These Homemade Treats are Fine and They’ll Love You for Them

By Colleen Cottrell

They love them as much as we do. Those little goodies whether homemade or store-bought. But they come with caution. NOT TOO MANY OR TOO OFTEN.

As it turns out, in America our pet population, especially our dogs, are sadly suffering from obesity as frequently as we are. Generally, from the same causes, over-eating, and too little exercise. And it’s causing the same results. An increase in numerous health problems and a reduced life span. Several websites including www.vcahospitals.com; www. akc.com; wwwwagwalking.com among others all address this increasing problem. It’s estimated that between 25% or more of dogs under 5 years old and 45%-56%

Recipe No. 1

Apple & Carrot Dumplings (Pg. 28)

Makes about 40 dumplings

Calories: approx: 34 per dumpling

1 apple

1 carrot

5 oz (150 g) spelt flour

5 oz (150 g) coarse-rolled oats

2 eggs

3 tablespoon molasses water and flour as required older are seriously overweight. Among the more serious health consequences are heart disease, increased rates of cancer, diabetes, hypertension, liver, and kidney diseases with urinary tract infections, and osteoarthritis, with disc and joint disease. Heat intolerance and increased risk of complications from anesthesia.

Finely grate the apple and carrot, then mix them with the other ingredients to make an easily shaped dough. If necessary, add a little extra water or flour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with baking parchment.

Use 2 teaspoons to shape the mixture into little dumplings and place the dumplings on the baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, then turn off the heat and let the dumplings dry in the oven. Store in a paper or linen bag. The dumplings will keep for about 3 weeks.

It can decrease a dog’s life span by years.

Clinically, obesity is described as an accumulation of excess body fat. But how does a layperson determine that? Generally, body weight is an easier determinant. Check online for information, especially regarding your dog’s breed (if known) and its standards.

One site recommends feeding bits of fresh fruit or vegetables as snacks. You’ll

Recipe No. 2

Benji’s Rice Crackers (Pg. 32)

Makes about 35 crackers

Calories: approx: 33 each cracker

3 small zucchinis

11 oz (300 g) cooked short-grain rice

7 oz (200 g) soft cream cheese

1 egg

7 oz (200 g) whole wheat flour notice that in the recipes that follow, such items are included.

Finely grate the zucchini. Mix them with the rice, cream cheese and egg. Then gradually work in the flour.

Preheat the oven to 400-degree F (200 degrees C). Line a baking tray with baking parchment.

On a floured surface roll out the dough to about ¾ inch (2 cm) thick and cut it into 1 ½ inch (4 cm) squares. Place the squares on the baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes. Then turn off the heat and let the crackers dry out overnight in the oven. Store in a paper or linen bag. The crackers will keep for about 2 weeks.

* The use of nuts of any kind is considered controversial due to conflicting points of view on their healthfulness, as is the use of all-purpose flour. Bonnie’s cookies are the only recipe where all-purpose flour is listed as an ingredient in the printed recipe. Cooks should use their own discretion in preparation. Calories are estimates only based on ingredients listed as previously stated. No caloric content is provided in the cookbook.

So, treat your friend occasionally, but do so with caution, and don’t forget the importance of enough exercise as well. (A good plan for ourselves, too.)

The calories are mere “guesstimates” by the writer, based on calculating as best as could be determined the accumulated total for the raw ingredients divided by the number of portions suggested.

The following recipes were copied from

Recipe No. 3

Bobby’s Brownies (Pg. 48)

Makes about 30 brownies

Calories: approx: 66 per brownie

7 oz (200 g) wholewheat flour

7oz (200g) spelt flour

(3 ½ (100g) chopped walnuts) *

2 eggs

2 tablespoons. sunflower oil

2 tablespoons. molasses

½ sachet of dried yeast. (1 ½ to 2 tbsp. Active dry yeast).

Water and flour as required

In a food processor, mix all the ingredients to form a firm dough. If necessary, add a little extra flour or water. Shape the dough into a ball and let it rise I a warm spot for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 320 degrees F (160 degrees C). Line a shallow rectangular baking pan with baking parchment.

Spread the dough over the baking pan until about 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) thick. Bake for 35 minutes, then let it cool for 1 hour, still in the baking pan.

Turn out the baked cake, with the baking parchment, onto a board. Remove the baking parchment and cut the cake into dog bite-sized pieces. Store in a paper or linen bag.

The brownies will keep for about 4 weeks.

Baking for Your Dog by Ingeborg Ils with permission from Paragon Publishing Ltd, 4 Queen Street, Bath BA1HE, UK copyright 2009

Included in this book is a disclaimer that although all the recipes were carefully compiled with the advice of veterinary surgeons and tried on different dogs no liability is accepted (by them) for any negative consequences.

Furthermore, the writer has indicated by * where the recipe has ingredients where there is current conflicting information on the internet as to safety for dogs.

Recipe

Bonnie’s Banana Cookies (Pg. 24)

Makes about 30 cookies

Calories: approx: 53 per cookie

2 carrots

1 banana

7 oz (200 g) all-purpose (substitute wholewheat flour)*

3 ½ oz (100 g) fine-rolled oats

1 ½ oz (50 ml.) sunflower oil

Water as required

Grate the carrots finely and mash the banana with a fork. Mix to make a dough with the flour, rolled oats, and oil. Add water as required.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with baking parchment.

On a floured surface, roll out the dough to about ½ inch (1 cm) thick and cut squares about 1 ½ inches (4 cm) in size. Place these o the sheet and bake for 25 minutes.

Turn off the oven and let them cool overnight in the oven.

Store in a paper or linen bag. The cookies will keep for about 3 weeks.