The Continued Search for Bear's Birthday Cake - Part 2

The hunt continues....

With one more week left until Bear's 4th birthday, and the relative success of the wonderfully simple no-bake kibble/peanut butter cake option, I've decided to try my hand at a cake that is slightly (but not really) more complex and actually requires some baking.

The Peanut Butter Carrot Doggy Cake

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup natural peanut butter
¼ cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup honey
1 cup shredded carrots
1 egg

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8" round cake pan or an 8x4-inch loaf pan.

2. Whisk together the flour and baking soda. Add the rest of the ingredients and, using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, mix until thoroughly combined. Pour batter into pan and bake for about 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean.

3. (Optional) Spread a thin layer of peanut butter over the top of the cooled cake - like icing
=)

This one smelled absolutely wonderful as it sat in the oven and Bear approved of it rather whole-heatedly....and now for the ultimate decsion.....which cake will I make on the 31st!!?
I'm still rather torn - both cakes turned out well and neither was particularly difficult to make...and the pooch-friendly icing from recipie one could easily be transferred to decorate this cake as well.

So many choices, so little time!

Bark back at us and let us know which cake YOU think Bear should get for his birthday!

Keep your tails wagging,
Bear's P4ws

The Search for Bear's Birthday Cake - Take 1

Birthday's are incredible, fun filled celebrations of life - and Bear's is poking it's head through the door announcing it's imminent arrival (at the end of the month).

That being said, I've already started stockpiling gifts (a new collar, a new stuffy, some steak - but shhh don't tell!).......This year's we've been contemplating a pooch-party to celebrate the fact that Bear will be turning 4.  We've started making some really wonderful poochy-friends within the walls of our condo, and it could be an exciting adventure - or an epic mess....all things depending.  

With this possibility firmly in mind, I've started the hunt for the perfect Doggy Birthday Cake recipe.  I know that there's always the option to go out an purchase a cake from one of our local pet stores, but I've always enjoyed the warmth and care put into home-made cakes.

My journey into dog-cake-making started with Created by Diane who put together a rather yummy sounding No-Bake creation.

It was surprisingly easy to make - and Bear.....well, if there's food involved, he's more than happy to try out most of my culinary experiments...

Ingedients 

1½ cups Iams Cat or Dog ProActive Health Senior Plus food

3 tablespoons peanut butter

¼ cup pumpkin puree

Icing:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons sprinkles

Instructions

1.     put dog food into food processor along with peanut butter and pumpkin puree.

2.     Pulse until it resembles coarse crumbs and sticks together.

3.     Press into a 4 inch spring form mini cake pan or any other small baking mold - cupcakes, cake pops

4.     Remove from cake pan.

5.     Mix 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons water to make icing to pour over top of cake. Spread it with a spatula and decorate with sprinkles (optional, but rather festive, so why not?)

And that's it!
Simple and super-tasty -- if Bear's rate of devouring was anything to go by..... 

Do you and your pooch have any favorite cake recipes?
Bark at us and let us know!

 Keep your tails wagging,
Bear's P4ws

Banana and Peanut Butter Frozen Dog Treat Popsicles

This one’s so good that even the household humans may want to try it! 

Ingredients: 
 32 ounces of plain yogurt,
2 tablespoons of peanut butter, 
 2 tablespoons of honey, 
 ⅓ cup of water, 
1 large banana, 
A dozen (or so) of your Pooch’s favorite bone shaped biscuit, 
Dixie cups (I like the smaller ones, good for one-bite treats) 

 Directions: 
Take yogurt, peanut butter, honey, water and the banana (chopped) and place them in a blender or food processor. 
 Purée ingredients together then pour into Dixie cups. 
Stand dog biscuits in the cups of purée like you would a Popsicle stick and then place them in the freezer. 
Your dog will love you for your culinary creations. 
They make the perfect cool-down snack after a walk, or a romp at the park.

Hide these from your kids!– their ice-cream-like texture and heavenly peanut-butteryness may have even you reaching in for a lick or two. 

=P

original recipe found on the Hartz Blog 

Keep your tails wagging, 
Bear’s P4ws

Mint-Kiss Dog Cookies

Pooch kisses are wonderful things.  They’re smile inducing and incredibly therapeutic.....but sometimes those kisses can be really stinky. 

Luckily I love gardening and thanks to all the sun that’s been pouring through my windows this summer, my indoor herb garden has been growing and growing and growing.

This inspired an idea and after a little online digging, Bear and I have perfected the ultimate Mint-Kiss Dog cookie.

The leaves of a mint plant have a sweet aromatic and fresh smell. Once the leaves are crushed or cut, they release even more of that pleasing aroma – this will transfer to your pooch’s stinky breath and help keep it fresh. Of course, please note that these Mint-Kisses are NOT considered a cure for your pup’s stinky kisses.  If bad breath persists, you may want to consider speaking to your vet about proper teeth/mouth cleaning routines. 

Ingredients:

1 cup stone ground yellow cornmeal

1 tbsp vegetable oil

3/4 cup chicken broth (low or no sodium is best)

1 egg

1 tbsp grated cheddar cheese

2 tbsp minced fresh mint

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Measure cornmeal into a small bowl.

In a sauce pan, bring the vegetable oil and chicken broth to a boil.

Remove pan from the heat and stir in the cornmeal.

Scoop the cornmeal mixture into a small bowl.

Allow the mixture to cool to the touch.

Spray the baking sheet with a non-stick cooking spray.

Once the cornmeal mixture is cool to the touch, stir in the egg, cheddar cheese and fresh mint.

Shape into 1” to 1 ½ “ balls. Or, scoop with a 1 " cookie scooper.

Flatten balls into cookie shapes.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Turn off the oven and let the cookies cool and continue to dry in the oven for one hour.

This recipe makes 15, 2 inch (approximately) Kisses.

The mint dog kisses will last for 1 week in a air tight container, 3 weeks in the refrigerator and 3 months in the freezer.

Happy smooching!

=P

Keep your tails wagging

Bear's P4ws

Frozen Banana Pupsicles

A super-easy, super fun summer treat for your pup.  

The star of this pupsicle is the wonderful Banana - Besides their uniquely smooth texture and sweet taste, bananas also boast loads of amino acids, electrolytes, minerals, vitamins B6 and C, potassium, fiber and manganese.

 If your pooch uses a lot of energy, whether he’s your professional companion or just your sidekick on long hikes, bring a few bananas along your fur baby going strong.

INGREDIENTS 

4 cups plain (unsweetened) Yogurt

2 Tablespoons Peanut Butter

3 ripe Bananas – peeled and mashed

HOW TO

1)      Blend all your ingredients together in a blender or food processor 
2)      Pour into 4oz plastic cups, molds or ice-cube trays 
3)      Freeze until firm

Any time you and your pup come in from a summer romp, pop a treat out of the freezer and watch the puppy bliss

=)

These treats can be stored in the freezer for approximately 2 weeks.  Any longer and I found that freezer burn would begin to set in.

Happy munching!

Keep your tails wagging,

Bear’s P4ws

Super-Easy ( Super-Tasty) Dog Food Bites

If your dog has ever turned up his nose at the prospect of more of the “same old” dog food, these treats are for you.

I've used them to make sure that Bear keeps his weight up during the summer months (he goes through these fast phases during the summer when it’s super-hot outside).

Ingredients

2 cups of your dog’s dry food

1 ¼ cups water

Instructions

>   Start by taking 2 cups of your dog’s regular (everyday) food.

>   Place dry food into a blender or food processor and grind the kibble into a powder (it’ll be a little grainy, but that’s just fine)

>   Pour the powder into a medium sized mixing bowl and add your water

>   Stir until a dough forms (it’ll be slightly sticky)

>   Using a table spoon or small cookie dropper, drop the dog cookies onto an ungreased cookie sheet

>   Bake at 350 for approximately 30 minutes

>   Cook completely before serving.

* Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to one week

These treats are a great way to liven up Fido’s food and inspire his appetite.   They’re also great for pooches who are watching their waistlines (so long as treats are given in moderation and do not exceed your dog’s daily requirement for food).

Keep your tails wagging

Bear’s P4ws

Yummy Peanut Butter Pumpkin Bites

A happy little mouthful of Peanut Butter bliss for your pooch - accented with the healthiness of a sugar-free pumpkin puree and light touch of cinnamon.

These treats have Bear's very enthusiastic approval - he'd eat them all in one sitting if I let him!
=P

Ingredients

>  1/2 14 oz canned pumpkin

>  3 Tbsp peanut butter

>  4 egg whites or 2 whole eggs

>  1/2 tsp salt  (the salt can be left out - I've done it both ways and it doesn't effect Bear's enjoyment in the slightest.  If you're more health conscious, you may choose to omit this ingredient)

>  1/2 tsp cinnamon

>  1/4 to 1/2 cup water

>  3 cups whole wheat flour

Instructions

1) Preheat oven to 350 (convection)

2) Add pumpkin to your eggs (whites), Peanut Butter, salt, cinnamon and water.  Mix together.

3) Now slowly add your 3 cups of whole wheat flour with the mixer on

** NOTE:  You will need to add a little more water to get all the flour incorporated. For me it was another 1/4 cup. This is a very dry dough

4) Place the dough on a cutting surface and cut it into 4 equal pieces. 

5) Roll into logs of 1 inch diameter - you do not need to let this dough rest

6) Cut into 1/2 inch pieces. I got 61 Bear-Bite-sized pieces

7) Prep 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper and distribute the biscuits evenly

8) Bake for 30 minutes for semi hard bites.  You can bake them a little longer if you want some more crunch.  

Store the way you would store most cookies - in a sealed tin, jar or Tupperware container. 

These cookies do not need to be refrigerated.

Enjoy!!

Keep your tails wagging

Bear's P4ws

Super Cool Summer Pupsicles!

A great way to keep your pooch cool this summer and help him beat the heat!

Whip up these quick frozen treats for your dog and his puppy pals with food you have on hand. All you need is 5 minutes, a few ingredients, and a freezer.

THE BASICS

1 ripe banana
4 cups orange juice
1/2 cup plain yogurt

Puree all ingredients in a blender —or simply mash the banana by hand and combine with the juice and yogurt— then pour into a Popsicle mold, freeze, and serve to your favorite overheated pooch.

MIX IT UP

Switch up your fruit. Try subbing in:
Blueberries
Strawberries
Peach
Watermelon
Or mix in some peanut butter.

You can also vary the juice you use. Try pineapple juice or apple juice; just check to be sure the juice you use is all-natural and has no added sugar.

BEAR APPROVED

* watermelon, strawberry, pineapple juice, and yogurt

* peanut butter, banana, apple juice, and yogurt

HOW ‘BOUT A SAVORY MIX?

Had barbequed chicken for dinner? Don’t chuck the carcass! Throw it in a large pot, cover with water, and let it simmer for an hour and a half. Cool, then pick the meat off, discarding the bone but keeping the cartilage, meat, and broth. Leftover cooked carrots and/or peas? Mash them up and mix them in! Pour the chicken broth into your Popsicle mold (save whatever’s leftover as a tasty addition to your dog’s next few meals) and freeze.

Your pup will LOVE them. Guaranteed.  

Keep your tails wagging

Bear's P4ws

Creamy Tomato Chicken Bones

There is something almost magical about tomato soup (at least in my humble opinion).  Bear seems to agree with me on this, because whenever Bear smells tomato soup, he's at my feet looking at my cup (or bowl) as if it might hold the answers to the universe.  

Sadly tomato soup has WAY to much sodium and other added ingredients for any dog's digestive system and should never be shared with them.  BUT! Here at Bear's P4ws, we're always on the lookout for yummy Fido-friendly foodstuffs, and so - without further ado - we're happy to present these CREAMY TOMATO CHICKEN BONES! (It's tomato soup - but in a bone!)

Ingredients
1 Chicken breast, cooked and chopped
1 (6 ounce) can Tomato Paste
4 ounces Cream Cheese
1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
2. In a large bowl add all ingredients and mix well.
3. Knead dough into ball and roll onto a heavily floured surface 1/4 inch thick and cut with your cookie cutter of your choice.
4. Place on your prepared baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Cool and refrigerate.
Makes 3 to 4 dozen bones.

Remember to store them in an air-tight container in the fridge. 

(Original recipe can be found at Doggy Dessert Chef)

Enjoy
=)

Keep your tails wagging
Bear's P4ws

For the Diabetic Dog – Homemade Liver Sponge Treat

There are not many recipes out there that cater to dogs who have been diagnosed with Diabetes, making it a little harder for the Diabetic dog pet-parent.  At Bear’s P4ws, we try to cater to our readers, and a request has recently come in for a treat that a reader’s diabetic pup can enjoy with great gusto.  

So, without further ado, the Bear’s P4ws kitchen is happy to present our Home-made Liver Sponge treat for the Diabetic Dog.  

This treat is very easy to fix, and should not be pigeon-holed as a strictly diabetic treat.  Even Bear (who is not at all Diabetic) loved them, and was more than happy to play taste-tester in our most recent Tuesday Treat experiment. 

Ingredients:

½ cup whole wheat flour (can be substituted for any other flour if need be)

2 eggs

1 ½ pounds of beef liver, cut into pieces.

Directions:

1)      Preheat your oven to 350 degrees (175 C)

2)      Line a 10x15 inch pan with parchment paper

3)      Optional: Lightly boil the beef liver before working with it.  It helps of you’re squeamish in terms of texture and smell

4)      Place liver into a food processor (or blender).  Pulse until it finely chopped

5)      Transfer liver into a new bowl and stir in flour and eggs

6)      Spread evenly in the prepared pan

7)      Bake for 15 minutes in over (or until the centre is firm).

8)      Cool and cut into small squares (Bear and I made squares that were approximately 1x1 inch)

**Because these treats have meat and eggs, store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for no more than 1.5 weeks.

Original Recipe by Barb  Maxwell)

Let us know if you tried this recipe at home, and if your fur-baby enjoyed them as much as Bear did.

Keep your tails wagging

Bear’s P4ws

A healthy dog is a beautiful dog!

As dogs age their skin and coat can become dry and brittle – one way to add moisture and shine to your dog’s coat is flax-seed and oils and Fatty acids.  These are essential ingredients to any pet’s diet.  They  help to improve the texture of his coat, making for fuller, shinier hair. Healthy skin and a healthy coat are not only beautiful to look at and to pet, but also give a good indication of your dog’s internal health.

This Shiny Coat Dog Treat Recipe is not only healthy for your dog but taste good!

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat flour

(can also be substituted with gluten free option such as rice flour or buckwheat)

1/4 teaspoon of salt

4 1/2 tablespoons flaxseed meal (substitute with salmon oil or cod liver oil)

1 egg

1 tablespoon of honey

1/3 cup of beef or chicken stock

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a baking sheet with butter or a little oil.

In a bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and flaxseed meal.

In another bowl combine the egg and honey.

Stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture and add stock until the dough has the consistency of drop biscuits.

Drop heaping tablespoons of the dough onto the baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch between the biscuits.

Bake for about 15 minutes.

Remove, cool on a wire rack, and store, tightly covered, in a glass or ceramic container for up to a week (or in the freezer for up to three months)

Enjoy!

Keep your tails wagging

Bear's P4ws