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Did Someone Say Treat? Make Dog Biscuits And Ice Cream At Home
By: Kelly Martin
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You know you love them like they’re your children.
Our furry four-legged friends love a good treat every now and then.
That’s why recent news that dogs have died from toxic treats is concerning news to dog lovers everywhere.
Most of the dog deaths are attributed to treats manufactured in China. According to The Huffington Post there have been 4,800 reports of pet illnesses from dog treats since 2007, including more than 1,000 deaths.
Dog owners have taken notice and have become resourceful in making treats for their dogs.
It’s important when making homemade dog treats to let them completely dry out. Mold will grow in time if too much moisture is left in the mixture. Suggestions for appropriate drying include allowing them to cook for the allotted time, and then leaving in the oven overnight before storing in airtight containers.
Here are some recipes that may give Fido a reason to shake or roll over.
Here’s a pretty simple recipe:
Pet Cookies
2 cups wheat germ
3 (2.5 ounce) jars strained chicken baby food
1 tablespoon water (can substitute broth for extra flavor)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium bowl, mix the wheat germ, baby food, and water together. Add more water if necessary to form dough. Roll dough into one inch balls and place on cookie sheet. Flatten slightly with a fork dipped in water. Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven.
This recipe claims the brewers’ yeast and garlic will help repel fleas. We don’t have any evidence that this claim is true, but reviewers said their dogs liked the recipe.
Flea Terminator Dog Treats
3 cubes beef bouillon
1 1/2 cups boiling water
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup cornmeal
2/3 cup brewers’ yeast
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 egg yolks
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Dissolve beef bouillon cubes in boiling water, and set aside. Grease cookie sheets.
In a large bowl, stir together the whole-wheat flour, corn meal, brewers yeast, and garlic powder. Add the yolks, and then gradually pour in the bouillon water while stirring. Mix thoroughly to form firm dough. On a floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters. Place cookies one inch apart onto cookie sheets.
Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven.
Peanut Butter and Pumpkin Dog Treats
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together the flour, eggs, pumpkin, peanut butter, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl. Add water as needed to help make the dough workable, but the dough should be dry and stiff. Roll the dough into a 1/2-inch-thick roll. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
Bake in preheated oven until hard, about 40 minutes.
And for the ‘dog days’ of summer, here’s a cold treat that’s easy to make and easily stored for use later.
Peanut butter banana Ice Cream – For Dogs
Ingredients
3-4 ripe bananas
32 ounces plain yogurt
1 cup peanut butter
Toss the bananas, peanut butter, and yogurt into a blender and blend until it’s mixed.
Next, pour the mixture into ice trays, muffin pans or other small containers. You can also pour the mixture into a plastic zippered bag and toss it in the freezer to break up when you’re ready to serve.
When you are ready to serve: remove the frozen mixture and let thaw until it is ready to serve.