Raising Healthy Dogs

For dogs that are allergic to protein, finding treats at a reasonable price can be difficult.  Why not bake your own?

For anyone looking for a very easy, tasty, protein-free dog treat, Chef Riley says this recipe is for you.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of whole oats (old fashioned Oatmeal)
• 2 cups of flour (I used tapioca flour but white rice flour or all purpose flour will do)
• 1 apple (peeled and cored)  finely shredded
• 4 tablespoons of water or vegetable stock

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 400
• In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and form them into dough.
• Roll out the dough and cut out your favorite shapes for the cookies.  If you do not have a cookie cutter, don’t worry, use anything that can form a shape.
• Place the cookies on a greased cookie sheet.  Since there is no leavening agent used, you can put the cookies very close together.
• Bake for 15 minutes.  For crunchier cookies, turn off the oven and leave the cookies in there for another 30 minutes.
• Cook cookies on a wire rack
• Store in a seal-tight container

If you like this recipe and want to vote for Chef Riley in the Modern Dog Magazine Dog of the Week Contest, click on the picture below and vote.  You can vote once each day.

Chef Riley has a birthday coming up and his mom wants to bake him a personal-sized cake for his special day.  Since he likes peanut butter, I thought that would make for a very nice cake.  But since I have two dogs and many of you do too,  I made the cake two ways. The first cake I divided the batter into two ramekins so both my pups could celebrate.

The second cake I used a small heart mold.  You can also use a small (4-6 inch) loaf pan, a small (4-6 inch) cake pan, or a large muffin tin.  Depending on how decadent you want to be with your cake, you can frost it or leave it plain.  I frosted mine with peanut butter and put a drop of yogurt on top for a little color.  You can also add a cookie on top to represent the candle.  I am not a very good photographer but I think you get the idea of what it looked like.

This cake is super easy to bake.  I hope you and your pups enjoy it as much as mine did. (They ate the whole thing in about 1.5 seconds).

Ingredients:

1 cup Oat Flour (you can substitute all purpose flour if you prefer)

1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

1 egg

2 tablespoons of peanut butter (preferably low-fat and salt free)

2 tablespoons of olive oil or saffron oil

4 tablespoons of honey

4 tablespoons of no-fat or low fat plain or vanilla yogurt

Optional for Frosting – You can use peanut butter or cream cheese.  If you want something a little healthier, use some Greek yogurt.  The Greek yogurt is thicker than regular yogurt so it won’t run down the sides of the cake.

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350.

Use a cooking spray to grease the cake pan or ramekins

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl (you can do it by hand or you can use a mixer)

Pour ingredients into pan

Bake for 30-35 minutes to when the top is golden brown

Lets cake cool down before serving or frosting.

Cut cake into smaller portions if making one bigger cake for canine pals or for smaller dogs.

Today was a classic fall day in New England. A little overcast, a little breezy, a little peekaboo sun.  Pumpkins, haystacks and scarecrows making their season debut. It seemed like a perfect day for chicken pot pie.  So as I was gathering all the ingredients for the pie, Chester, my handsome brown dog suggested that those ingredients would make for a very tasty dog cookie.  Well anyone that knows me knows that whatever Chester wants, Chester gets.

This recipe contains everything that I put in my chicken pot pie with the exception of the salt, spices and onions.  Dogs cannot eat onions so make sure not to include any.

The used in this recipe are gluten free.  If you do not have oat flour or brown rice flour, you can substitute white and wheat flour but then the cookie will not be gluten free.

I hope your pups like this recipe as much as mine do.

• 1 cup of Oat flour
• 1 cup of Brown Rice flour
• 1 cup of cooked, diced white meat chicken
• 1 medium carrot
• 1 medium potato
• 1 cup of peas (frozen is fine)
• 1/2 cup of fat free milk (or water if you prefer)
• 1 egg

• Preheat oven to 375
• Cut or shred the cooked chicken into tiny pieces.
• Cut or shred the carrot and potato into tiny pieces.  I use a box shredder but if you have a food processor, that would work even better and give you a smoother dough.
• Mix all ingredients in a big bowl.  If you have a stand mixer and a dough hook, blend all the ingredients together on medium speed for about 3 minutes to make a dough.  If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can mix it all together using you hands.
• If the dough is too dry, add more milk or water
• Flour a cutting board and a rolling pin and roll the dough out to about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness.  I like a thicker cookie for this one.
• Using a cookie cutter or whatever you have to make shapes and place them on a cookie sheet.  If your dough is too chunky or if you prefer, just pinch a bit of the dough and roll it into little balls than flatten with the palm of your hand then place on the cookie sheet.
• Bake cookies for 20-25 minutes.  If you like a crunchier cookie, turn off the oven and leave them there for another 10-15 minutes.
• Transfer cookies to a cooling rack and make sure they are completely cool before giving to pups
• Since there are no preservatives, you will need to store them in a seal-tight container in the refrigerator for up to one week or in the freezer for two months.

Notice the ingredients.

Six dozen little heart shaped cookies

Chester says thanks mom.

With the holidays approaching, Chef Riley stopped by to remind us that dogs, like people can become allergic to certain foods and start itching and scratching shortly after eating foods they have commonly eaten before.

So Chef Riley came up with a recipe that is sure to please your pup and if they are suffering from allergies this reduced ingredient recipe might be just what they need.

The recipe calls for Teff flour but if your dog has no food allergies or intolerance, you can substitute all purpose flour, wheat flour, Buckwheat or Rice Flour.  Even if your dog has no dietary restrictions, they will love this recipe so give it a try!

Ingredients:

• 3 Cups Teff flour
• 1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1 Large Egg
• 2 Tablespoons of Vegetable Oil
• 8 ounces of fresh or frozen Bison or you can substitute 1 13.2 ounce can of Natural Balance Bison and Sweet Potato canned dog food

Preparation:

• Preheat over to 350 degrees
• Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl
• Knead for 3 minutes
• Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick
• Use a cookie cutter and place cookies on an greased baking sheet
• Bake for 25 minutes
• For a crunchier cookie, turn off heat and leave in oven for another 15-30 minutes
• Cool cookies on a wire rack
• Store cookies in a seal-tight container in the fridge for up to one week or freeze for up to two months.

I hope your pups enjoy these as much as mine do.

Healthy dog training treats are easy to make, save money and are a big hit with dogs.  This basic recipe can be modified to suit the taste and dietary needs of your dog.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of flour.  (I use a mix of all purpose and whole wheat – 2 cups of each) (To make gluten free, use white or brown rice flour)
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup of chicken, beef or vegetable stock
• 2 Tablespoons of olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1 13.2 ounce can of all natural dog food (I like to use Merrick Grammy’s Pot Pie but pretty much any good canned food will work)

Preparation:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
• Grease a cookie sheet or use some spray vegetable oil
• Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl to form a dough.  If you have a stand mixed, use the dough hook and mix for about 3 minutes.
• Spread mixture evenly over the cookie sheet.  Try to spread it out so that it covers the entire surface.  You can use a small rolling pin.  If you do not have a small rolling pin you can use the empty can of dog food or anything round to roll it flat.
• Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
• Take the pan out of the oven and turn the oven off.
• Using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife, and cut straight lines about 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch wide over the length of the pan then cut straight lines about 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch wide across the width of the pan.  When you are done the entire sheet should be scored like graph paper.
• Place the pan bake back in the oven for an hour and let the cookies crisp up
• Take the cookies out of the oven and break them apart along the pre-cut lines
• Store them in a seal-tight container and keep them in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or freeze them

Like humans, dog can also be allergic to wheat and other gluten -laden products.  But with a little extra effort, you can bake some tasty gluten-free dog treats for your pup.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of brown rice flour
• 1/3 cup of tapioca flour
• 2/3 cup of potato starch (not potato flour) You can substitute corn starch if you cannot find potato starch
• 1 large egg
• 1 shredded boneless, skinless chicken breast (cooked)
• 1 shredded carrot
• 1 shredded apple
• 1 shredded potato
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
•  1/4 cup of olive or vegetable oil

As we enter into apple picking season I thought it was fitting to post a dog treat that takes advantage of the bountiful fall apples!

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups of whole wheat flour
• 2 Cups of all purpose flour
• 2-4 chopped or grated apples of your choice
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup of vegetable oil or olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon of honey or brown sugar

So if you are a Raising Healthy Dog Reader, you know I love to bake cookies for my pups.  So many of the commercial dog treats are loaded with fat, sodium and extra calories.  By making your own cookies, you will have better control of the quality of the ingredients.  A friend told me about a canned dog food which she thought would make a good cookie…she was right” . Merrick’s Love Potion Number 9 is awesome!  It contains beef, potatoes and apples.

Ingredients:

• 2 3/4 Cups Whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup Non-fat powdered milk
• 1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1 Large Egg
• 2 Tablespoons of Vegetable Oil
• 1 13.2 ounce can of Merrick’s Love Potion Number 9 canned dog food.

Preparation:

• Preheat over to 350 degrees
• Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl
• Knead for 3 minutes
• Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick
• Use a large cookie cutter (3-inches or larger) and place cookies on an greased baking sheet
• Bake for 25 minutes
• For a crunchier cookie, turn off heat and leave in oven for another 15-30 minutes
• Cool cookies on a wire rack
• Store cookies in a seal-tight container in the fridge for up to one week or freeze for up to two months.

I hope your pups enjoy these as much as mine do.

I am not a fan of the smell of tuna fish but the pups really love it.  These make great training treats exactly because they are so smelly.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of whole wheat flour (you can substitute rice flour or all purpose flour)
• 1 large can of tuna (I use solid white)
• 1 Tablespoon of garlic
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup of water

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 250
• Mix all ingredients on a large bowl to form a dough
• Spread the mixture about 1/4 inch thick on a greased cookie sheet
• Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown
• Let them cool for a few minutes (but don’t let them get cold) then cut them into desired size
• For training treats, make them really small.  For treats you can make them larger

Memorial Day weekend is one to give thanks to the brave men and women that serve our country and provide us the freedom to enjoy this long weekend.  For me, I will spend this weekend with my lovely dogs and celebrate the life our military fights for.  I cannot thank you enough!

One of my favorite things I make for my dogs are pupsicles.  So in honor of Memorial Day, I will post my pup’s favorite patriotic pupsicle recipe. I made three different flavors of pupsicles, but I am sure your pups will be happy for even one!

In the picture shown, I made Strawberry, Blueberry and Apple pupsicles.  You can make one or all depending on what you are looking to do.  I will post all three recipes.  Each recipe stands on its own but feel free to make all three. Basically you will be pureeing the ingredients and putting them in a container with a rawhide then freezing for several hours.

Ingredients:

Strawberry Pupsicles:

• 1 pound of strawberries
• 1 Cup of water
• 6 Rawhide chews
• 1 Tablespoon Agave nectar (or you can use honey)

or

Blueberry Pupsicles

• 1 pint of blueberries
• 1 Cup of water
• 6 Rawhide chews
• 1 Tablespoon Agave nectar (or you can use honey)

or

Apple Pupsicles

Add the Strawberries, blue berries or apple with 1 cup of water and 1 Tablespoon of Agave (or honey or brown sugar). Mix it all together in a blender. Pour the mixture into a 1/2 cup receptacle.  I use empty Jell-O snack packs and cover them with aluminum foil then cut a hole in the middle of the aluminum foil and insert a rawhide chew.  Place container in the freezer for several hours. Remove from container and serve outside.

In honor of Mother’s Day, Chef Riley wants to share his favorite breakfast casserole.  This is a great recipe that you can make and share with your dogs.  It is low in calories (less than 300 per serving) and can be made in advance.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup cubed cooked ham
• 6 eggs
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 1 teaspoon mustard (Chef Riley likes Yellow mustard but any will do)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
• Lightly grease a shallow casserole dish or a 9-inch pie pan
• Pour melted butter into pan
• Add the ham and cheese
• Mix the eggs, milk, mustard and salt and pepper in a bowl
• Pour the mixture over the ham and eggs
• Bake for 40-45 minutes
• Let cool before serving
• Serves 4

Chef Riley is back in the kitchen making some Easter cookies for all his pals.

Ingredients

• ½ cup non-fat dry milk powder
• 1 large egg (well beaten) (you can substitute half of a banana)
• 2 ½ cups of all purpose or wheat flour
• ½ teaspoon of garlic powder
• 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup chicken livers

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Mix all ingredients together and gradually add the chicken livers.  The more you add, the messier and stickier the cookie becomes.  For a less sticky cookie, add less vegetable oil.
• Shape dough into a ball.
• On a floured board roll out dough about ½ thick (use extra flour if needed)
• Dip cookie cutter in flour and cut out shapes.  Alternatively you can just make drop cookies using a spoon or break off pieces and roll into small balls and flatten with the palm of your hand or a floured spatula.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes. For a crunchier cookie, turn off the oven and leave the cookies in for an additional 15-30 minutes.
• Cool on a wire rack.
• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one-week or freeze for up to two months.

Hope your pups like them. My dogs could not get close enough to the oven while they were cooking.

Chef Riley at Mardi Gras

Chef Riley is in the mood to party and to do that he needs some fabulous treats for his fans.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup non-fat dry milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of honey
• 1 large egg
• 8 ounces of peanut butter
• 1 Tablespoon of garlic powder
• 1/2 cup of water

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 350
• Mix all ingredients together adding water last
• If you have a stand mixer, use the dough hook and mix on low for about 3 minutes, otherwise kneed by hand for 4-5 minutes
• Roll out dough to about 1/2 inch thick and cut into shapes
• Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet
• Bake for 30 minutes
• Place on cooling rack
• Serve to pups when cool
• makes 2-3 dozen cookies depending on the size of the shapes you cut

Store in a seal tight container

Chef Riley Goes Rasta

Chef Riley is back in the kitchen cooking up healthy treats for all his friends to share on St. Paddy’s Day.  These pup cakes are sure to be a hit with even the most finicky pup.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of whole wheat flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 13.5 ounce can of spinach
• 1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 375
• Lightly grease two 12-mini-cupcake pans or spray with a non-cook spray
• In a large bowl, mix all ingredients
• Fill each cup about 3/4 full
• Bake for 50-55 minutes
• Place on a baking rack to cool before serving

If you want to make the pup cakes even more special, you and frost them.  Take 1 cup of low fat cottage cheese and blend it for about 30 seconds.  Spread it over pup cakes and enjoy!

Chef Riley is back in the Kitchen today whipping up a sweet treat for his lady friends.  This recipe is a dog-friendly take on red-velvet cupcakes.  I made it last night and my pups loved them.  OK they are labs so they love everything edible.  But I tasted them too and even though I am not a fan of “the beet” it was pretty good.

• 1/4 cup vegetable or olive oil
• 1/2 cup of honey
• 1 cup of apple sauce (preferably natural without sugar)
• 1/3 cup of beet puree or beet juice
• 1 1/2 cup of wheat flour (all purpose white will work too)
• 1 egg
• 1 cup of low fat cottage cheese for frosting

Preparation:

• Preheat over to 350
• In a large bowl, combine honey, oil, apple sauce, beet puree or juice and egg
• Gradually add flour
• Mix thoroughly until everything is combined
• Spoon mixture into cupcake pan
• Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean
• Let them cool on a rack
• For frosting, add the cottage cheese to a food processor or blender and puree cottage cheese until smooth about 30 seconds to 1-minute
• Frost and serve

I do not have a picture of the finished product because the pups ate them before I could even get to my camera out.

Chef Riley has been thinking a lot about Valentine’s Day and wanted to make sure all his ladies had a special meal for the day.    So I went through my recipes and came up with something that you can make and share with your pups. I hope you enjoy this as much as mine do.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef, chicken or turkey
• 1 cup of diced celery
• 1 cup of diced carrots
• 1 apple, peeled, cored and diced (I use Granny Smith but any apple will do)
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup of oatmeal (uncooked)
• 1 cup of wheat germ
• 1 six-ounce can of tomato paste
• 2 medium potatoes diced

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 350
• Grease a cookie sheet
• With your hands, mix together all items (except the potatoes) in a large bowl.
• Shape the meat into a heart shape.  I used a heart shaped mold but you can easily do it with you hands. It is enough to make two loafs.
• Place the potatoes around the loaf
• Bake for 80 minutes

Here is the finished product . Enjoy!

Come back tomorrow when Chef Riley will share his special sweet valentine treat recipe.

Chef Riley reminded me that St. Patrick’s Day is coming up soon and he wants to make sure all the Raising Healthy Dog readers have an extra special cookie to celebrate the day.  (Chef Riley really likes St. Patrick’s Day).  

So to celebrate the wearing of the green, I thought I would post one of my pups’ favorite dog treat recipes.  And yes, it is made with spinach!  Spinach is a great food for dogs.  It has lots of iron and contains anti-oxidants and is a good source for calcium, potassium, fiber and vitamin A and B6.   This cookie is so good, you can eat them too.  The texture is similar to a rice crispy treat so be prepared for gooey fingers.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of uncooked rice
• 2 cups of oatmeal
• 1/4 cut of molasses or if you do not have molasses, use maple syrup
• 1 1/4 cup of all purpose flour
• 1 large egg
• 4 tablespoons of apple sauce
• 1 15-ounce can of spinach drained of water.  If you do not have canned spinach, you can use half-a-bag of frozen spinach, just cook it and squeeze out the excess water
• 1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 350
• Lightly grease a cookie sheet
• Add all ingredients into a large bowl and stir
• Use a teaspoon to drop mixture onto cookie pan.  Alternatively you can just pinch off a bit of the mixture and roll it into a ball like a mini-meatball and then flatten it with a spoon or your fingers.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes until they are golden brown
• This makes between 1 and 2 dozen cookies, depending on the size of the drop

Even if your pup does not like spinach, they are sure to like this cookie.  Enjoy

So now that I have found Liver Powder, I thought it would be good to come up with an easy Liver Powder recipe.  Chef Riley and my two dogs give this recipe four paws up!

Ingredients:

• ½ cup non-fat dry milk powder
• 1 large egg (well beaten) (you can substitute half of a banana)
• 2 ½ cups of all purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon of garlic powder
• 6 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup of liver powder
• 1/2 cup of beef broth

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Mix all ingredients together. If you have a stand mixer, put in the dough hook and set it on low for about 3 minutes.
• Shape dough into a ball.
• On a floured board roll out dough about ½ thick (use extra flour if needed)
• Dip cookie cutter in flour and cut out shapes.  Alternatively you can just make drop cookies using a spoon or break off pieces and roll into small balls and flatten with the palm of your hand or a floured spatula.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes. For a crunchier cookie, turn off the oven and leave the cookies in for an additional 15-30 minutes.
• Cool on a wire rack.
• Store in seal tight containers for up to three months.

I hope your pups like these.

With Valentine’s Day coming up, don’t forget your furry little friend.  Dogs like liver.  I don’t.  As a matter of fact I hate it and cannot imagine cooking with anything as gross as liver.  But since my pups love it I thought I should make peace with liver and create a cookie that makes all of us happy.  My search led me to liver powder! Rather than working with that nasty smelling meat, I can work with liver powder.  So if you love your dogs and hate liver as much as I do,  try this Liver Lover’s recipe to show your pups the love for Valentine’s Day.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of whole wheat flour
• 1 cup of rye or all purpose flour
• 2 cups of dry oatmeal
• 1 3/4 cup beef broth
• 1/2 cup vegetable or olive oil
• 1/4 cup liver powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 egg

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 300
• Line cookie sheet with aluminum foil
• Mix all dry ingredients together
• Add oil, beef broth and egg
• Mix it all together.  If you have a stand mixer with a dough hook, just mix on a low speed (setting 2 on a Kitchen Aid mixer) for three minutes.  If you are doing it by hand just mix with a spoon and finish off hand kneading.
• Roll dough out and cut cookies into heart shapes
• Bake for 2 hours
• Turn the oven off and let cookies stand for another 2-24 hours to harden.
• Store in seal tight containers for up to three months.

Note:  If you do not have a heart shaped cookie cutter, you can buy some here, or just use anything to cut out shapes.  Making cookies for your dog is already from the heart so your pups will be happy with the outcome regardless of shape.

Liver powder can be bought in most health food stores or here.

So if you are feeling inspired after reading Bake More Dog Cookies, here is an easy, basic dog cookie recipe that anyone can make in less than 45 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of all purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• water, as needed

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 350
• Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
• Add just enough water to form a stiff dough
• Roll out the dough to desired thickness
• Using a small knife, cut dough into bite-sized strips
• Bake for 15-20 minutes
• Place on cooling rack
• Store in an airtight container

Baking dog cookies is something I really enjoy doing.  Besides the calming effect of the aroma of baked goods, it is a great way to bond with your kids, friends and dogs.  More than that; baking dog cookies is just plain fun.  But many people are intimidated by the thought of baking and others may think they do not have time.  Some people have dogs with allergies or are gluten intolerant and just have not found enough recipes to give it a try.  But I spoke to Fido (does anyone name their dogs Fido anymore? Venkat’s the new Fido) and Fido wants more home baked dog cookies.  So if you are not baking cookies for your dog, regardless of the reason, maybe this will change your mind.

The Basics

Dog cookies come in various shapes, sizes and preparation methods.  The four types of cookies I use most frequently:

• Drop cookies
• Rolled dough cut to various shapes using cookie cutters
• Rolled dough into a log, wrapped in plastic wrap, chilled and sliced into round cookies
• Pan cookies

The dog cookie you make will depend on the time you have available, the cookie mixture and your level of interest.  For example, if I just want to whip up a quick batch of cookies I will make a drop cookie since I won’t have to spend the time rolling out the dough and forming or cutting shapes.  If I have messy dough, whether by design or because I added too much liquid, I make a drop cookie. If I have more time, I will roll the dough and use cookie cutters.  The only time I roll dough into a log is if I want a very precise and uniform shape or when I want to put icing on the dog cookie. Pan cookies are really easy since you just spread the mixture into a pan, bake then cut to shape.  Some pan recipes are even no-bake.  You spread the mixture in a pan, chill it and cut into bite sized pieces.

Equipment

I bake a lot so I have lots of cooking utensils and supplies.  But you do not need anything fancy to make basic dog cookies. All you really need is a large bowl, measuring cups and spoons, a spatula and a cookie sheet.  All other equipment just makes it easier and in some cases, more fun.  A standing electric mixer with a dough attachment is most desirable if you are going to use either of the rolled dough methods but again, you can knead the dough by hand. A rolling pin and cutting board are other handy tools, especially if you want to roll the dough.  But I have been known to use a can when I couldn’t find the rolling pin.  Cookie cutters are fun but you can use bottle caps, glasses and pretty much anything that can cut a shape.  I have a friend that “free-styles” and cuts out shapes by hand using a small knife. Cooling racks and air-tight storage containers are also helpful but again you improvise and use a cooled oven rack raised on the counter and plain old zippered plastic storage bags.  So you can see if you have the desire to bake a dog cookie, lack of equipment should not stop you.

Ingredients

For basic dog cookies the ingredients needed are things you may already have one hand.  Flour, vegetable oil, eggs, oatmeal, honey and water are the most common ingredients. Non-fat dry milk, chicken broth, peanut butter, bananas, apples and apple sauce are also used a lot in dog cookie recipes.  Once you get comfortable making dog cookies you can add more ingredients.  I use canned dog food and jars of baby food in some of my recipes but you can also use leftover chicken, turkey and vegetables.  So lack of ingredients should not keep you from baking dog cookies either.

If your dog has allergies, baking dog cookies is likely better and less expensive than buying store bought.  Don’t let the standard list of ingredients in most dog recipes put you off.  There are many common substitutions you can use to get around the offending ingredients.  Banana, yogurt and apple sauce can be substituted for eggs. If a recipe calls for whole wheat or other wheat flours and your pup is allergic to wheat, substitute rye, barley or oats.  If your dog is gluten intolerant, substitute rice, tapioca or potato flour for the wheat based flour.  By making your own dog treats, you will be able to control the ingredients and keep your pup safe.

Time

This is probably the most common reason why people do not bake dog cookies. But even this is not a problem.  Most basic dog cookies can be made in under an hour including baking and cooling time.  OK it might take you more than an hour once you do the cleanup but isn’t furry little Venkat worth it?  Some recipes don’t even require baking and are equally yummy.  All of the recipes offered here at Raising Healthy Dogs will yield between two to four dozen dog cookies, depending on size and thickness.  Make a big batch of cookies and put some in a sealed tight container or storage bag in the refrigerator for up to one week and place the rest in the freezer for up to two months. So if you bake one batch of dog cookies that yield four dozen and it takes you less than one hour, you will have made enough cookies for weeks or even months depending on how often you treat your pup.

I hope I convinced you to give it a try. Go bake some dog cookies for your pup.  You both will be glad you did.

For a sample of some cooking and baking supplies click here.

Have you ever noticed how many dogs have birthdays in December? Well if you have a dog with a birthday coming up, consider baking them a special treat.  My soon to be six-year old lab Sophy’s birthday is coming up so I thought I would share her favorite cupcake recipes.  OK she is a lab and everything is her favorite recipe.  It yields 12 cupcakes so why not invite some of your pup’s friends over for a little celebration.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 2 large carrots, shredded
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
• 2 tablespoons of honey
• 3 cups of water

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 375
• Lightly grease a 12-cupcake pan or spray with non-stock spray
• In a large bowl mix the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl
• In another bowl, mix the water, banana, carrots, egg, vanilla and honey
• Add the flour mixture to the banana carrot mash and mix thoroughly
• Fill each cup about 3/4 full
• Bake for 50 – 55 minutes
• Place cupcakes on a wire rack to cool before serving

Remember, whenever adding new foods to your dog’s menu, cut back on some of his regular food to avoid any weight gain.  Also if your pup has a sensitive tummy consider giving just half a cupcake, or avoid entirely.

Preparation:

• Bring two quarters of water to a boil
• Add the chicken breasts and cook for 10 minutes
• After 10 minutes, add the boil in bag rice to the boiling water
• Cook for another 10 minutes
• Remove from heat.
• Drain water, place contents of the boil in bag rice in a bowl
• Cut chicken up into bite sized pieces and add to rice
• Serve to pups when cool

Check with your vet for proper portions.  Serving size will vary by your dog’s size and activity level.

If you are wondering what to do with that leftover turkey, don’t forget your pups.  Most pups like turkey but some may have sensitive tummies and cannot tolerate the turkey “as is”.  But adding a bit of leftover turkey to an all natural biscuit is yummy and something your pups will enjoy.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of turkey
• 2 large eggs
• 2-3 cloves of garlic
• 2 cups of oatmeal (uncooked)
• 2 cups of whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup of water

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350
• Grease a cookie sheet
• Cut the turkey into tiny pieces (or chop in a food processor or blender)
• Chop garlic into tiny pieces (or throw it in the food processor or blender with the turkey)
• Add all ingredients to a large bowl and mix into a thick paste.  Add more water if needed.
• Spoon out onto cookie sheet to make a drop cookie.  Alternatively, you can “flour” your hands and roll some of the mixture into a ball then flatten with the palm of your hand or a spatula.
• Bake for 30 minutes.  If you like a crunchier cookie, turn the oven off and let the cookies sit for an additional 30 minutes.
• Cool on a wire rack
• Store in the refrigerator in a sealed tight container for up to one-week or freeze for up to two months
• Depending on the size of the “drop”, you will get between 2 and 3 dozen cookies

But remember, if you dog has a sensitive stomach, then these treats may not be for your pup.

As the days get cooler here in New England, my pups are just begging for a heartier cookie.  So today we made some bigger cookies made with Merrick’s Cowboy Cookout canned dog food.  At Raising Healthy Dogs, we are big fans of the Merrick canned dog food, especially now that I discovered it makes a great dog cookie.

Ingredients:

• 2 3/4 Cups Whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup Non-fat powdered milk
• 1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1 Large Egg
• 6 Tablespoons of Vegetable Oil
• 1 13.2 ounce can of Merrick’s Cowboy Cookout canned dog food.  If you do not have any Cowboy Cookout dog food, any can of dog food will do

Preparation:

• Preheat over to 350 degrees
• Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl
• Knead for 3 minutes
• Roll out dough to 1-inch thick
• Use a large cookie cutter (3-inches or larger) and place cookies on an ungreased baking sheet
• Bake for 25 minutes
• For a crunchier cookie, turn off heat and leave in over for another 15-30 minutes
• Cool cookies on a wire rack
• Store cookies in a seal-tight container in the fridge for up to one week or freeze for up to two months.

I hope your pups enjoy these as much as mine do.  S

It is a bright, crisp Autumn day in New England.  In fact, a perfect day for soup!  One of my pups favorite soup recipes is Asparagus.  It is very similar to what you would make for yourself.  What is different is the absence of onions since onions can be toxic to dogs.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 stick of butter (4 Tablespoons)
• 1 1/2 pounds of asparagus (cut off the woody bits at the bottom and discard)
• 4 cups of chicken stock (or a 32 ounce box of sodium free chicken stock or two 16 ounce cans of sodium free chicken stock)
• 2 medium sized russet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• black pepper
• Optional: 1/2 cup of fat free milk

Preparation:

• Cut the asparagus into 1-inch pieces
• Dice the potatoes into small pieces
• Melt 1/2 stick of butter in a large pot over medium heat
• Add the asparagus to the pot and simmer for 5 minutes
• Turn the heat to high then add the 4 cups of chicken stock and the diced potatoes
• Bring it to a boil
• Once boiling, turn the heat down to low and simmer for about 10 minutes until the asparagus and potatoes are tender
• Using a hand immersion blender, or a food processor, or a blender, process it until smooth.  If using a blender or a food processor, do it in small batches
• Return the soup to the pot and stir it all together
• Optional: Add 1/2 cup of fat free milk and stir.  Some dogs do not tolerate milk.
• Let the soup cool down and serve it to the pups.

Makes about 8 cups of soup

As the days get colder, my thoughts always turn to soup.   To me,  there is nothing like a good bowl of soup after a long hike with the pups.  But did you know, your pup might like soup too?  I know mine do.  I make lots of different soups for my pups but this quick Chicken Soup recipe is a perennial favorite!

Ingredients:

• 1 32 ounce box of Chicken Stock (unsalted) or two 16 ounce cans of salt-free chicken stock
• Bite size pieces of chicken.  You can use leftovers or I just boil a boneless skinless chicken breast if I do not have leftovers.
• 1 cup frozen chopped spinach (if your pups don’t like spinach, leave it out)

Preparation

• Cut up left over chicken into bite sized pieces.  If you do not have any leftover chicken, just boil 2 quarts of water and drop in a boneless skinless chicken breast.  Cook for 20 minutes.  When the chicken is cool, cut it into bite sized pieces
• Pour the stock in a big pot, add chicken and chopped spinach
• Just heat it up.  Do not bring it to a boil
• Make sure it is cool enough for your pups and pour it into their bowls

This is a very versatile recipe. I will often add baby carrots and pieces of leftover potato.  Get creative.  Add whatever you know your dog likes.

Did you ever wonder what to do with those bananas that are about to go bad?  Sure you could make that old standby, banana bread but why not make cookies for your dog.  They will be glad you did!

Ingredients:

• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup of peanut butter
• 1 to 2 mashed bananas
• 1 tablespoon of honey (if you do not have honey substitute 1 tablespoon brown sugar)
• 1 cup of whole wheat (or other all purpose flour)
• 1/2 cup of wheat germ

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 300
• Grease or use a non-stick spray on cookie sheet
• Combine the egg, peanut butter, banana and honey is a large bowl
• Mash it all together with a potato masher
• Add the flour and wheat germ to the mashed mixture
• Roll it into a dough then place it on a floured board so you can cut out cookie shapes.  (If you are lazy like me or short of time, just take a small piece of dough and form a small ball then flatten it with the palm of your hand or a floured spatula)
• Bake for 30 minutes.  For a crunchier cookie, turn off the oven and leave cookies in for another 15-30 minutes.
• Remove from oven and wait until cool before serving to pups.
• Store in a seal-tight container in the refrigerator for up to one week or freeze for up to two months

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

So if your dog has never had Merrick’s Grammy’s Pot Pie they do not know what they are missing.  I found this product eight or nine years ago when my old girl Molly would not eat.  Someone told me that if they won’t eat anything else, they WILL eat Grammy’s Pot Pie. So if  you want to make a cookie your dog will just sit up and beg for, try these.

Grammys Pot Pie Dog Cookie

Ingredients

• ½ cup non-fat dry milk powder
• 1 large egg (well beaten) (you can substitute half of a banana)
• 2 ½ cups of all purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon of garlic powder
• 6 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• One 13.2 can of Grammys Pot Pie dog food

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Mix all ingredients together and gradually add the Grammy’s Pot Pie dog food.  The more you add, the messier and stickier the cookie becomes.  For a less sticky add less vegetable oil or more flour.
• Shape dough into a ball.
• On a floured board roll out dough about ½ thick (use extra flour if needed)
• Dip cookie cutter in flour and cut out shapes.  Alternatively you can just make drop cookies using a spoon or break off pieces and roll into small balls and flatten with the palm of your hand or a floured spatula.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes. For a crunchier cookie, turn off the oven and leave the cookies in for an additional 15-30 minutes.
• Cool on a wire rack.
• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one-week or freeze for up to two months.

Hope your pups like them. My dogs could not get close enough to the oven while they were cooking.

Merrick Grammy’s Pot Pie Dog Food 13.2 oz (Pack of 12)

So this recipe is a variation on a classic Oatmeal Raisin cookie.  But since raisins are considered toxic for dogs, we are substituting cranberries. I hope you dogs love them as much as mine do.

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole oats
• 2 large eggs (you can substitute one banana)
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 4 tablespoons of honey
• 4 ounce package of dried cranberries

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Whisk the eggs, oil, honey, cranberries and broth in a small bowl to blend, then add to the dry ingredients.
• Mix on low speed until completely combined. The mixture should have roughly the texture of cookie dough.
• Place the dough onto a large cutting board and with your hands, form it into a big ball, and roll it out to about 1/2” thick.
• Use a cookie cutter to form shapes. If you do not have a cookie cutter, you can use a shot glass or a bottle cap (depending on the size of the cookie you want)
• Place on cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until hard and beginning to brown.
• Cool completely, and seal in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week or freeze for up to two months.

It is apple picking season in New England so I thought I would post my favorite Apple cookie recipe.  Hope you like it! I know my pups do.  And the best part is you do not even need to use a mixer.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of whole wheat flour
• 2 cups of oatmeal (uncooked)
• 1 to 3 apples (peeled, cored and chopped)
  
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/2 cup of water
• 4 Tablespoons of Honey

Preparation:

• Pre-heat oven to 350.
• Grease a cookie sheet.
• Peel, core and chop apple(s) into small pieces. (You can also use a blender or food processor but I like more of a chunk of apple rather than a paste.)  I often make these when I have apples that may go bad.  So rather than waste them, I use them for dog cookies which is why there is a range of 1 to 3 apples.  So basically you need at least one and more than three might be too much.
• Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix into a thick paste. Add more water if needed
• Spoon on to cookie sheet to make a drop cookie.  You can flatten them if you like or leave them in drops.
• Bake for 30 minutes.  For crunchier cookies, turn off the oven and let them cook for an additional 30 minutes.
• Store in a seal-tight container in the refrigerator for up to one-week or freeze them for up to two months.

Depending on the size of the “drop” you will get between 36 and 48 cookies.

Chester is three months “post TPLO surgery” this weekend, so I thought he deserved a special treat today.  So I made his favorite grilled meatloaf.  It is really quite good and I generally make it for me and share with the pups.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds of lean ground beef or sirloin
• 2 slices of whole wheat bread
• 1/2 cup of milk (I use skim milk because that is what I drink and have around)
• 1 Tablespoon of Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 Teaspoon of mustard (I use yellow but any will do)
  

  Thanks Mom

• 2 Teaspoons of Oregano
• 1 Tablespoon of garlic powder
• 3 Tablespoons of ketchup or tomato sauce

Preparation

• Pre-heat grill on medium for about 10 minutes
• Cut or tear the bread into small pieces
• In a large bowl combine all ingredients (except the ketchup)
• Layer two sheets of heavy duty aluminum foil (large enough to contain the meatloaf)
• Spray the top sheet with PAM or other cooking spray.
• Form the meatloaf in to a long log (about 5 by 8 inches)
• Slather the ketchup or tomato sauce on the top of the meatloaf)
• Place meatloaf on the foil and fold up the edges to make a very strong package
• Place meatloaf on the grill (still on medium heat), close the grill top and cook for 35 minutes
• Turn the meatloaf over and cook for another 25 minutes.
• Remove meatloaf from heat and let it rest for 5 minutes
• Remove the foil and let it rest for another 5 minutes
• Slice and serve

Your pups will love you!

Sophy helping mom

So when I was writing about the health benefits of pumpkin it made me think it would be good to post my favorite pumpkin drop cookie recipe.  Since these are drop cookies, they are really easy to make. These are so good you may find yourself stealing from your dog.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of whole wheat or brown rice flour (white flour works too)
• 2 cups of dry oatmeal
• 2 teaspoons of cinnamon
• 2 eggs (you can substitute one banana)
• 4 tablespoons of honey
• 1 can of pumpkin (usually comes in 15 ounce cans)

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 350
• Grease two cookie sheets
• Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl
• This will be pretty wet.  If it is too wet, add more flour.
• Using a teaspoon (or your fingers) place a small drop on the cookie sheet
• Bake cookies for 40 minutes
• Store cookies in a seal-tight container in the fridge for up to one-week or freeze for up to two months.

Depending on the size of your “drop” it should make two cookie sheets of about 48 per sheet.  Enjoy.

So I went to a dog fair today and thought it would be fun to make some treats for the pups that would be at the event.  While I did not know it when I was making the treats, when people asked me for the ingredients,  a few were delighted that they were “protein-free” because their dogs were allergic to protein.  So for anyone looking for a very easy, tasty, protein-free dog treat, this recipe is for you.  Kisses to your pups!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of whole oats (old fashioned Oatmeal)
• 2 cups of flour (I used tapioca flour but any flour will do)
• 2 to 4 tablespoons of honey
• 4 tablespoons of water or vegetable stock

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 400
• In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and form them into dough.
• Roll out the dough and cut out your favorite shapes for the cookies.  If you do not have a cookie cutter, don’t worry, use anything that can form a shape.  Depending on my mood, I will use a dog bone cookie cutter or a screw-off bottle top which will make smaller cookies.
• Place the cookies on a greased cookie sheet.  Since there is no leavening agent used, you can put the cookies very close together.
• Bake for 15 minutes.  For crunchier cookies, turn off the oven and leave the cookies in there for another 30 minutes.
• Cook cookies on a wire rack
• Store in a seal-tight container

This is another easy cookie recipe and a great use for leftover Sweet Potatoes.

Sweet Potato Treats

Ingredients:

1 large sweet potato

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/8 cup of honey (or to taste)

1 egg, slightly beaten (you can substitute half of a banana)

1 cup flour (your preference)

Preparation:

• Preheat over to 350.
• Place sweet potato in an oven-safe dish and bake for 30 minutes.
• Cool, and peel sweet potato.

If you are using leftovers, start here.

• Cut potato into 1-inch cubes.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the oil and honey.
• Add sweet potato and egg and mix thoroughly.
• Now add flour and mix well.
• Grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper.
• Drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto the cookie sheet.
• Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.
• Let cool on a wire rack.
• Store in a seal-tight container in the refrigerator for up to one week or freeze them for up to two months.

This recipe is a real dog pleaser; not so much for the cook.  The first time I made these I wanted to throw out the food processor rather than clean it.  But for those of you that don’t hate liver as much as I do, try this recipe.  Your dogs will love it.

Best Liver Treats

Ingredients

1 pound of beef liver

2 cups of whole wheat flour

2 cups of all purpose or rice flour

2 eggs (If your dog is allergic to eggs, you can substitute one banana)

10-12 cloves of garlic

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Puree liver and garlic in a food processor (or blender).  Add eggs, and all flour.
• Grease cookie sheet pan and spread mixture onto the greased pan.
• Bake for 20 minutes.  Cut into bite sized pieces.
• Store in a seal tight container in the refrigerator.
• Because they have no preservatives, they have a shelf life of one-week.  You can freeze them for up to two months.

This is a quick recipe for some tasty homemade treats for dogs that are wheat intolerant.

Preparation:

Store in a seal tight container. Because preservatives are not used they have a shelf life of about two-weeks.  (OK I have labs.  No cookie last more than two-weeks in my house)