dog treats Archives - Page 2 of 2

Tag: dog treats

11
Apr
2017

Easter Fun…

categories: Holiday fun, Oscar, Valentine and Duchess, Zara

Easter is one of my favourite holidays to celebrate, not only do Oscar and Zara become Valentine and Duchess-haha ;), but it means I can stuff my face with my favourite Easter eggs. This year Easter is slightly more special because it is my birthday too, so more chocolate for me-yes!

Those of you who follow my blog will know that we love dressing up and I love spoiling my four furry loves. I don’t always buy goodies for my furry loves because I absolutely love making homemade treats and toys for them, and this Easter will be no different.

We all know chocolate isn’t good for dogs-with good reason! So I have made a few treats for them using a safe alternative that will still make them feel like they are eating and sharing our yummy Easter treats.

Carob and peanut butter Easter cups

Ingredients

1/2 cup carob powder

1/2 cup coconut oil

Natural peanut butter

Directions

Mix together your carob powder and coconut oil until smooth. Carefully pour a little mixture into silicone moulds and set aside or put them in the fridge to harden. Then scoop a dollop of peanut butter in the middle of each carob mould. Then cover with more carob mixture until you can no longer see the peanut butter. Set aside or put them in the fridge to harden. Once set gently pop them out of your moulds and there you have cute doggy friendly Easter eggs.

Blueberry bones coated in Carob

Ingredients

1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries mashed to form a liquid or paste

1 cup flour

1 egg

1 tbs coconut oil

1 banana mashed

For the coating

1/2 cup carob powder

1/2 cup coconut oil

Directions

Mix together your blueberry paste, banana, egg and coconut oil. Then add the flour, it needs to form a workable dough consistency so if it is too wet add more flour, if it is too dry add a splash of water. Roll your dough out onto a floured surface and using bone shaped cookie cutters cut out the treats and place them onto a greased baking tray. Bake for +- 20 minutes or until cooked through.

For the coating, mix together the carob powder and the coconut oil until it’s a smooth dripping consistency. Once the baked treats have cooled down completely, dip them into the carob mix and then place them on a dripping tray to dry. And there you have it, your pups will go crazy for these! My two do 🙂

Valentine and Duchess get spoilt too and this Easter I have decided to grow some of their favourite herbs and veggies in pots. This honestly couldn’t be easier, all it takes a little bit of effort.

What you will need:

Packets of seeds (basil, parsley, coriander, carrots, lettuce)

Soil

Plant pots-medium size

Garden tools

What to do:

Simply fill each plant pot container with good quality planting soil, follow planting directions on the packet of each herb. Place them in a sunny area and make sure you water them each day. Within a week you will see your seedlings start to grow, this will give you motivation to carry on! As soon as the plant is big enough, I usually give Valentine and Duchess the entire pot to nibble on. They love it and when the juicy greens are done they like jump on the pot and scratch around in the soil and have a whole lot of fun.

A great way to have fun with all these treats is to have treasure hunts around the house and garden. Hide your doggy easter eggs and treats all over the place and get your pups to find them. You can do the same thing with your bunny herb pots, hide them and place them in different spots to where you would normally feed them. If your bunnies roam inside dot them in different rooms and watch them use their noses to find their treasure.

Have fun with your friends, family and furry loves this Easter, and above all stay safe.

Thank you for reading.

09
Mar
2017

Say Cheese…

categories: Oscar, Zara

I am by no means a professional photographer. In fact, I am such a newbie it’s frightening!
Watching Oscar grow-up and taking photographs of his every move, I have over 30 000 of him saved to my hard-drive-and no I am not exaggerating at all. Oscar came into my life thirteen years ago. There was no Facebook, Instagram or Snap Chat and my photography skills were less than desirable-haha!! Hence the reason I am a newbie with a new camera. But over the years photographing my soul mate growing up, our fun and lazy moments together has been amazing and I continue to capture those special moments of my baby boy.

Then we added baby Zara to our family. Who doesn’t love photographing a gorgeous fluffy puppy? Zara being Zara would pose only long enough for you to get one photo and then demand to do something fun like attack the camera. It took a lot of patience and care to get the cute puppy photos and moments I did capture. She is now eight months old and has had her fare share of thousands of photos taken. She is becoming more and more comfortable in front of the camera.

It’s all about getting that perfect photograph. But what is the perfect photograph? When photographing pets, you soon realise to accept any photo as the perfect one 😉 Of course there are pets out there that seem to listen and pose in any position with any prop for the camera… I have clearly not inherited those pets-haha! But I wouldn’t have it any other way, both Oscar and Zara make me work very hard to get a photograph I am happy with, a photo that’s worthy of sharing with the world.

So here are my top five tips for achieving the perfect photograph of your furry love…

Natural lighting.
It is always best to try and photograph your pup in daylight. There is no better flash than the sun. Wherever I choose to photograph Oscar or Zara, I always make sure it is a well lit area. Flash photography can often affect your desired look of a photo-and not in a good way. It can cause the dreaded ‘red eye’. White fur often looks washed out, and the flash can also scare your pet!

Add a prop or two.
Adding props incorporates so much fun to a photoshoot, especially with pets. It can be a chalkboard with a quirky quote, their favourite toy, funky hat, their cutest outfit, or simply their favourite bed. I love getting Oscar all dressed up for photoshoots. He on the other hand can think of a million other things he would rather be doing. Zara is new to the dressing up scene and she would rather attack the princess crown I would like her to wear-but it is a work in progress and we will get there.

Treats.
Now this I find is particularly important!! Oscar refuses to work unless he receives a treat for his good efforts. Of course this is cute, but it also means I need a load of homemade treats on hand. Zara very quickly caught on that when she sees the camera, it means “do what mom asks and I get a treat”.
Here is a yummy recipe that will get your pups attention:

Ingredients
1 apple-grated
1 banana-mashed up
1 egg
1/2 cup oats
1 tsp cinnamon
2 cups flour

Directions
Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees. Mix together your apple and banana then add the egg. Add the oats, flour and cinnamon and mix together until a dough forms. Roll your dough out onto a floured surface and use cookie cutters to cut into cute biscuits. Place them onto a greased baking tray and bake in the oven for +-20 minutes or until cooked through and slightly golden. Remove from the oven and place them on a cooling rack to cool. Store the treats in an air tight container.

Studio vs Outdoor setting.
This is obviously a personal choice, however I recommend both! Oscar has done several professional photography photoshoots in a studio as well as photoshoots outdoors. I honestly cannot say which photos I adore more because I believe every photograph of my baby is a wonderful one! Being in a studio is a bit more formal and adding props is a must! Being outdoors allows Oscar to be a little more relaxed and enjoy his surroundings. Zara has not had a professional studio photoshoot before and perhaps I should book one for us all, but her natural outdoor photos that I have taken are wonderful. I absolutely love looking back and seeing the crazy moments with her tongue hanging out, or her flying through the air because she runs so fast! It is often the natural non-posed photo’s that turn out the best.

Your subject-of course.
Of course you need your pooches! I always like to bath Oscar and Zara the night before a big photoshoot to make sure they are looking their best. For our little mini-photoshoots that happen almost daily I just like to give them a quick wipe down and a nice brush. This always makes them feel extra special, like they know I am about to take photos of them.

All in all, I believe you can never have too many photographs of your furry loves! Remember it takes time, patience and a lot of love to get a posed photo. Enjoy capturing those special moments, after all “no one ever takes a photograph of something they want to forget- anonymous”

Thank you for reading.

13
Apr
2016

Today’s menu…

categories: Recipes

I am always on the lookout for new recipes and food ideas for Oscar, both healthy and ‘cheat day’ treats. I am very fortunate to be able to provide Oscar with the very best food (in my opinion) that is currently available. I believe that his special dog food keeps him in tip top condition and allows him to be a spring chicken at the age of 12. But who is counting? Age is just a number!

Along with his food, I like to give Oscar some veggie dishes and treats to help him get extra vitamins and minerals to keep him healthy. This hasn’t always been an easy task… Just like a toddler, I have had to come up with creative ways to disguise veggies so my boy will eat them. Of course he has his favourites, but there are some veggies that I believe he should eat that he doesn’t necessarily love but with his hounds nose, he can sniff out anything! So I have to make his veggies tasty or he will turn his nose at them.

Here are some of Oscar’s favourite veggie sides and treats…

Gem squash, pumpkin and butternut:

Oscar loves these three veggies and he will eat them without hesitation. When I cook either of these vegetables for us, I will always add some extra so Oscar can enjoy too. I will usually steam the gem squash halves and scrape the flesh out for Oscar. The pumpkin and butternut I like to roast, lightly tossed in olive oil or coconut oil. Oscar loves roasted butternut on its own but I do like to add this yummy veggie to homemade treats too.

Ingredients

1/2 cup butternut/pumpkin or gem squash puree

1 egg

1 cup wholewheat flour

Handful of chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees. Mix together the butternut/pumpkin or gem squash puree, egg and parsley. Then add the flour and mix until a dough forms. If it is too sticky, add flour. If it is too dry, add a little water. Roll your dough out onto a floured surface and using cookie cutter, cut out cute biscuit treats. Place them on a greased baking tray and bake for 30-45 minutes or until cooked and slightly golden. Let them air dry and cool for a couple of hours. Store them in an air tight container. Your pooch will loves these!

Beetroot:

Oscar will eat roasted beetroot too, but because of their awesome colour, I love making treats with them! I can also add leafy green vegetables like spinach and kale-which Oscar will not eat unless disguised in a treat…

Ingredients

1/2 cup roasted beetroot, mashed up

1 egg

1 cup flour

1/2 cup spinach or kale, wilted and blitzed up

Directions

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees. Mix together the mashed up beetroot and blitzed up spinach or kale then add the egg then add the flour until a dough forms. Roll your dough out on a floured surface. Using cookie cutters, cut out the treats and place them on a greased baking tray. Bake them for 30-45 minutes or until cooked through. Remove them and let them cool on a cooling rack. Store them in an airtight container.

Sweet potato:

Besides dehydrating sweet potato as an alternative to a raw hide treat, Oscar loves sweet potato mash as well as sweet potato treats! Making sweet potato mash allows me to hide other veggies like carrots, broccoli, spinach and other healthy leafy greens that Oscar is not keen on eating just as they are.

Ingredients

1/2 cup sweet potato mash

1 cup wholewheat flour

1 egg

1/4 cup cooked broccoli, mashed

1/4 cup cooked spinach, blitzed

Handful of fresh parsley, chopped

Handful of fresh basil, chopped

Directions

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees. Mix together the sweet potato, broccoli, spinach, fresh herbs and egg. Add the flour and mix until a dough forms. Instead of using cookie cutters, I like to make little potato gnocchi. Break a small piece of the dough and roll it into a ball then using a fork gently push on the dough ball to make it slightly flatter. Place the gnocchi onto a greased baking tray and bake for 30-45 minutes or until cooked through and slightly golden. Once cooked allow them to cool on a cooling rack before your pup enjoys. Store in an air tight container.

Be creative:

The options are endless when it comes to including your pooch at dinner time! Be creative and explore what he likes and what he doesn’t like. So the next time you make zoodles, broccoli mash or eggplant pizza make a little extra for your furry love…

Not an option:

Please be mindful and stay away from food items that are not healthy for your pooch.

Here are the top 12

Thank you for reading

22
Feb
2016

The wonders of coconut oil.

categories: DIY

We all know how healthy coconut oil is for us humans, but did you know that as healthy as it is for us, it is for our furry loves? It has a wide variety of benefits and uses for our furry companions, including digestion support, fur conditioner, soothes skin irritations, quick energy booster, supports heathy weight, aids in bone and joint health, improves general skin health, and disinfects cuts, wounds and bites just to name a few. I’ll be honest, I am not a huge fan of using it in my cooking but Oscar on the other hand absolutely loves it! So here are a few ways your pooch can benefit from a little coconut oil each day…

Skin and fur conditioner

We have all had skin irritations and rashes at some point in our lives, so we know exactly how itchy and sore they can be. When you notice your pup scratching and gnawing at his fur, try rubbing a handful of coconut oil onto his fur and give him a little massage to soothe his inflamed skin area. Coconut has great soothing properties to help ease skin irritations caused by dry skin, flea bites or just a general rash. Coconut oil works wonders on our own hair so why not treat your pups fur to a hydrating mask too. Simply bath him as usual and condition his fur with coconut oil instead of his usual pet conditioner. Gently massage the coconut oil into his skin-This is always Oscar’s favourite part of his bath regime. It is not necessary to rinse thoroughly but you can rinse slightly to get the greasy residue off. Your pooch will smell gorgeous too 🙂

Snout and paw protector

When your pups paws feel a little extra rough and tough, you can rub a small amount of coconut oil on them to soften them up. It will also heal any cuts he may have on his paws. You can also smear a small amount onto his snout when it looks a little dry and cracked (read all about Oscar’s schnoz and why your pups nose may be a little dry here: Oscar’s Schnoz).

A healthy coat

For a healthy and shiny coat, you can feed your furry love a small spoonful or two of coconut oil each day. You can mix it in with their kibble to make it extra delicious or you can make one of the yummy treat recipes below. Start with a teaspoon amount and slowly increase it to a tablespoon-depending on the size of your pup! If it upsets your pups tummy please don’t give him anymore. As a guideline, for a small pooch start with 1/4 teaspoon and slowly increase it over time to a full teaspoon. For a medium to large pup, start with a teaspoon and work your way up to a tablespoon.

Treats

Coconut oil drops

Ingredients

Organic coconut oil

Directions

For this recipe, the coconut oil needs to be slightly hard, not a runny consistency. Scoop some organic coconut oil into a zip lock bag and seal it tightly. Line a baking tray or any tray with grease proof paper. Cut just the tip off the zip lock bag and squeeze dollops of the coconut oil onto the baking tray. Place them into the freezer for a few hours. Remove them and store the coconut drops in an airtight container or jar in the fridge or freezer.

Frozen peanut butter, banana and coconut pops

Ingredients

1 cup organic peanut butter

1 cup organic coconut oil

1 medium banana, mashed

Directions

Mix all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl. The softer the coconut oil and peanut butter, the easier it will be to combine. You can use a spoon or an electric beater. Once completely mixed, spoon the mixture into silicone ice trays. You can also make little drops like the above recipe if you would prefer. Simply place the mixture in the fridge for 10 minutes to harden slightly then follow the steps above. Place them in the freezer for a few hours. Store them in an air tight container or jar and keep them in the fridge or freezer.

No bake peanut butter and coconut balls

Ingredients

1/3 cup coconut oil

2 tbs organic peanut butter

3 tbs apple sauce

2 cups oats

2 tsp honey

1 tsp vanilla extract

Sprinkle of cinnamon

Directions

Mix together the coconut oil, peanut butter, apple sauce, honey, vanilla and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl, then add the oats. If the mixture is too stiff to work with then add a little extra apple sauce. If it is too sticky then add a little extra oats. Scoop the mixture into meatball-sized balls and place them onto a greased baking tray or plate. Freeze them for a few hours before letting your pup enjoy. Store them in an air tight container or jar and keep them in the fridge or freezer. Warning-These are seriously delicious and I love sharing these treats with Oscar 😉

Enjoy the wonders of coconut oil!

Thank you for reading