C'est Moi Purifying Charcoal Clay Facial Mask - This mask is good, but not this time of the year! My skin is just to dry to use a mask like this, but will bring this back out during the humid part of summer (July & August) to give my skin a deep clean. ($17.21 for 1.7 oz.)

 

Freeman Purifying Avocado & Oatmeal Clay Mask - As with the C'est Moi face mask, I cannot use this face mask too, but will try this again when the humid part of summer arrives. ($10 for 6 oz.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everyone knows that playing games with your dog is fun, but what we don’t often consider is that the benefits of play go well beyond just having fun. It’s a great way to bond with your dog, it relieves stress, and it provides plenty of opportunities to work on some training, plus adding in a little more playtime to your dog’s routine is one of the easiest ways to enrich your dog’s life. So, here’s some of the benefits of playing with your dog.

 

 

One of the benefits to playing with your dog is that it’s a fun way to get in some daily training. Not just  traditional “teach your dog a trick” training but reinforcing desirable behaviors, and in the case of play that revolves around teaching your dog to follow some basic rules.

 

Does your dog get too mouthy while playing tug? When that happens, simply stop playing the game. If you stop the game because your dog gets too mouthy, you are teaching them biting your hand is not acceptable. Does that feel like traditional training? No, and that’s why it’s so easy to forget that we are training when we are engaged in play, and that’s one of the greatest things about playing with your dog; it gives you a chance to reinforce good behaviors and have fun, all at the same time.

 

 

 

We all know that physical exercise is important for our dogs, but we often overlook the importance of mental exercise. Interactive games like tug or fetch might seem like a simple way to keep your dog busy, but they also provide a lot of mental stimulation for your dog.

 

Since games rely on some basic rules such as “you need to bring the frisbee back if you want to keep playing.” By doing this, your dog has a chance to make their own decisions and help them build focus, so adding in a few quick games to your dog’s routine is a way to ensure your dog gets a nice mental workout each day.

 

 

 

Dogs require regular exercise, and using play is one of the best ways to make sure your dog has a chance to release all that pent up energy, and since playing with your dog requires you to get involved it means both of you will be getting in more physical activity.

 

When it comes to playing with your dog for physical exercise don’t worry; a 3-hour long marathon game of tug of war isn’t needed. Just a couple of extra 5 – 10-minute sessions of play can make a huge difference. Games like frisbee or playing with a flirt pole are physically demanding, so if you add those into your regular exercise routine (which includes the daily walk) you can make sure your dog is getting plenty of exercise each day.

 

 

Playing with your dog is fun, and as far as stress reliever’s go it’s a really simple way to improve both you and your dog’s overall mood. Spending time with your dog can have a calming effect, and some studies have found that it can help alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression. By adding in a couple of quick 5-minute play sessions with your dog each day can have a big effect on both you and your dog’s overall mood.

 

 

One of the greatest things about playing with your dog is how much it strengthens your bond. Spending quality time with your dog is one of the best ways to strengthen that bond, and dogs play time is one of their favorite ways to pass the time. You are not just providing them with fun when you engage them in play; you are giving them a routine and reinforcing the idea that you are the bringer of all things fun — and that goes a long way when it comes to speeding up the bonding process.

 

 

Dogs who engage in regular play are less likely to develop problem behaviors such as excessive barking and chewing. The reason being is that dogs get bored, and when your dog gets bored chances are they will find their own ways to entertain themselves — and that boredom is what leads to things like chewed up shoes. When you regularly play with your dog, you are keeping them busy and engaged, reducing the chance that they will go off on their own to find their own entertainment.

 

 

Last but not least playing with your dog can improve your social life. Whether it’s going to the dog park to play a game of fetch or taking your dog to the neighborhood playground, chances are you and your dog will meet some new people along the way and your dog will benefit from brushing up on their social skills, and so will you.

 

What Are Your Dog’s Favorite Games? Mine are playing fetch with my rope or tennis ball and of course, my most favorite game to play is the game of chase all around the house with my kitty sister Ziva the Diva. It makes mama crazy, and we don’t care!!

 

That's all I have for you this week. I hope you all have a fun Friday and a fun weekend and I will bark with you all again next week!

I love it when a recipe requires just a handful of ingredients and only 20 minutes to come together and you only need one pot to make this simple pasta dish! Plus, the rich, creamy cheese sauce combined with pasta, peas, and rotisserie chicken is what makes this a meal everyone in the family will applaud for when you bring it to the table. Here’s how to make it:

 

1 12 oz. Can Evaporated Milk

4 Cups Hot Water

1 lb. Uncooked Penne Pasta

1 9 oz. Box of Frozen Sweet Peas

2 Cups Shredded Deli Rotisserie Chicken (or left-over chicken)

1 15 oz. Jar Alfredo Pasta Sauce

1 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

 

You can substitute the rotisserie chicken for chopped ham or cooked shrimp for a delicious twist and you can also substitute the peas for a 5-oz bag of baby spinach. Just stir it in with the cheese. Keep stirring until the heat from the pasta wilts the spinach.

 

8 servings. Each 1 cup serving is 490 Calories, 15g Total Fat, 28g Protein, 60g Total Carbohydrate, 7g Sugars