Dangerous Dog Treats Exposed

Not all Christmas dog treats sold in the big box retail stores are safe for your pet. Our underdog mystery shopper was sniffing around in a large pet supplies chain to see what they were recommending to their customers in the way of dog treats and was appalled.

The inviting looking package is colorful and looks quite tasty on display. 



Dangerous dog treats masquerade as acceptable dog gift ideas


 

These are rawhide treats. But we are not going to expound on rawhide for pets. That is not the point of this post.

 

The manufacturer's instructions on the back of the package is what caught our underdog's attention:

 

 

Dangerous dog treats advertise their limitations

 

 

In case you cannot see the warnings, they are pointed out here...

 

 

 

 

 

The consumer is cautioned to: "Remove decorations before giving to your pet."

Furthermore, "Wash hands with soap and water after handling. This product may stain. Use in a stain resistant area."

 

We ask you: Do you want to give your dog or anyone else's beloved pet an edible product in which if you are lucky enough to catch the small print on the back, warns you NOT to eat it??

 

You are cautioned to SUPERVISE: "Recommended size is larger than your pet's mouth."  

 

Plus, you are advised to wash your hands with soap and water as it will stain. What about the pet's digestive system - does that stain red and green as well? Your carpets, couch, car - wherever your pet "enjoys" this treat - will remain decorated for Christmas saving you the effort in years to come!

 

Beware of dog treats like these. Make sure you know what you are giving to your pet.

 

Healthy dog treats will be decorated with healthy decorations that are meant to be eaten, like Fido's Frosting, which is designed specifically for dogs. It will not melt nor stain. It does not have to be removed before the dog enjoys the treat.

 

If the frosting is melting in the package, it is probably full of sugar and fat.

Be savvy and keep your pets safe.

 



 

  

 





Dog Birthday Cake Has Secret Ingredient

Purple-icious! 

That's the word for this dog birthday cake. 

When the cake is cut, the surprise is revealed. This all natural dog cake uses a special vegetable for its unique coloring.  No candy chips or artificial coloring involved.

This dog birthday cake is naturally purple!

The cake is finished with Fido's Frosting, all natural dog treat frosting.

Get the full dog birthday cake recipe and start baking today.

Safe Dog Treats

Make sure you only give safe dog treats and safe dog food products to your pets.

With the recent news stories about dogs dying after eating dog jerky treats made in China and other issues with food borne illnesses, we thought it was important to remind you of some basic safety tips you should consider when purchasing products to be fed to dogs. 

Buy safe dog treats

1) Look for products made from ingredients sourced only from the USA. 

2) Buy all natural or organic when possible. 

3) Although human grade ingredients are not required for pets, this type of product provides an extra level of assurance that the ingredients are safe for your dog. 

4) The safest and best products will be manufactured and packaged in an FDA approved and inspected facility. 

5) Legitimate products will have a complete ingredients list, a proper guaranteed analysis statement, and a bar code on the package. If a product is missing any of these, beware. 


6) Legitimate and legal products are licensed in the state from where they are sold. 

Unfortunately, there is frequent mislabeling (intentional or not) on many pet products. If you are unsure about a product, just check for these guidelines and be sure to ask questions. 

Fido's Frosting and K9Cakery made products meet all of these strict standards. 

All of the folks at K9Cakery wish you happy and safe baking!

Pumpkin dog cupcakes

This dog cake recipe for pumpkin dog cupcakes is made with all natural, all human grade ingredients. That means you can enjoy one with your pup!

Pumpkin dog cupcakes

Just click the caption above and it will take you directly to the dog cake recipe. The mini pupcakes look like mini tarts. While baking, the ingredients will fill your kitchen with the savory aroma of pumpkin muffins. 

Decorate with Fido's Frosting and all natural sprinkles for a luscious finished baked item for your pets, who will be drooling in anticipation.

Natural Dog Chews

Natural dog chews are a trending dog treat. Pet parents want to give the healthiest dog treats to their furry little ones.

All natural dog chews

When looking for a natural chew for your pet, first consider the ones that have a single ingredient. These are the best choices. If you can't find any, then pick chews that are made from all-natural ingredients only.

Finally, if you still can't find any, make your own! Sweet potatoes, dehydrated chicken, or other meats like beef, pork, lamb, or salmon skin can be turned into chews for dogs. The industry is moving towards adding additional flavors like rabbit, kangaroo and crocodile.

Simply dehydrate strips of your dog's favorite food choice from the list above. If you do not have a dehydrator, all you have to do is take the potato or the chicken or other meat and place in the oven at a low temperature (200 degrees F or lower). Let the strips bake until they dry out. Figure at least 3-4 hours, maybe longer depending on your oven. 

If you are looking at store-bought brands, check the ingredients. A good rule of thumb is that if there is an ingredient that you cannot pronounce, chances are good that it is NOT a natural product.

For example, look for product descriptions that contain the following words:

• All-natural
• Free range or grass fed
• No preservatives, additives or fillers
• No hormones
• No antibiotics

Be sure to check where the product was made. Consider staying away from foodstuff that says "Made in China" on the package, because the food industry is not highly regulated as it is in the USA and other countries.

Macaroon Recipe For Dogs

Are you looking for something different in the way of a recipe for dog treats?

Try this simple macaroon recipe for dogs (or macaron recipe) shared by Sue Hughes.

Macaroon recipe for dogs

What you need:

• Parchment lined baking sheet

Ingredients:

• Egg whites
• Shredded coconut
• Use approximately 1 egg white to 1 tsp coconut. (Amounts of egg whites will vary due to the size of the egg. You need enough egg white to hold the coconut. Too much coconut or too little egg white will cause the macaroon not to hold together.)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Beat the egg whites until stiff.
• Fold in the shredded coconut.
• Drop tablespoons of mix on the parchment lined baking sheet.
• Bake at 325 for 5-6 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Jodi Chick offers that a little meringue powder can be added to help hold them together. 

For a finishing touch, drizzle Fido's Royal Icing yogurt icing on top!

Yummy Squash Dog Treat Recipe

In honor of National Acorn Squash Day, September 7, Cristina's Dog Treats shares this simple recipe for acorn squash dog treats! If you love baking for dogs, these vegetable dog treats are healthy and easy to make. 

Squash dog treat recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup squash, pureed
• 1/4 cup canola/olive oil
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• 1 egg
• 3 cups rice flour

Directions

• Cut the squash in half and takes the seeds out
• Place in the oven at 400 F and bake until tender. 
• Scrape it out and do a quick blend to puree it.
• Mix squash, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and honey together.
• Add egg and oil.
• Slowly add the flour. You want to add enough flour to form a nice dough that is still a little sticky but not too sticky.
• Knead and roll out on a floured surface to 1/4" thickness. 
• Cut out into desired shapes. 
• Bake at 350 F for 15 to 20 minutes. For crunchier dog treats, turn the oven off and let the biscuits sit. 

Cristina gives this warning: "The treats smells delicious while baking so humans may come by to sample them."

Acorn squash is non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses.

Pumpkin may be used in place of squash if your dogs prefer.