Green Smoothies … for dogs?

As a favour to myself, once the holidays — and all of the eating of holiday treats — were over with, I indulged in a raw fruit and veggie detox. It began as something I would do for a week. That felt so good, I extended it to two weeks. Now, here we are three full weeks into January, about to start a fourth week, and I’m still loving it so I’m still sticking with it, and one of the best things about it are my daily Green Smoothies.

I love these things!

As is always the case when anyone is in the kitchen and working with food, The Pack assumes it’s something for them. So they hover. And by hover I mean lay across my feet, cling to my legs, drool profusely . . . whine, shake with excited anticipation . . .

I am more than happy to share these tidbits because raw fruits and veggies are great for dogs! And, of course, my dogs love them. Well, one day while I was preparing and they were hovering, I wondered how they would like all of these tidbits blended up in their own Green Smoothie.

Dog’s have very short digestive tracks, which is why any raw veggie should be cut up small for them to begin with, or it will just pass through without the dog really benefiting from any of the nutrients, so I figured grinding it all up into an easy-to-digest pulp could only benefit them in the best possible way. So that’s what I did — I made extra and shared my smoothie with them. And they loved it! Now they get a nutrient-rich Doggie Green Smoothie every day, and this morning, as my daughter and I were watching The Pack play with an energy that is nothing short of awe-inspiring (and destructive as my daughter’s broken lamp will attest to), she idly suggested that maybe these Green Smoothies were a little too good for them. :)

I’ll post a list of the ingredients I use in case anyone would like to try it for their own dogs. Just remember: No grapes (though I don’t know anyone who puts grapes in a smoothie, but I like to be safe) and no avocados.

The Waggery‘s Green Smoothie

2 apples
2 cucumbers
3 celery stalks
2 large fistfuls of baby spinach
Several Kale and/or Swiss Chard leaves
A handful of dandelion leaves
1/2 cup of parsley

Occasionally I’ll add a frozen banana or a handful of berries (straw, blue or rasp). Just experiment and have fun with it!

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French Toast For Dogs

They say that variety is the spice of life, and I think that applies to dogs as well. Or at least it should. I am constantly amazed that the notion of feeding our dogs “kibble, only kibble, and always the same kibble for as long as they shall live” ever got off the ground. Let alone that pet care professionals actually advise such a feeding regiment.

Proof of very good, very savvy pet food marketing, I guess. But can you imagine being forced to eat the same thing day after day after day? At the very least I would like to see dog owners being encouraged to top their canine kibble off with something different every now and then.

My dogs eat a variety of healthy foods, though I am very careful when offering something new. In that case, I err on the side of caution and begin by giving just very small amounts until I know their tummies can handle it.  For the most part, however, they eat from a wide range of foods that they are all familiar and fine with; I just mix them up so there is variety.

This morning I topped off The Fab Five’s breakfast with some yummy French toast. Doggie style, of course (which means NO NUTMEG as nutmeg can cause seizures in dogs).

Ingredients:

• 1 egg
• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 cup 1% milk
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 slices whole grain bread

Whisk egg and egg whites until foamy. Add milk, vanilla and cinnamon; whisk again.

Use non-fat spray to coat your skillet (a non-stick grill is great too!), and warm over medium-low heat. Dip the bread into the egg mixture, turning to coat thoroughly, and let any excess mixture drip back into the bowl.

Cook your coated bread slices in the hot skillet, turning until both sides are nicely browned, about 2 minutes each side.

And voilà!

I make French toast that way for myself and the rest of the family, so it’s easy to just use more of the ingredients and be able to include the dogs.  Just NO NUTMEG!!

Of course dogs don’t need syrup or sugary jams, or anything like that either. If you want to top your dog’s toast off with something a little extra special, use pieces of sliced fruit (apples, bananas, strawberries), a dollop of plain yogurt*,  or drizzle a bit of organic honey. Just keep it natural and healthy!

* When using yogurt for dogs, make sure it’s not artificially sweetened. Artificial sweeteners are not good for dogs, and some are toxic. Naturally sweetened with honey is the best, and I always make sure it’s probiotic as well.

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Yummy Recipe

I always love finding new and healthy recipes for the Fab Four because, just like us, dogs enjoy variety.

Now, as with any new food, if it contains some ingredients your dog’s system isn’t used to, you will have to introduce it a little at a time. My dogs eat sweet potatoes almost every day, which is what makes up the majority of this recipe, so I was able to top all of their dinners off with it the first night I made it and they absolutely loved it!

Sweet Potato Fritters

2 eggs

½ cup non-fat milk

2 tbsp. wheat germ

2 tbsp. whole wheat flour

2 cups raw sweet potatoes, finely grated

1 tbsp. olive oil

Beat eggs. Add milk. Mix in flour and wheat germ. Fold in grated sweet potatoes. Fry over medium heat until cooked thoroughly.

Source: Katie Merwick, People Food For Dogs

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‘Tis the season…

to bake cookies!

These are, of course, dog cookies :)

On the left we have peanut butter & honey santas, the right is a milk bone Christmas tree, and on the bottom a yummy carob reindeer.

I have lots more all packaged up and ready to be shipped off to those who ordered them, and I have to say it’s been lots of fun baking for all these other dogs! I just wish I could be there to watch each and every one of them enjoy their Pampered Paws treats.

As it is the season for holiday baking, I’ve been seeing quite a few dog cookie recipes floating around the Internet, and while I love that so many people are rolling up their sleeves and baking for their beloved four-legged companions, I’m also quite concerned by all the recipes that contain ingredients that are not only bad for dogs, but could also have serious — even deadly — consequences.

Here’s a quick Christmasey list of  no-no ingredients:

CHOCOLATE:

I’m sure everyone must know by now that chocolate (more specifically, the theobromine found in chocolate) can be deadly for dogs.

Theobromine is a stimulant (much like caffeine) and with their much slower metabolic systems, dogs (as well as cats and horses) are unable to swiftly and efficiently process the theobromine, allowing for a chemical build-up that can be deadly.

The darker the chocolate, the higher the content of theobromine.

Not only should chocolate be avoided in dog food/treat recipes, it should be kept far, far out of reach of curious canines! Carob, on the other hand, is perfectly safe for dogs. And they love it!

Should your dog consume chocolate, see your veterinarian right away!

Symptoms include: diarrhea, vomiting and muscles spasms.

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WALNUTS & MACADAMIA NUTS:

Walnuts (both the meat and hulls) can cause moderate to severe digestive problems that don’t show up until a day or two after consumption.

Macadamias have been known to cause weakness and muscle tremors.

Best to avoid these nuts completely.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

XYLITOL:

Found in artifical sweeteners. Dogs don’t need their treats sweetened, but if you feel the need to do so, use organic honey instead.

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NUTMEG:

While great on eggnog, it can cause seizures in dogs. Leave it out of all dog treat recipes!

HAPPY BAKING!

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Orijen Cat Food Recall con’t…

From the Orijen website: Australia Consumer Release

Please note that this is a PDF file, requiring Adobe Reader to open it. If you do not have Adobe Reader, you can download it HERE.

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Shocking Facts About Pet Food

Right now I’m reading Ann N. Martin‘s book: “Food Pets Die For“. It is such an interesting and informative read. It’s also very scary. She reveals things like what exactly goes into commercial pet food, and the cruel testing these companies have made innocent dogs, puppies, cats and kittens suffer through. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to know exactly why our beloved animal companions are getting so sick, and why oftentimes they’re dying so young.

It sure makes me glad that my babies only eat food that I make.

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