Healthy, easy-to-make treats for your pets

Pets are part of the family; they are not just man’s best friend, but also loyal companions that gives love unconditionally – many lessons to be learnt from our animal friends.  So, why not treat them to some home-made snacks. Here is a healthy recipe that you can make as a treat for your dog.  Just make sure to ask your vet if unsure and remember, it is a snack (treat) so don’t feed your dog everything at once!

Snacks for your dog:

2 cups wholewheat flour

½ cut smooth peanut butter (make sure is does not contain Xylitol, as this is toxic to animals)

2 eggs

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

¼ cup water; extra if needed

Mix the flour, peanut butter, eggs and parsley in a bowl until just combined.  Add water, little-by-little until the mixture comes together.  Roll out the dough (5 cm) and cut out shapes.  Place on a baking tray and bake for 15 minutes at 180*C (350*F).

This recipe makes about 36 treats and will stay fresh, in an airtight container, for a week.  The dough can easily be frozen to make the treats at a later stage.

Here is an easy-to-follow recipe for making home-made snacks for your cat:

1 tbsp Catnip (Optional)

1 10 oz can Tuna or Salmon

1 cup All-purpose flour

1 tbsp Olive oil

1 Egg

1 cup Old fashioned oats

Preheat your oven to 180*C (350*F).  Drain your canned tuna and reserve about 3 tbsp of the liquid.  Dump your old-fashioned oats into the food processor and pulse until powdery.  Add all of your ingredients in and pulse away until it forms a ball of dough. If it’s too sticky, add more flour. If it’s too dry, add a bit of water.

Once mixed, roll out the dough and cut out shapes.  Bake it for about 20 – 30 minutes until it is slightly golden and crisp on the outside.  If your cat prefers crunchier treats, you can bake it a bit longer.  Let it cool completely and store it in an airtight container.

Other, healthy snacks, include fruits and vegetables like apples, banana, carrots, sweet potato and the like.  Make sure to ask your vet before giving you pet something that he / she has not had before, as there are some foods that are dangerous to animals.  When you peel carrots, for example, add it to your pet’s food instead of throwing it away.  You can cook it, together with other vegetables, and give it to you dog, for example.  The nutrients you find in fruits and vegetables are just as important for you, as it is for your pets.  When buying your pet snacks, make sure to read the label – especially if you are health-conscious and stay clear of (as far as possible), from artificial things like colouring, sweetener and the like.

All any animal wants, is love and respect.  Pets are loyal and ask nothing more but to be loved, cared for and respected.  As humans, we sadly believe that we can “do as we please” when it comes to animals and nature in general.  However, it is time to bring the balance back and to remember that we are guardians of the planet, of Nature and her children.  To be a guardian is to protect something / someone and not to discard it when it gets old or ill.  So, a big thank you to everyone who rescues animals in need.  And those of you who have pets (birds included), take care of them the same way you would take care of yourself and your family; after all, your pet (-s) are part of the family!