Well yes!! Yes, of course I do!! They are mans best friend after all, right? Which is all the more reason to spoil them with homemade goodies! (As if the Chinese dog treat crisis wasn't enough... O_O )
Personally, my 9-year-old miniature schnauzer Webster has a sensitive digestive system (to put it lightly) and I will scour the ingredient and content analysis labels on any store bought food and treats he gets. He has to have a diet with super low fat, otherwise I spend most of my time either taking him in and out to take care of his business or cleaning up after him.
I decided I wanted to work with bananas, peanut butter (I had 8 jars... stockpile much??) and blueberries! The benefits of bananas for doggies is outstanding, so I was definitely excited to get them mashed up. Stress, nerves and depression were a few positives that I was attracted to, but here is a more detailed list. My little guy gets SOOO sad when I'm not around... or when he isn't the absolute center of attention. (I worry about him with a baby on the way!) Peanut butter helps smooths your dogs coats and conditions their skin. Webster has a skin allergy and no matter what I do to help him, he seems to constantly itch and scratch. Blueberries are another fruit that is full of goodness for you and your dog. Studies have proven that they can help fight cardiovascular disease and diabetes and also serve as a preventative to heart and blood diseases. With an aging pup- there's really nothing more comforting. Oh! And I definitely wanted to add parsley to my list. Whooo-wee, doggie breath can be KILLER. I think it's intensified since I've been pregnant with over-sensitivity, but I also know that Webster is way overdue to have his teeth cleaned. (Sounds silly, but hey!) So parsley was definitely a must, any little bit helps.
With all of this said, poor Webster goes berserk anytime I'm in the kitchen banging around pots, pans, dishes, or flipping the knobs on the oven, he will trot away with his little 3-inch-nub-of-a-tail tucked as low as he can manage and his ears pinned back onto the top of his head. His favorite place to go when he's in distress like this is my bedroom, or any room that's available and farthest away from the kitchen. Which I might add, the kitchen is basically the center-most room in the house. Poor, poor dog. If only I could make him realize it's all for him!! Sadly, I wasn't able to get any pictures of him tasting the yummy treats I came up with, rather I have some of this cute, fuzzy, little Peek-a-poo they call Zoe. She sure wasn't afraid to be my little sidekick in the kitchen; she makes for a great taste-tester too, helped me keep my motivation up. :)
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| the cute little stand-in sidekick, Zoe |
Peanut Butter Banana Doggie Delights
yields: 90 small bones and 30 medium sized bones
1 egg white (keep to the side to brush over the tops of cut out treats)
2 bananas, mashed
2 TBSP honey
2/3 cup peanut butter (I used creamy, but feel free to experiment)
3/4 cup wheat germ
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup water (as needed)
1/4 cup fresh parsley
Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and prep cookie sheets by lightly spraying with cooking oil.
Combine egg, peanut butter, banana and honey in a medium/large sized bowl.
Stir in flour, wheat germ and parsley. Slowly add water as needed to make everything stick until it forms a dough.
Turn out dough onto a floured surface, knead as needed to combine thoroughly. Roll out dough to a thickness of your liking. (Mine ranged between 1/4 and about 1/2 and inch. Just remember, the thinner you have them, the longer you'll be cutting out cute little treats with your cute little cutters. ;) )
Cut out treats and place on sheets. Brush tops with diluted egg whites. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, until golden.
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| I love details. I used a fork and added little air holes for the dough to breathe while baking. It really makes for an authentic little touch. :) |
PB - Banana Blueberry Cookies (for dogs)
yields: about 160 small & 40 medium sized treats
(don't judge me, I, again, purposely made waaaay extra to sell in my booth at the boutique I sell my wares at. With a little math, feel free to re-calculate to your liking.)
(don't judge me, I, again, purposely made waaaay extra to sell in my booth at the boutique I sell my wares at. With a little math, feel free to re-calculate to your liking.)
3 bananas, mashed
2 cups fresh, blueberries
3 TBSP brown sugar
2 1/4 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup dry milk
1 1/2 cup wheat flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup fresh parsley
Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit, and spray cookie sheets with cooking spray.
In a medium sized bowl, mix mashed bananas, blueberries, peanut butter and brown sugar.
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| Before the blueberries got stomped in |
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| NOTE: this shows 1/4 cup less than what I actually wound up using |
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| Mmmmm, looks and SMELLS delicious! |
Combine dry ingredients (flour, dry milk, oats, parsley) in large bowl, make a well.
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| Milk. Dry, milk. |
Once a dough starts forming, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and roll to desired thickness. (Mine again ranged from 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.)
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| Prettiest dough ever! |
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| Aww, how cute! The treats, not my crispy well used cookie sheet. ;) |
(Finished product photos of both recipes to be added soon. IDK where they went or what happened to them, but they'll be up ASAP.)
Be sure to let me know how yours turned out and if your Webster's and Zoe's enjoyed them as much as mine. ;)
Until next time,
-FAV
