Home Improvements

Once I finished my master's degree, i was ready to make my house feel like my own. My ex and I had split up as I started my master's. Being single and owning a 4 bedroom house on a half acre is challenging! But I've started making improvements. First thing I did was get a new hot water heater, a new electrical box, a new sani plus pump for the toilet down stairs, two new lights fixtures for down stairs in the family, and new outside lights for front and back!

Those projects were all things I got others to do. But when I finished my master's my family all got together and got me a gift card to home depot! I used it to buy paint for my whole upstairs and to get tile in my kitchen/diningroom. Family friends wanted to get me clothing for my bday, but instead got me mortar for the tiling, which was a big $ help with the project.

Committing to these improvements was a huge step for me. Painting has always made me anxious due to the disruption and mess it makes. But I had no idea I would feel so empowered as a single woman to improve my house! Pictures are below of the tile in the kitchen, which was the biggest project. My brother in law, neice, & sister came to visit to lend their expertise. From that I learned enough to do the backsplash with my boyfriend. I even bought a tile saw!!!

This is my kitchen floor before!

This is what was underneath!

This was as the tiled was laid down!

This was before the backsplash!

This is when all the tiling was all done!

My other project was the floor in the spare room. I don't have money to do hardwood, so I read that you can paint linoleum floors.So I decided to try it!

This is the floor before the paint! Yellow floor and red walls, not the greatest combo!

But after it looks great!

Simple change that makes a huge impact!

I will be doing this to my home office and my bedroom this spring. So much easier then having carpet with four dogs running around the house!

A mixed breed - Wolfhound? Bernese? Shepherd?

My dog Arme is 22 monthes old.  When I got him, the breeder advertised him as Bernese Mountain Dog/Shepherd mix. I have always wanted a Bernese mountain dog, so I jumped at the chance to get even a Bernese mix.  As he grew older, he got scruffier and taller. His beard is infamous, as shown in the picture below. 

People always asked if he was Wolfhound mix.   I never gave it much thought until I found the picture below:

This picture is of a wolfhound/shepherd mix.  The resemblemce is striking.

I also have a full sister of Arme's, Kilo:

She has a much blockier head, not very scruffy, not very tall.  I know their mother was full shepherd, she was very long and completely black.  It's interesting to see the difference between the two.  Below is a picture of my dog pack!  From the left - Nightmare, Gabbi, Armegeddon, & Kilo!

Does anyone else have a wolfhound/shepherd mix?  I would love to see pictures!

Owned dogs all my life, but this one has me stumped!

In May 2010 there was an advertisement for a dog, that is the full- sister of my dog Armegeddon. He is a great dog, very smart, social, hesitant, but loving once he trusts someone! So I assumed his sibling would be the same! You know what they about assume.... It's make an ASS out of U & ME!

Kilo, is her new name! Like her brother, she is beautiful, very smart, social & VERY loving! But she had a very different upbringing, a very lonely one! She was an outside dog, of a family with 2 small children. Her only toys were the wood pile & she was free fed out of a huge dish!

Obviously, she had no training & not much socialization. She is friendly with other dogs, but can be very loud, barking & growling. She doesn't do this in a mean way, but she just wasn't trained to curb her enthusiasm.

While enthusiasm is not inherently a bad thing, I did not realize what it would do to the dynamics of my pack. Like all multiple dog households, there is a pack mentality. Because my three puppies are all the same age, their pack mentality is very strong.

The part that was totally unexpected for me was the anxiety that would be increased in Armegeddon. Kilo gets very excited barking & growling when other dogs are
excited &/or getting attention. In addition, because Kilo never had lots of toys, she is possessive of toys. So, if she has a toy in her mouth, and another dog comes near, she gowls.

All of This has created immense anxiety in Armegeddon. He wasn't the most confident to begin with, but Kilo's constant charging forward physically, growling & barking has created overwhelming anxiety & aggression in Armegeddon.

I can't take the dogs to the dog park, due to the strong pack mentality & Arme's aggression toward other dogs. Not that I am a big fan of dog parks, but sometimes it would be nice to meet other dog owners.

Anyhow in order to combat Kilo's enthusiasm, I have been keeping Kilo on umbilical. This means she is on leash when she in the house & the leash is attached to me. While she always follows me to every room in the house, the leash stops her from charging ahead of me. The leash also allows me to physically correct her when she barks or growls.

I wanted to share this information, because as much as I love dogs, I was seriously considering finding a new home for Kilo. But one night as I was struggling with this decision, I realized that I have not done enough to help train Kilo. I was reading a book by a local TV Show host, Brad Pattison, whose methods can be controversial. One line in his book, talked about a lady who had a very difficult dog & she was registered in classes for a year, before she felt her dog had a really improved & was properly socialized.

I had put kilo through a puppy kindergarten, but realized that wasnt even close to enough training, for any dog. So I made a commitment to Kilo to do the necessary work to get her training in order.

I have to say, within the first 2 days of having Kilo on umbilical there has been an amazing improvement in Kilo's behavior. She is much calmer. There was an immediate difference in Arme, he was hesitant to come to me when I called him to come. But after 4 times of me calling him to come & keeping Kilo from barking, he is noticeably less hesitant.

I wish everyone could experience the immense satisfaction of owning multiple dogs. I hope sharing this story will encourage to put in the work to make their a full member of the family.

Cheers,
Laura, Gabbi, Nightmare, Armegeddon, & Kilo!!

Independent Living Canada John Lord Research Award!

I am very excited that A Longer Journey Research has been named the recipient of this year's John Lord Research Award! The certificate will be presented at the upcoming IL Canada AGM in Ottawa November 24-28! thank you everyone for your support!

Aspect 2010 Provincial Conference

Hi everyone,

I am very excited to be a speaker at the upcoming Aspect 2010 conference in Victoria, BC November 4 & 5, 2010! I will be presenting on my thesis research A Longer Journey.  My presentation is available below by clicking on the link below:

ASPECT 2010 A Longer Journey Presentation

To read the A Longer Journey thesis research, please click on the links below:

A Longer Journey - Full thesis

A Longer Journey - Executive Summary

Thank you,
Laura Hockman

Canning Season 2010

Canning season is here and halfway done.....

It is a good thing I stocked up last year on jars. This year I stocked up on wide mouth lids. Save On Foods had a great sale 2 for $5.00.

The book below is great! I have used the earlier editions, but this one has lots of unique recipes!




This funnel is a must for any home preserver! I am a big fan of it cause it is stainless steel, but the plastic ones are good too. Helps to keep the mess to a minimum when you are filling jars.



So far this year, my canning tally is:

-84 pints of Salmon ( did half with family & half on my own)
-53 quarts of Peaches in a heavy syrup ( 3 cases for my brother, 1 case for my sister, and 5 quarts for me)
-18 pints of Cucumber relish (with a friend)
-66 quarts of Dill Pickles (With a friend)(Dill from my garden)
-15 pints of Pickled Beets
- 24 quarts of plums


Tomorrow will be Peach Salsa and possibly some Peaches, if there is any leftover.

It has been a ton of work, but it is so worth it!

Last night I had canned salmon and rice for dinner, it was amazing cause I canned it myself and I knew where my food came from! What a comforting feeling!

Homemade Dog Kibble and RAW food

As the amount of dog food recalls increase, I could no longer justify putting my dogs at risk. Even though I was feeding a good quality kibble, Acana or Orijen. I still keep it on hand for when I am away and my roommates are feeding the dogs.

But to feed homemade, there is a lot to learn! Here is some quick hint and tips:

Making natural dog food recipes at home provides healthy food for your pet, and it's very easy to do. Simply balance proteins, fats and carbohydrates with the occasional mineral or vitamin supplement to add more nutritional value.

The following is a basic guideline of ingredients needed to feed your dog healthy meals. You will have to gear them according to his size and the amount of food he typically eats per day

Cooked ground lamb, poultry and beef are ideal for mixing into natural dog food recipes. Limit PORK OR HAM

Pass on vegetables high in oxalic acid since they will interfere with your dog's ability to absorb calcium; stay away from spinach, rhubarb and swiss chard. 

Absolutely, DO NOT FEED YOUR DOG:

ONIONS, GARLIC

Grapes & RAISINS

CHOCOLATE

GRAPES

CITRUS FRUITS

AVOCADO

CORN ON THE COB

APPLE CORES – SEEDS ARE TOXIC TO DOGS

MUSHROOMS (and not just cause I dont like them... ha ha)

ARTIFICIAL SWEETNER

COFFEE OR OTHER PRODUCTS HIGH IN CAFFEINE

MACADAMIAN NUTS

WALNUTS

Wholesome ingredients to incorporate into your dog's diet

Quick cooking grains:

Rolled oats

Cornmeal

Bulgur

Whole-wheat

Couscous

Quinoa

Other grains:

Brown rice

Barley

Millet

Wheat berries 

Frozen vegetables:

Cut green beans

Lima beans

Peas 

Fresh cooked vegetables:

Finely grated carrots or zucchini

Yams/sweet potatoes

Baking potatoes

Broccoli

Beets

Squash

Parsnips 

Does your dog have arthritis? Tip: Turmeric is a natural anti-inflammatory, and can be sprinkled on your dog's food. Start a medium dog with an eight of a tsp per day. Mix any dose with food because the taste is hot and can be offensive or cause vomiting. This should work immediately.

To determine how much to feed an adult dog, take his body weight and multiply it by 0.4. The resulting number is the total number of ounces your dog should be eating in a day -- either in one big meal or divided into a morning and dinner meal.

As for kibble, here is the recipe I use, I like it because it is easy, and all the ingredients can be bought at the grocery store.

Homemade Kibble

4 cups whole wheat flour

2 cups rolled oats (dry oatmeal)

3 cups of cooked brown rice

2 cups of powdered milk (instant milk)

3 cups of water or broth (chicken or beef)

4 eggs

1 cup of lard or shortening

Mix the flour, oats, rice, powdered milk and water or broth. Then beat the 4 eggs with a fork and add the eggs and the shortening or lard into the flour mixture. Mix until well blended using a big spoon or your hands.

If your dog loves a certain ingredient, you can add it to the kibble mix. You can add cuts of lean cooked meat, bits of cooked carrots, thawed frozen peas, or any other ingredient your dog loves.

You want to pour your kibble batter into a shallow pan so it will cook evenly. Just don't make it too thick. You can use several shelves in your oven or you can just make separate batches. Bake at 200 degrees for at least 45 minutes. You want the kibble to be dry. 

After the kibble mix is cooked, let it cool fully then rip it apart into small pieces. Store in a plastic container in the fridge and use as needed. You should use it within two weeks. If you can't use it in time, you can freeze it in plastic bags then thaw as needed.

This is another recipe I use, when I have the ingredients on hand:

Canine Hamburger Helper

1 cup hamburger

2 boiled eggs

½ cup oatmeal

2 Tbsp cottage cheese

1 cup cooked green beans

1 cup grated carrots

Method

Stir fry the hamburger meat in canola oil. Chop the boiled eggs into small pieces. Cook the oatmeal. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Serve. Leftovers of this meal can be stored up to three days in the refrigerator.

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RAW FOOD

As for raw food, I buy pet burger from my local butcher here in Winfield. The butcher grinds up meat & bones into a burger consistency. Freezes it in huge long cylinder packs. Then when you buy it, they slice it into patties for you the thickness you want! I bought a 120lbs for a $120. That alone will feed my pack of four twice a day for 5 weeks!!  That is the best deal!

That is the other benefit for feeding raw, I could not afford a $300 - $400 dog food bill if I chose to continue feeding kibble.

Above is pictures of the pet burger. It's about 4 inches in diameter and an inch thick.

To the pet burger I add veggies, rice, a bit of kibble, fruit, plain yogurt (8 tbsps/wk), pumpkin, spinach, applesauce, etc. I had some freezer burnt salmon I BBQ and de-boned, I have it in the freezer to add for a special treat! Right now I'm just figuring put what my dogs will eat, so that is why I keep various things on hand to add to their pet burger. I have a garden, so they will get lots of veggies from there too.

I bought some Recovery to add to my oldest dog's food to help her joints!

So I have been feeding them this for about month! I immediately noticed a difference in their coat, shiny & SOFT! I have 3 dogs who are 18 months old and my oldest is seven years old, they all have huge energy & more now being on this food.

Now a yucky topic, but the biggest surprise, poop! Everywhere I read about feeding raw, it talked about reduced pick up in yard. But I couldn't believe how much of a reduction. With four dogs I had to keep on top of the back yard clean up. I was away, so I had two weeks to clean up. I was scared of the mess that awaited me. But when I was done I barely had a third of a five gallon bucket. Before on kibble I would easily fill 80% of the bucket in a week!

I don't measure exact every meal, cause some meals they get 100% protein, other meals might be 50% protein; 50% carbs, and they another meal might be 30 % carbs-30% veggies -40% protein. But overall it works out for them I think to be about 70% protein; 30 % veggies & carbs.

As for yogurt, I read information that said it is bad and other information that said it was good. I only use plain yogurt, no sugar or fruit added. It seems there is no right answer. So I made a decision, and started giving it to them, and it has been amazing. My one dog, who seems to always have yeast infections in his ear, doesn't have any now.

As I try and tailor more recipes or find more information, I will add! Good Luck!