Treats For Your Furry Valentine!

By Sonia Charry, Guest Blogger

What says Valentine’s Day more than sweets for your sweet? While chocolate is commonly connected with Valentine’s Day, it’s poisonous for dogs. Luckily, there are plenty of other foods you can share as a sweet treat with your furry Valentine. Here are three easy, homemade treats you can make this Valentine’s Day.

Berries and Cream

Berries of all kinds are safe for dogs. Spoon your favorite kind over plain non-fat yogurt. (My dog Nala is partial to blueberries – but half the fun is finding out which berry is your dog’s favorite.) There are three ways you can serve this treat.

dog treat, dog kong toy, kong

The first is fresh in your dog’s bowl. Second, for bite-size treats you can store, spoon the mixture into an ice tray and freeze overnight. Finally, mix the berries and yogurt, then freeze it inside a rubber toy for a fun and tasty treat (pictured).

Carob Covered Strawberries

Carob is a healthy alternative to chocolate that is safe for dogs to eat. Carob chips and carob powder, found at most healthy-food stores, can be substituted for chocolate chips and cocoa powder in just about any recipe. For this dessert, mix half a cup of plain yogurt with a teaspoon of carob powder. Remove the stem and leaves from strawberries, then dip in the carob-yogurt mix.

Peanut Butter-Carob Kisses

This isn’t one of my custom recipes, but it’s too good not to share. This recipe comes courtesy of the Dog Treat Recipe Exchange. They’re yummy little cookies that are made more festive when cut with a heart-shaped cookie cutter.

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 cup carob chips

1 cup peanut butter, smooth or chunky

1 cup milk

2 eggs

1/4 cup of honey

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix flour and baking powder in a large bowl and set aside. In a smaller bowl, mix peanut butter, milk, eggs and honey. Once it is well-mixed, add the wet mixture to the dry mixture. Mix with a hand beater. Add carob chips and stir until blended. Spoon dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for around 20 minutes. Let stand for 1 minute, then remove from pan and let them cool on a cookie rack.

While you sip champagne and feast on chocolate-covered strawberries, your dog can enjoy a pup-friendly treat of his or her own. What better way is there to celebrate Valentine’s Day than with sweet treats and someone you love?

Sonia Charry writes for PawPosse.com, home of the Large Dog Blog, large dog beds and more. Connect with her on Google Plus.

PHOTOS: Doremi Girl, Sonia Charry

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