You may have caught a glimpse of her in some other posts, but I want to officially introduce the newest member of our little family – Maddie, short for Madison (Wisconsin, duh!). We adopted a rescue puppy a few weeks ago and her energy and curiosity ensures there is never a dull moment! She just turned three months and is a Labrador Retriever/Australian Shepard mix. Adopting her is one of the best things we’ve ever done. We’re so proud to have rescued a dog instead of getting one from a breeder.

It’s amazing to compare the photos from our first days with her to now – she’s gained 7 pounds in the last month and is definitely starting to look more like a grown up dog. We think she’ll be around 60 pounds when she’s done growing, meaning that she’s going to be quite a handful in a few months when she’s adult sized but still acts like a puppy! She loves to cuddle and I love to catch her when she falls asleep with her head on Pat’s lap. Cuteness overload.

Because we live so close to Ocean Beach, we often take Maddie there. She’s getting braver when it comes to chasing waves and meeting other dogs. We came across this enormous German Shepard/Mastiff mix a few mornings ago. Although he is clearly a gentle giant, I have to admit when he came galloping toward us, my heart caught in my chest. Maddie was completely unfazed and chased him across the beach, roughhousing with him in the sand.

“Parenting” a puppy has definitely been a learning experience for Pat and I. I tend to be a strict disciplinarian who makes rules and doesn’t usually waver from them. Pat on the other hand is guided more by feeling (“but she’s so cute – I just had to let her on the couch!”). Most of the time it makes for a nice balance. 🙂

There are tons of great recipes for dog treats on the internet. In case you’re looking for some good recipes, I’ve created a Pinterest board to organize my inspiration. This recipe for homemade peanut butter dog biscuits was definitely a hit. They remind me of an oatmeal peanut butter cookie without salt. Safe for human consumption, although not the most delicious thing I’ve ever eaten! Maddie goes crazy for them though! They were so easy to make I’ll definitely be making them again.

Homemade Peanut Butter Dog Biscuits

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