Extra special super dooper announcement

Dearest pups and kitties, I have a very special announcement to make. I'm sure you have all read my interviews in the past with the lovely Gerri, who makes Happy Hearts cookies. Click here, here and here if you want to check out the interviews again, or if you haven't seen them before.

But the most exciting thing is this: Gerri has made some new cookies, and they are called the Huffle Cookie! That's right, they're named after me! They are shaped like a cat (like me!) and are very very tasty. You should all check out the website and get your people to order you your very own Huffle cookies!

Breaking news!

Remember a while back when I interviewed Gerri from Happy Hearts cookies? Well, we have some more breaking news from the Happy Hearts kitchen!

HM: So what have you been up to since we last talked Gerri? I hear you may have been inventing some new cookie recipes?

GD: Oh yes Huffle, I've been working on a new line of cookies for pups with allergies to wheat. They are made with potato flour only and are now certified!

HM: Who came up with the new idea, and why?

GD: Well, our good buddy Holly in Nebraska, just wanted Happy Hearts cookies so bad, but everyone in her house has an assortment of allergies. The poor pups could not have any fun treats and I felt I just had to do something for them. Their mom told me what they could have and could not have, and I created some dog cookie recipes just for them.
HM: So what ingredients are in the new cookies? Can kitties have them too?

GD: They are made with "potato flour" only, and they have some really good flavors. Peanut Butter/Banana; Applesauce/Banana; Pumpkin/Applesauce; BlueBerry/Banana; and Sweet Potato/Applesauce. They are a different texture than the regular dog cookies but they are so yummy good! Holly, Khady Lynn, Samuel, Abby, Kona and Monty all love them! I think kitties would be able to eat them if they liked the flavours. They are a much more crunchy cookie so maybe kitties would love them!HM: Are they available now?

GD: Yes, I can bake them as soon as you order them.

HM: Is there any other special news you want to share?

GD: I've also created a new flavour in the regular cookie range, made with watermelon! Dave from the Army of Four loves them and gave a four paws up endorsement.

So there you have it, pups and kitties, exciting news from the Happy Hearts cookie kitchen! Visit the website to read more about the ingredients of the new cookies, or to order some for yourself! You can also contact Gerri via email.

The rest of the Other Things

These are the final entries I received in the Happy Hearts Competition. I would like to thank every single pup and kitty who entered, I wish I could have sent cookies to all of you!

Dr Steve said: I think Happy Hearts will help me to cure all pups of medical problems... if I don't eat them all first.

By the way, have you seen the medical practice Dr Steve has established? If you have any problems, write to him and he will prescribe something for you. He is ably assisted by Nurse Kat.

Nurse Kat said: I think Happy Hearts will help me stay happy, healthy, and beawootiful. They have lots of good stuff for my tummy.

Biloxi said: I think Happy Hearts cookies will help me to build da muscle I need to make my hip and leg strong from my surgery.

And finally, my very good friend Wilbur said: I think Happy Hearts will help me to rule the furry beasts completely. I have witnessed that they do anything for a Happy Hearts cookie.

More Other Things

Here are some more entries I received for the Happy Hearts competition. I really don't know how Zim and I arrived at our decision, they were all such good entries.

Dakota said: I think happy hearts cookies will help me to feel better everyday and help me put on a happy face to show just happy my heart really is.

Joey said: I think Happy Hearts cookies will help me to do better down stays, because I know a yummy cookie is waiting for me.

Zeke said: I think Happy Hearts cookies will help me to grow bigger. Actually, everything I eat seems to be making me grow bigger, but I think they will be yummy.

Other things

Today I'd like to share with you some of the other entries from the Happy Hearts competition. It's a shame we couldn't give a prize to everypup and everykitty, really.

Khyra said: I think HH cookies will....help ME to get more boyfuriends! Evfurryone knows the way to a man's heart is through his stomakhh! I lure them to Khyra's Khorner and let them try my Happy Hearts! THAT soooooo hooks 'em!

Cliff and Olivia said: We think happy hearts cookies will help us to bribe the humans to give us more treats and cuddles.

My new friend Gibson Turnbull said: "I think Happy Heart cookies will help me to have an even bigger and happier heart than I already have! I think Happy Hearts cookies will help me learn to love to share with my brother Benson."

I'll share some more entries later. But you can see how Zim and I had some very tough decisions to make!

And the winner is...

Yes, pups and kitties, it's time to announce the winner of the Happy Hearts cookie competition! I had some excellent entries and it was really hard for Zim and I to come up with just one winner, so we chose two!

The winners are:

Dante Kitty, who said, I think happy hearts cookies will help me to..... be the baddest kitty in all the world.

And the Thundering Herd, who said, We think Happy Hearts Cookies will help us to:
- make Queen Natasha the Evil less Evil
- make Rusty the Rooster even more silly
- make Kiska's wooly coat even woolier
- make Kodiak's hugs even sweeter than they already are
- make Qannik more "masculine" so "Bricey" will quit picking on him
- make Cheoah less whiny

Zim and I wanted to give an honorable mention to Stella, who said, I think Happy Hearts cookies will help me to be smarter, more noble, more willing to spend time learning tricks, more willing to wipe my feet when I come in the house after it rains, more handsome, more patient with my cat, more willing to be better at the groomers, more taller, and for these reasons I can't wait to win this Happy Hearts contest.

If the three of you could please email me your addresses, and tell me what flavour cookies you would like to try, I'll have them sent to you very soon! Check out the Happy Hearts website to make your choices.

Thank you to every pup and kitty who entered. I'll feature some more entries during the week. Don't forget to visit Happy Hearts and think about ordering some for yourself! And thanks to Zimmie who helped me with the judging!

Bits and Bobs

Cats with Blogs now has 120 members! How fantastic. But I know there are lots more cat bloggers out there who still have to join. Come on everycat, we need to beat the dogs!

It has been a bit cold here this week. This means I have to spend a lot of time doing this:
And of course, interviewing Gerri was pretty tiring so I needed a lot of naps before, during and after the interview. Don't forget to enter the competition! I realise some of you may not be able to use the link to my email address so here it is properly: hufflemawsonATgmailDOTcom . I think you know what I mean.

And now for the competition

I hope you all read the interview with Gerri on Tuesday and Wednesday! It was very informative, wasn't it? Anyway it's time for the competition I promised.

You have to complete the following line: "I think happy hearts cookies will help me to...". For a bit of inspiration, here's a picture of Jack-a-Roo with his giant Happy Hearts thankyou cookie cake!

Please email your entry to me. You have until midnight Sunday to get your entry in. Unfortunately, this competition is only open to pups and kitties in the USA at the moment. The winning entry will get a sampler pack of cookies, in your choice of flavours.

I'll have my best friend Zim help me with choosing the winning entry, so you know I won't be biased. It's up to you to get creative, everyone! And don't forget to visit Happy Hearts Cookies!

Very special guest, part 2

Today we continue our exclusive interview with Gerri from Happy Hearts Cookies!

HM: How long does it take for the cookies to arrive, once they’ve been ordered?
GD: I usually start working on them the day after they are ordered, some orders take me 3 days to make, and when I receive payment, I ship the cookies out. How soon you receive them depends on where you live and how far they have to be shipped. On an average, I would say about 5 days after I receive your check, if not sooner. It only takes longer if the evil squirrels highjack the delivery truck. We had this incident happen not long ago on an order going to Washington State and someone they ended up on a truck to Georgia. It was very traumatic for our friend Steve, and his sister Kat broke this story.
HM: How do you send them?
GD: I ship them UPS or FedEx. Unfortunately the postal service is not very dependable.

HM: Do you bake every batch fresh?
GD: YES!!! If there are cookies left from an order, MayaMarie, Missy and Bella will get them.

Steve will put up with anything for Happy Hearts cookies

HM: How long do the cookies last?
GD: I have to put 30 days because they are food and do not have chemical preservatives in them. That’s why I have to refrigerate them. They will last months in the refrigerator and freezer. I keep some in the refrigerator and freezer and every time you open one of those doors, somepup thinks it’s cookie time. I do keep some of them in a plastic container on the kitchen counter and they have lasted way longer than 3 weeks. But, honestly, in my house, cookies don’t last because my three furry helpers love to eat them.

HM: What’s the best way to store them?
GD: In the ziplock bag in the refrigerator or freezer. And the pups really like them cold out of the fridge or freezer.

HM: Can they be frozen?
GD: Yes, we have quite a number of customers that freeze their HH cookies. I was recently informed that a certain husky boy comes running when his mom opens the freezer door, as the thinks it is time for a HH cookie.

HM: Are gift certificates available?
GD: Yes! That was a popular item during the howlidays (thanks to the suggestion of MFT).

HM: Will you bake cookies and send them as gifts?
GD: Oh yes. I’ve had quite a few requests for gift orders. Those are the most fun and I do personalize the cookie cake and some very large cookies.


HM: Can you include a little gift card from me if I want to send cookies as a gift to somepup or kitty?
GD: Most definitely. I create a very cute gift card that I personalize for the sender and I get approval of what you want it to say. I even have paw print stamps so that I can add that personal touch for a kitty or pup. And I always include a special cookie gift with the order.

HM: Have you ever sold any cookies for kitties?
GD: Not yet. I know Wilbur has eaten the Salmon/Cheddar cookies and his mom said he liked them.

HM: Would you be able to adapt them at all for us?
GD: I would like to. I have to do some research and see what food stuffs are good for and safe for kitties.

HM: Do you make a size cookie that would be good for training purposes?
GD: I’m working on that. The problem is finding a small heart shaped cookie cutter that cuts more than one cookie. Something small but tasty. Of course, you would choose the flavor.

HM: I’ve also heard that you can make giant cookie cakes! Can you tell me a bit more about those?
GD: I call it a “Party Pack” and you will now have a choice of either one 8” cookie cake or two 5” cookie cakes, along with an assortment (about 125) of different heart shaped cookies. I even have little alphabet cookie cutters that I will put a message for that special on the cake or personalize the smaller size cake cookies.

HM: And finally, what form of payment do you accept?
GD: Right now check or money order.

So there you have it folks, an exclusive interview with the lovely Gerri, founder of Happy Hearts Cookies. You can contact her by clicking on the weblink, or you can email her. Don't forget to come back tomorrow for the competition!

Very special guest, part 1

Today we have a special treat, pups and kitties! My friend Gerri, who is the owner and chief baker for Happy Hearts Cookies, has agreed to be interviewed right here on Huffle Mawson, Explorer Cat.

Those of you pups out there who are always looking for good, tasty and healthy treats, keep reading! Gerri is based in Louisiana and ships her cookies all over the USA, and any other countries that will allow processed foods to be sent via airmail. Last year I sent my best friend Zim and his brother and sisters Happy Hearts Cookies for Christmas, and boy were they excited! Anyway without further ado, here is the interview with Gerri. HM is me, GD is Gerri, just in case you were wondering.HM: Tell me a little bit about yourself and your pups, Gerri.
GD: A little about me, the dog cookie baker? Well, as you can tell, I love my dogs very much and I like to bake, and I really enjoy creating dog cookies. I’m very fortunate to have a husband that supports this little business venture (which costs more than it makes). I do take care of our household that includes me, hubby, and three dogs. The three pups of this family are MayaMarie, a small Siberian husky with terrible tummy issue, who is the reason for creating the HH dog cookies; Bella, she’s an all white Siberian husky, who is now bigger than MayaMarie, and Missy, my “old girl” who is a shepherd/husky. We live in modest house, and have renovated everything in it ourselves. We even fixed our roof after a storm. I used to do a lot of crafts and hope to start a couple of projects this summer that should be fun. I used to be legal secretary, but after 30 years, I have resolved to being retired. Hubby is a mechanic and is currently restoring an old Porsche 944. Helping him find parts on eBay has been fun.

Phantom can't talk - he's too busy eating a Happy Hearts cookie!

HM: Why did you start Happy Hearts Cookies?
GD: Because MayaMarie has such terrible tummy issues. She can not eat processed dog food, so I have to cook for her and I felt so bad that she could not have any treats. Since I like to bake, I decided to make her some cookies. I did research on flours, fruits, and all sorts of ingredients. She has never complained. She has a serious sweet potato addiction and when I cook the sweet potato to prepare it to make sweet potato cookies she will sit and watch it cook and woo woo to it. Of course when it’s done, I have to cut a piece off and let it cool so she can taste it before it goes in my cookie mix.

HM: What’s so good about Happy Hearts?
GD: I’m gonna be bold and say because I make them. They taste good and are made in my kitchen by me only. A lot of personal time goes into every batch of cookies.
HM: Why are you different to other dog cookie companies?
GD: I use fresh, healthy ingredients that I use for my own dogs and myself. I take the time to ask if your dog is allergic to something and I will change up the recipe. I even do “special request” recipes. My quality control is controlled by me, personally. I actually taste whatever ingredients I use and the finished product has to be liked by me and my three taste testers. And to make an order even more fun, you always get a free bag of fun shapes with every order.

HM: Do you have government approval and all that formal stuff?
GD: Oh yes! I actually send my cookies to the LA Dept of Agriculture and have the lab analysis done. Once I get that info back (takes about a month) I send in the proper paperwork to another section of the Dept of Agriculture to have that cookie registered. I even have a manufacturer number. I just got in my paperwork to renew my license and my current menu of cookies. I’m actually legal too! I’m incorporated and pay taxes. HH could use a good bookkeeper, file clerk and paper shredder, so if any pup or kitty out there wants to work for cookies, I’m interested.

HM: I have a friend whose dog has food allergies. Are you able to help out pups with that problem?
GD: Most definitely. That seems to be my most requested service. Tell me what you can and cannot have and I’ll create a dog cookie for you. I'm always creating new recipes so all you have to do is ask.

Steve and Kat always sit pretty for Happy Hearts cookies!

Well, pups and kitties, that's not all. Tune in tomorrow for part two of the interview, and on Thursday for a special competition. And don't forget to visit Happy Hearts Cookies! Or you can email Gerri direct if you have any questions.