Tag Archive for: recipe

St. Patrick’s Day Dog-Friendly Smoothie

St. Patrick’s Day Dog-Friendly Smoothie

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with this green, dog-friendly smoothie. You can even try some!

Are carrots good for dogs?

Yes! Carrots are a safe and healthy treat for puppies, but they should only be eaten in small pieces to avoid becoming sick. Carrots are a great treat, raw or cooked for your dog. And like any food, moderation is key.

Carrots are a great way to promote eye health in both humans and dogs. They’re also crunchy, which is perfect for satisfying a dog’s instinctual need to chew. In addition, carrots offer your pet many benefits including vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.”

  • Vitamin A is important for healthy eyes and skin.
  • Vitamin K is important for healthy blood clotting.
  • Potassium is a mineral that is essential for the body’s functioning.
  • B6 is a vitamin that’s important for the body’s normal functioning.
  • Beta-carotene is a precursor to vitamin A and can be found in many foods.
  • Calcium is an important mineral that helps to form bones and teeth.
  • Iron helps promote healthy blood.
  • High in fiber, this cereal is perfect for people who want to stay full throughout the day.

Are cucumbers safe for dogs to eat?

Cucumbers are a excellent source of water, with a 96% water content. They’re also low in calories and sugar, providing the nutritious minerals your dog won’t receive as well from eating small slices of cucumber: vitamins A and C as well as potassium.

Rephrase

  • Vitamin B is essential for healthy bones and muscles.
  • Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin that helps the body absorb other nutrients and supports cell growth.
  • Vitamin K is essential for keeping the blood clean and healthy.
  • Potassium is an important mineral that helps to regulate the body’s fluid balance.
  • Magnesium is an important mineral that is essential for healthy bones and muscles.

Can dogs eat spinach?

Spinach is a healthy vegetable that can be fed to dogs in small portions. However, because it’s a “superfood,” this means that spinach contains numerous vitamins, minerals, and other health benefits. Among these are:

  • Vitamins are essential for the health of both humans and animals.
  • Iron.
  • Antioxidants play an important role in protecting cells from damage and helping to keep the body healthy.
  • Beta-carotene is a nutrient that helps to protect the body from damaging free radicals.
  • Roughage, which is composed of various types of plants and vegetables, helps to stimulate the digestive system.

You should avoid giving your dog canned spinach as canned spinach contains a high level of salt.

St. Patrick’s Day Dog-Friendly Smoothie

Ingredients:

  • 2–3 cups spinach
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 cucumber
  • 1/2–3/4 tsp fresh ginger
  • 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley
  • 1 Tbsp flaxseeds

Directions:

  1. Chop carrot, cucumber, and ginger.
  2. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
  3. Pour into your pup’s bowl, and garnish with a little parsley and flax seed.

Try the recipe? Let us know your dogs thoughts in the comments below!

Catnip Tea Recipe (For Cats!)

Catnip Tea Recipe (For Cats!)

Many people are familiar with catnip but it’s often given to cats in a dry, spray, or fresh form. But did you know that you can also brew it into tea? Right now, catnip tea is all the rage within the cat owner community. Keep reading below for the full catnip tea recipe.

What is catnip?

Catnip is a type of herb belonging to the mint family. It attracts cats by causing them to feel pleasure and excitement. It is a plant that can be easily grown in North America, and its leaves are feather-like and green with purple flowers. Catnip is a type of plant that has been used for tea, as well as in some natural bug repellents. The flowers are also said to help with respiratory issues such as coughs.

Is catnip safe for cats?

Rephrase Cats can consume catnip, which may help to improve their digestive system.

Rephrase The plant genus Nepeta is known for its anti-diarrheal properties. This means that it’s important to keep cats away from large amounts of plants in this category, as over consumption can cause digestive problems.

Can cats overdose on catnip?

Cats may experience health problems after consuming too much catnip. These issues can include vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, or difficulty walking. Use a small amount at first and talk to your veterinarian about the right dose for your pet’s individual needs.

Catnip is more potent when fresh, so you won’t need as much of it. In addition, avoid using highly concentrated oils because they can be very powerful.

Catnip Tea Recipe (For Cats!)

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Place dried catnip in tea steeper
  2. Pour boiling water over catnip
  3. Let steep for 3-5 minutes
  4. Drain into vessel and chill or drain over ice and serve

Leftover tea can be stored for up to 5 days.

Let us know how your kitty liked this catnip tea in the comments!

Easy 6 Ingredient Dog Biscuit Recipe

Easy 6 Ingredient Dog Biscuit Recipe

Today is National Dog Biscuit Day! Which means if you’re not making dog biscuits today you should be! We wanted to find a simple dog biscuit recipe that didn’t take a lot of extra ingredients and we think this one works great. You might already have everything to make these six ingredient dog biscuits in your pantry. Keep reading below for the full recipe.

Is flaxseed good for dogs?

Flaxseeds, which come from the flax plant, are small and nutty flavored seeds. They offer a lot of health benefits for dogs because they contain omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-3’s help reduce inflammation in the body while omega-6’s boost overall skin health. Additionally, ground and pressed flaxseed oil provides similar health properties to that of flaxseed itself. It is rich in both essential fats.

Flaxseeds are loaded with fiber and protein, both of which are beneficial to a dog’s digestive health. In addition, flaxseed contains valuable antioxidants that support the immune system.

Flaxseeds are a significant source of both fiber and nutrients, including lignans. These compounds can have positive effects on cardiovascular health by reducing inflammation, bringing down blood pressure levels, aiding in the functions of the kidneys, and improving skin quality in pets. In addition to these benefits, flaxseed also has anti-inflammatory properties which could help alleviate symptoms related to arthritis.

Can dogs eat peanut butter?

If the peanut butter does not contain xylitol or birch sugar then yes, peanut butter is a safe treat for dogs to have in moderation. To be extra safe, you can purchase peanut butter that is meant for dogs. This includes brand such as Green Coast Pet and Nature’s Logic.

Easy 6 Ingredient Dog Biscuit Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 cup plain flour
  • 1 cup wholemeal flour
  • 1 large free-range egg
  • 2/3 cup chicken stock
  • 6 tbsp peanut butter
  • 2 tbsp flaxseed

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F
  2. Place the flour in a large bowl and mix well. Add in remaining wet ingredients and seeds and mix until you have a rough dough.
  3. Roll out to approx 2cm/3/4″ in thickness and using a bone or dog shaped cutter, cut out biscuit shapes. Depending on the size of your cutter, you should get 15-20 biscuits.
  4. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and cook for 25 mins or until golden brown.
  5. Cool the biscuits on a wire rack before transferring to an airtight container where the will last up to three weeks.

Did you try out this recipe? Drop a message in the comments. We’d love to hear how they turned out for you!

Easy Dog-Friendly Strawberry Pancake Recipe

Easy Dog-Friendly Strawberry Pancake Recipe

Looking for a recipe for dog-friendly strawberry pancakes? We have you covered! To celebrate this upcoming National Strawberry Day (February 27, 2023) and National Pancake Day (February 21, 2023) we’d like to share this dog-friendly strawberry pancake recipe.

Ingredients
For the pancakes:

  • 1 medium egg
  • ½ cup + 2 tablespoons (160 g) buttermilk
  • 2 tablespoon all-natural peanut butter (unsalted)
  • ½ cup (70 g) buckwheat flour
  • 2 tablespoons (20 g) quick-cook polenta
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 2-3 tablespoons water
  • Oil for cooking

For the peanut butter drizzle:

  • 2 x tablespoons of peanut butter
  • 1 x tablespoon of warm water

For the topping

  • 150g strawberries washed and chopped

Directions

  1. In a medium bowl, beat the egg. Mix in the buttermilk and peanut butter. Mix in the buckwheat flour, polenta and baking powder. The batter should be thick, but be able to drizzle off a spoon very slowly.
  2. If the consistency of your batter looks too thick, add small amounts of water a spoonful at a time. Let sit for 10 minutes.
  3. Heat a griddle to a medium heat. Add oil to the griddle and add the batter. If you happen to have a dog bone cookie cutter handy, pour the batter into the cookie cutter and spread to the edges using a spoon.
  4. Cook for around 2 minutes, until the underside is golden brown. Flip and cook for an additional minute, until both sides are golden brown.
  5. To make the peanut butter drizzle, mix 2 tablespoons of peanut butter with 1 tablespoon of water. Depending on your choice of peanut butter, you may need to slightly adjust the amount of water to get a runny consistency. To serve, drizzle the pancakes with peanut butter and fresh strawberries

Like this recipe? Give it a Pin!

Easy Strawberry Dog Ice Cream_Header

Easy Strawberry Dog Ice Cream

Easy Strawberry Dog Ice Cream_Header

Easy Strawberry Dog Ice Cream

It’s Strawberry Ice Cream Day! We have an easy strawberry dog ice cream recipe for you to make today.

Why are strawberries good for dogs?

Strawberries are a low-caloric treat that is high in antioxidants, fiber, and vitamin C. Does your dog need to lose weight? Substituting traditional dog treats with strawberries can help your dog reach their goal weight.

How to safely feed my dog strawberries?

Strawberries should have their stems removed and cut into small pieces to help prevent choking. Smaller dogs may benefit from having strawberries blended instead of tiny pieces. Other than removing stems and small pieces you don’t have to do anything else to strawberries to make them safe for dogs. You can also try our strawberry ice cream recipe below or one of our other strawberry ice cream recipes.

Easy Strawberry Dog Ice Cream

Ingredients:

1lb of strawberries (a standard tub size)
3 – 4c low/non-fat plain yogurt

Directions:

1. Wash and remove stems from the strawberries with a knife.
2. Use a potato masher or food processor to mash/purée the strawberries.
3. Mix together your strawberry mix with the yogurt. If you want less strawberry flavor per bite, add more yogurt.
4. Spoon your mixture into silicone, food-safe molds.
5. Place the molds in the freezer and let them sit in a freezer overnight to harder.

That’s it! Did you make this recipe? Let us know @WetNosesPetSitting We’d love to see your results.

Celebrate National Pumpkin Day Header

Celebrate National Pumpkin Day

Celebrate National Pumpkin Day Header

Celebrate National Pumpkin Day

Looking for creative ways to celebrate National Pumpkin Day? Here are some fun, and healthy, dog treat recipes you can make to celebrate with your pup!

REMEMBER: When buying canned pumpkin, make sure it’s plain pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling contains spices that your dog shouldn’t have. If you feel more comfortable buying a brand that was made to be consumed by cats and dogs, here are a few brands:

1. Dog-Friendly Pumpkin Pie Bites

Ingredients
16 oz. canned pumpkin (plain pumpkin– do not use pie filling)
½ banana
¾ cup flour
½ cup oatmeal
¼ – ½ cup water
¼ cup plain low-fat yogurt
Cupcake or muffin tin
Cupcake liners

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Mix oatmeal and flour together in a large bowl.
3. Add enough water to get the dough to form a ball. Add water slowly, too much will make it too sticky, not enough and it will crumble
4. Line cupcake tins. Take a chunk of dough and press into bottom of cupcake liner. Dough should go up sides a bit, about a 1/2″
5. Bake crust for 8 mins, until firm and slightly brown.
6. Carefully take crusts out of the tin, cool on the rack. When cool, remove liners.
7. Mix pumpkin, banana and half of the yogurt together
8. Fill each crust with pumpkin banana mixture
9. Freeze until firm. Serve Frozen

Dog-Friendly Pumpkin Pie Bites Recipe Card2. Banana Pumpkin Dog Treats

Ingredients
2 Large Bananas (spotted/brown are best)
3tblsp Xylitol-Free Peanut Butter
3tblsp Coconut Oil

Directions
1. Mix bananas in a stand mixer until they are broken down but not a purée. You can also use a hand mixer or a masher.
2. Slowly combine peanut butter and coconut oil until texture is smooth. A few chunks are ok!
3. Pour into your favorite silicone mold.
4. Freeze for 3-4 hours or until firm.

Banana Pumpkin Dog Treats Recipe Card

3. Cranberry Pumpkin Pie Bites

Ingredients
2c Whole Wheat Flour
1c Rolled Oats
1c Whole Fresh Cranberries (Frozen works, just make sure they’re thawed)
16oz Pumpkin
1½c Chicken, Beef, or Vegetable Stock

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350℉.
2. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. If the mixture is too dry you can add some more stock.
3. Roll into 1-1½in sized balls and place on a lined cookie sheet.
4. Bake for 50 minutes.
5. Let cool and serve!

Cranberry Pumpkin Pie Bites Recipe Card

What’s your favorite pumpkin dog treat recipe? Let us know in the comments below.

Sweet Potato Dog Chews Header

Sweet Potato Dog Chews

Sweet Potato Dog Chews HeaderSweet Potato Dog Chews

Want to make you dog a fun sweet potato chew for Thanksgiving? Try out these one-ingredient treats.

Ingredients

2 Sweet Potatoes

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 250℉
  2. Line two baking trays with parchment paper.
  3. Slice the sweet potatoes no thinner than ¼in thick.
  4. Arrange the sweet potato slices in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets and bake for 2½ – 3 hours, making sure to flip halfway. You want your chews to be shrunken and dried out. It’s okay if some pieces have a different texture than others.
  5. Let cool and store in an air-tight container.

You can also make these in an air fryer with a bit of chicken broth.

Sweet Potato Dog Chews Recipe

Air-Fried Sweet Potato Dog Chews

Ingredients

2 Sweet Potatoes
2c Low or No Sodium Chicken Broth

Directions

  1. Slice the sweet potatoes no thinner than ¼in thick.
  2. Place sweet potato slices into a container and pour over the chicken broth. Let marinate for 3 hours or overnight. Flip periodically to make sure they get evenly coated.
  3. Place sweet potato slices onto your air fryer tray in a single layer.
  4. Bake at 400℉ for 3 minutes. Reduce heat to 300℉ for 5 minutes. You may need to adjust cooking times based on how thick your sweet potato slices are.
  5. Let cool and store in an air-tight container.

Air-Fried Sweet Potato Dog Chews Recipe

What about a dehydrator?

Have a dehydrator? Place your sweet potato slices on your dehydrator for 7 – 8 hours, or until dry.

On a roll with making chews? Check out these jerky treats for cats and dogs.

5 Dog Treat Recipes That Your Dog Will Love

5 Dog Treat Recipes That Your Dog Will Love Header

5 Dog Treat Recipes That Your Dog Will Love

Looking to make a dog treat recipes that your dog will love? We have five for you! Including grain-free options.

Remember: As will all peanut butter dog treats, make sure you’re using xylitol-free peanut butter.

1. 4 Ingredient Carob Dog Treats

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Microwave coconut oil for 15-20 seconds or until melted.
  2. Whisk together carob powder, vanilla extract, and coconut oil.
  3. Fold in the frozen blueberries (make sure they’re still frozen!)
  4. Pour the mixture into a mold of your choice.
  5. Place the mold in the freezer for about 30 minutes.
  6. Let set for 5 minutes at room temperature before serving.

4 Ingredient Carob Dog Treats Recipe Card

2. Grain-Free Pumpkin Coconut Dog Treats

Ingredients:

  • 15oz Pumpkin Puree
  • ½c Peanut Butter
  • ½c Melted Coconut Oil
  • 1c Applesauce
  • 1⅔c Coconut Flour
  • 1tsp Turmeric (optional)
  • 1tsp Cinnamon (optional)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, peanut butter, coconut oil, and applesauce until smooth.
  3. Add in the turmeric, cinnamon, and coconut flour.
  4. Let ingredients rest for 10-15minutes. If your dough is too moist, let it sit for a bit longer.
  5. Layout a piece of parchment paper and place the dough on top. Then place another piece of parchment on top of that dough. Roll the dough between the parchment paper sandwich until the dough is about 1/4” thick.
  6. Place dough onto a cookie sheet and let chill for 20-30 minutes.
  7. Remove the top layer of parchment paper, and then cut using cooking cutters. You can also use something like a spice container lid for smaller, circular treats.
  8. Bake in preheated oven for 45-55 minutes, or until the cookies are dry and hard. Check on treats at around 20 minutes as these can be finicky. Let cool completely.

Grain-Free Pumpkin Coconut Dog Treats Recipe Card

3. Grain-Free Veggie Packed Dog Treats

Ingredients:

  • ⅔c Pumpkin Puree
  • ¼c Peanut Butter
  • ½c Applesauce
  • 3c Almond Flour
  • 1c Carrots, peeled and shredded
  • 1c Baby Spinach, chopped

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. In a large bowl, beat together the pumpkin puree, peanut butter, and applesauce until well combined.
  3. Add in the almond flour, ½c at a time.
  4. Add spinach and carrots. Mix until incorporated.
  5. Roll the dough into small balls OR use cookie cutters to make fun shapes. If using cookie cutters, allow dough to chill for at least one hour before cutting.
  6. Place treats on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 25 minutes or until treats turn golden brown on the edges.

Grain-Free Veggie Packed Dog Treats Recipe Card

4. Tuna Yum Yums

Designed with cats in mind, Tuna Yum Yums are great for smaller dogs too.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup of flour
  • 1/4 cup of water
  • 1/2 cup of non-fat milk
  • 1/2 can of tuna
  • 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil or fish oil
  • 1 beaten egg
  • Optional: a teaspoon of catnip, mint, or parsley

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place parchment paper on a cookie sheet
  2. Mash or cut the tuna into small pieces, mix in the flour and milk
  3. Pour in water and vegetable oil, then mix well
  4. In a separate dish, beat the egg
  5. Mix the beaten egg into the tuna mix
  6. Mix well, until the mix becomes dough-like
  7. Shape the dough into small balls, about the size of blueberries, and place on the baking sheet
  8. Cook the dough for 12 minutes or until golden brown. Stick a toothpick in to check that the treat is fully cooked
  9. Cool for an hour before feeding to your kitty and make sure not to overindulge them.

https://wetnosespetsitting.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/298925_TunaYumYums_Facebook_100518.png

5. Bacon-Carob Popcorn

Ingredients:

  • 4c Unsalted Popcorn
  • 10oz Carob Chips
  • 1c Crumbled Bacon
  • 1c Xylitol-Free Peanut Butter

Directions:

  1. In a small bowl, melt carob chips and peanut butter together. You can do this in the microwave in bursts of 30 seconds. Stir in between each burst until melted.
  2. In a large bowl, mix popcorn, bacon, and the carob-peanut butter mixture.
  3. Stir slowly until the popcorn is evenly coated.
  4. Refrigerate for 30-60 minutes or until firm.

Dog Friendly Bacon Peanut Butter Popcorn Recipe Card

Do you want even more treats? Check out these other great recipes:

Did you make any of our dog treat recipes? Tag us @WetNosesPetSitting or #WetNosesPetSitting.

Tasty Tuna Treats Header

Tasty Tuna Cat Treats

Tasty Tuna Treats Header

Tasty Tuna Cat Treats

Your cat is sure to love these tasty tuna cat treats. With only 3 ingredients they’re a snap to put together.

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tin of Tuna in Oil
  • 1⁄4c Dry Nonfat Milk (This is instant milk/powdered milk, you could also use KMR Kitten Milk Replacer)
  • ½c Wheat Germ
  • Sprinkle of catnip (optional)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350℉
  2. Mix tuna, milk, wheat germ, and catnip together in a bowl.
  3. Roll the mixture into ½tsp-sized balls.
  4. Place balls onto a greased baking sheet or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  5. Flatter with a fork to give them a crinkle-top look.
  6. Bake for 15 minutes and let cool.
  7. Store in an airtight container.

Tasty Tuna Treats Recipe Card

Did you try out these tasty tuna cat treats? Let us know in the comments or @WetNosesPetSitting or #WetNosesPetSitting. We’d love to see how they turned out for you!

Try out our other cat recipe Tuna Yum Yums.

Dog Friendly Strawberry Ice Cream Recipe

Dog Friendly Strawberry Ice Cream Recipe

Strawberries are packed full of fiber and vitamin C which make this three ingredient dog friendly ice cream even better! Using Greek or coconut yogurt also makes this recipe lactose-free as well as grain-free.

Ingredients:

  • 1c of plain Greek yogurt or coconut yogurt
  • ½c of frozen strawberries
  • 2tbsp honey

Directions:

  1. Pureé all ingredients in a blender until smooth.
  2. Pour mixture into a silicone mold.
  3. Let freeze for 2-4 hours or until solid before serving.

Strawberry Ice Cream Recipe

Did you like this recipe? Why not try this quick and easy popcorn recipe as well. Or try out this other strawberry recipe.

Strawberry and Apple Ice Cream

Apples provide an excellent source of vitamin C, fiber, calcium, and phosphorus. They also contain natural sugars that can be a low-calorie sweet treat by themselves.

Ingredients:

  • 8 Strawberries
  • 1 Peeled, cored, and chopped apple
  • 1-2tbsp Xylitol-free Peanut Butter
  • Water

Directions:

  1. Purée strawberries in a blender.
  2. Fill your choice of silicone mold about half-way with the strawberry purée.
  3. Purée the chopped apple, peanut butter, and a splash of water in a clean blender.
  4. Add the apple and peanut butter mixture on top of the strawberry purée.
  5. Let chill in the freezer for an hour before serving.

Want more ice cream? Check out our non-strawberry ice cream recipes.

Did you make either of these recipes? Let us know @WetNosesPetSitting or #WetNosesPetSitting We’d love to hear your feedback!