We have an accompanying piece this month on the top 5 treats to avoid feeding your pets, and I could hear you thinking “OK, smarty, what can I give Mr. Whiskers when I want to show him a little dietary love?” In that vein, I thought I would share with you some veterinary-approved tempting morsels that you can safely give your dogs as an every-once-in-a-while treat, or use as a training aid. Treats should only make up a small portion of their diet – the rest should either be a good-quality commercial food, or good-old home cookin’ like grandma used to make.
1. Carrots: This one is my favorite. Why give your pudgy pooch all the calories found in some of the commercial treats, when all they really want is the crunch? Dogs love to chew, and most dogs will eat a healthy, low-calorie carrot as readily as they will a crunchy store-bought one.
2. SENTRY Pur Luv: Your dog gives you pure love – why not give some back? Pur Luv treats are formulated from healthy ingredients and are low in calories, so you can feed them guilt-free. Great for training or for sitting watching Matlock, these treats get this vet’s seal of approval.
3. Make Them Yourself: Maybe you just ran out of carrots, maybe your dog just snapped up the last Pur Luv – now what? You can whip up a batch of healthy, crunchy treats right at home in minutes. You probably have all the ingredients in your kitchen right now:
Ingredients:
- 2 cups whole wheat flour (or wheat germ, rolled oats)
- 2 (4oz) jars of baby food – apple, chicken, sweet potato, beef – whatever your dog likes!
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Mix the flour and baby food to form a fairly stiff dough. Add more flour or water as needed to get the consistency you want.
- Roll out the dough until 1/4 inch thick. Use a can, knife or a cookie cutter to cut into desired shape or to make squares.
- Place treats about ½” apart on a cookie sheet.
- Bake for 20 – 25 minutes.
- Cool them before storing in a bag or jar (storing in an air-tight container will make them soft, a paper bag preserves the crunch dogs love).
No matter whether you go with the convenience of carrots, the delicious snap of Pur Luv delicious dog treats or the crunch of a home-made biscuit, your dog will love you for it, and if they could woof out a ‘thank you’ they would!