Make Your Own Gourmet Pet Treats

Dogs are no longer "just pets". In many homes, they are truly part of the family. They are our fur kids, our babies, and our grand dogs. People are sharing life with their dogs...dogs sleep in their bedrooms, go where they go, and travel where they travel. Like human children, some pets wear costumes at Halloween and most find presents from Santa under the tree on Christmas morning. Many pampered pooches are also eating gourmet treats!

The popularity of gourmet, "all natural" treats is growing. Dog treats made with the same ingredients found in our own food are a welcome change from the commercial brands of dog biscuits sold in supermarkets. Gourmet treats are a big hit with many advocates of alternative all-natural pet diets, and also with pet owners who just want to give their dogs a variety of healthy, yummy snacks that look good, regardless of their daily brand of dog food.

A word of caution, especially If your dog is overweight .... Even though gourmet treats are made with human quality, healthy ingredients, the calories and fat content can sometimes be quite high. If you're dog has a weight problem, check the ingredients and stick with the lower fat treats. Treats should not make up more than 10 percent of a dog's daily diet.

If you like to bake, you can pamper your dogs with treats like these, fresh from your own kitchen, at a fraction of the cost of buying them. For some of the recipes, you probably already have many of the ingredients, especially if you're a bread maker. You mix and bake them like other cookies, but the thickness of the dough in most dog biscuit recipes is greater than in most of our cookie recipes, so baking times are generally longer.

If you modify any recipes, or use other pet treat recipes, there are some ingredients you should never include when making food for dogs....

• DO NOT USE CHOCOLATE, of course
  . Some pet treat recipes do use carob. Carob is a perfectly safe alternative,
• DO NOT USE ONIONS IN DOG FOOD
  Onions are harmful to dogs...they can cause anemia. The toxic effect of onions is the same whether they are raw, cooked or dehydrated. For more information, see Warning! - Onions are toxic to your dog!
• DO NOT GIVE YOUR DOG RAISINS OR GRAPES
  Raisins and grapes can cause vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy and possible kidney failure. For more information, see Raisins and Grapes Can Be Toxic To Dogs.
• DO NOT GIVE YOUR DOG MACADAMIA NUTS
  When ingested, macadamia nuts can cause muscular weakness, depression, vomiting, incoordination, tremors, fever, abdominal pain and muscle stiffness.

When ingested, macadamia nuts can cause muscular weakness, depression, vomiting, incoordination, tremors, fever, abdominal pain and muscle stiffness.

Recipes For Dog Treats:

Turkey Gobblers

• 2 cups cooked turkey, cut up or shredded
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tsp. grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp parsley , finely chopped
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 tbsp brewer's yeast
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

Preparation -
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked turkey, garlic, grated cheese and parsley. Mix well. Add beaten eggs; mix again. Add flour, brewer's yeast, and oil and mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well-blended. Drop by rounded teaspoons full onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake in a preheated oven at 350° for about 20 minutes or until nicely browned. Move to wire racks to cool and harden. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.

• 3-1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 package unflavored gelatin
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 jar baby food, strained beef
• 3/4 cup beef broth

Preparation -
Sift the flour, cornmeal and gelatin together in a large mixing bowl. Add milk, egg, vegetable oil, strained beef and beef broth. Mix until well blended. Refrigerate the dough for about 1 hour. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to about 1/4" thick. Use a pizza cutter to cut the rolled-out dough into 1" to 1-1/2" squares. Place the squares on an ungreased cookie sheet, about 1/4" apart. Bake in a preheated oven at 300° for 1 hour. Remove from cookie sheets to a wire rack. Cool completely, then store in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Have some delicious treat recipes you want share? If so, please send it to marketing@avah.on.ca along with a picture if you have one.