Homemade Dog Treats: A Way to Your Best Friend’s Heart

Most dog owners are opting for homemade dog treats because it is healthier, cheaper and safer. Processed food is unhealthy for individuals as well as dogs. The good thing about DIY dog treats is that you can control what to place into the mix; thus, this is more fitting for your dog’s dietary requirements. It is also more sumptuous and tastier. No dog can refuse a treat that just came out fresh from the oven. Making your own homemade dog treats is one of the most rewarding activities to do for any pet lover. Imagine your dog wagging its tail in anticipation as he or she smells your cooking.
A Word of Caution
Make sure that the homemade treats for your dog is nutritious and contains the right mix of ingredients for a wholesome snack. Also, avoid including ingredients or food that is dangerous to a dog’s health like chocolates, nuts, raw eggs and meat, too much sugar, pits from apples and plums, mushrooms, onions and the like.
Consult your veterinarian in regards to the dietary requirements of your dog. A complete meal should involve the right mix of ingredients. Also, make sure that your dog does not have any food allergies.
Make sure that you preserve your homemade dog treats in a container that is airtight and freeze them so they can last longer. Here are some of a few recipes that are easy to prepare.

Leftover Dog Mix
A flavorful DIY treats for dog may be made from leftover food. This is ideal for pet lovers who would want to take their dogs for a camp, a hike or some trail walking. This sumptuous meal can be packed and stored for at least a week’s time. Look for pieces of leftover meat, some potatoes, vegetables and some fruits. Next, cut the ingredients into bite sizes and moist it with light cooking spray. Then place the food into a dehydrator or heat in your oven to 200 degrees until it is dried. Now make sure to bring some water for your outdoor activity.
Healthy Pumpkin for Your Pumpkin
Pumpkins are full of beta-carotene, vitamin A and fiber as well as iron and potassium. This is a dog’s all in one food packed with vitamins. Mix mashed pumpkins, molasses, whole wheat flour, baking powder and baking soda, plus a little taste of sugar. Mix all the ingredients together until the dough softens. Make them into bite-sized balls and bake in a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees. It only takes 25 minutes to do the whole process.
Tuna Pops for the Canine
This is probably one of the healthiest dog treats by mixing a drained can of tuna with yoghurt and parsley. Mix everything and use a spoon to place them in ice tray cubes. Deep-freeze them to make it fresher.
Your Dog’s Taste Bud Feedback
Observe your dog during his meal and see his taste bud feedback. If he is gobbling it all up fast while wagging his tail, then your recipe is a success. By looking at your dog’s eating habits, you would know what to prepare, his favorites and the things that does not appeal to his appetite. Truly, food is a way to a dog’s heart. Love your dog. Feed him right.

Homemade Dog Food Recipes and Cooking Techniques

It’s been three years since I adopted Achilles—the sweet puppy that morphed into the happy dog that’s now part of my new family. Like anyone else who has never kept a dog before, feeding him, I must admit, wasn’t that easy at first. I kept feeding him on commercial brands of dog food, switching between brands in a desperate attempt to find a slap-up meal for my beloved pooch. But after a month or so, Achilles started developing serious rashes and rough patches on the skin, which I highly suspected was because of the food I gave him.

This made me switch on to organic dog treats. But as it turns out, going the organic way was way too expensive for my shallow pockets. For instance, I could spend not less than $15 to acquire a small bag of treats for him, all of which could be consumed in a day or two.

To save money, I had to try out a number of homemade dog food recipes. And since then, I must say, Achilles has never eaten anything else, other than what it’s in my home menu for him. And to end the long story, suffice it to say I’ve never seen him that happy and healthy. 

Having said that, here are some of my favorite homemade dog food recipes and cooking techniques that I discovered along the way, for you to read and try out: yourself 

Frozen Yogurt Pops

If your dog loves ice cubes, then consider preparing this treat for him. Usually, the treat is made from human grade ingredients—including carrots and fruit juice, all of which contribute to the vitamin boost of what you serve your dog. 

Ingredients

. – 6 Oz of non-fat, frozen yogurt

. – I cup of fruit juice—without sugar

. – Half cup minced carrot

Directions

. – Add the fruit juice, yogurt and minced carrots into a large-sized bowl, and then stir until all the ingredients are well-blended. . – Using a table spoon, drop the mixture into ice cube trays. . – Let the mixture freeze until solid. . – Once compacted, remove the treat from the tray, and then serve it to your dog or puppy.

Beef-and-vegetable balls If made to choose between meaty treats and sweat ones; most dogs will go the meaty way. Beef-and-vegetables balls are a good example of treats that are highly-irresistible for dogs.

 Ingredients

. – Two 6-ounce containers of organic beef-and-vegetable baby food

. – Whole-wheat flour (1 Cup)

. – Dry milk (2 cups)

. – Water (1 cup)

Directions

. – Preheat your oven to about 350 Fahrenheit degrees.

. – Using a large bowl, mix all the aforementioned ingredients.

. – Now drop the entire mixture onto a baking sheet using a large spoon.

. – Let it bake for about 12 to 15 minutes.

. – Let it cool before serving. 

Please note: you can still store the left-over balls into a fridge for up-to 5 days. 

Doggie Chili

Dogs require a huge amount of proteins to stay healthy and active. And since the vast majority of the proteins dogs get come from meat—and maybe beans, this recipe blends beans, chicken, and vegetables to ensure your dog has all the proteins he needs. 

Ingredients

. – 4 Chicken breasts

. – 1 cup of well-drained kidney beans

. – 1 cup of well-drained black beans

. – 1 Cup of diced-carrots

. – Tomato paste (Half cup)

. – Chicken broth (4 Cups)

Directions

. – Remove all the excess fat in the chicken breasts, and then have them diced into nickel-sized bits.

. – Now have the chicken breasts cooked in a non-stick skillet with medium heat until it’s no longer pink.

. – Add the chicken broth, beans, carrots, chicken, and tomato paste into a large pot, and let it cook with medium heat for about 10 minutes. 

. – Let the mixture cool and the serve.

. – The left over chilly can actually be stored up to 5 days.

 

Tips You should know Before Making Homemade Dog Treats

In training your pet, it is important to have treats which will encourage good behavior. It is not a must to buy dog treats as they can be made at home. Homemade dog treats are not as difficult to make as most people would think. The secret is making the treats something that is healthy for your dog and delicious enough to keep them looking forward to the treat. The good part of making the dog treats at home is that you will have the opportunity to choose the recipe and make the contents as flexible as possible. Some of the ingredients that can be included in making the treats can be beef, rice, chicken, and lamb.

Ingredients for making the dog treats

The ingredients part should not be taken lightly because they will determine just how helpful the treats will be to your pet. If you buy dog treats and take a look at the ingredients, you will notice that they are things that you can eat yourself. Using the ingredients list on the processed dog treats you can create your own DIY treats for your dog especially with ingredients such as whole grains, kelp, beans and meat products.

Calories used

Calories are important for dogs as they are for humans. This means that when you are making the treats for your dog at home, you should pay attention to the calories. It is important that when you make the treats, you control the amount of calories because too much can lead to weight issues. A lot of dogs are overweight and this greatly affects their activity throughout the day. Check the amount of calories in all the ingredients you use in making the treats.

Treat Texture

The texture of the dog treats is something that most people do not pay attention to. Is the treat you are making hard or soft? Harder treats are better for average dogs and are beneficial in cleaning the dog’s teeth. Puppies and older dogs might have a difficult time chewing through the hard treats and thus you should consider making softer treats for them.

Recipes

It is important to have different recipes using the healthy ingredients that you choose for the treats. The alteration of the recipes will give your dog a different taste and avoid monotony of flavors. As long as the ingredients are safe for your pet, you can mix a few to ensure that the dog has a wide range of options. Keep in mind that you need to monitor the amount of calories to avoid any weight issues which might compromise their health and limit their activity.

Personalize the Treats

All dogs are not the same in terms of nutritional needs. This is why you should find out the needs of your dogs in relation to their age, health, and size. The treats should therefore address all the nutritional needs of your pet without causing any health issues. Check with the vet to understand better what your dog needs nutritionally to stay healthy and active.

 

Dog Food Ingredients, Benefits And Concerns

The ingredients in your dog’s meal are very fundamental to its growth, health and activeness. Like humans, dogs need to have a balanced diet that contains all the nutrients needed for the survival of animals within their species. Most people never take interest in the specific ingredients contained in the dog food and simply assume the off-shelf products are safe. The law requires pet food manufacturers to list all the ingredients according to their weight on packages. There is however no breakdown of proportionalities and owners need to do this on their own. Fortunately, there are some common ingredients that can be found in almost every dog food and each has their own benefits as well as risks.

Some of the popular ingredients in dog food include:

Rice, Corn and Wheat
These are important ingredients added to dog food. They provide the energy needed for exercising, play and other outdoor activities. Dogs need to have a sufficient amount of energy to run and play around. These ingredients are used to make compact carbohydrates to ensure the energy level is sufficient for such activities. This also helps to encourage normal digestive functions instead of using fillers. However, dogs are canines and therefore have a low starch requirement.

Potatoes
Potatoes provide another essential source of carbohydrate for dogs. Their high caloric content, gluten-free properties and faster digestion ensures your dog has a constant supply of energy. Unfortunately, potatoes are only of self-effacing nutritional value besides their caloric content. Other benefits of potatoes include dietary fiber content and protein which is usually a dry residue left after the starchy part has been removed. This protein has a low biological value and should not substitute meat. The fiber helps in reducing caloric content and stabilizing blood sugar level.

Soy
This is one of the best sources of protein among humans and can also be used as dog food. As much as dogs need meat protein, it should not be their only option. Soy provides sufficient alternative once in a while. It is digested very fast and has a high caloric content. The protein is relatively light and allows quick repair on injuries.

Chicken
Hormone-free chicken is one of the best sources of protein, especially for puppies that are too young to digest tough meat tissues. Chicken contains all the essential proteins needed for production of body secretions and building of muscles. It also contains minerals such as iron, calcium and phosphorus, which are important for good health. Alternating chicken and lean red meat is the best way of keeping your dog’s protein requirement at sufficient levels.

Ethoxyquin
This is an additive used in dog food, although its use is surrounded by controversies. There were fears on the toxicity of this additive because it is also used in pesticides and high levels can harmful. There are small amounts of ethoxyquin in some poultries and fish which means it is not necessarily added during manufacturing. However, the FDA approved this additive as safe if used as stipulated.

It is important to review all ingredients in the dog food before feeding your pet. This includes checking for any causes of allergies and confirming with your veterinary on the safety of any new introduction.

Homemade Creative Dog Chew Toys

Pet owners know how expensive it can be to raise a dog, especially when all of their supplies, from toys to chews and foods are so expensive. But the good news is that there always a middle road and by investing some time you can save a lot of money on monthly pet supplies. In this article we will focus on some creative pet supplies, primarily chews that you can make at home, without spending hundreds of dollars on store-bought chews. Homemade versions of chews are cheap and health-friendly. 

Chewing and Dogs

Most dogs have a habit of chewing almost everything and anything that they can access. While some dogs will chew plastic bottles, other may be more inclined to stuffed and soft things. Since chewing plastics and other materials can be harmful for their health, here are some homemade fun chews that you can treat your dogs with.

Carrot and Sock Chew 

This is a quick and easy dog chew to make. All you need is a washed pair of socks, plump carrot cut into half and a ribbon to tie the ends. Simply put the carrot into the sock and tie the knot from the open end. You can also use the ribbon to secure the ends. Let your puppy play with it. Since dogs love to chew, they will be happy to chew this tasty treat that is not just healthy, but also environment friendly. 

Making a Bottle Dog Chew

An empty bottle can also be turned into a dog chew. All you need is to choose a bottle that is of appropriate size. Big bottle for larger dogs and small sized bottles for smaller dogs. Remove the lid, labels and rings from the bottle, then flatten it with your hands. Take any old denim pant or a piece of thick fabric to wrap the bottle. This makes a very cute/creative way to make a chew toy. This will definitely keep your dog occupied for a long time. 

Make a Tire Chew Toy for Strong Dogs

 Dogs with extremely big and strong jaws need chews that can stand up to a lot of abuse. Old tire is one of these chews that you can make at home and give your dog the required satisfaction. Tires chews are usually used by horse owners, but dogs need a bit smaller one than the real vehicle. For this, you can use a wheel barrel or some narrow tire available at any hardware store. 

It’s easy to tie a rope through a standard tire, and hang it freely from the tire. Make sure it reaches the dog’s head level. When the dog is used to playing with the tire, you should raise the height a bit. This will make it more fun for your dog. You should make sure the dog does not chew any pieces off the tire or ingests them. 

It’s a well known fact that dogs chew toys. Therefore, you should be prepared to get the toys torn to pieces. You need to plan accordingly. When you make your own dog toys, you don’t have to spend a lot of money. However, it’s still important that worn off toys are thrown away. Most importantly, you should make sure the dog uses his toys only under your supervision. 

 

Check Out the Latest Pet Supplies Recommended for Your Dog

Dogs just like human beings always need to be happy. This therefore implies that besides the basic needs you provide to your dog, there are various pet supplies that you can always recommend for your dog. The pet supplies are of different types hence you can always find on the best for your dog. Let your dog have a happy life just as you may be happy by buying some of these high quality pet supplies.

Dog leashes

Leashes are some of the special supplies that your dog will always require for a happy life. The leashes are used for training your dog to walk on and always used together with the collars. Some of the smart leashes that you should prefer are the standard leashes, martingale leads, adjustable leashes and retractable leashes. Many dogs always adapt very fast to the training hence you will always need some leashes around your house for the enjoyment of your dog. Find the best leashes today for your dog and you will always see the dog very happy and lively.

Dog collars

How do you find the best collar for your dog? Since all dogs should always have the best collars for them, you should use your current dog’s identification tags to select appropriate dog collar for your dog. Alternatively, you can use the microchips instead of the identification tags but only when the identification tags can’t be found. The collars that are also referred to as the harness are also used in hand with the leashes besides its main purpose of identification. The leashes and collars always maximizes the style of the leashes hence very important dog supplies. There are up to nine classy dog collars that you can always find for your dog. Some of these high quality collars include: metal prong collars, chain slip, martingale and everyday collars amongst others.

Dog kennels

Kennels are very important dog supplies that are used as part of housebreaking for your dog. The kennels or crates are also during traveling and also very essential for training your dog. Some of the available kennels that you can always find for your dog comprise of wire kennels and crates, exercise pens, dog house and plastic kennels and crates.

Dog beds

How comfortable is your dog? Let your dog have great comfort by providing it with one these high quality dog beds. Some of the available types include the nest dog beds, standard dog beds, orthopedic and do-nut dog beds. It is advisable to find each and every dog its bed but for the dogs that can share a bed makes it even much better as you can find them one bigger bed. An additional bed is always required in your dog’s room. By providing all your dogs with special beds, they will always find a place to nestle. 

Dog toys

To make your dog very active and stimulated then find it some classic dog toys. The toys enable many dogs cope up with certain activities and it will also reveal to you exactly what your dog can do in the wild. You can always find the toys that will enable your dog play the tug of war or fetch. Others also prefer squeaky loud toys.

The other important dog supplies that you should always provide your dog with include the dog bowls, dog grooming equipment and dog food amongst others.

Hearing from My Friend’s – Unexpected Moments with His Dog

The Poop Incident
Just like humans, pets also experience the call of nature. My mom and I are planning to go for a vacation. Expecting for a long drive, I have Kentucky prepared in terms of his physical situation. A few hours before we left home, I made sure that he already released all the toxic elements from his body. Fully geared with dog food and some of his favorite toys to chew, we went for the trip.
Both me and my mom are pet lovers, but we rarely bring our pets during long trips. It just so happens that no one will be left at home to attend to my dog for 3 days. Left without any choice, we decided to bring him with us. While the trip is running smoothly, we noticed that Kentucky is behaving a lot different. During the first hours, he kept barking and jumping at the back seat and then we noticed he is behaving very well. At first I thought he’s just tired, but as an annoying smell spread all over the car, I already knew what he did. Kentucky is an outdoor dog and he is not comfortable with cushions and other dog paraphernalia like we usually see in pet stores. From then on, I regretted not buying a dog car seat for him, which would also be useful in my mom’s end. After cleaning the mess that Kentucky made, we still went on with the trip, but of course, with two windows opened.

This incident made me realize that I am not that much of a good pet owner for not anticipating what my dog might do, and for not buying the things he needs. Instead of getting aggravated with what happened, it served as a life lesson which brought me and Kentucky closer together. Now, I spend more time checking out new pet accessories that will be beneficial for both me and my pet.

The Captain of the Ship
There was once an incident when my girlfriend and I had an argument on who should be keeping our savings passbook. We literally save money for our travel plans at the end of the year. Admitting that each of us has a shopping addiction, we pointed out several factors on why I or she should keep the savings with our voices both raging. Feeling tired of arguing with a person who never lets her flags down, I walked out. I felt bad because she doesn’t trust me with money at all, and I bet she feels the same way too. I know for a fact that the anger will subside eventually, but not as fast as a few hours.
The argument made me realize that I seldom get the control of things because of my girlfriend’s attitude, which actually lowers down my self-esteem. I felt so alone and I almost cried the whole night. Thanks to Kentucky, he went to the couch to sleep by my side. I assume he felt the need of comforting his boss, and that is his own way of supporting me. After a few minutes of talking to Kentucky like he would respond to anything I have said, he went grumpy which is a sign of hunger. Right at that moment, it came to my mind that I still have control to what’s going on around me. That is taking care of Kentucky. Choosing the right food to feed him and deciding what trick should be on the next dog training are just a few of my controls over him.

Sometimes, we tend to forget that we also have friends that are not humans. Pets are indeed adorable, but what we usually forget is that sometimes, they knew how to console people better than the people itself.

 

Useful Tips on House Training Your Dog

House training your dog is perhaps the most crucial stage in its development. Learning the basic etiquette of how to behave in and around the house, house training does not only create a proper discipline for your dog, but it also helps create a proper platform for further training. But being easier said than done, dog training can be a long and tedious process. And much like a child, your dog too can take quite a bit of time to develop basic house training skills. But once they learn, you never have to worry about cleaning up behind them ever again. So, to help you teach your dog the proper way to conduct themselves in and around the house, here are some useful dog training tricks to prevent your dog from housebreaking.

Observe Your Dog’s Behavior
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Like every human is different from each other, dogs too are individuals who vary greatly from each other. And to begin house training your dog, it is extremely important that you start observing your dog’s behavior. Although there are many professionals and experts who would advise you to jump directly into the process of house training, it is extremely important that you start small by observing your dogs behavior pattern. Note down the time that they pee and poop, and if possible try noting down how frequently you dog pee or poops. Because even though experts do believe that puppies pee or poop once every hour, there are those who go off almost twice or thrice every hour.

Start Training Early
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When it comes to house training a dog, It is always advisable for dog owners to start as early as possible. Preferably right from the time that you get them. It is always useful to remember that it’s never too early to start house training your dog, because professionals start training puppies as young at 2 weeks old. And if your dog is old and still not house trained, then it is never too late to start. Till the time you maintain a thorough discipline and don’t lose your patience, chances are that your dog will be house trained within a matter of weeks or months in a few rare cases.

Start Small
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When house training your dog, it is always important that you start small. One of the best ways to get your dog started on house training is by taking them out every couple of hours to the spot where you would like them to relieve themselves and bring them back in as soon as they are done. It is also advisable that you congratulate your dogs verbally every time they relieve themselves on that particular spot and bring them back in. It is quite important that you refrain from using food as positive reinforcements for doing their business in a prefixed spot because some dogs will try to pee frequently just to get a reward out of you.

Fix a Place Within The House
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While initial dog training, it is absolutely necessary that you fix a spot within the house for your dogs to do their business because it is not always possible to take your dog out every two hours, especially during the night. To fix a place for them to do their business in, it is advisable that you clean up behind them with a dirty cloth and place it at the location you would want them to do their business in. Dogs have some serious den instincts and slight older dogs (two – three months old) will pee and poop in only one location to keep their den clean. The cloth soaked in their pee helps them identify their business center and show there were to do their deeds. And it always helps them to point out their toilet area every now and then, because despite having the strongest nose in the world, it does take some time to develop and is pretty weak in puppies.

 

A Novel Recipe for a Dog Treat

Dog treats are one of the best ways to show your love for your pet. Here is a recipe for an appetizing new biscuit treat that you can make right at home. Thought the treat is vegetarian, it is a favorite among all kinds of dogs. These homemade dog biscuits are a sure way to enliven the life of your pet. These treats are used regularly in veterinaries so you don’t have to worry about the health and nutrition aspects. Just follow these simple instructions to make your very own dog treat:

Ingredients:

1. Whole Wheat Flour ( 2 Cups )
2. Rolled oats ( 1 cup )
3. Fresh parsley ( 2 tbsp )
4. Non fat Dry Milk ( 1/2 cup )
5. Salt
6. Eggs ( 2 )
7. Crunchy Peanut Butter (1 cup)
8. Cold water to make dough (2 cups)

Directions:

• The first step is preheating the oven to a good 300 F. Use a couple of baking sheets and line them with parchment. 
• Then mix the main ingredients like flour, oats, milk, salt and parsley.
• To this mixture, add the eggs and peanut butter. Stir this well and it will combine to give a crumbly, crunchy mixture.
• Now the entire dough needs to be brought together in a cohesive unit. For this purpose add the right quantity of water. Then mix everything together to give it a good texture.
• Use a dog bone cutter to make the biscuits in the right shape. Roll the dough to a quarter inch thickness and then use the cutter. Then get the scraps together, roll it again, and keep cutting till all the dough is utilized into making biscuits. 
• Now the next step is to get the dough into properly shaped cookies. Get ready with the baking sheets and drop the dough onto these. Of course, first it must be made into a ball like shape. After dropping to the baking sheet, flatten them to about a quarter of an inch.
• Then it is time to bake these biscuits. Keep them going for about 40 to 50 minutes. It really depends on the size of the cookies. Smaller ones should be baked for lesser time and larger ones for a greater amount of time.
• You will know when the baking is done because the biscuits will get a dark golden brown color. They will also be dry and crisp all the way.
• Then take the biscuits out from the oven and allow them to cool down on the pan itself. With this quantity of ingredients you can easily make about 40 large dog biscuits and 50 smaller ones.

This is a very simple recipe that can be used to whip up dog treats in no time at all. At the most, the entire process will take about one and a half hours. While your dog will love these dog biscuits, it is important to remember that this is only a treat and should not become a regular part of your pet’s diet. Don’t indulge your pet too much with these treats as it can become very detrimental to their health. Keep this mind and hope you have fun with this recipe. Happy cooking!