How do we show someone who loves us unconditionally gratitude? With food! Let’s make a plan to remember our four-legged, furry pals this holiday season. Gifts can be purchased but something handmade can be just as endearing, especially Savory Dog Treats.
In a recent 2 Weird Hungry Girls podcast episode (Dog is Family), Tracy and I spoke with Barb Emmett, president/owner of Godfrey’s Welcome to Dogdom. Barb has a passion for lively, lifelong relationships with pups and their owners and for keeping dogs healthy and happy. Barb shared furry friend food gifts ideas. I’ve include one recipe in this post. We also talked about creative puppy gifts in the Dog Gifts episode.
Barb shared guidelines she gives clients who are considering making treats or looking for recipes. This list is especially helpful when preparing treats for gifts.
Avoid using ingredients that many dogs have sensitivities to, like wheat (wheat flour), corn and soy.
The simpler the recipe, the better. Use pure, whole, unrefined ingredients.
If making a recipe calling for peanut butter, be sure to select one that does not contain xylitol, an ingredient that is toxic to dogs.
Read the ingredient panel for every ingredient you want to include in a recipe, using natural and organic ingredients whenever possible. Do not use any artificial ingredients.
To find a list of additional ingredients to avoid, see aspca.org which list substances poisonous to dogs.
SAVORY TURKEY AND CRANBERRY DOG TREATS
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 cups The Honest Kitchen Keen™ dehydrated dog food
- 2 cups warm filtered water
- 1 cup raw ground turkey
- ½ cup grated cheddar cheese
- ½ cup cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
- ¼ cup frozen or fresh green beans finely chopped or peas
- ¼ cup dried cranberries (unsweetened) Do NOT use raisins. Raisins and grapes are toxic to dogs.
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix the Keen™ with the hot water and stir thoroughly. Set aside to re-hydrate.
- In another bowl, combine all the remaining ingredients. Then add the Keen™.
- Use two teaspoons (or your hands) to shape marble-sized dollops (1 or ½-inch) and place them on a greased baking sheet.
- Bake for 20 minutes until the treats are slightly crisp on the outside. Check them carefully.
- Turn off the oven leaving the treats inside for two hours.
- This will enable them to dry out and become crispier.
- Serve when they are thoroughly cooled, and store in the fridge for up to a week.
Note: In the recipe for Savory Turkey and Cranberry Treats, Barb uses a product called The Honest Kitchen. The Honest Kitchen is a complete human-grade dehydrated food made in a human certified facility that is a complete food for dogs. The ingredient list will be below the recipe.
