RECIPES: For Kongs, Meals, Treats, Snacks, and Food Toppings

Discussion dedicated to promoting the well-being of your dog through diet, exercise and general health tips.

Moderators: emmabeth, BoardHost

Fundog
Posts: 3874
Joined: Wed Dec 03, 2008 8:31 am
Location: A little gambling town in the high desert

Re: RECIPES: For Kongs, Meals, Treats, Snacks, and Food Toppings

Post by Fundog »

We have a LOT of beef liver (my in-laws raise cattle, and gave us a whole liver last year). When I get low on treats, I too boil a good sized chunk, then cut it up into small bites and freeze. Works just as well as drying in the oven, without heating up the house, and doesn't smell *quite* as bad, either. :wink:

Livers from pretty much any animal is good to go, as long as the animal was healthy. :)
If an opportunity comes to you in life, say yes first, even if you don't know how to do it.
WufWuf
Posts: 1371
Joined: Thu May 12, 2011 7:53 am

Re: RECIPES: For Kongs, Meals, Treats, Snacks, and Food Toppings

Post by WufWuf »

So I'm trying to make my first batch of dried lambs liver as I write this. I'm very excited. I've put a couple of cloves of garilc in the boiling water as Honey loves stinky food best.

My question is, how long will they keep in the fridge as I don't have a freezer. Also Honey's very small (3.9 kg ish) so how much liver's too much? She's eaten it in the past with no tummy trouble but I'll be feeding it a few days in a row if I'm using it for treats so I don't want to over do it?

Thanks again for the instructions!
Operant conditioning rocks but classical conditioning rules
ClareMarsh
Posts: 2008
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2011 5:11 am
Location: London, UK

Re: RECIPES: For Kongs, Meals, Treats, Snacks, and Food Toppings

Post by ClareMarsh »

Hi there! I feed dried liver treats to a 3.75lb baby chihuahua (Ted). I tend to cut the liver into 1 cm cubes and then break tiny pieces off as I'm training him so that it lasts longer and he can eat it quickly so I can get more done. I find bigger pieces to break up stay softer and are easier to keep track of how much I give than making pieces the size I would feed him. He has about 4 to 5 cubes a day with no problems but he also has some raw liver so he's quite used to it. If you've had no problems either then why not try a few cubes and you can adjust up or down as you need to do get more done or if it upsets your dog.

I also found out you can just bake them without boiling, versatile eh!

Hope this helps,

Clare xxx
Proud owner of Ted and baby Ella
My blog about Ted http://tinkerwolf.com/
Ted's Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/Tinkerwolf
Ted's You Tube Channel http://www.youtube.com/user/TheTedVids
ClareMarsh
Posts: 2008
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2011 5:11 am
Location: London, UK

Re: RECIPES: For Kongs, Meals, Treats, Snacks, and Food Toppings

Post by ClareMarsh »

minkee wrote:Whenever I make these they turn out quite rock solid! Should I dry them for less time do you think, or is that how they're meant to be?

Also, I've only used lamb's liver so far, but is pig's liver okay too?
I think you can use any liver. And you probably just need to cook them for less time if you want them softer (I find then that they don't keep once out of the freezer/fridge but that's fine once you know). I just check them periodically as they're cooking and take them out to cool once dry enough. They do harden up quite quickly once out of the fridge (takes about half a day) so I often find myself having to bite pieces off when training Ted if it's an oder piece in my pocket as I don't give him them whole, they taste yuk if you ask me but Ted loves them and if he sees me biting bits off something his interest is immediately sparked, ooooo mum has something nice for me :lol:
Proud owner of Ted and baby Ella
My blog about Ted http://tinkerwolf.com/
Ted's Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/Tinkerwolf
Ted's You Tube Channel http://www.youtube.com/user/TheTedVids
WufWuf
Posts: 1371
Joined: Thu May 12, 2011 7:53 am

Re: RECIPES: For Kongs, Meals, Treats, Snacks, and Food Toppings

Post by WufWuf »

These are awesome treats Clare thanks for posting! I made my first batch and way over dried them as I got sidetracked and forgot they were in the oven :oops: . Honey still thinks they're yummy though, I just have to use a heavy knife and chop them into tiny pieces.

I have to say I'm finding them wonderful to use, I can grip much smaller pieces then I can with other treats and means I'm not ending up giving her too many at a time. They are also clean enough that I can just shove them in a pocket with out ending up with disgusting mushy pocket (my husband is afraid of my pockets since we got Honey as they tend to have some weird contents :lol: ).

They are also a super cheap treat, I got half a lb of liver for €1 and have used maybe a quarter of it so far (my cats also think it's yummy so they've had a few pieces too).

You wouldn't believe the amount of different treats I've bought to try and find the right balance between ease of use and Honey's desire to eat them. Cheese makes her balloon up as does anything with grains in it and I've no freezer so using fresh meat results in lots of waste as she needs such small amounts of everything. So far these are looking like the winners. :D

One last question, how long do they keep for in the fridge?

Oh and I shudder when I imagine biting a piece off, you've a brave lady :wink:
Operant conditioning rocks but classical conditioning rules
ClareMarsh
Posts: 2008
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2011 5:11 am
Location: London, UK

Re: RECIPES: For Kongs, Meals, Treats, Snacks, and Food Toppings

Post by ClareMarsh »

[quote="WufWuf" One last question, how long do they keep for in the fridge?

Oh and I shudder when I imagine biting a piece off, you've a brave lady :wink:[/quote]

Sorry, I've only just seen this :? I find that the harder they are the longer they keep. The softer ones only seem to last a week or so (they start getting white spots after that which I can only assume isn't great. Did you say you don't have a freezer? An ice box would do, I just grab a couple straight out of the freezer, put them in my pocket and they're defrosted in minutes!

I'm so glad that Honey likes them too, I find I'm like the pied piper when I'm out, dogs come over and start focussing on my pocket/my hand. I have friend's dogs who sit in front of me staring intently until they get a treat, hilarious! And I have got over the taste a bit, in fact I made one batch that didn't taste too bad!

You'll get the consistency right the more you do them as you'll just work out the best time to leave them in for your oven.

If Honey likes stinky food then try these (more expensive for sure but they taste great, yeah I've tried these too :shock: ). They're not as good as the liver for getting lots done as they're bigger and take a bit of chewing but I use them for things like toilet training where it's a one off reward if that makes sense.

Baked Chicken Treats
Get some chicken (no bones but any chicken will do)
Cut into pea sized pieces
Mix with lots of garlic powder or puree so the chicken is covered
Spread onto a baking tray covered in tin foil (or you'll never get it clean)
Bake on a medium heat (150-160 degrees C) for about 60 to 90 mins
Take out and once cool enough break the pieces up as they get stuck
Return to the over and bake until all the pieces have dried (another 60 to 90 mins)

By the time you're done they should be hard like a pebble, the important thing is that all the moisture is cooked out or they'll go off quickly. If you get it right they will keep indefinitely in plastic bags/tupperware. Handy if you have no freezer space.

I will also warn you that your dogs will have garlic breath after these for a while :D
Proud owner of Ted and baby Ella
My blog about Ted http://tinkerwolf.com/
Ted's Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/Tinkerwolf
Ted's You Tube Channel http://www.youtube.com/user/TheTedVids
WufWuf
Posts: 1371
Joined: Thu May 12, 2011 7:53 am

Re: RECIPES: For Kongs, Meals, Treats, Snacks, and Food Toppings

Post by WufWuf »

Thanks Clare, yes every dog I've met has been absolutley mad for the liver treat. One poor guy was trying to get his minpin to come back to him as he had to leave and CJ didn't want anything to do with the shop bought treats he had. I ended up having to give him some liver to get him back to him. Just ran into him again this morning and had to give him another bit as I would've sworn CJ had springs in his legs he was so keen to get at the piece I had in my hand. I told him how to make them and he said I should patent them, I had to tell him that they were not my invention :)

I've been asking my butcher for the thickest piece of liver he has and then cutting it into thin slices, that way I can dry it quite a bit and then just snap off little pieces for Honey - still not brave enough to bite it :oops: though I'm happy enough to bite off pieces of cherry for her, such a hardship I know :lol:

Those chicken pebbles sound awesome and I think they'd work really well for distracting Honey from some of her "monsters". I'll be going to the butchers on Monday so I'll probably have a go at making them then.
Garlic breath would be an improvement of her current breath, she didn't have the greatest teeth when she came to us which makes me wonder if she was older then they said she was :?

There's less and less treats I'm willing to buy as they all have pretty scary ingredients listed. I can get some larger ones that are good (e.g dried chicken stomachs) but they're not great for rewarding tiny dogs. I use them as chews when I want to keep her busy for a few minutes.

Thanks again for the great treat recipies, if you've any more tucked away I'd be very interested :wink:
Operant conditioning rocks but classical conditioning rules
Fundog
Posts: 3874
Joined: Wed Dec 03, 2008 8:31 am
Location: A little gambling town in the high desert

Re: RECIPES: For Kongs, Meals, Treats, Snacks, and Food Toppings

Post by Fundog »

This reminds me, I need to cook up another batch of liver bites for my girlies today. I used the last of them last night. :lol:
If an opportunity comes to you in life, say yes first, even if you don't know how to do it.
Fundog
Posts: 3874
Joined: Wed Dec 03, 2008 8:31 am
Location: A little gambling town in the high desert

Re: RECIPES: For Kongs, Meals, Treats, Snacks, and Food Toppings

Post by Fundog »

Sweet Potato Chewies



This is one I discovered searching for an alternative to rawhide chews. It doesn't last anything like a rawhide, but it is a definite yummy treat-- my girls totally love them, and they are nutritious too.

Peel a large sweet potato. Slice into "chips." (about 1/8th inch or 1/2 cm.) Spread out on a baking sheet, and dry in the oven at 200 Fahrenheit for two or three hours. I store them in the freezer, which makes them ultra crunchy-delightful. I tasted one, and they really do taste good to people, too! You might want to brush on a bit of olive oil and sprinkle some salt and garlic on them for your human family members! Mmm.... I can hardly wait till next payday, when I can buy a whole bunch more sweet potatoes! :lol:
If an opportunity comes to you in life, say yes first, even if you don't know how to do it.
Emmaloo
Posts: 85
Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2011 5:54 pm

Re: RECIPES: For Kongs, Meals, Treats, Snacks, and Food Toppings

Post by Emmaloo »

My Maisie is allergic to chicken and has early kidney disease, so I'm slowly switching over to home cookin' for her. (Why do ALL the commercial kidney diets have chicken in them? It's not that uncommon an allergy!) Dr. Pitcairn's excellent book (http://www.drpitcairn.com/) has a pretty easy recipe that's mostly beef and rice, with added veggies and supplements. The recipe calls for garlic, which my own vet doesn't recommend, so I skip it-- know there's some controversy about garlic (and onions), with a general belief that it "doesn't hurt in small amounts," but I'm not willing to risk it.
Suzette
Posts: 1518
Joined: Sun Jun 26, 2011 6:45 am

Re: RECIPES: For Kongs, Meals, Treats, Snacks, and Food Toppings

Post by Suzette »

I just saw your recipe for Sweet Potato Chewies, Fundog and I have a batch in the oven right now! I don't like to feed rawhides and this sounds like a great alternative. I can't wait to see how Piper likes them! :D :D
My avatar is Piper, my sweet Pembroke Corgi. b. 5/11/11
Staceyxxx
Posts: 12
Joined: Thu Jul 07, 2011 5:02 am

Re:

Post by Staceyxxx »

DogzRule1996 wrote:Here's a simple recipe for dog biscuits.

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup peanut butter (chunky or smooth)
1 cup milk

First mix the dry ingredients (baking powder and flour) together, then mix the peanut butter and milk. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ones.
Roll to 1/4 inch thickness and use cookie cutters to cut out shapes.
Bake in oven for 12-15 minutes and allow to cool. They should be a sandy colored brown, and if you try one, should taste faintly of peanut butter. Store in an air tight bag and you may refrigerate or freeze.
Made these earlier & my dogs LOVE them x
Secret Someone
Posts: 101
Joined: Thu Feb 17, 2011 3:50 am

Re: RECIPES: For Kongs, Meals, Treats, Snacks, and Food Toppings

Post by Secret Someone »

I've just cooked up apples, carrots, potato, peas, garlic and oats and then blended them. By the sniffing I suspect Pan will enjoy them. Now to wait for them to cool down so I can freeze them.
ClareMarsh
Posts: 2008
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2011 5:11 am
Location: London, UK

Re: RECIPES: For Kongs, Meals, Treats, Snacks, and Food Toppings

Post by ClareMarsh »

Secret Someone wrote:I've just cooked up apples, carrots, potato, peas, garlic and oats and then blended them. By the sniffing I suspect Pan will enjoy them. Now to wait for them to cool down so I can freeze them.
Gosh, I'm never coming to dinner at your house :wink:
Proud owner of Ted and baby Ella
My blog about Ted http://tinkerwolf.com/
Ted's Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/Tinkerwolf
Ted's You Tube Channel http://www.youtube.com/user/TheTedVids
Secret Someone
Posts: 101
Joined: Thu Feb 17, 2011 3:50 am

Re: RECIPES: For Kongs, Meals, Treats, Snacks, and Food Toppings

Post by Secret Someone »

I don't make that kind of thing for humans. :P I had stuff that needed using up and thought I'd experiment. He thinks they smell good... When it's cooled I'll give him a spoonful to try! I have added tiny bits of kibble and meat to make it more exciting.
Post Reply