The winter storm Jonas has brought 30 inches of snow to where we live in New York. 30 inches! While yesterday we were snowed in, it was the perfect day to just unwind after the long work week. But Sunday Funday remains a tradition in my home, and I took the opportunity to snap some pictures of Alaska and Oreo on our short (but fun) outings.
Early this morning, it took quite a while to shovel out the car in the driveway buried entirely beneath snow. Then I took Alaska along in the car to the gas station, but it wasn’t all peaceful as she found pleasure in barking at everyone shoveling the entire way there.
Once we came back home, I had the spontaneous idea of digging a small igloo with the snow on the balcony- just enough to fit Alaska and Oreo. I am not sure what Alaska thought of it, but Oreo loved it!
Meanwhile, a couple of neighbors down the block were arguing over shoveling snow on each other’s property. Alaska, being the nosey-body she is, had to pitch in her thoughts on their argument by growling from the balcony.
Back inside the warmth of the house, the afternoon was spent playing with her favorite plush toys. Alaska loves to take them in her mouth and shake them so hard that I wonder if her neck ever hurts from all that shaking. For dinner, Alaska was treated to a hearty, raw meal of ground wild salmon, ground pork with organs, and a chunk of beef cheek, topped with a frozen cube of homemade beef bone broth mixed with her EverPup powdered supplement.
All in all, it was a fun and mellow snow day! The night ended with Alaska in her bed with Oreo standing guard (but really, he wanted her spot in bed!). Good night 🙂
eskieantics 
Wow! That’s a crazy amount of snow! Looks like a fun day. I decided I’m not going to show that food bowl to my dog! He’d be so jealous! PS That picture at the end with the cat looking at the bed is hilarious. 🙂
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Haha,this is actually telling me I need to invest in an extra bed! Alaska doesn’t stay in bed too long though. She prefers the wood floor. 🙂
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Buying pet beds is some tricky business. Bought a really nice one for our Lab and he wouldn’t go near it. Stepped right over it. Prefers a human bed! The cats will sleep anywhere! 🙂
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What beautiful pictures! I love them in the igloo.. Alaska and Oreo are gorgeous! 🙂
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Thank you very much! They are quite the perfect duo to me. 🙂
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What great fun!! Love their little igloo! Oreo looks right at home! Hey I wanted to comment on one of the ingredients on Alaska’s menu….the ground raw salmon: I live in the pacific northwest and we are always told not to let our dogs eat raw fish. of course, understand , wild salmon are very prevalent in many of our waterways and it is common to come across them while out hiking and having fun at the river or lake. I’m sure that’s not a problem where you live! But when we first moved out here (I’m from MA) a neighbor told us they lost one of their dogs to “salmon poisoning” and a friend of mine a few years back had a VERY sick dog when he got into the garbage and ate salmon scraps. Most cases are out here , west of the Cascade mountains, probably because dogs do come across salmon in their environment. But please check with local resources to see if it is a problem or concern in your area, no matter where the fish is coming from, wild or store bought! I believe the “poisoning” is actually due to a parasite that may be present in the fish, that is not harmful to us (or kitty cats) but is to dogs . ~ Kelly
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Hi, Kelly! Thank you so much for your concern and for reaching out to me about this. Raw meat from any animal contains parasites and bacteria that would be detrimental if consumed by humans and other animals, but I make sure to freeze wild-caught salmon and other meats for at least 3 weeks before I feed them raw to Alaska. Freezing kills some of the deadly parasites present in the meat, and the unique digestive system of dogs and cats are well equipped to handle all the bacteria that humans cannot (as long as your pet is healthy).
If this helps, I got this from an online source: “Freezing meat can help kill many parasites (such as the parasite present in salmon that CAN cause a deadly disease in dogs; freezing fresh raw salmon, steelhead, trout, and other salmonids for at least 24 hours before feeding effectively disposes of the parasite. Cooked salmon does not carry the parasite.).” http://rawfed.com/myths/parasites.html
And also, “Fortunately, there is an easy way to prevent your dog from getting parasites from raw fish: freeze it. Freezing will kill all parasites in the fish, rendering it safe for your dog to eat. Freeze all of your dog’s fish for a week before feeding and you will not have to worry about parasites.” http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/raw-fish-and-parasites/
I hope this helps settle your mind; I had the same exact concern before I started raw feeding, but I have learned a lot and am still learning. Please feel free to reach me if you have any other questions about this topic! 🙂
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Thanks so much for the detailed reply!! I think it is just so drilled into our heads out here that you don’t want to give them ANY! And as I said, it actually happens very often that you do come upon fish. Somewhere I even have a photo of Mae checking out a Kokanee in our local creek! Good to know about the freezing killing potential parasites. that’s very interesting! Thanks again~ K
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You’re very welcome! And that is fascinating, I’ve always wanted to live closer to nature and wilderness, and I often dream of the endless hikes I would take with Alaska. But here in NYC, it isn’t a daily occurrence. And with the salmon poisoning, everything you said is true, but only if dogs came across fresh, wild fish and ate it. But wild fish is a great source of omega-3s for pets (helps with skin allergies, fur condition, eyes, brain, etc), and is a common supplement in my house that both Oreo and Alaska love. Feeding cooked fish or even canned fish in unsalted water is also an awesome way to incorporate it into their diet and get the benefits as well!
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Well I hope you and Alaska get to fulfill your hiking dreams some day! Fish is very nutritious. I do give Mae fish oil as a supplement but now that I know a bit more I can give her some “safe” fish. Thanks!
Here she is finding that wild fish…. that gray blur in the water is a dead kokanee~ https://mountainme.wordpress.com/2015/10/02/mae-at-the-creek/
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hello alaska its dennis the vizsla dog hay wow that wuz sum storm all rite it luks pritty windy their blowing in yore fayse!!! and oreo at leest we no yoo wil not git lost in all that wite stuf wel at leest not the top part of yoo ennyway!!! stay warm!!! ok bye
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Hi Dennis! It was my biggest snow storm yet!
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