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February 23 Is National Dog Biscuit Day: Don’t We All Need a Treat Sometimes?

Part 3 in the Dog Blog series

By Linda Vandercook • February 23, 2018

Each evening, after our dog walk, PL gets a treat. This is so regular and anticipated that he'll start howling if it takes us more than a few minutes between getting in the door and walking over to the pet food cupboard. And I would have you know that I keep a stocked larder—cat food (a home-made blend of different brands), soft cat treats, dog food (dry and canned, of course), chewy slivers, traditional dog biscuits, and bones. Not to mention the organic rabbit biscotti and edible willow baskets. Feel free to "tsk tsk" at the biscotti. I am such a push-over when it comes to my pets. But I digress…

My dog PL knows there is good stuff in that cupboard. It's even gotten to the point where he prefers the UPS guy over the mail carrier because the UPS guy brings the dog food that I order online. And occasionally my husband laments that our pets eat better than we do. And he's probably right; however, cooking is not among my strong suits. I can whip up an algorithm pretty well, but not even a respectable omelet.

To be honest, my life only intersects with cooking in three distinct ways: 1) anything microwaveable, 2) British baking competition shows on TV, and 3) murder mystery book series with food themes. The latter is especially neat since they come in a paperback format that fit in your purse (or jacket inside pocket). Waiting at the DMV with a good book in hand is like offering up a challenge—"oh, yeah, well I can wait real good, you just watch," especially after screen fatigue has kicked in and you just can't browse your phone anymore.

Two of my favorite murder mystery book series with food themes are:

Both have plucky heroines that can really cook/bake, and the stories are fluffy and easy to digest. I see them as a treat for my brain—yes, someone does have to get murdered at some point for the sake of plot progression, but it's rarely a nice person—and the killer is always caught in the end. So it's all good.

And not to forget—the best treats in life are the ones that you share. Case in point: PL has this sly little habit of following you around when you have something tasty in your hand, like an ice cream or a hot dog—something that you can't readily put down but that also takes a while to eat. And when you're not watching, he'll reach up very quietly, lick the item ever so lightly, and then look you deep in the eyes, just oozing food love. Of course, this means that he gets the remainder of the treat since it has got dog cooties on it. The fact that he looks so earnest doesn't hurt either. But who better to share treats with than your best friend?

Now go forth, share your treats, and prosper!

Don't miss the other intallments of The Dog Blog series from Linda:

About the Author: Linda Vandercook has been a Software Developer with ThriftBooks for seven years, many of them working remotely to support her husband's career in the military. She is also a strong animal advocate, volunteering at local shelters, and trying hard not to adopt every rabbit, cat, squirrel, dog, or other miscellaneous critter that shows up in her back yard. Born and raised in Sweden, Linda thinks the U.S. is the awesomest place on Earth!

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