Healthy Homemade Treats for your Dog to Enjoy

“Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.” – Roger Caras

Dogs are the greatest, lighting up lives wherever they go. Sure, they can be a nuisance from time to time – chewing up your newly purchased throw pillows or gnawing on the base of your great grandfather’s antique, handmade rocking chair, but at the end of the day, there are only two reasons they would do such a thing. They’re either desperately seeking your attention (because after all, you’re their world), or they have too much energy and need to be exercised.

It’s not often a dog does something unforgivable. They’re difficult to stay angry at and they only have a brief time with us, and so we treat them like gold and we get worlds of love and loyalty in return. So how do we repay them for all their faithfulness, endless cuddles, dedication and unwavering love? With treats of course! The other immense love of a dog’s life is food. They will eat basically anything you give them, just so long as it’s tasty.

To ensure that your dog is in prime condition, it’s important to monitor what the little whippersnapper eats. Most of the doggy treats you can find in a supermarket aren’t very healthy and can affect your pup in a negative way. That’s why we feel it’s best to make your own dog treats. Here are two of our favourite, easy to make, healthy homemade treats for your dog to enjoy:

Leftovers Hiking mix

Don’t let last night’s leftovers go to waste! Repurpose them for your canine companion with this simple recipe. Perfect for when you and your dog go on outdoor adventures:

Ingredients

• Whichever pieces of meat – All meat that we consume is healthy for canines (make sure to rinse off any seasoning or sauce.)
• Potatoes or rice
• Vegetables
• Fruit excluding grapes and onions

Directions

• Cut all ingredients into ½ inch thick pieces
• Spray the all the leftovers lightly with cooking spray
• Place all ingredients on a non-stick tray and place in a food dehydrator or into a 90-degrees Celsius preheated oven. Keep a close eye on progress and wait for the leftovers to dry.

There you have it! A scrumptiously delicious, and very healthy snack that your doggy will go absolutely crazy for.

Pumpkin balls

This is an amazing snack that your dog will most definitely love and appreciate. This one is exceedingly healthy and rich in beneficial vitamins. This treat packed with the following:

• Fibre
• Vitamin A
• Beta-carotene
• Potassium
• Iron

Ingredients

• Half a cup of canned pumpkin
• 4 tablespoons of molasses
• 4 tablespoons of water
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 2 cups of whole wheat flour
• ¼ tablespoon of baking soda
• ¼ tablespoon of baking powder
• 1 tablespoon of cinnamon

Directions

• You’ll need to preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius
• You must then mix the pumpkin, molasses, vegetable oil, and water all together in a bowl
• Next step is to add the whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon to the mixture and make sure to stir continuously until the dough softens
• Once you’ve got the mixture to a thick but soft consistency, you’ll then need to scoop out small spoonful’s of dough and roll them into smallish balls within the palm of your hands – make sure to wet your hands before doing so, as this is the best way to go about it.
• Place the balls of dough onto a gently greased sheet pan and flatten them with a fork
• Bake these wonderous treats for about 25 minutes until they have hardened and are golden brown in colour.

Keep your Dog hydrated:

After all this eating and exercise, your dog is going to be one thirsty puppy! Make sure to keep him or her hydrated constantly! A dog’s water bowl should always be filled. Depending on the size and breed of your dog, they should be drinking between 55 to 110 millilitres per kilogram of their overall weight, per day. This is according to Cesar’s Way. This can be daunting for owner’s that are out at work all day. A lot of water can be lost throughout the day by evaporation or through the natural clumsiness of your little friend. That is why we came up with the TORUS bowl!

TORUS is a watering system, portable storage bowl and supplement dispenser in one! It can store up to 2L of water inside their reservoir walls, filtering the water as it automatically dispenses into the bowl for your pet to drink with no spillage. Every dog deserves one! Find out more here.