"dogs" news and stories

Today's featured cookbook isn't one that you would want to cook out of for yourself. However, I know that there are many of you out there who are interested in making sure that your pets have healthy meals and so I thought it might be fun to turn our attention to a book that can help you out with that goal. If you've been thinking about changing up the foods that you feed your pets, but are uncertain where to start, The Ultimate Pet Food Guide by Liz Palinka will be incredibly helpful in giving you a hand in determining how to best nourish your furry family members.

The book is filled with helpful information about what is good and bad to feed your pets, ways to supplement their diets so they get all the nutrition they need and more than 50 recipes for easy home-cooked food that your pets will love (I realize that cooking for dogs and cats isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I'm sure that there are some of you out there who share at least parts of your dinner with your pets many nights). The other useful thing in this book is that it will give you an insight into how food effects your pet's behavior. There is the possibility that if you have a misbehaving animal, their diet might have something to do with it.

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The company's employees attend weekly meetings - often with their dogs poised by their sides - where both humans and animals carefully taste both individual dehydrated bits of the organic dog and cat food mixture, as well as the final product, to make sure the pets are getting nothing but the best.

The company got the OK from the FDA to use the term "Human grade pet food" on all of its labels. According to a rep from the company, the food is "probably a little bland by most human standards," but compared to what they imagine ordinary pet food to taste like, "really quite delicious!" (That answers the next obvious question: do the testers taste their competitors' food, too?)

Even the packaging is appealing and atypical for animal food - multicolored boxes with enticing names like "verve," "force," and "embark" that aren't a far reach from the packaged granola available for humans. They also make treats and supplements.

I'll admit, it sounds a bit odd at first, but after the recent horrific incidents of dogs becoming ill from tainted dog food, it's nice that a company takes this much care in producing a quality, safe product for their best buds.

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With a face like that, could you really deprive your baby of the refreshment that comes from frozen yogurt?

Of course not.

Yoghund is a line of organic frozen yogurt for dogs, with no additives, chemicals, or fillers. I wasn't even aware that yogurt was good for dogs, but i suppose if people can benefit from live cultures, dog can too. The yogurts are made with organic bananas, organic peanuts, and pure spring water. It is not clear whether there are different "flavors," though it seems that it's only one. Whether you can share in this treat with your dog is up to you (I can't imagine that it would be bad for people to eat Yoghund.)

A pack of four cups is $5.99, available from the website.

• Summer is for grilling: Grilled Caponata with Charred Bread, Beer Can Chicken with Dirty Bird Rub, and Grilled Peach Upside-Down Cake.
• Kids love Frankenstuffers.
• What does actress Anika Noni Rose keep in her fridge?
• Or how about Dennis Franz?
• Having a big party? Print out these DIY place cards.
• Even dogs love salad (right?).
• Make some vegetarian dinners: Portobello Mushroom and Almond Pesto Lasagna, Zucchini Fritters with Roasted Red Pepper Dip, and Grilled Vegetable Salad with Smoked Paprika Vinaigrette.
• Another celeb: Jane Seymour makes a centerpiece with flowers and crayons.
• More recipes: Pineapple-Shrimp Tostadas, Asian Chicken Cutlets, Chicken Burgers with Barbecue Onion Sauce, and Spiked Pink Lemonade.

I'm not quite sure what to make of Alice Wang's set of two wine glasses. In the box, they look a little strange because one of them looks like it was taken out of the fire a little too soon. It's tilted! But it's tilted for a reason - so Fido can sip his wine, too.

Granted, I am not sure it's actually safe for a dog to drink wine, but the idea of the Pet Plus Wine Glasses is cute for a pet-parent and his or her pup to share in a drink together, lounging out on the veranda. Just pour yourself the Pinot, and fill his glass with water.

The Pet Plus Wine Glasses are available from designer Alice Wang's website.

More on pets and food:
Animals who like people food
Real Food for Cats, Cookbook of the Day
Dog dining bill advances