May Paw Pack Review with Coupon Code

We have been receiving Paw Pack for 8 months now and I can honestly say that it is like Christmas morning for Bentley every time she sees that pretty turquoise box. Believe me when I tell you that she knows exactly what it is and gets extremely excited to see all the goodies it holds within.

If you aren't familiar with Paw Pack, it is a monthly subscription box for dogs and cats. Why I love it is simple:

It contains quality products that are all natural, grain free, and Eco friendly.

This means I can get new products delivered right to my door each month and trust that they will be GOOD for my dog. They do all the research and put together a wonderful array of products in a pretty turquoise box (which I keep to store what I haven't used yet). I am a busy person so this is the perfect way to keep my dog happy and give her new treats and toys each month without even leaving the house!

This month is the May box and here's a look at what's inside:

The first thing that caught my eye in the May Paw Pack was this Freezy Pups ice tray. It was literally 93 degrees when I opened up the box and as you as all may or may not know, Los Angeles, especially the San Fernando Valley where we reside, gets pretty hot. I was so happy to see this and I know we will be getting many uses out of this.

The next thing that caught my eye was this delectable looking Canine Caviar Buffalo Paddywack. Fancy right? Bentley loves Buffalo treats so this is a no brainer. What made me happy to see was that the Buffalo used to make these treats were not treated with hormones or antibiotics.

Side note: If you aren't aware, the majority of animals that we eat are pumped full of antibiotics since it was proven that it causes rapid growth and because by using antibiotics, farmers are able to keep a large number of animals in very small and extremely dirty conditions. Basically, cows, for example, do not have free range and don't have the freedom to graze on grass, they just stand side by side in their own feces waiting for imminent death while being fed corn, hormones, and antibiotics. Gruesome I know but this is the reality.

These Cycle Dog treats are Grain free and 100% Beef and they come in a pretty color (I'm a girl, I like pink). I love that there is only 1 ingredient. It makes the task of looking through the ingredients list a burden I no longer have. Thanks Paw Pack for doing all the work for me. SCORE!

Bentley has had these Sliders treats before and she just loves them. It's actually pretty funny because she has a little routine that she does. She takes the treat sticks outside to her favorite spot in the backyard, under a tree, and quietly chews on them, reappearing only after she's done, with her tail wagging, ready for more. These have (or I should say lack) the 4 G's : Gluten free, Glycerin and GMO free . This is another healthy choice as a dog treat.

Doggy version of Popcorn but grain and gluten free! Need I say more? Yaky Charms rock!

Of all the toys Bentley has ever had, the ones that squeak will always be her favorite. The perk of the ears and widening of her eyes; it's like doggy heaven. This Ecolast ball is great because it floats and we will be doing some swimming since the heat is already real in Southern California folks.

If you have been looking for a monthly pet box subscription, look no further. I absolutely love Paw Pack and can't say it enough. They go above and beyond to find healthy treats and fun, durable toys. Paws down the best box all around. Don't take my word for it though, check out their Instagram to see all of the happy pups and kitties who get their Paw Packs each month.

If you would like to try Paw Pack you're in luck. We have a special promo code exclusively for you to take 10% off your purchase. Just enter MYPITBULLFRIEND at check out.

Have a Paw-some day,

Babies and Pit Bulls: From the Experts Themselves, Parents!

Pit Bulls and Babies. This is a topic that tends to raise eyebrows, especially those of people that do not own Pit Bulls. As a proud Pit Bull owner and a first time parent to my now 2 month old daughter Camille Wynter, I've heard it all from “Oh my gosh! You let that thing around your baby?" to “Wow you must have 911 on speed dial!”  to the all time classic “Aren't you scared your baby will get attacked?”  and of course "Are you nuts?"  Well no in fact, I am not nuts and neither are the other vast amount of parents, first timers and the well seasoned alike, who choose to raise their children with a Pit Bull in the home.

After repeatedly defending my personal choices and my beautiful Pit Bull Bentley, I started to wonder if seeing a Pit Bull around a baby really was such a rare and shock provoking incidence or if it was just that these certain people lived with a rather negative view of these amazing dogs. Then I started wondering how people who were planning on having children felt about the subject and also how people who already had children and Pit Bulls felt. All of the negative comments have pushed me to prove to the skeptics that no, just because you have a Pit Bull around a baby or young child, it does not mean that he will rip their face off. So where do you go when you need help on a specific topic? You go to the source of course.

Welcome to Parenting with a Pit Bull 101

As a parent you always have concerns about the well being of your children. If indeed you are expecting your first child you must be overwhelmed with emotion. There is a tiny person growing inside of you (or your significant other) and it is your duty to provide them with a safe environment filled with love and comfort. Millions of thoughts must be going through your head as it is but then comes the question every dog owner faces: “How will my dog react to my baby?”. You now start thinking about every possible scenario that could happen. You've heard about dogs attacking children and then you look at your own and say “No, he would never hurt a fly.”  Well this is very often the case.

The majority of dogs do especially well with children, if, and this is important, if you have a trained dog. It does not matter if it is a Pit Bull, a Golden Retriever, a Poodle, a Cocker Spaniel, or a Jack Russell Terrier. Any dog is capable of mauling a child, any. Do not think for once that any breed has a pre determined tendency to do so over another. There are people who get attacked by Chihuahuas all the time (of course these little guys can't cause too much harm now could they?). You want to be sure that you are fulfilling your role as a parent to protect your cub. I personally did not have any concern about my Pit Bull, Bentley, being aggressive since she has never shown any signs of aggression towards anyone, human or animal. Of course I am just one example.

With all the questions people ask me about the topic I wanted to know how others felt. I wanted to ask Pit Bull owners and parents specifically about their experiences and share what I have found so that others could see that it is not just a rare scenario, that Pit Bulls do not “eat babies” or any other nonsense you've heard. So I came to you the public asking for complete honesty. I asked if I could share your pictures and your stories and you so graciously responded. Here is what you, the experts, Parents and Pit Bull owners, had to say.

I asked the following:

 “How did you introduce your Pit Bull to your baby?”

"I came home and had my boyfriend keep the baby with him for an hour or so so I could spend quality time with Haze because we missed each other a LOT and I wanted to make sure he knew he was still super important. Then I let him sniff clothes and blankets the baby used at the hospital. His tail didn't stop wagging. He knew exactly what was going on and kept whining and pacing. Then we brought the baby in, he instantly laid down next to the baby and fell asleep with his nose touching him and they were the best friends ever since." - samanthacarmen9712

"My pit, #nachothepit, was a rescue at 5 months old. He has always been the most mild mannered dog I have ever owned so when my husband and I found out we were pregnant, we weren't worried! We had him stay with my in-laws while we were in the hospital and gave him a blanket that our son had been laying on. Once we were all home together, we let him come up and smell him (the baby) and he has been so gentle and adorable with him ever since!" - mommy_lemmons

"I was in my car seat and my parents put me down in the middle of the room. My dogs got love from our parents and then came up to meet me. They did it all on their own. They smelled me and ran around my car seat, then they moved on to laying around and getting love from everyone in the room. We all love each other." - mikiyahandherprince

"When we first brought our baby home, I let my 2 pits smell his blanket and onesie he wore. Once their tails started wagging we praised them. Then we brought our baby out and they fell completely in love. Now they play together, nap together, and our baby is the safest baby out there because our dogs are so protective over kids, all kids actually."  - mrsmariothebarber

"I first had someone bring a baby blanket home for him to sniff. When I came home I gave him attention since I had been gone for so long. Then I showed him the baby and for the next few weeks I made sure he knew he wasn't replaced by letting him cuddle with me and the baby and now he just loves her!"  - morgan_ss

"I adopted my pit mix when he was over a year old. They picked him up wandering around after a family abandoned him. I brought my baby along with me to the shelter so we could bond with him together. Once I had seen his temperament, I rolled her in the stroller and watched carefully. He went over, licked her feet, laid down and stayed there with her until we left. He has some anxiety that we work with but it just makes him more cuddly. He is so good with all three of my kids. He plays with the boys and gives gentle kisses for my girl." - tweetyburd87

"We just brought our daughter home in the car seat and put it down in the middle of the room and let our dog go check it out for himself. We had absolutely no doubt he would be fine with her. We were right, he's spent over three years looking out for her since!!!" - jsessbrown

"We were going to do so many thing and then life got in the way so we agreed to just do our best and "wing it". First we let the pits sniff the swaddled baby whenever they calmly approached out of curiosity. We also went out of our way to hold  the baby while giving extra pets and love to the dogs (that way they would know that we still loved them). We welcomed them to sniff and sit with us and be "involved" as much as possible. All while still being EXTREMELY cautious. No matter how much you trust your dogs you never want to leave children unattended. Slowly we would allow  them to lick her feet and then at about 4 or 5 months she would lean over to allow them to lick her face. It was the sweetest thing." - panamhunter

"The day we brought the baby home, my older daughter and husband took my pit bull Carrie and my other 2 dogs Romeo and Booga for a walk so when they returned I was already inside and in my room with the baby. My husband and daughter let the dogs sniff the baby's blanket and told them NO. I had a gate in the doorway to my room allowing them to see and hear the baby. After a few hours of them patiently waiting by the door, we allowed them in the room. I picked up the baby and allowed all three dogs to sniff her. Carrie, my pit, is the one that showed more interest, we even let her lick the baby's feet. After that day, every time time my baby cries, Carrie is there wanting to help. Carrie likes to sleep near the bassinet, she is our gentle giant." - msevilyn

"We had no problems at all with our pit bull. He was a very friendly dog to start with so I guess that helped. When we brought Hallie home, we let him have a smell of her, then we made sure not to exclude him from anything that he used to be part of. He was allowed near her and he was just his usual self, no strange behavior at all. She is now 16 months and they love each other. I'd have no hesitation leaving the room while they are alone together. We've also adopted another pit bull who is very sweet and have had no trouble with her either. My daughter can crawl all over her without a problem. I guess it all depends on the dog. A good dog will always be a good dog, if you know what I mean." - jasonsteer

After receiving so many wonderful pictures and stories of how parents introduced their Pit Bulls to their babies, you can clearly see that there are different techniques that each parent uses. Each of them knows their own dogs and their behaviors and therefore were able to devise a plan of action that made them comfortable, and that's the most important thing to remember. You have to know what you are comfortable with and what will work for your unique situation. What may work for someone else may not work for you and it is your decision to make. Some parents use the blanket technique while others go down the slow and gradual path.

What all these parents, as well as the numerous others who answered, have in common is that not one of them had a negative experience. With a combination of a well behaved dog that you trust, no matter the breed, and adult supervision, you should not have a problem. It is obviously a process that you must get comfortable with first and of course it is a case by case basis.

 Hearing about all the successful baby introductions conjured up another question. I wanted to know how many parents trusted their Pit Bull 100% around their children, so I asked: "Do you fully trust your Pit Bull around your child?" This question received so many positive responses, even Pit Bull owners who did not yet have children of their own answered. Out of about 100 people that voluntarily answered, the outcome was once again all positive with everyone answering YES, that they did trust their Pit Bull around children. Below are just a few of the responses given.

​"Yes I definetly trust my year and a half old pittie around my 8 month old little boy. She loves to give him kisses and when he's crawling around on the floor she lays beside him! She's definetly his shadow." - a.doberman.and.pitbull.life

" Absolutely! Our almost 6 month old gets nothing but kisses and cuddles from our 2 year old pit. He just adores our daughter and is always laying near her to keep an eye on her." - brande_kramer

"YES 100%. My dog and my daughter are born on the same day. They believe they are siblings...I guess they kind of are." - discoveringranchlife

"Yes I trust them completely around my children. Just as my kids are a reflection of me, so are my pits. I raised them right to respect everyone. The kids know to respect everyone. The kids know to respect the pits and vice versa. Any dog, if raised to be mean and aggressive and treated bad, will be exactly that. There is nothing wrong with Pit Bulls or bully breeds. It's just a stereotype." - nisee_baby87

"I trust my boys (8 and 3) around any child, any age. Supervised with little ones because my guys are pretty big (over 100 lbs), I don't want anyone to get stepped on or pushed over. Some children I don't trust to be nice to my boys, so they (the children) get supervised." - jaketheamstaff

"Yes I do. However, it took some time. He came as a foster from someone we knew well. We'd been around him quite a bit but I still wanted to really get to know him and any triggers he may have. Does he take food gently? Does he jump on people? Is he food aggressive? How dog social? etc... His only issue is too much affection and not knowing when to stop. We're working on it but he's much better now." - pamddavidson

This last response is a great answer because no matter how big or small, or how much you trust your dog, at the end of the day he is still an animal and caution must always be exercised when caring for young children and babies especially. Such tiny, delicate humans need us, their parents to ensure their safety and be good role models. By teaching your children from an early age how to and how not to interact with a dog you are instilling in them the proper ways to behave around any dog, which may be the leading factor in an avoidable circumstance.

All of the responses have left me with a sense of pride in the fact that so many of you out there are wonderful parents and you feel confident raising your children with a Pit Bull. A Pit Bull is just a dog. He wants to lick you, love you, receive praise from you and live a normal life with his pack, you, his family.

I've read of unfortunate circumstances where a dog has in fact attacked a child and you know what the most common reasons are? 

1) The dog was left unsupervised  with the child.

2) The child aggravated the dog by pulling on his tail or any such behavior.

3) The dog was not trained.

These three things are imperative in the protection of your young. Obviously the first should come as no surprise. Now the second reason is the avoidable one that was stated earlier. Any and every dog owner should do a little research and get to know the mannerisms of a dog. You should know what behaviors to look for in a dog to tell if he is angry or getting aggravated. Some dogs don't mind having their tail or ears pulled while this may cause another dog to growl or even snap. Some dogs are food aggressive, some don't like to release their toys or treats to you. If you know what bothers your own dog you can teach your child and if you generally know the early warning signs or body language a dog gives off, you can avoid a mishap with a stranger's dog. Since dogs do not speak, their body language is an instant indicator of their mood. So please, do you research. While the following is just a short list of what to look for, it may be all you need.

Here are just a few warning signs of a dog in an aggressive state:

1) Retracking of the lips and showing teeth ( may be accompanied by growling)

2) Ears pulled completely back

3) "Flagging of the tail" (raising the tail making it high and rigid and moving it back and forth)

4) "Whale Eye" (when a dog doesn't look directly at you but from the corner of his eyes and you see more of the whites of his eyes)

The third reason is extremely important. Some people decide to get a cute little puppy but either do not know how to train a dog or just do not follow through with any training. That right there is losing the battle when it comes to Pit Bull owners especially.

If you are planning on owning a Pit Bull, or already do, and you haven't trained him or decide that you don't want to bother with it then you are the problem and you should not be allowed to own any dog. You are the reason why these dogs are under such extreme prejudice, like Breed Specific Legislation, which has caused the death or removal of so many dogs and has caused heartbreak for families all around the world. Having a dog in your backyard that doesn't have any social skills and doesn't know any commands is a recipe for disaster.

Dogs like this develop aggression and a strong desire to guard their territory from any and everyone. Many of these types of dogs are the reason that attacks happen, so please, please, please train your dog! It is not that hard, it just takes repetition. There are classes you can take your dog to, videos, articles, books, dog trainers... there's NO excuse! You wouldn't want an untrained dog around your baby would you? Well neither does anyone else and you definitely wouldn't want to be the reason for someone else's heartbreak. 

Now that you are armed with reassurance from so many responsible parents and Pit Bull owners and know a few warning signs of an aggressive dog and the key factor (training), it is up to you to put the pieces of the puzzle together. If you choose that you want to add a dog, Pit Bull, or any other breed at that, into your home, if you are expecting a child or already have children, do you research. Pit Bulls make amazing companions and everyone that I have encountered that has one is over the moon with them. It is pretty much guaranteed that with a trained and friendly Pit Bull that you have greatly socialized from day one, you will be a happy Mommy or Daddy knowing your child will get to experience the joys of growing up with a great dog. After all, there is a reason the dog is called man's best friend.

Now If anyone is still a skeptic about having a baby and a Pit Bull in the same home, maybe you should take a look at some more adorable pictures of babies with their Pit Bulls and if you still feel nothing, then maybe, just maybe, you are a robot. Seriously though, have a look at some more cute pictures of little humans interacting with their best buds.

THE CUTEST BABY AND PIT BULL PICTURES EVER!

Cheers,

Would you consider adding a Pit Bull into your home after reading this article?
	Yes, Absolutely!
	Yes, I already own one or more
	I would consider it
	Probably not
	No way!

Fun Ways to Swag out your Dog

The fashion world has moved on to the animal kingdom and it's about time. That means it's time to spruce up your pooches image and add a little pizazz to your little furry friend's wardrobe. Boring collars and chains are out, it's all about finding your pet's personality with the cutest accessories imaginable.

 

Here's a list of ways to Swag out your dog and keep up with the fashion trends:

1. Bow ties

   This is the cutest and easiest way to add a sense of classiness and turn your dog into a dapper dog.

2. Flowers

   Adding colorful flowers for all the ladies of the k9 world will add a flare of femininity and softness

3. Sunglasses

   Yes that's right sunglasses! Your pup will look like a star with a nice pair of shades. It might take some getting used to but even if your pup decides he doesn't like them they sire will make for a super cute photo op.

4. Doggie nail polish

   Um yes, nail polish is no longer just for the human kind. Snazz up your little lady's nails with hot pink, a bit of sparkle and don't forget an accent nail!

5. Ties

   Yup ties are in and look very smart in an array of styles and prints you can go funky, retro, classic or playful.

6. Hoodies

   Nothing cuter than a dressed up doggie wearing a hoodie. Perfect for chilly weather and comes in such a variety, you can even coordinate and match.

7. Fairy Wings

   For the fearless. Fairy wings add that youthful playfulness of dress up time us girls cherished that will make everyone that glaces at your pup crack a smile – guaranteed.

8. Bandanas

   These things never go out of style. You can wear them a few different ways. My personal favorite is rolled up thin like a collar.

9. Snoods

   I love snoods with ears for humans and pups. They will warm up your little buddy and look amazingly cute. You can even crochet your own!

10. Costumes

    Last but not least Costumes are so much fun and no longer just for Halloween anymore. Dress up your dog as a dinosaur or a bunny perhaps and hit your local yappy hour. If you don't have a yappy hour make your own. Invite all of your friend's and their pets to your home and serve refreshments for the humans and pooches. It'll be tons of fun for everyone.

Now go on out there and show the world how fashionable your special pooch is!

My Basic Training Techniques

I get asked all the time for advice and training tips when people see how well behaved Bentley is and how many tricks she knows. The truth is that Pit Bulls are great dogs to train due to their strong desire to please humans. This is why everyone that owns a Pit, or any breed for that matter, should train them and if you do not know how hopefully these simple basic training tips I've put together will help. These are the methods I use in early training.

I got Bentley when she was a puppy so of course I started training her right away but let me tell you she went through the whole puppy chewing phase, that is inevitable, and yes, I left things unattended and returned to find them destroyed. The quicker you learn that a puppy is just like a child and wants to get into everything it's not supposed to, the better off you will be. With that being said, rule number one, of course, don't leave anything valuable lying around and rule number two invest in a number of chew toys so when your pup is bored with one, there will be another one to get his attention instead of your brand new pair of shoes that cost an arm and a leg.

As soon as you bring your dog home, no matter how old he is, you must start the training process. The first things you should teach your dog are his name and “no”. These are the easiest things to teach any dog, even kids can teach their dogs these two things. Treats work best when training your dog so I advise that you use a treat when starting off. When your dog starts getting into things he's not supposed to, say “no” sternly but don't yell. You want to get his attention and respect but not to have him scared of you. Soon enough your dog will know the meaning of “no”.

Teaching your dog to sit is simple and should be the first trick your dog learns. To teach your dog, simply call him to you and tell him to “sit”, your dog won't understand but will eventually get tired of standing and will sit. As soon as this happens, praise your dog and give him the treat. Practice this until your dog can sit on command.

“Lie down” is the next easiest command and is basically taught the same way as the sit command. If your dog is not wanting to lie down you can always use treats as motivation. Try placing the treat close to the ground and your dog's head should follow. Repeat the “lie down” command as you push the treat closer to his chest. This will cause him to lie down to get into a more comfortable position to eat the treat. After he is laying down, praise him and give him the treat. Repeat this until you no longer have to coax him down. You may use a hand signal when you are teaching your dog so he will reference the word and hand signal with the action you want him to make. I point my finger to the ground and snap but you may use whatever signal you are more comfortable with.

The next command I recommend that you teach your dog is “stay”. This one takes more patience but is a very valuable command for your dog to know, especially in public. You can teach your dog stay when he is in a sit or lie position as it will be easier. Slowly start walking away and saying the word “stay”, using a hand gesture if you want. The signal I use for stay is my arm out in front of me with my hand pointed straight up, just like a traffic signal officer would do. If your dog follows you say no and have him either sit or lie down again. Once you are able to walk a short distance with your dog in the stay command, stop and praise him. Keep repeating this with your dog until you are able to go further and further away. With Bentley, I am able to go into different rooms and even outside while she stays. I do this with treats right in front of her too and she won't touch them until I give her the release command. When I have made her stay as long as I want I give her a release command of “okay”. You may use any release command you please. The release command will come in handy for future tricks.

After these three easy commands have been taught you can start basing new tricks and commands off of them such as rolling over, shaking hands, going in a circle, sitting pretty, jumping through hoops and much more. Once you have the basic three you can expand and there's no limit to what you can teach your dog with lots of patience and understanding.

I suggest that you buy a clicker when you want to move on to more advanced training techniques. I have trained both with and without the clicker and have gotten positive results both ways but I feel that the clicker works very well. As soon as your dog hears the click, he knows he has done the trick correctly. When you start clicker training, you can start with old tricks and click when the command has been acted out and then give him a treat. This way he will associate the click with a treat and will know when the trick has been properly completed. Always click and give a treat. When your dog knows the commands well you won't need the clicker anymore.

As with anything, practice makes perfect. Don't give up or get frustrated because your dog may not be learning at the speed you would like. Instead have patience and keep at it. Remember, even as humans, we have been trained and conditioned from birth with patience from our parents so have some empathy for your learning pooch.

Cheers,

Nitro the Hero American Staff

This Amazing Pit Bull Story comes from Frankie Piccone and is about his wonderful dog Nitro
an American Staffordshire Terrier and his beloved son of 13yrs, may his sweet soul RIP.

It was Frankie’s first time owning this breed, having only had Golden Retrievers, Labradors and a German Sheppard but Nitro was by far the smartest of them all. At not even 4 months, Nitro was trained with just hand commands and basic words but by the 5th month he was doing tricks, climbing trees, jumping over 6 ft walls and following everything and anything he was commanded to do. Frankie taught him to be friendly and non aggressive, to walk by his right side without a leash and to not cross the street without a hand gesture. He was well behaved off leash and Frankie never had to worry about him chasing after any dog, cat, squirrel, or other animal. Nitro was so trained to listen to Frankie’s commands that even when a friend of his tossed a steak into the street and told him to get it, Nitro didn’t budge until Frankie gave him the gesture. By the 7th month Nitro was being trained to guard and protect and knew a trigger word, “tijerras”, which means scissors in Spanish and was only to be used for defense.

The story begins one night when Frankie, who worked with a professional drag racing team at the time, got back home to New York City from the NHRA circuit event in Texas and took Nitro out in his not so great neighborhood for a walk. Nitro was in the bushes taking care of business when out of the nowhere a man sneaks up behind Frankie with a gun to his back and tells him to give him all of his belongings. As Frankie reaches for his wallet, Nitro jumps out of the bushes and bites the man’s hand causing him to drop the gun. The man tries to grab the gun with his free hand so Frankie yells the trigger word “tijerras” and Nitro starts biting down harder as Frankie proceeds to kick the mugger. The man starts yelling and just a few minutes later a squad car pulls up. One of the neighbor’s must have called due to the screaming. The cop draws his gun out and says that he’s going to shoot the dog so Frankie stops kicking the man and commands Nitro to release him. Nitro releases the mugger and Frankie grabs him so the cop won’t shoot his dog. The cop is scared and asks where the leash is all the while the mugger is inching closer to where the gun was in the bushes. Frankie screams to the cop that the mugger is trying to reach for the gun he just tried to rob him with as another squad car pulls up. This time a woman cop draws her gun out and points it at Frankie screaming for him to get on the ground and release Nitro. Frankie doesn’t want Nitro to get shot so he lays on top of him covering him from open fire while the mugger gets cuffed. The cops then come over to Frankie wanting to detain him as well and still pointing their guns at him and Nitro. He explains what just transpired and after an id check they release him and tell him what a great dog he has and that he is brave for protecting his dog because had he not, Nitro would’ve been shot.

Now Frankie is very good friends with those officers and it’s been over 9 years since that incident happened. Nitro has always left a great first impression with anyone that he has met. He saved Frankie’s life 3 times at gun point in NYC, he just wishes he could have returned the favor as cancer got the best of Nitro. Frankie misses him dearly as he is the son he never had. Nitro was honestly loved by many people in this country and has touched many hearts. Frankie knows he’s in a far better place now and is looking for places to take Frankie when they finally reunite.

“RIP my beloved son daddy truly misses you.”- Frankie Piccone

It is stories like this that truly show what great companions Pit Bulls can be. They love and protect you with their whole being. Please don’t judge the breed, judge the deed.

Homemade Valentine's Day Dog Treats

Since Valentine's Day is right around the corner I thought I would share a quick and easy dog treat recipe that I found on the Whole Foods website that you can make for your lucky pooch for this special occasion because let's face it, dogs want to be spoiled just like you.

PEANUT BUTTER AND BANANA DOG TREATS

Makes 2 dozen

The parsley in these treats makes them a secret breath freshener for your pooch; substitute dried mint for half of the parsley, if you like. Don't hesitate to adjust the size of the treats to accommodate very small or very large dogs, baking them a few minutes less or a few minutes more, as needed.

Ingredients:
1 banana, peeled
1 cup oat flour
2/3 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup dried parsley
3 tablespoons peanut butter
1 egg, beaten
 
Method:
Preheat oven to 300°F. Put banana in a large bowl and use a spoon or potato masher to mash it thoroughly. Add oat flour, oats, parsley, peanut butter and egg and stir well to combine. Set aside for 5 minutes.

Roll mixture into 24 balls, using about 1 tablespoon dough for each; transfer to a large parchment paper-lined baking sheet as done. Use the back of a spoon or the heel of your hand to press each ball into a (1 1/2- to 2-inch) coin. (I used a roller and heart shaped cookie cutters but you can choose whichever method you like) Bake until firm and deep golden brown on the bottom, 40 to 45 minutes. Set aside to let cool completely.

Storage note: It's best to store these in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Or, freeze them to give to your pal later; just be sure to thaw the treats before handing them out.

Nutritional Info:
PER SERVING: Serving size: 1 each, 45 calories (15 from fat), 1.5g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 10mg cholesterol, 10mg sodium, 6g carbohydrate (1g dietary fiber, 1g sugar), 2g protein

Now go and spoil your little pooch!