No matter how chaotic your workday was, your dog is always thrilled to see you at the end of the day and lavish you with his love. This Valentine’s Day, you can show your dog how much you love him with one of the following homemade treats or toys.
PawBerry Blast Kong Treat: This recipe comes from the Kong Company’s website. As they say, your dog is going to LOVE this PawBerry Blast and it’s a great, healthy treat. Yogurt can help your dog digest food with all the probiotics that it contains.
Ingredients:
Yogurt (plain), Blueberries, Toasted oatmeal, Raspberries
Steps:
Toast oatmeal in oven on 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown. After your oatmeal is toasted, combine it in a bowl with the yogurt and berries. Mix together until you have a good yogurt granola. Fill the KONG and top with some blueberries to keep the yogurt from seeping out. Freeze overnight, or least for two to three hours
Although this is a fun and Valentine’s colored treat, we recommend giving this treat to your pup in a confined and easy to clean space– definitely not on your carpet!
T-Shirt Dog Toy: This easy-to-make dog toy project from the ASPCA is a great use for a few old t-shirts you no longer wear, and can be fun to make with kids. Your canine valentine is sure to enjoy it.
Materials:
Two T-shirts, Scissors
Directions:
- Cut 2-3” wide slits at the base of your shirts. After you’ve cut your slits, just rip or cut along the slit to create strips of fabric for the next step
- Gather your t-shirt strips and tie off one end
- Divide your strips into thirds and braid them together
Once you’ve braided down to the other end, tie up the bottom and cut any straggling t-shirt strips.
Valentine’s Day sweet pooch pancakes
If your dog adores “people food”, consider making him these dog-friendly pancakes from Rachael Ray for an extra special treat. After all, Valentine’s Day falls on a Saturday this year, so you may have the extra time.
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup milk (or milk alternative, many dogs are somewhat lactose intolerant)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted, or vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon honey (honey is not recommended for young puppies, but is fine for older puppies and adults)
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Cooking spray
- 2 cups sliced banana, berries and mango
- 1 cup plain yogurt
Directions:
- Preheat a griddle or large nonstick skillet over medium heat. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, butter and honey. Gently whisk in the 2 flours, the baking powder and cinnamon.
- Spray the griddle with cooking spray. Drop the batter, 2 tablespoons at a time, onto the greased griddle; cook until bubbles begin to form and break, about 3 minutes. Press a few pieces of fruit into each pancake, then flip and cook until brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Drizzle with the yogurt and top with the remaining fruit.