Want to go above and beyond? Make your own applesauce from fresh, local apples to use in this recipe, or add some thinly grated pieces of local apple to store-bought applesauce.

APPLE BITES DOG SNACK RECIPE

(makes approximately 6 dozen mini-cookies)

Ingredients:

2 cups brown rice flour

1 cup old fashioned oats

1/8 cup ground flax meal

2 eggs (local or organic, if possible)

¼ cup filtered water

¾ cup applesauce (local or organic if possible)

1 Tbsp blackstrap molasses

1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350°F and grease 2 cookie sheets with non-stick cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, mix the flour, oats, & flax meal.
• In a separate bowl mix the eggs, water, applesauce, molasses, & cinnamon.
• Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Stir until all ingredients are completely mixed and have formed a soft dough.
• Pinch off pieces of dough and roll them into marble-sized balls.
• Place each ball on the baking sheet and use a fork to flatten. The cookies will not spread much, so they can be placed fairly close together on the baking sheet.
• Bake for 20-22 minutes or until the cookies are golden and firm.
• Allow to cool before serving or storing. Store cookies in a sealed container in the fridge, or freeze them if you would like them to keep for longer than 10 days.

Need a gift idea for a special pet on his or her birthday? Or perhaps you’ve been invited to a dog-friendly household for an event and want to bring something that will impress your hostess and her furry friends? Make some of these cookies and wrap them up for a sweet treat that is made with a special ingredient: TLC (tender loving care)! Pets and their parents will appreciate your hard work in the kitchen!

Bon Appugtite!

Disclaimer: As always, you should be aware of your pet’s health and consult a vet before making any changes to his or her diet, especially if your dog suffers from a disease or illness or takes medications. I am not a vet or animal nutritionist, nor am I responsible for the decisions you make regarding your pet’s diet. Keep in mind that all pets are different and will respond differently to dietary changes. You should be aware of your pet’s allergies, sensitivities, and medical history. Be sure to take the time to learn the foods that are safe for dogs to consume as well as those that are dangerous for dogs to consume before attempting to cook for your pet.

The post Apple Bites Dog Snack Recipe appeared first on All You Need Is Pug.

Before you get started, take a peek at your jar of peanut butter to make sure that it does not contain xylitol. Xylitol is a sugar alcohol that is toxic to dogs. Some peanut butter brands were recently in the news when dog owners, believing peanut butter to be safe for dogs, fed it to their pets and their pets became ill. The cause of the problem was that xylitol was used as an additive in these peanut butter brands. Always use the most natural peanut butter possible when making treats for your dog. Look for unsweetened, unsalted varieties and, when possible, buy organic. Most importantly, ALWAYS check the nutrition label to make sure that no sneaky xylitol is in your peanut butter! Lastly, dogs, like humans, can be allergic to peanuts. If your dog has a known peanut allergy, skip this recipe and try one of our nut-free recipes.

Now that you’re in the know about peanut butter, it’s time to bake some cookies for dogs!

CRUNCHY PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES RECIPE

(makes approximately 5 dozen mini-cookies)

Ingredients:

¼ cup ground flax meal

½ cup brown rice flour

¾ cup organic crunchy peanut butter

2 eggs (local or organic, if possible) Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, mix the flax meal and brown rice flour.
• Add the peanut butter and eggs.
• Stir until all ingredients are completely mixed and have formed a soft dough.
• Pinch off pieces of dough and roll them into marble-sized balls.
• Flatten each ball slightly in your palm and place it on the baking sheet. The cookies will not spread much, so they can be placed fairly close together on the baking sheet.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes until the cookies grow firm. Turn off the oven and allow cookies to remain inside as the oven cools. This gives them a few additional minutes to firm up at a lower temperature.
• Allow to cool before serving or storing. Store cookies in a sealed container in the fridge, or freeze them if you would like them to keep for longer than 10 days.

Bon Appugtite! Disclaimer: As always, you should be aware of your pet’s health and consult a vet before making any changes to his or her diet, especially if your dog suffers from a disease or illness or takes medications. I am not a vet or animal nutritionist, nor am I responsible for the decisions you make regarding your pet’s diet. Keep in mind that all pets are different and will respond differently to dietary changes. You should be aware of your pet’s allergies, sensitivities, and medical history. Be sure to take the time to learn the foods that are safe for dogs to consume as well as those that are dangerous for dogs to consume before attempting to cook for your pet.

The post Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies for Dogs appeared first on All You Need Is Pug.

People who don’t have dogs in their families look perplexed when I talk enthusiastically about how happy it makes me to cook for my pets.  Why not just buy them store bought treats and kibble? they ask. For me, it’s not only my ability to control the limited human-grade ingredients in homemade snacks that makes the habit of home-cooking rewarding, it’s also the TLC that I put into every batch of dog treats that somehow makes me feel so much happier to feed them to my dogs. Call me crazy, but I truly believe that dogs have the ability to appreciate, and the joy on their faces as they eat homemade dog cookies shows me that they are as happy to eat the treats as I am to make them. Recently I have made it a habit to bake a batch of fresh homemade dog cookies each week, incorporating a variety of flavors and ingredients so that the boys get a range of nutrients and avoid getting bored with the same old snacks.

This week, the All You Need is Pug boys are gnoshing on Cheesy Spinach Dog Snacks. These savory cookies are made with cottage cheese, which, in moderation, is a good source of calcium and protein for dogs who are not lactose intolerant. If your dog has not consumed dairy in the past and you are uncertain if he or she is sensitive to lactose, you may want to try giving him or her a small serving to see if dairy is tolerated before making a batch of these snacks. When choosing a brand of cottage cheese for this recipe, look for one that has reduced sodium and fat in order to maximize the healthy quality of this snack. With that in mind, you’re ready to try our dog snack recipe!

CHEESY SPINACH DOG SNACKS RECIPE

(makes approximately 2 dozen cookies)

Ingredients:

¾ cup cottage cheese

¼ cup safflower or olive oil

3 Tbsp local honey

1 packed cup organic spinach

1 ¼ cups brown rice flour

½ cup oat bran

½ tsp baking powder

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, add cottage cheese, oil, and honey. Stir well.
• In a blender or food processor, add your spinach and the cheese mix. Blend until you have a smooth, green liquid.
• Pour your green mixture back into your bowl and add the flour, oat bran, and baking powder. Stir until you have formed a soft dough.
• Take pieces of dough and roll them into spheres the size of ping-pong balls. Press the ball down between your palms to flatten slightly.
• Place each flattened piece of dough on the cookie sheet. If you’d like to add some texture to the appearance of the cookies, use a fork or mini-whisk (as we have done) to create lines in the surface of each cookie. You can also feel free to form the cookies into different shapes if you are feeling creative!
• Bake cookies for 20-22 minutes, or until they are golden on the bottom and edges.
• Allow cookies to cool before serving or storing. Store cookies in a sealed container in the fridge, or freeze them if you would like them to keep for a longer period of time.
• When serving to your dog, it a good idea to break the cookies into smaller pieces to make them easier to consume, especially for toy and small breeds.

Bon Appugtite!

Disclaimer: As always, you should be aware of your pet’s health and consult a vet before making any changes to his or her diet, especially if your dog suffers from a disease or illness or takes medications. I am not a vet or animal nutritionist, nor am I responsible for the decisions you make regarding your pet’s diet. Keep in mind that all pets are different and will respond differently to dietary changes. You should be aware of your pet’s allergies, sensitivities, and medical history. Be sure to take the time to learn the foods that are safe for dogs to consume as well as those that are dangerous for dogs to consume before attempting to cook for your pet.

The post Cheesy Spinach Dog Snack Recipe appeared first on All You Need Is Pug.

Between the 3 dogs in our family, there are about half a dozen food sensitivities and allergies that we grapple with as we do our best to give them the nutrition that they need. While dealing with allergies to chicken, wheat, eggs, and more, it can be hard for us to find snacks that the boys are both able to have and enjoy. As we mentioned in a previous post, we home-cook our dogs’ meals and recently decided to bake the bulk of their snacks in our own kitchen as well. A recent favorite in our cookie jar is the Salmon Snacker. This cookie is soft and savory, and sure to be a crowd-pleaser among your canine companions. Follow our recipe, or adjust it to suit your pet’s personal needs.

SALMON SNACKERS DOG SNACK RECIPE

(makes 2-3 dozen cookies, depending on size)

Ingredients:

• 13-14 oz. of canned wild-caught salmon, undrained
• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 egg
• 3 cups brown rice flour
• 1 cup oat bran
• 1 cup filtered water

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
• Place salmon and the liquid inside of the can in a food processor. Add oil and filtered water and process until the mixture is a smooth, liquid consistency.
• In a bowl, use a fork to mix the flour and oat bran. Add the liquefied salmon to the flour mixture and stir until you have an evenly textured soft dough.
• Pinch pieces of dough off of your dough mound and roll them in your hands to create golf ball sized pieces. Place the balls of dough on your baking sheet and press down with your palm to flatten each ball. You can also use a fork (as we have done) or other utensil to press the balls down and give them a nice, textured finish.
• Bake the cookies for 30 minutes, or until firm and lightly golden in color.
• Once cool, store cookies in a sealed container and refrigerate.

Disclaimer: As always, you should be aware of your pet’s health and consult a vet before making any changes to his or her diet, especially if your dog suffers from a disease or illness or takes medications. I am not a vet or animal nutritionist, nor am I responsible for the decisions you make regarding your pet’s diet. Keep in mind that all pets are different and will respond differently to dietary changes. You should be aware of your pet’s allergies, sensitivities, and medical history. Be sure to take the time to learn the foods that are safe for dogs to consume as well as those that are dangerous for dogs to consume before attempting to cook for your pet.

The post Homemade Salmon Dog Snacks Recipe appeared first on All You Need Is Pug.