The Holidays are here, and we are all so excited. From Halloween till the New Year the fun and festivities are everywhere. Let’s talk about the Holiday does and don’ts with your dog.
When invited to someone’s home that has pets, we need to be mindful of their rules for their pets. Dogs and cats both can suffer from allergic reactions to food. Both species can have diabetes. When you come to my house, mine can generally eat anything in moderation. But my daughter’s dog isn’t allowed table food, and it’s her pet her rules. If you invite people your pets aren’t familiar with you may want to consider letting Sophie stay in her kennel till guests leave or in your room. Not all pets socialize the same. What one dog enjoys can stress another one out.
Halloween is one of my favorite days. The costumes and kids’ laughter are pure joy. If your pet doesn’t regularly wear clothes, then save your money buying a costume. I can’t imagine how insulted my dog would be if I even tried with her. If you expect a lot of Trick or Treaters, go ahead and Kennel your pet. It’s a whole lot of excitement and people for them to understand. Try to make your good time pleasant for your pets too.
Turkey is toxic to dogs and cats. The fat in turkey can cause pancreatitis as well as “trash gut.” Bird bones are hollow and should be kept away from pets. We had a lab get into the trash and got a turkey rib cage hung in his mouth. He had to be sedated to get it out. Also, they don’t digest so if Sophie swallows the bone it’s going to have a hard time coming out the other end!
If your household is anything like ours, your pets get gifts. I am not a big fan of rawhide and try to stay away from rawhide treats. They get stringy and slimy. Small and large dogs have a choking hazard. It doesn’t digest and can cause blockages too. Why not bake some treats with your kids while you are making Christmas cookies. Here are a couple of my favorite recipes and don’t worry they’re kid safe too:
Pumpkin dog treats
0. Cookie sheet
0. Rolling pin
0. Measuring cup
0. Stand mixer or spoon and bowl
0. Small cookie cutters
0. 2 1/2 cups whole wheat, or all-purpose flour
0. 1 cup 100% pure pumpkin, canned
0. 1 teaspoon cinnamon
0. 1 egg
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine pumpkin, cinnamon, and egg in the bowl of a stand mixer, or a large bowl if you are mixing by hand. Mix until blended.
Add flour 1/2 cup at a time into the bowl until stiff dough forms.
Roll the dough out onto a lightly floured surface to about 1/2 inch thick.
Use small cookie cutters to cut the dough into bite-sized treats.
Line dog treats 1/2 inch apart on a non-greased cookie sheet. These treats won’t expand so you don’t have to worry about them being so close together.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until treats are golden brown. Turn the oven off and leave the treats in the oven for 1-2 hours to allow them to become crunchy. Then remove from the oven and let cool.
Store treats at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks, or store in the fridge for up to a month.
Peanut butter treats
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup oats
1/2 cup non-fat dry milk
1 tablespoon dried parsley
2 large eggs
1/2 cup water + more if the dough is too dry
1 cup peanut butter
bone-shaped cookie cutter
1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Lightly spray 2 large cookie sheets.
2. In a large bowl combine the first 4 ingredients.
3. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and water together. Add eggs/water mixture and peanut butter to the dry mixture. Using a spoon or your hands, combine all ingredients. If the dough seems a little dry, add more water a tablespoon at a time until the dough comes together.
4. Flour a flat surface and flour a rolling pin. Roll out the dough to about a 1/4 inch thickness. Use the cookie cutter to cut out treats and place them on the greased cookie sheet. The treats will not spread out when cooking so they can be close together on the cookie sheet. When you run out of room to cut out more treats, combine the dough remnants into a ball and roll it out again. Cut treats and then repeat until all the dough is used.
5. Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown and crisp. Store in an airtight container.
New Year’s Eve is a lot of fun and celebrating. The fireworks can cause great fear for some pets. Put Sophie is her kennel or if you know now that you have a big celebration on board her for the night. But get her away from the doors that she can bolt out when opened.
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