We all know how disgusting and unhealthy raw-hide treats are for our pets. But no doubt at some point you have given them to your pets-I did!! Oscar would sit for hours gnawing on them or rush off to bury them in the garden for another days entertainment. I didn’t know exactly how dangerous they were until I did a little research, and I was horrified!

Here are some homemade, easy and healthy options for your furry loves to snack and chew on…

Homemade sweet potato chews:

These are the perfect veggie alternative to raw-hide and they are so easy to make.

Ingredients

 2 sweet potatoes (I used the orange variety)

Directions 

Pre-heat your oven to 120 degrees. Slice the sweet potatoes lengthways about 2cm thick. Place them on a baking tray and bake for 3 hours. Turn the slices over half way through baking time. Once done let them cool on a rack. You can refrigerate in an airtight container or freeze them so you always have a treat on hand.

If you have a food dehydrator, you simply slice the sweet potatoes. Place them on the dehydrator racks-don’t overlap the pieces. Turn it on and leave for 14-24 hours.

Another great alternative for your furry love is homemade chicken or beef biltong sticks.

Chicken biltong:

Ingredients

 500g boneless and skinless chicken breast

 1/2 cup olive oil

 Dog friendly seasoning (parsley, rosemary, sage)

Directions

Slice the chicken into strips about 3cm thick (slicing with the grain will make the biltong chewier)

Coat the strips in the olive oil and seasoning and place the strips on the food dehydrator trays, spacing them evenly and making sure they don’t touch.

Leave the chicken pieces for 24 hours. Check the pieces regularly to see how dry they are. Time will vary depending on the type of dehydrator you have. The biltong is done when the chicken strips are completely dried out. You can store the biltong strips in an airtight container and freeze them.

If you do not have a food dehydrator, you can try this beef biltong recipe using your oven.

Beef Biltong:

Ingredients

 500g very lean beef

 Dog friendly herbs (sage, rosemary, thyme)

 String

 Cooling rack

Directions

Slice the beef (with the grain), about 3-4cm thick and about 10cm long. Season the meat strips with the dog friendly herbs you have chosen. Using a piece of string, tie 3 strips together at one end and then tightly plait the strips and tie the bottom ends together. Do this for all the strips. Use the convection setting on your oven and pre-heat to 60 degrees. If your oven is not a convection oven then pre-heat to 70 degrees and leave the door open a little. Place the twisted meat onto the wire rack and bake for 4-5 hours. Then turn your oven to its lowest temperature and bake for another 3-5 hours. Check on the treats regularly. The treats are done when they have shrunk to about half their original size and are dark in colour and hard. Untie the string and let your furry love enjoy his treat. Store them in an airtight container and freeze for convenience.

Apple chip chews:

Ingredients 

 Apples (as many as you want)

 Lemon juice (optional)

 Cinnamon (optional)

Directions

Begin by removing the core from your apples. Slice them about 2cm thick so they look like donuts. Place the slices in a bowl and squirt with lemon juice and sprinkle with cinnamon if you wish. Mix well. Place the apple slices on the food dehydrator trays. Make sure they do not touch. Leave them for 10-14 hours. Check the treats regularly and remove the ones that are done. Give them a gentle squeeze to check the moisture content. For a softer chew, most moisture must evaporate but leave a little. For a crunchier chip leave them until they are dry and brittle. Store them in an air tight container and you can freeze these too. PS these are great human snacks too 😉

Oscar loves these raw-hide alternatives and I feel comfortable knowing that I have made an effort to give him the healthiest chew option available!

Thank you for reading.

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Here at Stylish Paws Wednesdays are known as Kitty Wednesday! It’s one day of the week that we dedicate to our feline friends. So to honour our beloved cats, I thought I would share a cat treat recipe that is so quick and easy and your cats are sure to love!

Oscar doesn’t care that these are cat treats-he wants some too!

Ingredients

 1 tin of tuna in oil

 3 cups of flour (add water if your mixture is too dry)

 An egg or two (depending on how big they are)

 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil

 Cookie cutters

Directions

Add all the ingredients into a bowl and mix well. Roll the dough onto a floured surface and using your cookie cutter, cut into little bite sized treats. If you don’t have a small cookie cutter you can roll into bite sized balls.

Place them onto a greased baking tray and bake at 150 degrees celsius for 10 to 20 minutes. After the first 10 minutes keep checking on the treats regularly. You know when they are done when they are golden brown in colour. Leave them to cool on a cooling rack for a few hours or over night to air dry. Store the treats in an air tight container.

Oscar knows he is not a cat but that doesn’t stop him from enjoying these delicious treats! We hope your cats loves them too. If you have your own cat treat recipe please share with us in the comments box below.

Thank you for reading.

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We have all been there… you have just taken your pooch for a walk and he deserves a treat or two, you open his treat container and it’s empty! You can’t tell that gorgeous face looking up at you with big eyes and a wagging tail “sorry we have run out of dog treats, you will have to wait until tomorrow.”

Don’t worry! Here are 8 healthy and tasty back up treats your pooch will adore:

 Strawberries- contains healthy omega 3’s and vitamin C, which makes them a perfect doggy treat.

 Apple slices- loaded with fibre and vitamin C, dogs love these healthy treats. Please remember to remove the stem, core and seeds first.

 Banana slices- packed with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals to keep your pets healthy.

 Carrot slices- they naturally clean your pup’s teeth and promote healthy gums. You can also dip the carrot stick in some natural peanut butter for a super delicious treat.

 Watermelon- this is on Oscar’s favourite treat list! I love it too. And because it is 90% water I know it will keep my boy hydrated. Just remember to remove the seeds or buy a seedless one.

 Green beans- frozen green beans are a real treat for your pooch. They contain fibre, vitamin K, vitamin C and manganese to keep your pet healthy.

 Pineapple chunks- this is the perfect after dinner treat due to its digestive enzymes.

 Peas- Oscar loves to snack on frozen peas. You can put them into a treat ball and let your pooch have some fun or throw a handful on the floor and let him ‘hoover’ them up.

We hope these back up treat ideas come in handy for the next time you run out of dog treats.

Please remember to feed treats in moderation.

Thank you for reading.

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