Here is a great idea for dog treats that are easy to make, high in fiber, all natural, and your dog will LOVE them! I started making these when my lab got a case of chronic diarrhea and they helped a lot.
In a large bowl, combine any of these ingredients (you don't need to use them all and you can be flexible with the amounts):
1 can of pumpkin (pure pumpkin, not the sugary filling)
1 can of yams or a cooked sweet potato (rinse the yams)
1 bag of boil-in-a-bag brown or white rice
1 can of chicken
1 cup of frozen or fresh blueberries
Mix together (I use my hands, it's messy but easy). Pack the mixture in spare ice cube trays and freeze until solid. If you use the ingredients exactly as above, using normal can sizes, it will fill about 2 trays. When frozen, just pop out and store in Ziploc bags.
Good even for most sensitive stomachs and a nice, cool treat for a hot summer day. I microwave one cube for my dogs and mix with their kibble in the AM. They absolutely LOVE them!
I'm a dog keeper and I should be aware of those harmful ingredients for my dog if I want quality homemade dog treats for my 3 dogs. I agree, as dog owners, we should stay informed by educating ourselves by visiting authority sites like ASPCA, though there are also great websites out there that provide informative articles on keeping our dogs healthy and happy. Good thing other sites do post free recipes using natural, healthy ingredients for our homemade dog treats. I like this website for dog related articles, recipes, and dog treats. They have tons of inspiring and informative articles, plus homemade recipes for our dogs!
I guess I would watch out for the sodium content if using cans also. I make homemade natural treats and although it would be easier most of the time to use some things, I just can't. NOT downing this poster, just an idea to watch for.
Large amounts of garlic can cause issues. However, one 1/2 of a medium clove of garlic every other day should not cause any problems for a dog. Cats tend to be a little more prone to garlic activated anemia as the garlic does not disperse through their systems as well as it does with dogs.
So I would say yes for giving dogs garlic and no for giving it to cats.
Homemade dog treats and meals from people foods are great, but it is important to keep in mind what foods are harmful to our pets before creating any of the treats over the 'net. There are tons out there, but the ASPCA has a list of foods to avoid, so you do not harm your beloved animals and can be printed for reference.
If you desire to make a recipe that includes a harmful ingredient, I would suggest substitution. After paying a lot of money for my pet, it doesn't make sense to create ill health and high medical expense when not necessary.
What really surprises me is that some vets will recommend certain ingredients that are harmful like garlic powder. It then becomes the decision of the owner who do you listen to, the vet who has had years of education and experience, the ASPCA or loving pet owners. Do the research first and then make up your mind.
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Request: Homemade Dog Treats
Archived on 01/28/2008
With the recent recalls of dog treats, many people are looking for recipes to make their own. Do you have any recipes to share?
RE: Homemade Dog Treats
Lots of home cooked recipes for animals on my blog and they are all free. Start here and work your way through the blog for some great recipes and ideas. http://flip195.wordpress.com/2007/04/14/
By flip195
RE: Homemade Dog Treats
When I took my first dog for training, the trainer gave me this recipe. Very small bites (use pizza cutter and separate after baking) motivate my dogs.
Mix:
2 1/2 cups wheat flour
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 cup bacon drippings
Add:
2 Tbsp. chicken broth
1 beaten egg
1/2 cup cold water
Roll and cut out (score with knife). Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes. Break into bites after cooled.
My siberian huskies were getting fat so i started giving them snacks of carrots and apples. Both of them like the apples, but only the female will eat a carrot. The male looks at me like I have got to be kidding. When I have time, I make them meatballs of ground turkey, rice, some bread crumbs, and mashed veggies. Then I cook them until they are pretty hard. They love them.
I have had problems in the past finding low sodium or salt free dog food for my aging doxies, so I started making my own. I usually use ground turkey mixed with some ground beef, browned and add cooked brown rice to make a nice mixture. Sometimes, I add mixed frozen vegetables and a package of brown gravy mix made to package directions. they love it. Check out this website too. http://www.i-love-dogs.com/dog-food-recipes.html
