Liver “Brownies”

• 2 lbs chicken livers
• 2 C corn meal
• 2 C wheat germ
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/2 tsp. granulated garlic (do not use garlic salt)
• 1/2 C dried parsley

Liquefy the chicken livers in a food processor, pour mixture into a bowl and add other ingredients. Mix until consistency of a brownie batter. Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet spread evenly, about 1/3 inch thick. Bake at 350 F for about 35 minutes. When brownies are cool, cut into squares, or whatever shapes you prefer and serve to your dog. Keep them in a ziplock bag in the refrigerator.

Buying dog treats in the store is a lot more convenient than making them yourself. But have you ever looked at the ingredients in commercial dog foods and treats?  Do you know where those ingredients actually come from?

As an example, let’s look at “meat by-products,” a common ingredient in many commercial dog foods and dog treats.  It is defined as the “non-rendered, clean parts, other than meat, derived from slaughtered mammals”. It can include, but is not limited to, lungs, spleen, kidneys, brain, livers, blood, bone, partially defatted low temperature fatty tissue, and stomachs and intestines freed of their contents. It does not include hair, horns, teeth and hoofs.  Not particularly appetizing, but it gets even better.

Pet food companies are not required to tell where they get their meat by-products.  They can be obtained from any source, so there is a question of quality.  Any animal can be used, including “4D animals,” which means dead, diseased, disabled, or dying prior to slaughter.  Animals euthanized at shelters can be (and are) used in pet foods and treats.  It can also include cancerous tissue, decomposing tissue, and pus.

Now that you know what a meat by-product is, would you really want to feed this to your beloved dog?  I don’t think you would.  This is why it’s a good habit to carefully research commercial products you buy for your dog and to take the time to gather dog treats and food recipes and them yourself.  Your dogs give you unconditional love and are an important part of your family. Show your love and gratitude by providing them with the best possible nutrition to ensure a healthy quality of life.

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3. Are Turkey Leftovers OK for Your Dog?

Choco-Dog Treats

3 cups whole wheat flour
2 1/2 cups oatmeal
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup powdered milk
1 TB brown sugar
2 ounces (1/4 cup) carob chips, melted
1 cup water
1/4 cup molasses
2 TB peanut oil
2 TB corn oil or margarine

In a large bowl, mix the first 4 ingredients until well-blended. Then add the carob chips, water, molasses, peanut oil and corn oil (or margarine) and mix until blended. The dough will be stiff. Roll it out to 1/2 inch thick and then cut into shapes. Prepare a cookie sheet with cooking spray and place shapes on it. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour. Recipe makes 2 – 3 dozen.

This next recipe probably won’t tempt you but your dog will be delighted. A warning: some people may not like preparing this because it calls for raw liver. If you can stomach the preparation, your dog will love you for it!

Cookie Bonz

1 pound beef liver
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups toasted wheat germ
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

Bring the liver and water to boil over high heat in a 2 quart suacepan. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until no longer pink in the center. Pour through a strainer over a bowl and reserve 1 cup of the liquid. Cut liver into 1 inch pieces. Put the liver in a blender or food processor and whirl. Add reserved liquid and and blend until it’s a smooth puree. Pour into a bowl and then stir in wheat germ and flour until well-moistened. Place dough onto a well-floured surface and roll out to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes using a bone-shaped cookie cutter. Place 1 1/2 inches apart on a greased baking sheet and bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until browned. Turn off the heat and leave in the oven at least 3 hours.

Refrigerate in airtight container up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze for longer storage. Recipe makes 7 large bons, or 11 medium bonz or 46 small bonz.

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Apple Cinnamon Bites

4 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
2 TB vegetable oil
1 tsp cinnamon
1 small apple, grated
1 1/3 cup water

Combine the first four ingredients together in a bowl. Then add the apple and water and mix until it starts clumping together. Put on a lightly-floured surface and knead well. Roll out to 1/4″ to 1/2″ thick and score (don’t cut through it completely) the dough horizontally and vertically with a straight edge to make 3/4 inch squares. Prepare a baking sheet with cooking spray and bake at 325 degrees for one hour. Let cool and then break into pieces. Recipe makes 1 1/2 pounds.

Cheezy Nuggets

1 1/2 cups hot water or meat broth
1 cup uncooked oatmeal
4 TB margarine
1/2 cup powdered milk
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
1 cup wheat germ
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup cornmeal

Pour hot water or broth over oatmeal and margarine. Let mixture stand for 5 minutes. Stir in next 4 ingredients. Add wheat germ and mix well. Add the flour 1/2 cup at a time and then knead 3 to 4 minutes. Add flour until the dough is stiff. Roll out the dough to 1/2″ thickness and cut into shapes. Prepare a baking sheet with cooking spray and bake nuggets in 300 degree oven for one hour. Turn off heat and leave in oven for another 1 1/2 hours. Let cool before giving to your dog.

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First, you should attend a match or trial without your dog to see if agility training is a sport that you would both enjoy doing. What looks like fun on TV may not appeal to you once you see it up close and in person. You also want to do this before investing in any equipment because it would be a shame to spend a lot of money on agility equipment only to realize that you or your dog just don’t like agility training.

Make sure your dog is healthy and fit before starting agility training with a trip to the Vet. Let them know what you are planning to do so the Vet can check the dog’s joints, gait and weight for any problems.

Once you’ve decided to start agility training, you’ve got to teach your dog the rules of the game. If your dog has already learned obedience, this might not seem that hard to do. The difference is that you want to use positive reinforcement when training a dog to do agility.

Many trainers use clickers to train their agility dogs because it’s fun and easy to do. Basically, the dog learns that if he does what his handler wants him to do, he’ll hear a click and then get a treat for responding correctly. If he doesn’t respond correctly, no click and no treat.

You don’t have to use a clicker to train your dog for agility. You can make another sound or a simple command like “Good Fido” instead when they do the required behavior. But if you do that, make sure you only use that phrase or noise when you are training. Otherwise, plan to have a treat handy so that you won’t disappoint your dog. A clicker is good to use because you’ll always and only use it when training.

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You might even save your Thanksgiving and other holiday leftovers to use as treats for your agility dog.

“Dogs’ nutritional needs are fairly similar to people’s,” says Jean Hofve, a recently retired holistic vet from Denver. “If you’re eating well-balanced, healthy, unprocessed food, your dog’s plate should look a lot like yours.”

Being able to trust what goes into your pet’s food is appealing. But before you scrape your plate of food into your dog’s bowl, consider this: a sudden switch from kibble to people food can make your dog very sick.

“Every Thanksgiving, we usually see five or six dogs come in with vomiting or diarrhea,” says Grant Nixon. “If you ate nothing but bread and water and then someone gave you a steak, it’d upset your stomach, too.” Nixon advises easing your dog into a home cooked regimen slowly.

If you’re going to share some of your cooking with your dog, whether it’s during the holidays or regular mealtimes, make sure it includes the right nutritional balance. It should give your dog appropriate amounts of protein, fat, fiber, and other nutrients with each meal.

Depending on who you ask, cooking for your dog either requires a degree in veterinary nutrition, or some healthy ingredients and a little common sense. Both Nixon and Hofve agree that, once you’ve figured out the right proportions and amounts, it’s not rocket science. “It’s kind of like cooking for another child,” says Nixon.

Experts advise basing meals around meat, with the rest split between vegetables and whole grains. Your vet or a veterinary nutritionist can offer further guidance, especially since a dog’s exact nutritional needs varies with age, size, breed, activity level, and special needs, such as allergies.

Is it worth the extra effort? For people uneasy about what goes into kibble and cans, the answer is yes. For others, a high-quality store brand with human-grade ingredients gives them peace of mind.

Or there’s the middle-of-the-road solution: high-quality dry food supplemented with a little meat, fish, vegetables, eggs, cheese, or whole grains from their own plates. And during the holidays, a nice slice of turkey.

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Reward your agility dog by making these healthy dog treat recipes during agility training instead of store bought treats. You’ll keep your dog healthy, save  money and make your dog perform better so they can get their paws on those tasty treats faster. These dog treat recipes are an easy way to get started making tasty dog treats from scratch.

Simple Doggie Biscuits

This recipe is for a standard dog biscuit. It’s fairly easy to make and the benefit of this type of treat is that you can store them in a jar on the counter for a few weeks.  Since these are heavy on the carbs, one or two treats a day will be enough for most breeds.

Ingredients

1. 1 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
2. 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
3. 1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
4. 1 cup powdered milk
5. 2/3 cup quick oats
6. 1/3 cup cornmeal
7. 2 teaspoons beef bouillon granules (you can find these in small jars in your grocery section.  They’re for flavor)
8. ½ cup shortening
9. 1 egg
10. 2/4 cup hot tap water

Directions:

Mix all dry ingredients into a large bowl, everything except the shortening, egg and water. Turn biscuits over and microwave at 50% power for an additional two minutes. Cut in 1/2 cup shortening. Mix in l large, lightly beaten egg  and 3/4 cup hot tap water. Knead the dough for 5 minutes on a lightly floured surface. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Roll out dough to ½ inch thickness. If you have dog bone shaped cookie cutters, use them to cut treats. Or shape into round cookie (depending on the size of your dog).  Place treats on a microwave-safe plate and microwave at 50% power for five minutes. Place biscuits on wire racks to cool and harden – one to two hours.  Store in an airtight container.

Liver Treats

This recipe is quick and easy and it gives your dog the protein they may be craving and provide the amino acids they need. Easy to store in your refrigerator or freezer.

Ingredients

1. 1 lb chicken livers
2. 1 cup flour
3. 1 cup corn meal
4. 1 tablespoon of garlic powder
5. 1 egg

Directions:

Place chicken livers and any meat juices with the chicken livers in a blender and blend until smooth.  Add egg and blend for another minute or two. Pour mixture into a large bowl and add dry ingredients. Combine.  Coat a jelly roll pan or large baking dish with cooking spray. Pour mixture into pan. Bake 15 minutes in 400-degree hot oven. Cut into small squares while still warm and allow to cool completely before giving to your dog.

Keep treats in your freezer to prevent spoilage.

Chicken and Honey Biscuits

This recipe is a little more complicated but it gives your dog some variety and it’s very tasty.

Ingredients:

1. 2 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast
2. 1/4 cup lukewarm water
3. 1 egg
4. 3/4 cup chicken broth
5. 1/4 cup honey
6. 3 cups whole-wheat flour
7. 1 cup cracked wheat

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add egg, broth, honey, and garlic and combine.  Blend in dry ingredients, flour and cracked wheat.  Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for 3 minutes or until smooth.  Shape the dough into a ball and roll to 1/4-inch thick.  Using bone-shaped cookie cutters or circle cookie cutters, cut out biscuits. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 45 minutes. Let cool overnight and store in an airtight container.

These three recipes make an abundance of delicious treats for your dog and you can make wonderful holiday gifts by packing them in beautiful, decorated, containers and giving them to friends and family with dogs. Get cooking today, your dog will love you for it.

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