Grandma and Grandpa Rolled Out Cookie Dough. Someone Left Evidence on His Nose.
Flour drifts across the counter and catches the light from the window as cookie dough gets rolled and pressed into rounds. Grandpa in a blue plaid shirt shapes the dough with practiced hands, and Grandma in a cream cardigan leans in to help, smiling at their tray of little cookies. At the edge of the counter, Rufus has pushed his nose up as high as it will go. His snout is dusted with white flour, and a few crumbs cling to his whiskers, a clear sign that he has been investigating. His big brown eyes say he is only here to help.
Baking days are full of temptations for dogs, and some of them are risky. Raw dough containing yeast can expand in a dog's stomach, and the raw flour and eggs in many doughs are not safe to eat either. Chocolate, raisins and xylitol, a sweetener found in some sugar-free products, are all toxic to dogs. A little plain flour on the nose is harmless, but it is wise to keep bowls and trays pushed back from the edge and wipe up spills quickly. If you want to include your pup, there are simple dog-safe treat recipes using ingredients like plain pumpkin and oats.
Rufus may never get a cookie from this batch, but he has certainly earned his title as official kitchen inspector. The flour mustache is simply part of the uniform.
