Cooking with Canines

30 fun, unique, and healthy recipes for man's best friend!

By Michelle Day

Cover design by Chris Crawford

For Kitsune, the inspiration behind this book, and Cooking with Canines' official taste tester!

Also for Chris, for his continued support.  Thank you!

Copyright © 2012 by Michelle Day.

1st edition - September 20, 2012

All rights reserved worldwide.  Please do not replicate, redistribute, or give away any form of this work without the prior written consent of the author.

Amazon Kindle Edition

Cooking with Canines is also available in paperback through Amazon!

Disclaimer:  This book was designed to help dog owners create tasty, healthy, homemade treats for their pets.  The information in this book is meant to supplement, not replace, your dog's diet.  Cooking with Canines' author and affiliates assume no responsibility for any costs incurred due to advice, services, or products obtained due to the use of this book.  Each dog, like each human, is an individual with individual dietary requirements.  If you have any questions or concerns regarding your pet's health or diet, please consult your pet's veterinarian.

** If you have any comments, suggestions, questions, or would like to share any of your original recipes please feel free to contact the author at michelle@pawprintpetblog.com **

Table of Contents

Title

Table of Contents

Introduction

Choosing Healthy Treat Ingredients

Treat Smarts

Recipes:

Apple Snax

Ice Cream Coolers

Homemade Beef Jerky

Carrot Crunchers

Banana and Honey Cream Filling

Cheese Cake

Puppermints

PB Sandwiches

Frosted Cream Cheese Cookies

Meatballs for Mutts

Kit's Can't Cool Quick Enough Cookies

Peppermint Biscuits

Bacon and Liver Brownies

Sweet Potato Snackers

Cookies with Cream

Cheesy Chomps

Pumpkin Peanut Butter Spook Snacks

Thanksgiving Reheat Treats

St. Nick's Cinnamon Crumbs

Pupcakes

Sweet Strawberry Suprise

Apple Avalanche

Vegi-Balls

Banana Balls

Rice Patties

Burrito Bites

Taco Toy Filling

Pawesome PB Cookies

Bacon Bites

Yo-Gurts

Conclusion

Introduction

Dogs are loving, loyal, affectionate, and fun!  Dogs are our companions, confidants, friends, and family members.  Those of us who have enjoyed the pleasures of sharing our lives with a dog know that one of the fastest ways to our dog's hearts are through their stomachs!

With the wide array of dog treats available today, it can be hard to pick which brands to feed our furry friends.  Do you go for the treats with the best ingredients?  Maybe the ones with the best price?  Or perhaps the treats that your dog seems to enjoy the most?  Deciding what types of treats to feed your dog can be almost as important as deciding what food to feed them.  You know the old saying “you are what you eat”.  Well, the same holds true for dogs.  The foods we choose for our pets can go a long way towards supporting their continued health.  Of course treats are supposed to be extra enjoyable, but that doesn't mean they can't be healthy too!

There are many reasons why a dog guardian may want to consider taking up the mixing bowl and making homemade dog treats.  For one, homemade treats are usually considerably cheaper than store bought treats are.  However, a smaller price tag doesn't mean that homemade treats are lower in quality.  In fact, you can usually create healthier treats than the ones you can find in your local supermarket, for only a fraction of the cost, right in your own kitchen!

By making your dog's snacks yourself, you know without a doubt what ingredients you are feeding your furry friend.  This can be especially important for owners who have dogs with food sensitivities or allergies.  When you choose the ingredients yourself, you can be sure that you're not feeding your dog any potentially dangerous preservatives or ingredients.  Treats are supposed to be fun, after all, and you shouldn't have to spend time worrying about whether or not the treat you gave Fido is going to make him sick.

Making homemade dog treats is fun!  Cooking for pets offers a certain kind of freedom that's not always present when cooking for other humans.  As long as your dog's treats are edible, your dog is not going to care how they look.  There's a certain satisfaction in cooking for someone who you know is almost always going to appreciate your hard work, even if maybe the result is slightly less than perfect.  Knowing this can make it easier for even novice cooks to feel more comfortable experimenting and having fun in the kitchen.  So relax, kick back, and have fun!  Your dog is almost certain to love your treat creations, and even if for some reason he doesn't, he certainly won't criticize you for trying!

Choosing Healthy Treat Ingredients

The first step in creating tasty homemade treats for your dog is knowing what types of ingredients to use.  Remember that not every food that's safe for humans is good for dogs too.  Chocolate, and raisins, for example, may be excellent treat ingredients to include in human snacks, but both are toxic to dogs.  Before deciding what ingredients to try in your new dog treat creations, take into account your dog's individual needs.  For example, if your dog has food allergies than you would, of course, want to leave out any ingredient that he or she may react too.  A lot of dogs have trouble digesting certain types of foods, such as foods high in sugar and dairy products.  Know your dog.  If you know that your individual pup doesn't handle certain foods well, then either leave those ingredients out all-together or get creative and try to think of safe substitutes.  For example, applesauce can oftentimes be used as a healthier substitute for butter or oil.

If you don't know whether a certain ingredient is safe for dogs or not, it's always best to do some research before adding it to your treats.  If you are still unsure, avoid using that particular ingredient. It's better to be safe than sorry.  After-all, there are plenty of perfectly safe ingredients out there.  You shouldn't have to experiment with foods that may make your dog sick.  Making your own dog treats is supposed to be fun, there's no reason to cause undue worry by adding ingredients that you are not 100 percent comfortable with using.

Some ingredients to stay away from when making dog treats includes anything containing caffeine  (including chocolate),  alcohol, avocado, nutmeg, raw potatoes, mushrooms, uncooked yeast dough, rhubarb, the green parts of tomato plants (red tomato fruits are fine), grapes and raisins, nuts, excess sugar, artificial sweeteners (especially Xylitol), salt in excess, onions, garlic, chives, and any other foods that may be too hot or spicy for your dog.  This is not an all-inclusive list, so always be sure to do your own research if you are uncertain about the safety of specific ingredients.

That's enough about ingredients that are unsafe, how about we take a look at some ingredients that are not only safe and delicious for dogs, but that provide some health benefits as well.

·    Cinnamon: Cinnamon is safe for dogs, and can make a great treat ingredient.  Not only do many dogs enjoy the flavor, but cinnamon has many health benefits.  Cinnamon is sometimes used to cure stomach ailments such as nausea, diarrhea, and flatulence in humans.  It has been shown to improve brain function, and may also increase energy levels and improve circulation.  In dogs, cinnamon can act as an anti-inflammatory, which can be great for dogs with arthritis or other joint issues.  It is thought to be able to help lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and has an anti-fungal effect that may benefit dogs with yeast infections.

·    Yogurt: As long as your dog's stomach can handle this dairy product, yogurt can be a great addition to homemade dog treats.  Yogurt contains calcium and protein, and yogurt containing active live bacteria cultures can act as a pro-biotic and help improve gut function.

·    Peanut Butter: What dog doesn't love peanut butter?  Peanut butter is rich in vitamin B and niacin.  The vitamin E in peanut butter may help improve your dog's coat.  Peanut butter is also a good source of minerals and protein.

·    Oatmeal: Oatmeal is a good source of fiber, and oftentimes works well for dogs who may be allergic to other types of grains.

·    Fruits: Fruits are healthy for dogs for many of the same reasons they are for humans.  Many dogs actually really enjoy eating fruits.  Their natural sugars are usually much easier to digest than artificial sugars.  Using fruits in your treats can be a great way to make your dog a sweet treat without having to worry as much about the stomach issues that sometimes result from adding plain sugar.  Many types of fruits contain free radical fighting antioxidants that are just as beneficial to dogs as they are to humans.  Fruits can also contain fiber, vitamins, and minerals.  Common fruits enjoyed by dogs includes pumpkin, apples, banana, tomato (red fruits only), blueberries, strawberries, pears, mangos, pineapples, and peaches.  Remember, however, not to give your dog fruit seeds or pits.

·    Vegetables: Adding vegetables to treats can be a great way to add flavor and bulk without adding a lot of calories. Vegetables can be great for dogs who could use a bit more fiber in their diet.  Just like fruit, vegetables are nutrient dense and contain antioxidants.  Some common types of vegetables for dogs include green beans, carrots, celery, and sweet potatoes.  Keep in mind that dog's cannot fully digest raw plant material.  In order to get a higher benefit from eating plant ingredients such as vegetables and fruits, these foods should be cooked, or pureed, in order to help break down the plant's cell walls.

·    Honey: Honey is another good ingredient that can add some sweetness, but doesn't usually upset dogs' stomachs.  The sugar in honey can help give an extra energy boost and can be especially helpful for dogs who may be sick and not eating regular food, or suffering from low blood sugar.  Local honey is believed to be able to help dogs suffering from environmental allergies.

A special note to owners of dog's with food allergies:

Dealing with food allergies can be difficult, especially when your dog is allergic to ingredients that are found in most types of dog foods and treats.  The great thing about making your own treats is that you can always tweak recipes to fit your dog's needs.  If your dog is allergic to beef, for example, and a recipe calls for ground beef, you could use ground chicken or turkey instead.  The most common types of food allergies in dogs are grain allergies, however even those can be overcome.  For dogs on a grain free diet, you can substitute regular flour for potato, rye, or chickpea flour.  Some dogs who cannot tolerate wheat or white flour can handle other grains such as rice, oats, and rye flours.  The key to making treats for dogs, especially for dogs with allergies, is to take into account the needs of each individual dog and alter the recipe just for them!

Treat Smarts

It's important to remember that although dogs do love treats, it's important to feed them in moderation.  Dogs, like humans, can become overweight and suffer from many of the same associated health complications.  Ideally, treats should never make up the majority of your pet's diet.  No matter how healthy your pup's snacks may be, it's still important to make sure he receives healthy well-balanced meals.  Many experts suggest that treats should make up only around 10% of your dog's diet.

If you are working on training your dog, or know that for some reason you will be giving him or her a lot of treats that day, consider making smaller sized treats than you might normally make.  That way you can give your dog more of them without greatly increasing his amount of calories consumed for that day.  If, for some reason, you feel like you have really overdone the amount of treats one day, you can usually compensate a bit by feeding your furry friend a slightly smaller dinner.  Training and treating our dogs can be important, but keeping them healthy and trim is important too!

Homemade treats lack the preservatives that are normally present in store bought treats.  This is a good thing, as many types of commercially used preservatives are not very healthy for our pets.  However, it can make storage of homemade treats a bit more difficult.  In general, because they do not contain preservatives, homemade treats should be stored in the refrigerator.  Most treats, if kept in air tight containers inside the refrigerator, can be stored for anywhere between 2 weeks and 3 months without spoiling.  For longer term storage, most treats can be stored in the freezer for up to 8 months.  Always use your common sense before feeding a treat that's been stored for a long time.  If the treats look or smell off, it's probably best to throw them out and make a fresh batch.  Of course most homemade treats are so good that you won't need to worry about storing them for long if your dog has anything to say about it!

For extra mental stimulation for your dog, try involving him or her in the treat making process!  Dogs may be messy chefs, but all the interesting sights and smells of the kitchen can surely keep them entertained!  Just be careful to keep an eye on your pup and make sure he doesn't get too close to anything dangerous, such as the hot oven or electrical appliances.

You can try allowing your dog to sample some of your treat ingredients before you begin making them into treats.  See how your dog reacts to different smells and tastes.  Maybe your dog can help you decide if a certain recipe has enough peanut butter in it, or if it needs a little extra!  Like children, most dogs seem to enjoy sneaking a taste of cookie batter before the treats are baked.  If your dog enjoys the smell and taste of your treats before you cook them, chances are he will enjoy them after they are cooked as well!

Recipes:

Here are 30 healthy, original, and easy to make treat recipes to get you and your dog started in the kitchen!  Remember that any of these recipes can be altered to fit your dog's individual needs or tastes.  Enjoy!

Apple Snax

These healthy, sweet apple treats are a great fall snack!  They smell delicious baking in the oven, and contain healthy ingredients such as apples, cinnamon, and honey.  To make them even healthier, consider using organic apples and locally collected honey.  These treats may not look the prettiest, but your dog is sure to love them!

This recipe makes about 25 apple treats.

Ingredients:

· 1 medium apple

· 2 teaspoons cinnamon

· 1 teaspoon honey

· 1 cup flour, plus extra for cookie pan

· 1 cup oats

· 1 cup water

Directions:

1.  Preheat your oven to 350°F.

2. Peel and core the apple.  Chop it into very small chunks.

3. Mix the chopped apple pieces with 2 teaspoons of cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of honey, 1 cup of flour, 1 cup of oats, and 1 cup of water.  Resulting dough should be sticky.

4. Wet hands and roll dough into small bite-sized circles.  Place treats onto a lightly floured cookie pan.

5. Bake cookies at 350°F for about 35 minutes, depending on size, or until the tops of the treats begin to harden.

6. Make sure to let the treats fully cool before letting your furry friend taste them!  For best shelf life, store inside the refrigerator.

Ice Cream Coolers

These cool ice cream treats can be made in a conventional ice cream maker, or simply frozen inside ice cube trays.  Fun shaped trays make for more interesting looking treats, but your dog will love the taste of these treats so much that he won't care what they look like!  These are a simple, healthier alternative to commercially sold doggy ice creams.  When made in an ice cream maker, or small ice cube trays, these treats are perfect for putting inside a hollow dog toy.  The mixture can even be frozen directly inside hollow freezer safe dog toys!  This is a great treat for a hot summer day, especially when it's too hot to let your dogs play outside and you're looking for a fun and tasty way to keep them entertained.

This recipe makes about 2 1/2 cups of doggy ice cream.

Ingredients:

· 2 cups plain low fat yogurt

· 3 teaspoons honey

· 1 banana

Directions:

1.  Peel the banana.  Inside a small mixing bowl, use a fork to mash the banana.

2.  Mix the 3 teaspoons of honey and 2 cups of cold yogurt in with the mashed banana.

3.  If using an ice cream maker, follow the directions for your model of ice cream machine to freeze the mix into ice cream.  Alternatively, you can spoon the mixture into ice cube trays or hollow dog toys and put them in the freezer.

4.  Store the ice cream in your freezer until you're ready to give it to your pup!

Homemade Beef Jerky

What dog doesn't like beef jerky?  This recipe is simple, and because it contains very minimum ingredients it's perfect for dogs with allergies!  Although the name of this recipe is Homemade Beef Jerky, you don't necessarily have to use beef.  These directions can be used to dry almost any type of meat.  Pick your dog's favorite, or add some verity and make a few different flavors at once!  When made in small pieces, homemade jerky works great as a high value training treat.  Because it's healthy and very easy to make, you don't have to feel bad about treating your best friend!

Ingredients:

· Meat!  Any kind should work.  Steak, chicken breast, turkey breast, pork, duck, or even more exotic meats such as buffalo and emu should all work fine with this recipe.

Directions:

1.  The first step is to prepare the meat.  Cut the meat into whatever size treats you want to make for your dog.  Cutting the meat with the grain will make the treats chewier.  Remove as much fat from the meat as possible.  Pieces should be cut thin to reduce drying time.

2.  If using your oven: Set oven temperature to 250°F.  Lay out cut meat on a lightly greased cookie sheet.  Try not to overlap any of the pieces.  Bake them in the oven for approximately 2 hours, or until treats are dry and firm.  It's better to overcook the meat than to under cook it.

3.  If using a food dehydrator: Follow the directions for operating your specific dehydrator.  Meat should be placed inside the dehydrator trays without any of the pieces overlapping.  Dry the meat until it is hard and dry.  Again, it is better to over dry the meat than to under dry it.

4.  Allow the dried meat to cool before offering it to your dog!  These treats probably won't last too long if your dog has anything to say about it, but they can be stored in the refrigerator for short-term storage, or in the freezer for longer term storage.

Carrot Crunchers

These crunchy carrot treats are dog-gone delicious!  Carrots are naturally sweet, so most dogs really enjoy them.  When cooked for the full amount of time, these treats come out nice and crunchy.  For dogs who have trouble with crunchy treats, or just don't like them, you can cook these for less time to give them a softer texture.

This recipe makes about 40 carrot treats, depending on size.

Ingredients:

· 1 cup chopped or grated carrots

· ½ cup water

· 1 cup flour, plus extra for baking sheet

· 3 tablespoons cinnamon

Directions:

1.  Preheat your oven to 350°F.

2.  Grate or chop your carrots into fine pieces.

3.  Mix all ingredients together.  The resulting dough should be only slightly sticky and easy to knead.

4.  You can either roll out the dough and use cookie cutters to cut out shapes, or use your hands to roll the dough into balls.  The size of the cookies is up to you!  Place the uncooked dough onto a floured baking sheet.

5.  Bake at 350°F for approximately 30 minutes or until the cookies reach the desired texture.

6.  Allow the cookies to fully cool before allowing your dog to taste them!  Store in the refrigerator for optimal freshness.

Banana and Honey Cream Filling

This recipe was designed for using as a hollow toy filler.  There are many rubber dog toys on the market that have hollow centers designed for filling with food that dogs can lick out of the toy.  This is a great way to keep your pet occupied.  It's a toy and treat in one!  Most people fill hollow toys with things like peanut butter and yogurt.  This simple filling mix is a way to offer your dog some variety.  You can freeze this mixture inside a hollow toy to make it more difficult for your dog to get out of the toy.  This recipe can also be used to coat pills or mixed with liquid medications to help encourage picky pups to take their medicine!

This recipe should make enough filling for one medium to large hollow dog toy.

Ingredients:

· 1 teaspoon cream cheese

· ½ of a banana

· ½ teaspoon honey

Directions:

1.  In a small mixing bowl, use a fork to smash ½ of a fresh, ripe banana.

2.  Mix ½ of a teaspoon of honey and 1 teaspoon of cream cheese in with the mashed banana.

3.  If desired, put the mixture inside of a hollow toy and freeze until solid.

4.  This recipe can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer if any is left over.

Cheese Cake

Everyone loves Cheese Cake, even dogs!  This Cheese Cake recipe for dogs may not be as unhealthy as human cheese cake is, but that doesn't mean your dog will like it any less!  Your pooch is sure to love the crispy outer crust, and he will probably love the cheese filling inside even more.  If your dog needs to take some kind of medication or it's time for his monthly heart worm medication, slip his pill inside a piece of Cheese Cake and it's sure to go unnoticed.

This recipe makes about 20 Cheese Cake balls.

Ingredients:

For the Crust:

· ½ cup water

· 1 ½ cup flour, plus extra for table and cookie sheet

For the Cheese Filling:

· 3 teaspoons cream cheese

· 1 tablespoon honey

Directions:

1.  Preheat your oven to 350°F.

2.  To make the cheese filling, mix together 3 teaspoons of cream cheese and 1 tablespoon of honey.  Set aside.

3.  To make the outer crust, mix together ½ a cup of water and 1 ½ cups of flour.

4.  Knead the dough.  Flour your work area to prevent sticking and roll out the kneaded dough to form a thin sheet.

5.  Use a 3 inch diameter round cookie cutter to cut out round sections of dough.  If you don't have an appropriate cookie cutter, you can use the rim of a cup to cut the dough.

6.  Place a small amount of the cream cheese mixture into the middle of each section of dough.

7.  Carefully seal the edges of the dough, fully enclosing the cream cheese mixture inside.

8.  Place the Cheese Cake balls onto a lightly floured cookie sheet.  Bake at 350°F for around 25 minutes or until the outside crust is crispy.  Cream cheese may leak out the tops of the treats if the dough was not fully sealed.

9.  Make extra sure that these treats are fully cooled before giving them to your dog.  The cream cheese filling gets very hot when the treats are baking, and may cool at a slower rate than the crust.  Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator, or in the freezer for longer storage.

Puppermints

Dogs really enjoy these treats, and they serve the dual purpose of freshening your pet's breath!  We love our dogs, but lets face it - sometimes their breath is less than pleasant!  These treats contain fresh mint leaves and dried parsley.  Fresh mint helps to freshen your pet's breath, and can also help improve digestion.  Many dogs seem to enjoy the taste of parsley.  It helps freshen the breath, and has many other health benefits, such as improving digestion, eliminating toxins from the body, and promoting liver and kidney health.  Your dog will love these treats so much, he just might want to kiss you!  But don't worry, after eating a Puppermint your dog's breath will be minty fresh!

Puppermint recipe makes about 30 mint treats, depending on size.

Ingredients:

· 1 cup loosely packed chopped mint leaves

· 4 teaspoons dried parsley

· 2 eggs

· 3 cups flour, plus extra for work space and baking sheet

· ½ cups water

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350°F.

2.  Wash fresh mint leaves and chop them into fine pieces.

3.  Mix 1 cup of loosely packed chopped mint leaves with 4 teaspoons of dried parsley, 2 eggs, 3 cups of flour, and ½ cup of water.

4.  Knead dough. Lightly flour your work space and roll out dough into a thin flat sheet.

5.  Use a knife to cut dough into squares or rectangles, or use cookie cutters to shape dough. Cookies should be sized according to your dog's and your preferences.

6.  Place cookies on a lightly floured baking sheet.

7.  Optional: Lightly wet the top of each cookie and gently press a whole mint leaf against the dough.

8.  Bake Puppermints at 350°F for about 45 minutes or until treats are crispy.

9.  Allow treats to fully cool before offering them to your dog.  Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator or inside the freezer for longer storage.

PB Sandwiches

Ah, the peanut butter sandwich.  It's pretty easy to figure out what the inspiration of this treat was.  It's easy to make, contains just a few simple ingredients, but looks (and tastes!) so good that it's sure to impress!

This recipe makes about 15 medium sized cookie sandwiches.

Ingredients:

· 2 eggs

· 2 ½ cups flour, plus extra for baking sheet

· ½ cup peanut butter, plus extra for inside sandwiches

· ½ cup water

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350°F.

2.  Combine all ingredients and knead to form a dough.

3.  Roll the dough out thin, then cut out shapes with cookie cutters, the rim of a cup, or by hand.  If you use more than one shape make sure to make at least two of each to combine into sandwiches.

4.  Place cookies on a lightly floured baking sheet and bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes or until desired texture is reached.

5.  Allow cookies to cool, then use a thin layer of peanut butter to join two cookies together to form a sandwich.  Store in the refrigerator.

Frosted Cream Cheese Cookies

These treats are a lot of fun to make for both children and children at heart!  Food coloring can be added to the simple cream cheese frosting to make them as colorful and unique as you wish.  These cookies can be made simply by cutting them into squares, or use cookie cutters to create fun shapes.  Great for dog themed bake sales, impressing your friends, or when you just want to create a dog cookie that's a bit more visually appealing than your average biscuit.

This recipe makes about 20 frosted cookies.

Ingredients:

· 2 ounces (¼ of a 8 ounce package) of cream cheese

· ½ cup water

· 1 egg

· 1 ½ cup flour, plus extra for workspace and baking sheet

· 1/2 cup corn meal, or use additional flour

· Extra cream cheese to frost cookies

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350°F.

2.  Mix together 2 ounces of cream cheese, ½ cup of water, 1 egg, 1 ½ cup of flour, and 1/2 cup corn meal (or use additional flour) to form a dough.

3.  Flour your workspace to prevent the dough from sticking.  Roll out dough in a thin, even consistency.  If dough is too sticky, work in additional flour or corn meal.  Use cookie cutters, the rim of a cup, or a knife to cut dough into the desired shapes. Place cut cookies onto a lightly floured cookie sheet.

4.  Bake at 350°F for about 25 minutes or until cookies are firm.  Allow to cool before frosting.

5.  Once cookies are cool, use plain or low fat cream cheese to frost the tops.  If desired, food coloring can be added to the cream cheese before decorating.  To keep the Cream Cheese Cookies fresh, store in an air tight container in your refrigerator or freezer.

Meatballs for Mutts

Does your dog drool on spaghetti night, wishing one (or all!) of your meatballs would roll off your plate and into his mouth?  With this recipe, you can make all your dog's meatball dreams come true!

This recipe makes about 35 mini meatballs.

Ingredients:

· ½ pound ground meat (beef, chicken, turkey, etc)

· 2 eggs

· 3 teaspoons bacon pieces (optional)

· ½ cup flour

Directions:

1.  Preheat your oven to 350°F.

2.  Mix all ingredients together in mixing bowl.

3.  Roll mixture into balls of desired size.

4.  Bake meatballs at 350°F for about an hour, or until the treats are hard and crispy.

5.  Let your dog enjoy!  Store any remaining treats in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer.

Kit's Can't Cool Quick Enough Cookies

These cookies are simple and easy to make, and dogs love them!  These very basic biscuits can be easily customized with your dogs favorite flavors for a unique taste made especially for your best friend!  Try replacing the vanilla extract used in this recipe with other flavors such as peanut butter or cheese.  Don't be afraid to experiment to figure out what your dog likes best.  You might not create the perfect cookie on your first try, but your dog shouldn't mind being your official taste tester!

This recipe makes about 30 cookies, depending on size.

Ingredients:

· ¾ cup water

· 2 eggs

· 3 cups flour, plus extra for workspace and baking sheet

· 3 teaspoons alcohol free vanilla extract

Directions:

1.  Preheat your oven to 350°F.

2.  In a mixing bowl, whisk together ¾ cup water and 2 eggs until eggs are fully blended.

3.  Mix in flour and vanilla extract, replacing the vanilla extract with other flavors if desired.

4.  Lightly flour your workspace.  Use a roller to roll out the cookie dough.

5.  Use cookie cutters, a knife, or the rim of a cup to cut out your cookies.

6.  Place cookies on a lightly floured cookie sheet.

7.  Bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes or until cookies reach the desired texture.

8.  Let cool and let your dog enjoy!  For optimal storage, keep cookies in the refrigerator or freezer.

Peppermint Biscuits

These biscuits are an alternative form of the previous recipe, Kit's Can't Cool Quick Enough Cookies.  Instead of using vanilla to flavor the cookies, this recipe calls for fresh peppermint.  Most dogs enjoy the flavor of peppermint in moderation.  These cookies have just enough peppermint to not be overpoweringly minty, but enough that they will make your dog's breath smell great!  These are the perfect holiday cookies to make for your pooch when you want your dog to be able to enjoy a taste of the holidays, but don't have a lot of extra time to spend in the kitchen.

This recipe makes about 30 cookies, depending on size.

Ingredients:

· ¾ cup water

· 2 eggs

· 3 1/2 cups flour, plus extra for work space and baking sheet

· 2 tablespoons chopped fresh peppermint leaves

Directions:

1.  Preheat your oven to 350°F.

2.  In a mixing bowl, whisk together ¾ cup water and 2 eggs until eggs are fully blended.

3.  Mix flour and peppermint leaves into the egg and water mixture and knead to form a dough.

4.  Lightly flour your workspace and roll out dough into desired thickness.

5.  Use cookie cutters, a knife, or the rim of a cup to cut cookies into the desired shape and then place cut cookies onto a lightly floured cookie sheet.  If your feeling extra creative, you can turn these biscuits into fun Christmas themed snacks by using food coloring to dye half the dough and twisting pieces of dyed and undyed dough around each other to form a candy cane shape.

6.  Bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes or until cookies reach the desired texture.

7.  Let cool and enjoy!  For optimal freshness, store cookies inside the refrigerator or freezer.

Bacon and Liver Brownies

Everyone knows that dogs, unfortunately, can't enjoy regular brownies.  Luckily for them, now there's Bacon and Liver Brownies!  This recipe is made with bacon and fresh liver.  Any type of liver will work.  You can cut these treats into small pieces to use as high value training treats, or leave them in larger pieces to give your dog a tasty snack.

This recipe makes approximately 20 servings.

Ingredients:

· 2 slices of raw bacon

· 3/4 cups of pured liver

· 2 eggs

· ½ cup water

· 1 cup flour

· Oil for greasing pan

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350°F.

2.  Cut your liver into small pieces and use a food processor to puree it.  If you don't have a food processor, you can instead chop the liver into very small pieces.  Puree or chop two slices of raw bacon (optional) and mix it in with the liver.

3.  Mix pureed liver, bacon, eggs, water, and flour in a mixing bowl.  The resulting mixture will be liquidy.

4.  Use a small amount of oil to grease the bottom of a small (7X11) brownie pan.

5.  Pour mixture into your brownie pan and spread evenly throughout the pan.

6.  Bake at 350°F for 30 - 35 minutes or until firm.

7.  Let cool, cut brownies into desired sizes and store in an air tight container in the refrigerator or freezer.

Sweet Potato Snackers

Commercially available versions of these treats have been pretty popular lately.  Why buy them from the store when you can make them in your own kitchen?  Sweet potatoes, as their name applies, are naturally sweet vegetables.  Most dogs enjoy them, and they provide the added benefit of helping to clean your dog's teeth!  These chews are an excellent alternative to rawhide.

This recipe makes about 20 sweet potato chews, depending on size of sweet potatoes used and how they are cut.

Ingredients:

· 1 large sweet potato

Directions:

1.  Prepare your food dehydrator according to directions included with your dehydrator.  If using a conventional oven, preheat oven to 250°F.

2.  Wash and dry your sweet potato.

3.  Carefully cut the sweet potato into evenly sliced pieces.  Ensuring that each piece is uniform in thickness will improve the drying process.  Slices should be on the thin side, as thick slices would take much longer to completely dry.

4.  If using a conventional oven, place slices of sweet potato onto a cookie sheet and bake at 250°F for about 3 hours, or until potato slices are dry.  Bake slightly longer, about 3 ½ hours for crunchier treats.

5.  If using a food dehydrator, follow the instructions included with your dehydrator.  Place sweet potato onto dehydrator racks without overlapping pieces, and dehydrate until fully dry.

6.  Allow to cool fully before offering to your dog.  These treats, especially when cooked in the oven, may continue to dry and become crispier for a short time after they are removed from the oven/dehydrator.  Store in an air tight container.  If fully dried properly, these treats should last a long time even without refrigeration.

Cookies with Cream

Cookies with Cream are simple biscuit treats that are made with, as the name suggests, milk.  Despite the simple ingredients, the milk in this recipe gives the treats a unique flavor that most dogs won't refuse!

This recipe makes around 20 cookies, depending on size.

Ingredients:

· 3 cups flour, plus extra for workspace and cookie sheet

· 1 egg

· 1 cup evaporated milk

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350°F.

2.  In a mixing bowl, combine flour, egg, and milk.  Mix to form a dough.

3.  Flour your workspace to prevent sticking, and roll out the cookie dough.

4.  Use a cookie cutter, knife, or the rim of a cup to cut cookies out of the rolled out dough.  Place cut out cookies onto a lightly floured cookie sheet.  If you have any extra evaporated milk, you can use a brush or your fingers to lightly brush a small amount of milk onto the top of the cookies.

5.  Bake the cookies at 350°F for 30 minutes or until they turn a light golden brown color.

6.  Let cool and let your dog enjoy!  For optimal freshness, store in the refrigerator.

Cheesy Chomps

Beware if you enjoy cheese crackers, because these treats are so tasty that you may not be able to resist giving them a try yourself!  Cut into small squares, these treats make perfect high value training treats.  Your dog will think you're finally giving in and are sharing your human snacks with him!

Cheesy Chomps recipe makes about 70 small cheesy crackers.

Ingredients:

· 1 ¼ cups flour

· ½ cup melted cheddar cheese

· 1 egg

Directions:

1.  Preheat your oven to 350°F.

2.  Start by melting about ½ cup of cheddar cheese either in your microwave or carefully in the oven or stove top.

3.  Before the cheese has a chance to re-harden, mix in 1 ¼ cups of flour and 1 egg.

4.  The mixture should form a cheesy dough that can be rolled out thin and cut into small squares.

5.  Bake the cheese squares at 350°F for about 15 minutes or until the treats are firm.

6.  Let cool fully before allowing your dog to taste test!  Because these treats contain cheese, it's important to store them inside the refrigerator.

Pumpkin Peanut Butter Spook Snacks

Fall, especially around Halloween, is usually a time of ample treats for humans.  Unfortunately for our dogs, many of the treats that humans enjoy are unhealthy or even dangerous for our furry friends.  With this recipe, you can make your dog his own Halloween themed treats!  The peanut butter and pumpkin combine to form a unique flavor that most dogs will love.  Pumpkin is a great fruit to use in dog treats.  It's high in fiber, and is also a source of Magnesium, Potassium, Phosphorus, and Vitamin E.

This recipe makes approximately 50 treats, depending on size.

Ingredients:

· 2 ½ cups flour

· 2 eggs

· 1 cup plain canned pumpkin

· 3 tablespoons peanut butter

· 1/3 cups water

Directions:

1.  Preheat your oven to 350°F.

2.  Mix ingredients together to form a dough.

3.  Wet your hands to prevent the dough from sticking, then shape dough into rounded treat sized balls and place them onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

4.  Bake the treats at 350°F for about 30 minutes for medium sized cookies, or until treats are golden brown and firm.

5.  Allow to cool, and let your dog enjoy!  Store cookies in an airtight container inside the refrigerator or freezer for optimal freshness.

Thanksgiving Reheat Treats

Thanksgiving Reheat Treats are grain free and made of ingredients similar to what you'd enjoy for Thanksgiving dinner.  They smell amazing while cooking, and are sure to tickle your dog's taste buds!

This recipe makes about 40 Reheat Treats, depending on size.

Ingredients:

· 8 ounces ground turkey (Any other type of ground meat would work as well.)

· 1 medium - large carrot, shredded

· 2 eggs

· 1 ½ cups plain mashed potatoes

Directions:

1.  Preheat your oven to 400°F.

2.  Mix all ingredients.  The amount of ground meat does not have to be exact.  If you don't want to measure it out, you can use an amount approximately the size of a can of tuna.  Mashed potatoes can be fresh or instant, but should be plain.

3.  Roll out the mixture into treat shaped balls, or shape as desired, and place onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

4.  Bake at 400°F for about 30 minutes, until desired texture is reached.  The longer you cook the treats for, the crispier they will be.  Because they contain meat, make sure to store these treats in the refrigerator, or the freezer for longer storage.

St. Nick's Cinnamon Crumbs

St. Nick's Cinnamon Crumbs not only make a great Christmas time treat for your own dogs, but they make great, healthy, budget friendly presents for any dog owners in your life.  The recipe can easily be doubled (or more!) and made in bulk if you're planning on giving some away.

This recipe makes about 45 treats, depending on size.

Ingredients:

· 2 cups flour

· 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

· ½ cup grated carrots

· 2 teaspoons honey

· 1 egg

· ¼ cup oats

· ½ cup water

Directions:

1.  Preheat your oven to 400°F.

2.  Mix all ingredients together to form a dough.

3.  Shape cookies into balls of desired size, based on the size of your dog.  Place cookies onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

4.  Bake at 400°F for about 30 minutes or until cookies reach desired texture.  Longer cook times will result in harder cookies.

4.  Let cool and let your dog enjoy!  Store in the refrigerator for optimal freshness.

Pupcakes

What better way to celebrate your dog's birthday than to make him his own personal birthday cupcake?  This recipe makes plenty of Pupcakes to share with your pooch's pals, or to make your dog's birthday celebration last for days and days!  This recipe can also be used to make a dog birthday cake, if you prefer a cake over cupcakes.

Pupcake recipe should make about 12 cupcakes.

Ingredients:

· 1 cup flour, plus extra for baking pans

· 1 cup grated or chopped skinless apple (1 apple should be enough)

· 1/3 cup honey

· 1 egg

· ¼ cup peanut butter

· ¼ cup water

· 1 teaspoon baking soda

· Low fat cream cheese to ice cupcakes

Directions:

1.  Preheat your oven to 350°F.

2.  Peel and grate or finely chop your apple.

3.  Mix the apple pieces with your flour, honey, egg, peanut butter, water, and baking soda.  Lightly flour the inside of a cupcake (or cake) mold.

4.  Fill each cupcake mold with cake mix.

5.  Bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes, or until the bottom and sides of the cupcakes turn golden brown and the tops feel firm.

6.  Once cool, you can ice cupcakes/cake with low fat cream cheese and decorate with carrot pieces and/or cinnamon.  If desired, cream cheese can be colored with food coloring.

7.  Enjoy!  Happy birthday to your dog!  Store any uneaten cupcakes inside the refrigerator.

Sweet Strawberry Suprise

These unique strawberry and cream treats are soft and sweet, making them irresistible to most dogs!  Their soft texture makes them perfect for older dogs or dogs who may have tooth or mouth pain.  The fresh strawberries used in this recipe are packed full of antioxidants, natural anti-inflammatory agents, Vitamin C, and even an enzyme that can help keep your dog's teeth clean!

This recipe makes about 45 treats, depending on size.

Ingredients:

· 6 medium sized fresh strawberries

· 1 cup finely packed mashed potatoes

· 3 teaspoons honey

· ½ cup milk

· 1 cup flour

· Olive oil to grease cookie sheet

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350°F.

2.  Wash and finely chop 6 medium sized fresh strawberries.

3.  Mix all ingredients to form a moist dough.  Mashed potatoes can be made from fresh potatoes or from instant potato mix.

4.  Use a small amount of olive oil to lightly grease your cookie sheet.

5.  Wet your hands to help prevent the dough from sticking to them.  Roll cookies into treat sized balls and place them on the greased baking sheet.

6.  Bake the cookies at 350°F for about 15 minutes, or slightly longer for larger cookies.  The treats should have a soft texture, but should not feel wet.

7.  Let cool and let your dog enjoy!  Store in the refrigerator for optimal freshness.

Apple Avalanche

Apple Avalanche is a dog treat based off of the classic human treat apple crisp.  The recipe is simple, but it smells delicious and contains fresh and healthy ingredients that not only taste good, but are good for your furry best friend!

The Apple Avalanche recipe makes approximately 20 servings.

Ingredients:

· 1 cup plain apple sauce

· ½ cup grated or finely chopped carrots

· 1 cup oats

· 2 teaspoons cinnamon

· Olive oil for greasing pan

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350°F.

2.  Mix all ingredients together.

3.  Use olive oil to lightly oil a small 7''X11'' baking pan.

4.  Put the mixture into the greased baking pan, using a spoon or fork to gently flatten the mixture inside the pan.

5.  Bake the Apple Avalanche at 350°F for approximately 45 minutes or until crispy.  The resulting treat, much like regular apple crisp, will be a bit flaky.  Give to your dog in small pieces, or use as a food topper to make your dog's dinner extra special!  Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for optimal freshness.

Vegi-Balls

Getting your dog to eat his or her veggies is easy with Vegi-Balls!  That's because Vegi-Balls contain vegetables, but your dog will just think it's a yummy treat!  Feel free to add more or different types of dog safe vegetables to this treat for even more healthy deliciousness!

This recipe makes about 30 Vegi-Balls, depending on size.

Ingredients:

· 1 15 ounce can tomato sauce

· 3 stalks celery

· 3 cups flour

Directions:

1.  Preheat your oven to 350°F.

2.  Thoroughly wash your celery stalks, then dice them into small pieces.

3.  Mix your diced celery pieces with 3 cups flour and a 15 ounce can of plain tomato sauce.

4.  Wet your hands, then roll the mixture into treat sized balls.  Place the treats on an ungreased cookie sheet.

5.  Bake the treats at 350°F for about 30 minutes, longer for larger sized treats.

6.  Let cool and let your dog enjoy!  Store the treats in the refrigerator for optimal freshness.

Banana Balls

These treats may not have the most refined name, and they are not the prettiest dog treats in the world, but it's the taste that matters most.  Bananas are naturally sweet, and are a good source of potassium.  These treats consist of a doughy crust encasing a banana inside!  If your dog takes any medications, you can easily slip his pills into the center of these treats to make taking them a lot easier on both of you!

This recipe makes about 20 banana treats.

Ingredients:

· 2 bananas

· ½ cup oats

· 1 cup milk

· 2 ¼ cups flour, plus extra for workspace and baking sheet

Directions:

1.  Preheat your oven to 350°F.

2.  Peel and mash 1 banana.  Peel and cut the other into slices and set aside.

3.  Mix your mashed banana with ½ cup uncooked oats, 1 cup milk, and 2 ¼ cups flour to form a sticky dough.

4.  Flour your table or countertop so the dough does not stick, then use a rolling pin or cup to roll the dough out thin.  Use a circular cookie cutter or the rim of a cup to cut the dough into circular pieces.

5.  Place a banana slice into the center of each piece of dough.  Then fold the edges of the dough up over the banana, completely encasing it as best as possible.

6.  Place the treats onto a lightly floured baking sheet and bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes or until the outsides of the treats become firm.

7.  Make sure treats cool completely before offering them to your dog.  The centers of the treats may take longer to cool than the outsides.  Because these treats contain fruit, store them in the refrigerator.

Rice Patties

Rice is a simple ingredient that many dogs enjoy.  This recipe takes your basic white rice and turns it into a delicious snack that your dog will love!  Make these treats any size you'd like, depending on your and your dog's preferences.  You can also change the baking times to alter the texture of the treat.

This recipe makes about 30 Rice Patties, depending on size.

Ingredients:

· 2 cups cooked rice

· ½ cup milk

· 2 teaspoons alcohol free vanilla extract

· 1 cup flour

· Olive oil for greasing cookie sheet

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F.

2.  Mix together 2 cups plain cooked rice (left over rice is fine, as long as it's plain), ½ a cup of milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 1 cup of flour.  The mixture should be sticky and moist.

3.  Use olive oil to lightly oil your cookie sheet.  Wet your hands to keep the dough from sticking, then form flat circles of dough.  Place the Rice Patties onto your greased baking sheet.

4.  Bake the treats at 400°F for 25 minutes or until the bottoms of the treats are golden brown.  Baking the treats for longer will create a crunchier treat.

5.  Let cool and give to your dog to enjoy!  Store any left overs inside the refrigerator or freezer.

Burrito Bites

If you or your family enjoys soft shell tacos or burritos, making your dog some Burrito Bites can be a great way to use up any leftover wraps before they go stale.  This recipe is very basic, but feel free to add any other dog safe left over taco supplies you may have.  For example, lettuce, tomatoes, and cooked ground meat or chicken (as long as it does not contain spices) can complete this snack and make your dog really feel like a part of the family on taco night!

This recipe makes about 10 Burrito Bites, depending on size.

Ingredients:

· 1 soft taco/burrito shell

· Canned refried beans

· Any other safe/healthy ingredients you think would compliment this recipe

Directions:

1.  Take your left over soft taco/burrito shell and lay it down flat.  Use a butter knife to spread a thin layer of refried beans over the shell.

2.  Layer any other ingredients you'd like to use on top of the refried beans.

3.  Roll the shell up around itself as tightly as you can.  The refried beans should help stick the roll together.

4.  Use a knife to cut the burrito roll into slices before letting your dog enjoy!  Store any left overs in the refrigerator.

Taco Toy Filling

This very simple, no bake treat takes almost no time to make, but when put inside a hollow toy will be sure to keep your dog busy.  Also works well as a dinner topper or for giving your dog liquid or pill medications.  Like the previous Burrito Bites recipe, feel free to be creative and customize this recipe with your own ingredients.

Without any other additions, this recipe makes enough filling to fill an average medium sized hollow dog toy.

Ingredients:

· 2 tablespoons refried beans

· ½ teaspoon of sour cream

· Any additional dog safe/healthy ingredients you would like

Directions:

1.  Simple!  Just mix all the ingredients together to form a paste.  Without the addition of any extra ingredients, this recipe should have a consistency similar to peanut butter, making it perfect for stuffing inside a hollow dog toy, coating a pill, mixing with liquid medication, or mixing with your dog's regular food to add some verity to his meal.

Pawesome PB Cookies

This recipe is for a simple, classic peanut butter cookie that is sure to impress!  Peanut butter is high in protein, Vitamin B, and coat enhancing Vitamin E.  Most importantly, dogs love it!

This recipe makes about 25 medium sized cookies.

Ingredients:

· ½ cup peanut butter

· ½ cup water

· 2 cups flour, plus extra for baking sheet

Directions:

1.  Preheat your oven to 350°F.

2.  Mix all ingredients together and knead to form an evenly mixed dough.  The resulting dough should not be sticky.

3.  Roll out the dough and use cookie cutters, a knife, or the rim of a cup to cut out cookies.  Place cookies onto a lightly floured baking sheet.

4.  Bake the peanut butter cookies at 350°F for 25 minutes.

5.  Let cool and give to your dog to enjoy!  Store in an air tight container for optimal freshness.

Bacon Bites

These soft treats are great for older dogs, ones who may have sensitive teeth, or dogs who just enjoy softer type treats.  They are made with real bacon, every dogs' dream come true!

This recipe makes about 20 Bacon Bites, depending on size.

Ingredients:

· ½ cup water

· 1 strip bacon

· 1 cup flour, plus extra for baking sheet

· 1 teaspoon maple syrup (or honey)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2.  Take a single strip of cooked bacon and break it up into small pieces.  You can use extra bacon in this recipe if desired.  Mix all the ingredients together to form a sticky dough.

3.  Lightly flour a baking sheet.  Wet your hands so the treat dough doesn't stick to them, and form small rounded bits of dough and place them on your floured baking sheet.

4.  Bake the treats at 400°F for about 20 minutes.

5.  Allow to fully cool before offering to your dog.  Store leftovers in an airtight container in your refrigerator or freezer.

Yo-Gurts

You can buy commercially sold yogurt treats for dogs and other types of pets, but why buy them when you can make them yourself?  These homemade yogurt treats contain minimal ingredients, because when it comes to pet treats sometimes less really is more!

This recipe makes approximately 40 Yo-Gurts, depending on size.

Ingredients:

· ½ cup yogurt

· 2 teaspoons honey

· 5 teaspoons flour, plus extra for baking sheet

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.

2.  Find a sandwich bag, plastic grocery bag, or any other type of clean plastic bag.  Double-check to make sure your bag doesn't have any holes in it.  Mix ½ cup yogurt, flour, and honey together by placing all ingredients inside the bag and gently kneading.

3.  Cover your baking sheet with a thick layer of flour.  The Yo-Gurts may spread out and flatten a bit as they heat up in the oven, but the flour should prevent the yogurt from melting too much or sticking to the bottom of your pan.  If your Yo-Gurts stick to your pan, or melt too much, it means you need to use a thicker layer of flour on your baking sheet.

4.  Carefully use scissors to cut one corner off the plastic bag containing your yogurt mixture.  Remove just the tip of one corner, the resulting hole doesn't need to be very large.

5.  Use the bag similar to how you would use a frosting dispenser.  Gently squeeze the bag to dispense drops of your yogurt mixture onto the floured baking sheet.

6.  Bake your treats at 350°F for approximately 15 - 25 minutes, depending on the size of your yogurt drops.  When finished, the tops of the treats should feel spongy, but not sticky or wet.  Cook times can vary depending on the type of yogurt used, the size of your yogurt drops, and the amount of flour on your baking sheet, so keep a close eye on these treats while they bake.

7.  Let your Yo-Gurts cool completely before removing them from the baking sheet.  Because these treats contain yogurt, but no preservatives, store them in an air tight container inside the refrigerator or freezer for optimal freshness.

Conclusion

Thank you for reading!  We hope that your dog(s) enjoy the included treat recipes and any of your own recipes that this book inspires you to create!  Making homemade treats for your dog is not only a healthier alternative, but it can be fun as well!  Spending time learning your dog's individual likes and dislikes, and favorite ingredients can be a great way to bond.  Don't be afraid to allow your dog to (safely) help you in the kitchen, even if it does make things a bit more messy.  Your dog will enjoy playing chef and treat taste tester, and will enjoy the quality time spent with you even more!