5 Ways to Goof Off with Your Dog

Eat, drink, shop, play, and snuggle!

My pup, Beckham, and I compiled a list of our favorite activities, because we are planning ahead to celebrate National Goof Off Day on March 22nd.

Number 1: Bake Pup Treats & Cupcakes 

Say the word TREAT in my house and dog paws come running.  My dog is perfectly happy with the pet store treats in his Treat Jar, but I promised him we’d spend some quality bonding time today baking homemade treats.  The expression on his face was a bit skeptical, but I am sure he will LOVE the Let’s Take the Day Off Cheese Bones (recipe below).

I need a TREAT too, so I plan to make a batch of my favorite cupcakes.  No point in letting the dog eat by himself, when we are binging later with dog movies and wine.

Number 2: Shop for Dog Toys 

I love to shop, and my pup knows I love to shop.  He regularly checks out Facebook for the latest in dog bandanas, but his fave is toys – balls and booze-themed plush toys.  It’s more fun to shop for him than myself, and the excitement when the Chewy boxes arrive is off the charts.

A goof off day must include some serious toy shopping. 

Number 3: Walk on the Beach & Watch the Waves 

No day is perfect unless it includes some outside activity, and we are lucky to live near the ocean and an amazing rocky Maine beach.  The look on my pup’s face when I say the word “BEACH” is priceless, so a day off spent with my dog must include a walk on the beach – rain or shine.  Our deal is that he gets 30 minutes of walking, and I get 15 minutes of sitting on the bench with him watching the waves. Best friends living the good life together.

Number 4: Spend the afternoon watching All Creatures Great and Small 

After all that strenuous activity, some serious relaxing is in order, so we plan to head for the couch (or bed) with Pup Treats, Wine, Toys, and lots of pillows.  We’ve recorded all the episodes of the new season of All Creatures Great and Small on PBS, and this is the perfect day for binging on this remake of a classic television show.

The Pup Treats are still warm, and I’ve popped the cork on a bottle of Beaujolais wine I’ve been saving since November.  Life is really, really good when you have a dog.

Number 5: Have a Party! 

Of course, we cannot let the day go by without a party. In fact, the whole day is a party!

We will keep it small and easy – just my pup and me.  We could consider inviting our cats to join us, but we will have to give some thought to that. Cats like parties too, but sometimes a Party of Two is just right.  We’ll tell them we are planning a Goof Off Day Party for them too, and make sure they have plenty of catnip before they retreat for their day-long naps.

The Pup Treat – “Let’s Take the Day Off” Cheese Bones

Ingredients
  • 4 cups of flour
  • 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
  • ¼ cup of oil
  • 1 egg
  • 1 ¼ cups of water
Directions
  • Preheat the oven to 250°.
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Combine flour and cheese.
  • Add the oil, egg, and water.
  • If needed, add more water until you have a stiff dough.
  • Mix for 3 minutes.
  • Roll the dough out on a floured cutting board to ½ inch thick.
  • Cut bone shaped treats with a cookie cutter.
  • Place on cookie sheet.
  • Bake for 2-2 ½ hours until dry and crunchy.
  • Cool on the pan.
  • The treats can be stored for a week.

Eating & Playing & Snuggling with Laughter & Love

Never doubt the fun you can have while spending precious time goofing off with your dog.

Making memories with your dog – one day off at a time.