Make Your Own Gourmet Dog Treats
Michalis 'BIG Mike' Kotzakolios
Kotzakoliou, SSA

Most people consider their pets to be a bone-a-fide part of their family. They are taken care of and pampered just like any other member of the family. Some people even go so far as to spend a little extra on gourmet dog treats instead of buying the run-of-the-mill commercial dog biscuits. Gourmet dog treats probably don't make much difference as far as the dog is concerned, but it makes people feel good to know that their pets are special enough that they're willing to spend extra on them. Gourmet dog treats can be expensive, but they don't have to be. A good way to save money on gourmet dog treats is to make your own from home. It's easy and rewarding for your dog.

You can make dog biscuits using the same fine ingredients that you would use for your own baking. One recipe for biscuits calls for 2 cups of flour, a half cup of dry, nonfat milk, a cup of shredded cheddar cheese, 10 ounces of chopped spinach, a cup of softened margarine, and 2 cloves of crushed garlic. These are definitely ingredients that many humans would not pass up in their own meals.

Mix up the cheese, spinach, margarine and garlic in a food processor. Then add the remaining dry ingredients. Put the mixture in the refrigerator for about an hour. Meanwhile, grease up a cookie sheet with a vegetable pan spray. When the mixture has cooled, roll it out onto a floured surface. Using a cookie cutter, cut out the biscuits. Pre-heat the oven to 300 degrees. Put the biscuits on the cookie sheet and bake for about 30-45 minutes, or until they are a light brown. After the treats have cooled off, they are ready for Fido's enjoyment. You can store the unused treats in an airtight container. If you want to give the treats an extra-special touch, you can also decorate them. Wilton Candy Melts are a veterinarian-approved confection that you can use on the treats. You can also use rainbow nonpareils to make them a bit sweeter.