As a writer who makes my own hours, I’ve always had the luxury of lingering breakfasts and long lunches. Custardy slow-scrambled eggs over homemade sourdough toast with ramp pesto? Yes, please! A Green Goddess salad followed by a fresh-baked chocolate chip cookie? Perfect! But like many folks hunkered down at home right now, it feels like my already rich cooking life has gone into overdrive. Along for the ride? My two-year-old pup Maizy.
Maizy is what dog people like to call “food motivated.” Every time the fridge door opens, she comes running. That’s because dogs learn by association, whether or not you want them to. Maizy is a smart gal—she knows that she usually gets a snack whenever the fridge is open. She could be in the deepest of sleeps, paws twitching as she’s dreaming of chasing a squirrel, and still she’ll scramble to attention at the sound of a cracked-open fridge.
She’s also learned how to finagle an early-morning snack. Every day at 5 AM sharp, Maizy jumps on the bed and pointedly stares at me until I give her a scoop of Rachael Ray™ Nutrish® dog food. She sits politely until told to dig in—a behavior we taught her as an impatient puppy, when she’d lunge at our hands while we portioned out her food. All the while, her normally floppy ears stand tall at full attention. We call them “Yoda ears”!
Since I’m spending more time in the kitchen lately, so is Maizy. Often, I’ll revisit old recipes that bring me comfort, like oozy grilled cheese sammies and fudgy chocolate brownies. But I’ve also expanded my recipe repertoire, tackling complicated new-to-me croissants, chili-flecked mapo tofu, za’atar-spiked shakshuka, airy sponge cake, and long-simmered Bolognese sauce. For me, the appeal of following recipes is that it offers certainty at an uncertain time: Butter plus dough, plus some work with a rolling pin, plus an oven equals croissants. I know that laminating dough will lead to flaky layers, just like I know that my dog Maizy will be nearby throughout the process, hoping for a taste of butter.
Maizy is a mix of a few breeds, but looks like a spritely lab puppy. Strangers always think she’s about six months old, and I don’t always correct them—as a dog parent, it’s less embarrassing for a cute puppy to misbehave than a grownup dog you’ve spent hours training! When we adopted her, my boyfriend and I admittedly didn’t fully understand what we were getting ourselves into. Around dinnertime one night, we received a call from her foster family: “Do you want to go pick up a puppy right now?” they asked. The answer was clear. An hour later, we scooped her up in a grocery store parking lot. Afterward, we sped over to the pet store before it closed. I held Maizy in the car while my boyfriend frantically tried to figure out what we needed to welcome Maizy into our home. He bought a collar that ended up being too big for her, a leash, some toys, and of course, lots of treats.
These days, she’s eating better than ever. In the marketplace, I search for the most vibrant local carrots, the freshest okra. I spring for rich local butter and ruby-hued, grass-fed beef. In doing so, the food is tastier and healthier, but also puts dollars back in the hands of nearby farmers who do the important work of feeding us. And since I can’t travel right now, I prepare dishes from my favorite destinations, from Rome-inspired homemade pasta enriched with egg yolks to zingy okra gumbo direct from New Orleans via culinary historian Toni Tipton-Martin. Maizy is on clean-up duty, ears perked and eyes zeroed in on the food she’s hoping I’ll drop.
Maizy may be food motivated, but she’s got definite likes and dislikes. She hates strawberries, and if they’re offered, will give me a look that says, “Okay, but where’s the real food?” And yet, she loves her veggies: local cucumbers, green beans, and carrots. She chomps away at them, open-mouthed and jowls flopping. It’s impossible to hear her crunch away at a cucumber and be in a bad mood.
Carrots are definitely her favorite. I never expected her to like them—growing up, my dogs would give them a chew, then make a face and spit them out. But Maizy happily wolfs the orange spears down and begs for more. Now she’s even a bit spoiled about them, preferring only the sweetest and crispest carrots. In truth, I’m glad that we both care a lot about the quality of her food, because it makes her coat incredibly soft and shiny.
Maizy’s discerning palate couldn’t be happier with her morning and nightly feedings. She’s especially partial to Rachael Ray™ Nutrish® dry dog food recipes: Her go-to is the Real Beef, Pea & Brown Rice Recipe, but to mix things up we’ll sometimes opt for the Real Chicken & Veggies Recipe, or SuperMedleys™ Wellness Blend Superfoods & Chicken Recipe. Maizy is a happy camper after every nosh, I think because she can tell Nutrish® is made with quality ingredients.
Between her veggie snacks, occasional scraps of local cheese, and Rachael Ray Nutrish, I’m happy to report that Maizy’s diet is varied, delicious, and nutritious. Just don’t expect her to stop begging for my food, too.
Just like humans, treats should be given in moderation to keep your pets healthy and happy.
