Pets Have Weeds Too

Hey there Gardeners! This week, the entire Pull Your Weeds™ team is craving some sun, so we thought we would revisit Episode 6 of Hello Gardeners, when #GardenerAnna and #GardenerAidan went to the beach and learned that animals can have weeds too. The gardeners’ grandfather, Dr. Stanley Truffini, is a veterinarian and he taught us about recognizing fearful behavior in animals when they are stressed (dogs in particular) so that we can stay safe!

Gardener Anna and her grandpa, Dr. Stanley Truffini

We see dogs everywhere - at our friends’ houses, at the park, in our neighborhoods. Most of the time, our four-legged friends just enjoy the everyday flowers, but sometimes 'weeds' come up when humans, other animals, and loud noises, scare them. When dogs get scared or stressed they can respond by growling, lunging at us, or biting us.

Here are some signs that a dog is stressed:

1. Ears are back

2. Dog is showing its teeth in an aggressive way and growling

3. Tail is tucked under its body

4. Dog is hiding or looking to escape the situation

When we see these signs, it’s very important to back up, give the dog it’s space, to not lock eyes, and to not interact with the dog. The best thing to do when meeting a new, non-fearful dog is to get down to their level, put the back of your hand out in front of you, and let the dog come to you. Remember, most of the time, our furry friends just want to sit with us and show us love, but it’s important to remember their boundaries and to keep ourselves and our dogs safe.

As a thank you to our dogs for always providing us with flowers and love, here is a quick and easy dog treat recipe that they are sure to love!

Ingredients:

1 ripe banana

1 cup of uncooked oats

1 heaping spoon of peanut butter (substitute canned pumpkin if you have a nut allergy)

Start by preheating oven to 300º

Mash one banana in a medium-sized bowl

Add the oats and the peanut butter, and mix until it is the consistency of cookie dough - feel free to add more oats if your dough is too wet

Form small balls by rolling the dough in between your hands

Place balls on a non stick baking sheet (or use parchment paper) and cook for 10 minutes, or until they’ve hardened up a bit

Let them cool, then place in a food safe container and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks!

Thanks for checking in this week and send some pictures of your pets to flowers@youareagardener.com or tag @youareagardener! We would love to see the animals that fill your gardens with flowers. Have a great week and don't forget to #PullYourWeeds!