In Lulu's words: The Easter Beagle returns

Hello, everyone, Lulu here.

Hope you are all having a wonderful Easter. As you can see, I am the Easter Beagle. Again.

This year, though, I'm not giving mom a hard time about it.

For one thing, she did try something different. She bought these giant eggs, and was going to have the cat hatch out of one.

But Galadriel wasn't in the mood, no matter how much food mom put in the egg.

Today, Mom decided to buy some plants for Easter.  Vegetables and things, she says. She was carrying this big bag of fancy dirt through the house to the backyard, and all of a sudden she screamed and dropped everything and was freaking out!

There was a bug on her. A big ugly bug. The kind Mom is really scared of.

So she had to kill the scary bug, and get the bag outside, and there was another one in the bag. So she dumped the bag in the garden and was running all freaked out. Then she jumped in the shower. She was all hot and sweaty, but she was really freaked out about the bug being on her. Which I get. I don't like bugs on me.

And now, she has a migraine. And none of us fur-kids want to play with these Peeps things she bought us at Pet Smart.

So I decided to be a good Easter Beagle this year. No complaints about the ears. Mom deserves a break. She's a good Mom, even if she is a little crazy.

Almost Wordless Wednesday: The Angry Easter Beagle

Today is the start of the A-Z Challenge!

Today is A: for Almost Wordless Wednesday, and for Angry!

FINE PRINT: Zuke's provided sample packs of treats, but I did not receive monetary compensation. I also received Jasmine's wig from Rubie's Costume Shop. The post, however, is my own.

Tips to keep your dog safe this Easter

It's the Easter Beagle!

Lulu loves sweet things. Believe me, getting her to sit like that and not touch them was hard.

But here's the bottom line -- Easter candy, much of it, is no good for dogs.

Here's some reasons why:
1) Chocolate -- the biggest thing you'll find in abundance is the worst for dogs... but it all depends. Milk chocolate is not as bad as dark chocolate or baking chocolate. The darker the chocolate, the more it has of a certain chemical that is toxic.

I had a dog when I was a kid who broke into two Easter baskets and lived to tell the tale. Doesn't mean it's ok, of course. Always keep chocolate from dogs.
2) Xylitol -- This sweetener is used in sugar-free and no-sugar added treats. It's also used in chewing gum. All bad for dogs! They can't digest it.
3) Easter grass -- Not a candy, but used in the Easter baskets. Can be a big problem! Dogs, and cats, can't digest the grass. It can mess up their system the way ribbon and mylar can.
4) Raisins -- What are the chances you'll put raisins in an Easter basket? Maybe not. But grapes are bad for dogs. So raisins are also not good.

 Now, there are treats you can make, even buy, to help your dog enjoy Easter with your family, like hard-boiled eggs (just make sure they are properly refrigerated). Eggs are good for your dog's coat.

Dogs love peanut butter. Lulu sniffed it right through the paper. And peanut butter is ok for dogs. So here is an idea.

Three Dog Blog makes peanut butter cups for dogs. Instead of chocolate, they use carob chips. Carob is a chocolate substitute that you will find in dog treats from time to time.

Peanut Butter Cups (from Three Dog Blog)

• 1/2 cup carob chips, unsweetened
• 6 teaspoons peanut butter
• 12 confection candy cups or cup cake cups

Place cups on tray that will fit in your refrigerator. In a small pan, on medium heat, melt carob chips. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon of melted carob into each cup. Chill 10 minutes. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon of peanut butter on top of chilled carob. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon of melted carob on top of peanut butter. Chill 10 minutes. Peel and treat!

Now, instead of using a cake cups, you could use a silicone pan. Get one with bunny or egg molds and voila! Easter treats for you dog!