Barbara Burg - Good Treats Cookbook for Dogs: 50 Home-Cooked Treats for Special Occasions Plus Everything You Need to Know to Throw a Dog Party!

50 HOME-COOKED TREATS
FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS
PLUS EVERYTHING YOU
NEED TO KNOW TO
Throw a Dog Party!

Barbara Burg

In loving memory of my mother, Mildred, who supported my love of baking for dogs and who so enthusiastically supported the development of Barbaras Canine Catering.

To my father, Cecil, my best friend, whose love and support keeps me going in my quest to bake the healthiest treats available for our canine kids.

My father, Cecil, who occasionally dressed up Sparky to go out and about, circa 1946. After seeing this photograph, it became very clear to me where I got the gene for wanting to party with dogs.

CHAPTER 1:
Celebrate! Celebrate! Sit, Stay, Drool

CHAPTER 2:
Lets Get Baking

CHAPTER 3:
Yap-paw-tizers & Arf-doeuvres

CHAPTER 4:
Pawty Pleasers

CHAPTER 5:
More Cookies, Please

CHAPTER 6:
Celebration Cakes

CHAPTER 7:
Chilled Tarts & Beverages

I have to admit, catering dog parties (actually, thats pawties) has got to be among the zaniest, funniest, and most enjoyable experiences I have had, paws downand Ive been in professional theater and touring companies while living in New York and Los Angeles. In other words, Ive had my share of excitement and memorable good timesbut nothing is more celebratory than partying with friends and all of your dogs. Apparently, millions of you agree, given the fact that the pet industry has grown into a multibillion-dollar segment of the economy. Since starting my own doggie bakery, Barbaras Canine Catering, in 1995, Ive seen the number of parties increase dramatically each year. We have shipped birthday cakes and party goodies to dogs in every state in the continental United States. Amazing! Our dogs truly are the original pawty animals! After all, any moment spent with your dog is cause for celebration.

Whether you have a flair for drama or a desire to keep it simple, everything you need to know to pull off the perfect pup bash can be found in this book. Ive included easy-to-prepare recipes, party ideas with lots of style, and hosting tips from sending the invitations to writing thank-you notes. I hope this bookfilled with pawsitively fun ideaswill inspire you to invite a bunch of your friends and their dogs to get together and celebrate. So lets get our dogs, get in the kitchen, and get this pawty started!

Bone Appett!

Oh boy! Were having a pawty and inviting our dog-loving friends and their dogs. Great! But where do we start? Where should we throw our celebration? How many guests? Should we choose a theme? What do we eat and how much is this going to cost? Relax. Lets tackle one question at a time.

Location is the first decision, as this will set the tone for your party. Your first option for a location is a home with a fenced-in yard. Indoors is fine if you have a tiled area (no carpet!) and only a few small dogs or the space and nerves to handle a larger group. If you opt for the outdoors, make sure that your fence is high enough to restrain any jumpers and conditions around the bottom of the fence are secure to thwart any small digging escape artists. Even better, if your yard area is large enough, try to accommodate a play area (even for the most rambunctious guest), an area for food and games, an area for canine parents to relax, and a designated area for canine relief.

Outdoor areas are ideal for large or small pawties. Typically, a yard area of 30 by 40 feet (9 by 12 m) can host eight to ten dogs. But keep in mind the sizes of the pawty guests. Are the majority of the guests toy breeds, medium-size dogs, or large dogs? Are your guests young and energetic puppies or laid-back seniors? Or does your guest of honor have both small and large buddies or old and young friends? Keep these questions in mind when selecting your location. If you opt for an outdoor location, consider a backup plan in case of foul weather. Is your garage or indoor area large enough to handle your pawty if it rains? Better yet, include a rain date on your invitation.

The average indoor home area or garage generally can accommodate four or five dogs, keeping in mind the sizes and ages of the guests. But lets not forget about space and seating for the canine parents youll need room to party, too. Youll also need to differentiate between the dog treats table and the human refreshment table. Believe me, with the canine spreads that youll be preparing using this book, it will be difficult to tell them apart.

Whether you opt for indoors or outdoors, heres a checklist to consider for hosting a successful event at your home:

Select an ample and appropriate area to accommodate whatever size group youre having.

Arrange for plenty of convenient parking for your guests.

Tell your neighbors about your dogs celebration just in case a few guests get yappy. Better yet, invite them over for some canine fun.

Provide enough doggie bags and convenient outdoor trash cans for relief pickup. Be sure to show guests when they arrive the designated pooping area and where to find the bags and covered can for those bags. To add a touch of whimsy and make this subject less awkward, personalize a few poop bags for each dog. You may also want to designate someone to perform poop patrol.

Remove any items of value that could get in harms way (or get damaged) when the pawty animals start frolicking.

Create a comfortable seating area for canine parents to enjoy refreshments and conversation.