Are You Baking Homemade Dog Treats? Here Are Hazards To Avoid

Image source: Pixabay.com

Treating your dog out of love is common amongst all dog owners, but this kind act you display out of love may be posing a serious threat to your dog’s health. A study by the journal of the American veterinary Association showed more than 90% of the dog food recipes found online, may be bad for your dog. This being said, buying store bought manufactured dog treats contain high quantities of salt, sugars, and preservatives, which too can contribute to inadequate nutrition and sickness of your dog. “So how do I treat my dog without contributing to poor health?” you’re about to find out.

Avoid harmful and unhealthy ingredients.
Humans and dogs have different palettes hence they appreciate different foods, what may be delicious and healthy for you may disgust your dog. It is important to educate yourself on what is healthy and tasty for your dog to eat, so include ingredients such as:

• Pumpkin
• Summer squash
• Broccoli
• Cucumber
• Zucchini
• Brussel sprouts
• Spinach
• Kale
• Pears
• Peaches
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Bananas

The ingredients listed above are some yummy yet healthy ones to cook some goodies with for your dog, referring to recipes online can be helpful, but ensure you tread cautiously, as it is necessary to double check the ingredients included. Now, “which ingredients should I avoid?” you ask? the list includes:

• Onions
• Garlic
• Chocolate
• Raisins
• Ingredients containing xylitol
• Baking or cooking equipment containing BPA, as it is linked to cancer

Always ensure to cook your homemade dog treats to a temperature enough to kill harmful organisms present, as foodborne diseases can be uncomfortable and sometimes fatal.

Healthy and heart homemade treats for your dog

Once you have learnt about the do’s and don’ts to cook or bake healthy and delicious treats for your furry friend, it’s time to head into the kitchen. Here are some healthy and hearty treats to make for your dog:

• Homemade peanut butter dog treats – these are a doggy speciality. Your dog will be overjoyed eating one of these. Make sure the peanut butter used does not contain xylitol.
• Anti-inflammatory dog biscuits – the perfect mix of healthy and tasty. Just like humans, anti-inflammatory foods are great for dogs, especially dogs with joint pains and arthritis. Ingredient include: oats, ground flaxseeds, turmeric, eggs and water.

• Strawberry and banana dog treats – this one’s for the fruit loving dogs. Ingredients include: strawberries, bananas, eggs, peanut butter and oats.
• Oats and apple dog biscuits – these are an easy yet delicious treat to whip-up. Ingredient include: apples, oats, flour and eggs.

4 Best Homemade Dog Treats for Fall

Autumn is here! The leaves are changing. The air is getting crisper. You can finally break out that big comfy coat you love. And let’s not forget all the hearty, savory fall foods that everyone loves!But next time you are in the kitchen whipping up some of grandma’s secret meatloaf or a beef stew, don’t forget to make something special for Fido too. Not only does it feel great to make something special for your pooch, but it can be nice to know exactly what went into making their treats. These four homemade dog treats are a great way to add a little bit of autumn to your dog’s diet.

Peanut Butter and Pumpkin Dog Treats

by Kelly

When you think of fall food what automatically springs to mind? Pumpkins. This big orange gourd has become so synonymous with the season that they even put it in our coffee! So why would we not include our pups in this cornerstone autumn tradition? Ingredients:

• 2 ½ cups whole wheat flour
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup canned pumpkin
• 2 tbsp peanut butter
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C)
2. In a bowl, whisk together all ingredients (flour, eggs, pumpkin, peanut butter, salt, cinnamon) adding water slowly to help make the dough workable. Make sure not to add too much water, as dough should still be tough and dry.
3. Roll out dough until a ½ inch thick, then cut into ½ inch pieces.
4. Place pieces onto baking sheet and place in preheated oven. Let bake for ~40 minutes.
5. Take out and let cool.

Super Simple Sweet Potato Dog Treats

by CookinBugI don’t know about you, but the sweet potato has become a staple at my dinner table - especially during the colder months. They taste terrific AND are packed full of vitamins and nutrients. Gotta love that! So why not send some of these tasty morsels your pups way? It wouldn’t be the first time someone made a dog treat with sweet potato.Ingredients:

• 1 sweet potato
• 2 ½ cups whole wheat flour
• ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 eggs

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C)
2. Heat sweet potato in a microwave for ~6 minutes, checking every two minutes to see if tender.
3. Cut potato in half and remove the meat. Toss the skin.
4. Mash the meat in a bowl until soft.
5. In another bowl, mix eggs, applesauce, flour, and one cup of mashed sweet potato.
6. Roll out dough on a well floured surface until ½ inch thick. Then cut into strips, cubes, or use a cookie cutter to make fun shapes!
7. Place on a baking sheet and put into preheated oven.
8. Bake until crispy (35-40 minutes). Take out and let cool on wire rack before eating.

Brie’s Turkey and Cranberry Dog Bones

by TheBritishBakerThanksgiving is basically the best day for food ever conceived. Just saying the word will make your mouth start to water. Turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy, sweet potato pie - Thanksgiving is the only holiday where you might have to leave part way through to put on some more forgiving pants. What’s more, most of the food on the table is okay for pets to eat. But that doesn’t mean they should get to pull up a chair. Instead, why not make them a batch of these special Thanksgiving-themed treats to give them a taste of the holiday!Ingredients:

• 3 ½ cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup shredded cooked turkey
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, as needed

Instructions:

Chicken and Cheddar Flavored Dog Treats

Autumn is for rich, hearty foods. So you should make your dog a treat to match. This chicken and cheese treat is guaranteed to please, and sure to fill up their belly. Just remember - moderation. Too many of these bad boys and you might start to hear the floor creak!Ingredients:

• 1 cup rolled oats
• ? cup margarine
• 1 cup boiling water
• ¾ cup cornmeal
• 1 tbsp white sugar
• 2 tsp chicken bouillon
• ½ cup milk
• 1 cup cheddar cheese (shredded)
• 1 egg
• 2 ½ cups whole wheat flour

Instructions:

Hope your pooch finds these treats as scrumptious as mine do! And have a warm and cozy autumn.All the recipes are user submitted from

Allrecipes.com

. Next time you are planning a dinner, making a dish, or just looking for a quick breakfast solution, check Allrecipes.com.

Want more stuff like this? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Interested in PetPlus? Try it now for two weeks free!

Source:http://allrecipes.com/recipe/133123/peanut-butter-and-pumpkin-dog-treats/?internalSource=recipe%20hub&referringId=853&referringContentType=recipe%20hubhttp://allrecipes.com/recipe/222671/super-simple-sweet-potato-dog-treats/?internalSource=recipe%20hub&referringId=853&referringContentType=recipe%20hubhttp://allrecipes.com/recipe/219715/bries-turkey-and-cranberry-dog-bones/?internalSource=recipe%20hub&referringId=853&referringContentType=recipe%20hubhttp://allrecipes.com/recipe/19228/doggie-treats-ii/?internalSource=recipe%20hub&referringId=853&referringContentType=recipe%20hub