Homemade chicken jerky dog treat recipe

With all the horror stories of dogs becoming sick, or even dying, from eating contaminated jerky treats, more and more people are searching for ways to make their own. It is actually really easy to do, and costs a fraction of what the treats in the store do.

What you will need:

An oven
Chicken breast with excess fat trimmed off *
Sharp, non-serrated knife

* To make the chicken easier to slice, you can bake it first, as if making it for yourself for dinner. Or you can use slightly frozen chicken, but remember cooking times will be longer.

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
2 . Slice chicken breast into thin strips, about 1/4 inch thick (or smaller, if you can). Slice with the grain, not against it. This will make the strips chewier, thus lasting a bit longer.
3. Arrange the chicken strips on a greased cookie sheet. Remember to use one with a raised edge, or line the bottom of your oven with foil to collect the juices.
4. Bake for 2-2 1/2 hours, or until strips are dry. They should not be so dry that they break when bent, but they should be dry and chewy.
5. Extra pieces can be placed in a zip-lock bag or airtight container and stored in the fridge. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

For extra money savings, keep your eyes out for packages of marked down chicken breasts in the supermarket. These packages are often nearing their sell-by date, but if frozen or cooked right away are perfectly fine. This recipe is also a great way to use up chicken breasts that may have gotten a tad freezer burned.

Homemade treats for your sweet kitty!

I know I know, I missed a few days with posting lovely holiday stuff. I could give you a list of excuses (finals, messy house, cat attacks, etc), but why bore you with that? Instead I will try and make it up by sharing these incredible kitty treat recipes I found on PetPlace.com!


Savory Cheese Treats (makes 2 dozen treats)

• 3/4 cup white flour
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 5 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
• 1/4 cup cornmeal

Preheat the oven to 350. Combine cheeses and yogurt. Add flour and cornmeal. If needed, add a small amount of water to create a nice dough. Knead dough into a ball and roll to 1/4 inch. Cut into one inch sized pieces and place on greased cookie sheet. Bake for 25 minutes. 

Tuna Tidbits (makes 12)

• 6oz. can of tuna
• 1/4 cup liquid drained from tuna (add water to liquid if needed)
• 3 tbsp cooked egg whites, scrambled 
• 1/4 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine tuna, egg white and water. Add cornmeal and flour and blend to form a dough. Knead into a ball and roll to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into one-inch sized pieces. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. 

Thanks to PetPlace.com for sharing these terrific recipes!

Homemade holiday cookies - for dogs!

One of my favorite activities during the holidays (besides opening presents) is baking. I love to bake, and I love to eat baked goods, and there is just something about the smell of cookies that makes a home feel ready for the holidays. So I thought what better way to celebrate the holidays with our pets than to make them some homemade pet cookies! Making your own treats is also a great way to save money and provide your pet with a healthier alternative to commercial treats and snacks.

I came across this incredibly easy recipe online, and though it is called "Birthday Bones Recipe," I figured it could just as easily be called "Holiday Bones Recipe." Best of all it only requires 4 ingredients! Start to finish it only takes about 35 minutes to make these yummy sounding dog cookies. So grab your apron and get baking!

Sourced from Allrecipes.com

Birthday Bones Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 cup unsalted natural peanut butter
• 1 cup skim milk

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Stir together the flour and baking powder; set aside.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the peanut butter and milk. Stir in the flour mixture until well blended. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Roll out to 1/4 inch thickness and cut into shapes using cookie cutters. Place 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.
• Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly brown. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.

Thank you to Allrecipes.com for posting this terrific dog treat recipe!

Homemade Halloween treats for your pets

This blog is all about saving money on your pet needs, and one way to do that is by making your own homemade treats for your pets. Treats are great for many things, including training your pet, but purchasing them can get expensive. The ASPCA had some terrific Halloween Treat recipes on their site that I would like to share with you. I am going to make the Peanut Butter and Pumpkin Pooch Treats this weekend to share with my mother's five (yes, five!) dogs this weekend, since I already have all the ingredients on hand.

Sourced from: ASPCA Blog

Peanut Butter and Pumpkin Pooch Treats
Your dog will love the taste and enjoy the crunch!

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup fresh or canned pumpkin (not seasoned pie filling)
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup water as needed
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, pumpkin, peanut butter and cinnamon in a bowl.
Add water as needed, but the dough should be stiff and dry.
Roll to 1/2 inch thick and cut with holiday cookie cutters.
Bake for about 40 minutes, or until hard.

Halloween Cat Cookie
Your kitties will love the fishy flavor of these tasty treats.

1/4 cup warm water
5 Tablespoons parmesan cheese
3 Tablespoons soft margarine
1 Tablespoon cod liver oil
1 cup white flour
1/4 cup soy flour
Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
Combine water, cheese, margarine and oil.
Add flour and form dough.
Roll to 1/4 inch thick and cut with small holiday cookie cutters.
Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden.

A big thank you to the ASPCA for providing pet owners with these easy to make treat recipes!