FOOD

You can't go wrong with giving your dog apple cider vinegar - inside or out! The easiest way to introduce it to your dog's regular diet is by adding a small amount to your dog's water bowl. As your dog becomes used to the taste, increase the amount gradually until you are adding about a teaspoon a day. Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) is good for arthritis, allergies, dry or itchy skin, correcting pH levels, eliminating tear stains around the eyes, fighting fleas and other pests, and others! *Note: always discuss with your dog's veterinarian before making any changes to your dog's diet*

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup honey (optional)

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

• 1 egg, beaten

• 2 apples, chopped, skins & cores removed

• 1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

• 1/2 cup wheat germ

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. In a medium bowl, mix all the wet ingredients, including the apples.

3. In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients.

4. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry mixture. Mix the batter very well.

5. Pour into a greased 9-inch square baking pan.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

7. Let cool in the pan before serving. 

Ingredients for pupcake:

• 1/4 cup all-natural peanut butter

• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

• 1/4 cup non-fat greek yogurt

• 1/2 cup carrots, finely shredded

• 1 egg

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour

• Honey to taste - optional

Ingredients for frosting:

• 1/2 cup peanut butter

• 1 cup non-fat greek yogurt

• 2 Tbsp honey - optional 

• Any bone or paw-shaped dog biscuit for garnishing

Instructions for pupcake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line the cupcake pan with liners. 

2. In a bowl, mix flour with baking soda and set aside. 

3. In a separate bowl, mix the peanut butter, apple sauce and yogurt until well combined. Add the egg, followed by the shredded carrots and mix well. 

4. With a spatula, combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix well until the batter is well formed. 

5. Divide the batter equally into 6 pupcakes. 

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted at the center of the pupcake comes out clean. 

7. Let rest in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.

Instructions for frosting:

1. Mix yogurt and peanut butter (and optional honey) until well combined. 

2. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with your choice of nuzzle and frost the pupcakes. If not using a piping bag, you can directly spread the frosting over the pupcakes. 

3. Top with your dog's favorite treat or biscuit!

The following human foods are toxic to dogs and should be avoided at all times:

• Alcohol

• Apple seeds

• Avocado

• Cocoa powder

• Caffeine (caffeinated food & beverages)

• Cherries

• Chocolate

• Garlic

• Grapes

• Macadamia Nuts

• Mushrooms

• Nutmeg

• Onions (including chives)

• Potato leaves and stems

• Raisins

• Rhubarb leaves

• Salt

• Stone fruit pits (Apricots, mangoes, etc)

• Tomato leaves and stems

• Xylitol (a sugar substitute)

• Yeast dough

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pumpkin puree (do not use pumpkin pie filling)

• 2 eggs

• 1/3 cup all-natural peanut butter (make sure there is no xylitol or other artificial sweeteners)

• 2 cups whole wheat or oat flour*

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a large baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, eggs, and peanut butter. Stir until completely combined.

3. Add in flour and stir just until combined.

4. Lightly flour a flat surface and roll out dough to one quarter inch, using flour as needed to keep dough from sticking.

5. Cut shapes out of dough and place on prepared baking sheet.

6. Bake for 20 to 40 minutes, depending on desired level of crunchiness.

7. Remove treats from oven and let cool on a cooling rack. 

Storage:

Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month in the refrigerator or 6 months in the freezer.

*A note on the flour: if you’d rather create a grain-free version, you can substitute the flours listed for bean flour (like chickpea flour/gram flour) or even buckwheat (which isn’t actually a grain and is gluten-free). Other options are quinoa flour, coconut flour, and even peanut flour — or a mixture of any of these!*

Ingredients for the biscuit:

• 2-1/2 cups whole wheat flour

• 1 large egg

• 1 cup all-natural peanut butter (make sure there is no xylitol or other artificial sweeteners)

• 1 cup water

• 2 Tbsp honey (optional)

Ingredients for the frosting:

• 2 Tbsp all-natural peanut butter (make sure there is no xylitol or other artificial sweeteners)

• 1 Tbsp honey (optional)

• 1/3 cup cornstarch (can also use potato starch or arrowroot powder)

• 3-4 Tbsp hot water

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a large baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour and egg. Add the peanut butter, water and honey, and stir until you have a stiff dough. The dough becomes very firm and sticky. You may need to use your hands, or the paddle attachment on your mixer. 

3. Lightly flour a flat surface and roll out dough to about half inch thick, using flour as needed to keep dough from sticking.

4. Using a cookie cutter, cut shapes out of dough and place on prepared baking sheet. The treats barely spread and rise so get creative with your shapes!

5. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown, depending on desired level of crunchiness. If you have smaller cookies, use less time, otherwise the bottom might burn. Once done, set aside to cool. 

6. To make the frosting, combine the peanut butter and honey in a microwavable bowl, and heat in the microwave in 15 second increments, stirring in between, until melted. 

7. Add the melted peanut butter mixture to the cornstarch and stir until just combined.

8. Slowly add in the water 1 tablespoon at a time until you have reached the consistency that you would like. For a thinner frosting, add more water.

9. Add the frosting to a piping bag and pipe designs on top of each dog treat.

10. Frost the treats with the peanut butter/honey mixture for an even more tempting cookie. 

Storage:

Store homemade peanut butter dog treats in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 months or in the freezer for up to 8 months.

*A note on the flour: if you’d rather create a grain-free version, you can substitute the flours listed for bean flour (like chickpea flour/gram flour) or even buckwheat (which isn’t actually a grain and is gluten-free). Other options are quinoa flour, coconut flour, and even peanut flour — or a mixture of any of these!*

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups flour

• 1 cup canned wild caught salmon, drained

• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted but not hot

• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (or pureed sweet potato)

• 4 eggs

Instructions:

1. Add all ingredients to food processor. Process until well blended and easily forms a ball. If it feels a bit too wet, add just a little more flour. 

2. Gently flatten the ball into a disc and place into an airtight container or wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. 

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line two (2) large baking sheets with parchment paper.  

4. Place the dough disc between two (2) pieces of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out until it is about 1/4 inch thick. 

5. Using desired cookie cutter shape(s), start cutting and transfer to the prepared baking sheets. You can use any leftover scrap to bake into little nuggets which are great for training treats!

6. Bake 18-20 minutes, until golden brown and hard. It is important that biscuits are completely dried out or they will go bad. 

7. Let cool completely and store in an airtight container. 

*Note: If they feel moist at all after baking, you may place them in a single layer on an oven-safe cooling rack and bake at 200 degrees F for 10-20 minutes, or until dry and crispy*

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

• 2-1/2 cups unbleached white flour

• 1 cup cooked sweet potato, mashed (plain)

• 2 eggs

• 1/2 cup unsalted walnuts, chopped (or peanuts; optional)

• 1/2 cup water

• 1/4 cup honey (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients.

3. Knead the dough on a floured surface.

4. Roll out the dough to half an inch thick, and cut out shapes with a cookie cutter. 

5. Place the cookies on a baking sheet, about half an inch apart. 

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. When done, the cookies should be firm to the touch. 

7. Turn the oven off, and leave the cookies in the oven for another 1-2 hours to harden. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour

• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

• 2 eggs

• 1/4 cup honey (optional)

• 1/4 cup all-natural applesauce (no sugar added)

• 1-1/2 cups zucchini, shredded

• 1/2 cup unsalted walnuts, chopped (or peanuts; optional)

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1tsp baking powder

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl.

3. Spoon the batter into muffin cups. 

4. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes. The muffins are completely baked when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

5. Let cool, then remove from pan.