WORLD OF DOGS

Everyone with a dog thinks theirs is the best, or at least they should. The urge is to lavish affection on your pet, to spoil them even. But of course, you can't just let your dog have everything it wants, and if you're the sort of dog owner who gives treats frequently you might want to consider making your own dog treats. Don't be put off; it's much easier than you might think. And best of all, if you make your own homemade dog treats, you can control exactly what goes into them; a luxury you don't have when buying treats at pet shops or grocery stores.

Homemade treats can even be healthy for your dog. Many books on dog health and natural pet care will contain a recipe or two for homemade dog treats, these can be a good source if you happen to have these sorts of books handy. However, the internet contains a large number of websites devoted to natural dog care and foods and many recipes can be found here too. A simple search engine query will turn up thousands of hits on the topic. These are a goldmine for those of you pondering whether to cook up a batch of treats for the family pet.

The process of actually making your own dog treats is very much like baking cookies. And just like that activity, making treats for the dog is something your children may be interested in helping with. If you think of this as a fun thing rather than an arduous ordeal, you'll find yourself and the rest of your family actually looking forward to making more treats for the dog.

Try using cookie cutters to make them into shapes. The dog may not notice, but it makes the whole process more fun. Like cookies, the treats should be stored in airtight containers once they have cooled. Remember, your homemade dog treats can go stale or rancid just like any other food product (and as the recipes often contain meat, you'll want to be extra careful - you don't want your good intentions to end up with the dog having a case of food poisoning).

Treats can, of course, be refrigerated or frozen

as needed. Make sure they are fully thawed before giving them to your dog. Besides being healthier than most store bought dog treats, the ones you make at home generally are made from things found in the average kitchen. No exotic ingredients are needed to make your own homemade dog treats, which makes them an even more attractive option to pet owners.

Just follow recipes, or invent your own, making sure to steer clear of known problem ingredients for such as grapes and raisins, onions, chocolate and all but the smallest quantities of garlic. If in doubt about an ingredient, consult with your veterinarian. The last thing you want to do is experiment with your pet's health. Happy baking and have fun. Your dog will thank you (as soon as those treats are out of the oven!).