Wednesday 12 October 2016

Delilah's First Birthday and a Super-Easy Dog Birthday Cake

I can't believe our little bundle of fluff has turned one.  In some ways it only seems five minutes since she burst into our lives, turning everything upside down.  In others, we simply can't imagine life without her, she completes our household and comes everywhere with us.

From the very first meeting she stole our hearts.  We struggled through the toilet training, hands red raw from excessive anti-bacterial gel. Constant mopping up and disinfecting. Training her to walk nicely on her lead (ok, so that's still a work in progress) and getting her to sleep through in her crate.



Actually, it was over so much sooner than I expected.  She just fit right it. She's so laid back, happy to stay home alone if I'm out, or leap into the van to come on camping trips with us.  When we lost Ella I truly didn't think I'd be able to love another dog, but she's filled up my heart and I can't imagine life without her now.

Ruby had been planning her first birthday for months, and when the day came (slight confusion over the actual date - the vet has one registered, the Kennel Club another but we went by the date of the photo we were sent from the breeders when they were first born) she was determined to give her and her brother a birthday to remember.

Delilah was showered with cards and presents before her 'party in the woods'. I'm quite sure anyone passing would have thought we were barking mad, but hey!

I have gag-inducing memories of the annual 'dog cakes' Blue Peter used to concoct on the TV when I was a child.  Dollops of tinned meat congealed with jelly.  Ruby too had been scouring Youtube for suitable recipes, all of which involved baking, and most of which I'm fairly sure Delilah wouldn't have eaten.

Instead, I came up with my own super-easy and tasty doggy birthday cake which went down a storm, and importantly, didn't make me heave.

I picked two large beef burger patties from the supermarket and grilled them. Allowed them to cool completely before sandwiching them together and 'icing' with meat pâté.  The result was a chunky, meat-tastic pink cake, finished off with dog biscuits to decorate and a birthday candle - naturally.




Both Delilah and her brother went mad for it and would probably have wolfed the whole thing down given the chance, but I thought it would be too rich given that they're used to dry food, so they each just had a slice.

Me and Ruby had baked some peanut butter doggy biscuits too, so they munched on those washed down with a warm flask of homemade chicken stock.  Spoilt pooches!




Singing Happy Birthday to two dogs in the woods and blowing out their candle may seem odd to most people, but I think we've started a tradition!

14 comments:

  1. I LOVE the barkday cake! It is amazing just how fast they become part of the family. Alvin was an amazing puppy, no bother at all.

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  2. Oh my goodness this is amazing! My furbaby is 2 now, love her to bits. Like having another child at times lol

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  3. Happy birthday to Delilah! She is adorable!

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  4. Aaaw I love your cake - we always celebrate Buddy's Birthday and he's a middle aged 6 this year xx

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  5. That cake is just sooo cute! I have just finished icing Bruno's cake, he's one tomorrow! Where has this last year gone? Delilah is just gorgeous! :) x

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  6. I think it is so cute that you had a party in the woods for Delilah - I can't believe sh is one! I remember when you got her! Happy birthday Delilah!

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  7. Aww they is so cute. Happy birthday gorgeous puppy xx

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  8. I have never heard of such a thing Liz. Your pooch is so spoilt and obviously very loved. Mich x

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  9. Awww love that you made her a cake! What a cutie x

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  10. Happy Birthday Delilah - love that you made her a cake

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  11. What a cute doggy birthday celebration, fab cake for a much loved dog :) Don't tell my dog Summer she will feel hard done by haha x

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  12. You are amazing Liz, I would never have thought of a dog birthday cake! Happy Birthday Delilah!

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  13. oh that's so cute! we used to throw our cats birthday parties before we had kids and then they got over shadowed a bit ha! x

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  14. Doesn't the time just fly by? I remember when you first had her. She's so beautiful - hope she's recovered from the attack. :-( xx

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