Tips For Healthy Dog Treats

Here at Dog Treat Recipes, we love to bake for our furry babies!  We also understand that that’s not exactly true for everyone.  Healthy dog treats don’t have to be in the form of biscuits, cookies and bones.  Here’s some dog treat ideas that don’t require preheating your oven:

Yogurt & Cottage Cheese

Does your pooch love ice cream as much as mine does?  Too bad it’s not very good for them.  Give him or her some yogurt or cottage cheese instead!  It’s a great alternative that will make your dog just as happy as cleaning his ice cream bowl.

Pumpkin

Next time you open a can of pure pumpkin, give your pup some.  A word of caution, though, your dog will be begging for more!  Pumpkin is fantastic for dogs and loaded with fiber and vitamins.  Just make sure to use pure pumpkin and not pie filling that’s loaded with a lot of fat, sugar and spices.

Egg Whites

Keep some hardboiled eggs on hand and give your dog just the egg white as a treat from time to time.  They’re high in protein and tasty.  Make sure that’s it’s just the white, though, because those yolks have a ton of fat and calories.

Rice & Pasta

If you keep it plain, these 3 are great alternatives to high-calorie treats.  Most dogs would love to have a little rice or pasta mixed up with their food.  If your dog’s on a weight control diet, putting some rice into the mix is a great way to add bulk without adding fat and calories.

Popcorn

Provided your dog isn’t allergic to corn, unsalted, plain popcorn makes for a great treat.  And no baking!  You just need a microwave.

Veggies

Get your dog to eat his veggies!  Carrot sticks and green beans make wonderful dog biscuit alternatives.  All of the crunch, but none of the fat.

So the next time you’re thinking about grabbing for that box of fat-laden dog biscuits, consider giving your dog something a bit healthier to snack on.  Humans have an ongoing battle going with their weight.  Always keep in mind that obesity is a huge problem for dogs, too.

Hypoallergenic dog foods have been studied and created by companies that produce foods for dogs. The development has been done for years now and dog owners still do not know what this is about. They often wonder what these hypoallergenic dog foods can do for their pets. If you are one of those who wonder, then you have to know these kinds of foods are the best not only for your dog’s stomach, but if he is suffering from dog food allergies, as well. The ingredients in hypoallergenic dog food are natural and will truly benefit your dog’s system.

The digestive system of your dog is the one that does the crushing process. It crushes down the food that must be made of protein and matter from veggies. Then, your dog’s system can be at risk with the usual dog foods that are made of grains such as wheat and corn while in the wet groups are dairy and soy. This typical food can put your dog at risk causing him to have allergies. You must not wonder why your dog has hot spots, hair loss, or even vomiting if you give him these foods.

The hypoallergenic dog foods have ingredients that will fit to the natural digestive system of your dog. This kind of food is very different to the dog foods that are being bought in the usual stores. The corn, dairy, soy, and wheat are replaced by brown rice in the hypoallergenic foods. It is made of meat from venison, rabbit, duck, and salmon to produce the right kind of protein rather than get it from lamb or chicken.

You have to know that when we talk about hypoallergenic, natural, and organic, we are talking about different types of food. The three are very dissimilar to each other. You can buy a natural type of dog food that is not organic and it is the same way if you turn it around. The hypoallergenic dog foods focus on neither organic nor natural but rather in the diet that your dog must have.

Natural organic ingredients are the ones that make hypoallergenic dog foods. There will never be any artificial ingredients in it. The best thing that these hypoallergenic foods do is that it dispatches the allergy that your dog had from the food he eats.

Your dog can also have parasites besides the other problems that are listed above. You must always have your dog checked to see if his diet suits him well and if not, you must ask for your vet’s suggestion for his food. If you do this early on, things will be better for you and your best friend.

This is a guest post by fellow dog blogger, Gia Delaney.

If you want to learn more about dog bones and their benefits, you’ll want to read this article. We’ll cover the benefits of dog bones and how to pick the right dog bone for your dog. After reading this article you should have enough information to buy the right bone for your dog.

Benefits of Dog Bones

Dog bones provide a variety of benefits for any dog. Besides functioning as a toy, bones for dogs are important in several ways. First, a dog bone can really help satisfy your dog’s instinctual urge to chew. By having the right dog bones on hand, you can keep your dog from chewing on furniture and other expensive items. Second, dog bones provide dental benefits by scraping away plaque, controlling tartar, and stimulating the gums. Bones also can help a puppy’s teething pain. Third, bones for dogs really do help break up the day by providing an entertaining activity that can keep your dog stimulated. Older dogs in particular enjoy the entertainment benefits of chewing on a bone.

How to Choose the Right Bone

Different types of dog bones have different characteristics, and most dogs have a particular “chewing personality.”
For dogs who seem to consume bones instantly, you might want to consider nylon based dog bone, as they are nearly indistructable. There are also several long-lasting bones on the market that might be the best choice. Natural beef bones are also a good choice for dogs who need a bone that lasts a long time, and natural beef bones are also available unfilled or with different flavored fillings.

For dogs with a softer bite, a rawhide bone that will soften over time may be a good option. Rawhide dog bones are available in a huge variety of shapes – from sticks and rings to the traditional bone shape. Rawhide bones also come in different flavors. It’s a good idea to supervise your dog if they enjoy rawhide dog bones and remove any small pieces to reduce the very rare risk of choking and internal blockages.

Conclusion

It’s a good idea to have several dog bones on hand. They improve your dogs dental health, provide hours of entertainment and satisfy the urge to chew. There is a large variety of dog bones on the market, from long lasting nylon bones to softer rawhide dog bones. Why not try a few to see which type of dog bone is the one most favored by your four legged friend?

These are crunchy, healthy peanut butter dog biscuits that are sure to please even the most finicky of pooches.  And they’re easy, too!

Ingredients:

1 c. whole wheat flour

1 c. spelt flour (if you don’t have it, use wheat flour in its place)

1 c. quick-cooking rolled oats

2 TBSP flax seeds

1-1/4 c. warm water

1/4 c. natural peanut butter

Directions:

First, you need to preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Next, mix up the flour, oats and flax seeds in a large mixing bowl.

Add the peanut butter and stir in the water.

Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface.  You want to add in more flour, little by little, until the dough is no longer sticky.

Roll out the dough until it’s approximately 1/4″ thick.  Here’s where you get to use those hydrant and bone-shaped, small cookie cutters!  Or you can use your handy dandy pizza cutter to cut the dough into rectangles.

Bake for 20 minutes and then turn your oven off.  By allowing them to cool in the oven, you’ll get crunchy biscuits!

Makes 24 biscuits

I hope your pup enjoys them!
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