Thursday, November 29, 2012

A Dog Post

39° here this morning, no quite so cold and yesterday was a pretty sunshiny day.

Yesterday was a "dog day" here.  First the vet appointment was for 8:30 which kept us hopping.  She did really well but was so afraid she trembled. Of course, she liked John (vet).  He is so good with all kinds of animals. She nestled up to his chest and rested her head against his throat.  He just stood very still and said let's just see what  she does.  He was really taken with her.

He verified  she is part Great Pyr because she had the detached extra set of dew claws on her rear legs that only they have.  He also agrees with the previous owner and all of us about the Pit Bull part.  The roof of her mouth is mottled mostly black with pink.  He didn't mention the Boxer part so not sure about that mix. He said having the Pit Bull mix is a very good thing.   He thinks they are wonderful dogs and the easiest breed he works on.  He said Sugar will be the best dog we have ever owned and will be easily trained.  So far, we are agreeing 100%.

We stopped by the little store in Ash Grove where the vet is located so I could pick up a couple of items and see if they had the extra ingredients I needed to make her my Sis's recipe for dog treats....I was amazed that they did.  I know I still have the expensive ones from the pet store,  but once I get an idea for something......So I did the batch of treats.  Good news; she loves them!

Here is the recipe for them.  There are lots of them on the 'net that are much simpler but I chose to do these.  For one thing they make a huge batch.  It is a very stiff dough but I used the KA Pro and it worked well. 

First,of course,I made some changes!  I hate it when I get a recipe and they say that.....I substituted chicken livers because I didn't want to dig and hunt for the beef livers that I hope are still in the freezer from butchering.  I did have to make some adjustments in the liquid because I didn't measure the water that I cooked the livers in.  I used dried garlic flakes; no brewer yeast.   That all being said, it worked out fine.
If you make it by hand, you will find the dough very stiff and hard to get all together.  I would add more liquid but remember it must be very stiff and not soft at all.  The end product is very hard; not cracker like.

Char's Dog Treat Recipe

Cook together:

1 cup (½ lbs liver cooked and minced (Note:  I froze the rest of the ckn liver slurry for another time)
2 or 3 cloves garlic
2-1/2 cups water
Note: The above seems unclear to me; I cooked raw livers in the water with the garlic.  Then slurried it all in the Cuisinart. You could drain off the liquid and add later then chop the liver.  I hate chopping raw liver.  I never asked her what she does.  May way worked fine.

Dissolve:
1 t. honey or sugar
1 T or package of dry yeast
½ cup warm water

3-1/2 cups flour
2 cups ww flour
2 cups cornmeal
1-3/4 cups rolled oats
¼ cup wheat germ
1 cup non-fat dry milk
1/3 cup brewers yeast (opt)
3 tsp. Iodized salt
3 eggs beaten

Cook garlic and liver together. Remove from heat and cool. Grind all and set aside

Dissolve yeast with honey

In a very large bowl blend dry ingredients ;add cooled yeast mixture, liver slurry,  eggs. Mix well

Knead 4-5 minutes

Cover let rest 15 minutes

Preheat oven to 300°
Grease 2-3 sheets
Divide dough into thirds
Note: 1/3 dough filled two standard size sheets and I froze the other 2/3)

Roll out 1/8 x ¼ or ½ thick. Cut into desired shape
Note: Sis uses 'bone' cookie cutter...I used my wheel type pizza cutter. Sugar did not refuse them because they weren't bone shaped.

Bake l hour.

Here are some pics of the process that might help.

 

 Rolled out 1/3.  I probably had mine a little thicker than 1/8 but not 1/4 inch.


Before baking,

I got tired of transferring them with a spatula and finally just slid them off the board onto the sheet. As you can see, I did not separate all of them.  The broke apart easily after cooking.


and the baked treats...maybe a little too brown because of my oven, but not burned.


These are about 3/4 to l inch in size but you can do whatever size you want.  

We are just using them as a reward when she comes inside or comes to us when we call her.


OK, promise. No more proud parent posts......maybe I will slip in a picture now and then. My Sis is getting a kick out of both of us.  We are being a little silly I know.

20 comments:

  1. Now Glenda, don't go keeping all the good doggy news to yourself! We want to watch Sugar grow up right along with you, so keep those pics and posts coming. :-D

    Glad your treat recipe works out. Hope you can get some brewers yeast for next batch. As a child our family raised AKC German Shepherds and brewers yeast was a must. Here's a good link about it's BENEFITS.

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    1. I didn't realize the benefits....I did some research and see Walgreen has it. I wish I had know before. I bet Walmart does too. How did you all feed the yeast to the dogs.

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    2. It was sprinkled (don't remember how much - that was back in the 50s) on their daily food. I'm sure you can Bing/Google more info. It's good for people too.

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  2. Great post. Sugar sounds like a winner that's for sure. Brewer's yeast keeps the fleas away. There is something in the brewers yeast that fleas do not like so they do not bother the pets. I've been giving it to our 4 feline girls for years now and they do not have fleas.

    Treats as rewards for good behavior is a good thing to do.

    Hugs ~ FlowerLady

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    1. You and Kris have educated me! How do you give it to your cats? I am getting a jar the next time we go to town. It sounds like a very good thing for everyone, including us.

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  3. I want to see the proud parent posts! We keep mulling over the idea of replacing our sadly departed Great Pyr and this way I can get some satisfaction. We need another farm dog.

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  4. Please keep up wity puppy parent pictures. We all have pets and would like to keep up with Sugar's progress.
    I mix brewer's yeast in a little broth or tuna water, let it sit to absorb the flavor(it looks like bread dough) and then place it in a covered snap on lid container for leftovers, and place in the frig. I take it and sprinkle it on the dry food for my cats, and mix it in their canned. I usually do this during the summer, it will not hurt during the fall and winter either.
    Thank you for sharing the recipe post for biscuits. I am going to start making my own also, I am tired of the prices and the chemicals placed in pets food and treats, like the greenies problem and other stuff from China.
    Wnderful post this morning, Glenda. Enjoy being a doggy parent.
    Hugs

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    1. ps
      Sorry for the typo's this morning. Gee, didn't go to school. Not enough coffee, and I am typing pretty much in the dark with no light on. :+{

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    2. I am definitely getting the brewer's yeast. DH said way back in his youth when he was lifting weights, he took it regularly along with a lot of other stuff. He said he would take it now.....I was stunned. He rarely even takes an aspirin. After researching it, it seems to have a lot of very good things in it.

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  5. Well I guess you know by now nobody doesn't like reading about Sugar. Me too.

    Jack LaLanne (remember him?) used to make health drinks with brewer's yeast in them. I think you could get cats to eat it by just sprinkling it on their food, whether you feed wet or dry. Most cats love the flavor and will lick it right up. Vicki's idea of mixing it in some broth (or milk) and sprinkling it over their food is a good one, too.

    Hubs has been giving Sonny half a peanut butter sandwich, torn in small pieces, as his treats since we ran out of our last batch. They don't "clean his teeth", but he eats dry dogfood so I figure it all balances out. I have several treat recipes and a cookie cutter that would work, but none of them bake up hard enough, so I'll be glad to try your recipe. Hugs, Ilene

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    1. I guarantee these are really hard. You can hear her chewing them all over the house. When she comes back on the porch now from outside, she looks up waiting for her treat.

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  6. Glenda,

    Thank you for sharing your dog treat recipe!!!
    Please, keep posting about Sugar. I love proud parent posts.
    I'm going to have to check out this brewers yeast and maybe start using it for the dogs.

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  7. Glenda, since the biscuits are like hard tack (with meat in them) how long do they keep? Where do you keep them. In the fridge? Cupboard? Freezer? Without nasty preservatives and chemicals, do they have a short shelf life? Gosh, ain't I nosey? See, I have a couple of friends with dogs and homemade dog biscuits would be a nice Xmas gift for them....

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    1. Kris I don't know but I have no plans to refrigerate them! I will check with my Sis to day and see what she says.

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  8. A totally unrelated question, but we go up to Springfield every few month and I know there's an Amish community on the way there (maybe near Diggins??), but was wondering if there are any Amish stores? Not like tourist traps selling "Amish made" quilts & stuff, but where the Amish actually do their shopping. Bulk food stores or the like?
    Not sure exactly where you live, but knew you were somewhere around there and wondered if you knew. Sorry, I would have emailed you, but deleted your email last time :( you can email me back at carolynrenee at centurytel dot net if you like. Thanks!

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    1. Carolyn, the only one we have been to is the one located 2-1/2 miles east of Seymour, Mo. on highway 60, the 1/4 mile north. It is located behind a salvage yard that you can see from the highway. They don't have as much as some stores I have seen. There is another up by Stockton Lake but that would be a long way for you all.



      The phone number is 1-800-795-2995 and local (417)935-4522

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  9. the dog sounds like a wonderful addition to your family.

    A welcome trick. I like the garlic since that is supposed to repel ticks.

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  10. When you have any pets like dogs or other animals at that time I'll suggest you for using cbd for dogs because this way is very simple and easy. Also when you can manage to use these treats for your pets at that time you can do it without any confusion.

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