treats come dinnertime. Letting everyone play a part may take a little more planning and add slightly more chaos to your Thanksgiving preparations. But it’s sure to produce a lot of great memories and bonding moments among your loved ones. And by the time you sit down to eat, you’ll all have something to be thankful for right in front of you — Those. Delicious. Rolls.
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Treating Your Pets Like Family
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A Special Thanksgiving Message From Your Pets
It’s Thanksgiving, and we are most thankful for our clients and their wonderful pets. We wouldn’t be here without your support. To express our gratitude, we’re giving our clients $10 off any treatment or service priced $25 or more. We also asked some pets what they’re thankful for this year.
“Walks! Oh, my gosh, I love walks so much! There is nothing more fun than going outside with my best friend and exploring our neighborhood. We find so many interesting smells! And just yesterday, I barked at a squirrel.” –Olive, chiweenie, 10 months
“My family has recently claimed a new territory, and I am quite thankful for the perch at the top of the stairs at the new house. From there, I can swipe at the humans as they head up. Claws sheathed, mind you. I’m not trying to hurt them, just remind them who is really in charge.” –Olive, domestic shorthair, 5 years
“I don’t spend much time on social media, but I am thankful for the Instagram account @catxplorer. Seeing all the internet cats climbing mountains and strolling through town inspired my human to let me go outside — while wearing a leash and harness, of course. It turns out that walks aren’t just for dogs anymore.”
“This year, I am most thankful for the fact that I don’t have to live at the shelter anymore. I’m an older cat, and after seeing kitten after kitten find their new home, I started to think I was never going to leave. Then Adeline came in, and I knew I had found my new best friend. Sleeping on a bed at night is way better than sleeping in the kennel.”
–Hiro, tabby cat, 8 years “Goodness, what am I not thankful for this year? I am thankful for treats and new toys and long walks! But most of all, I’m thankful that when my humans are watching a movie on the couch, I get to climb under the blanket for cuddles. Couch cuddles are the best kind of cuddles.” –Ginger, pitbull-Lab mix, 12 years
–Checkers, tuxedo cat, 10 years
PAWSitively Hilarious !
Food Hounds ! Who doesn’t love a little dressing with their turkey? Enjoy this recipe with family and friends. AMAZING THANKSGIVING DRESSING
Ingredients
• • • • •
1 pound breakfast sausage
• •
44 ounces chicken broth 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
1 stick butter
1 cup yellow onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
• • •
1 cup Craisins
16 ounces Cornbread Stuffing Mix (Pepperidge Farms) 16 ounces Herbed Seasoned Stuffing Mix (Pepperidge Farms)
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon dried thyme
•
Directions
1. In a very large saucepan, cook breakfast sausage until browned. Place sausage on paper towels to drain. 2. In sausage drippings, add butter to melt. Add celery and onion, and sauté until soft. 3. Add both stuffing mixes and toss well. Season with sage, thyme, and poultry seasoning and add Craisins. 4. Spread into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Pour broth over it and bake at 350 F for 60 minutes or until thoroughly cooked through and no longer soggy.
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Treating Your Pets Like Family
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Inside
Who Gets the Nelsons on Thanksgiving?
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Caramel Apples, Knitting, and Bonfires Let Kids Play a Role This Thanksgiving
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What Are Pets Thankful For? Amazing Thanksgiving Dressing
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Chips, the WWII Hero Dog
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War heroes are revered for their acts of bravery in times of combat — and Chips, the shepherd-collie-husky crossbreed, is no different. During World War II, the Wren family donated Chips to Dogs for Defense shortly after the U.S. joined the war. Of the 40,000 dogs donated to the corps, more than 10,000 were selected to participate in the program after training. Chips was shipped off with his handler, Private Rowell, to French Morocco. Chips and Rowell patrolled the Casablanca Conference, where Chips was introduced to President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Following the meeting, Rowell and Chips went to Sicily to support the invasion as part of Operation Husky, which was where Chips earned his hero status. On July 10, 1943, Allied soldiers were attacked on the beach by an enemy machine gun team. Chips ran for the hut where the barrage of bullets was coming from and tore into the enemies. His handler described hearing rapid noises and seeing Chips gripping one of the men by his throat until Rowell ordered the dog down. Three more men came out of the hut, their hands raised. Chips left the fight with burns and a scalp wound, but his actions saved the lives of all the men in his platoon, and later that day, he discovered more enemy soldiers. Meet Chips
The WWII Hero Dog
On Jan. 15, 2018 — 75 years after the Casablanca
Conference — Chips was posthumously awarded the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals Dickin Medal, the highest award an animal can achieve for their time in military conflict in Britain.
After his service, Chips returned to live with the Wren family. On U.S. soil, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star, and the Purple Heart. These honors were eventually stripped by the Army after a policy barred animals from earning the same medals as people, but his platoon awarded him the Theater Ribbon and battle stars for his eight campaigns. To the men Chips saved, medals didn’t make him a hero — his selfless actions did.
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Treating Your Pets Like Family
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