Henrietta Morrison - Tasty Treats for Happy Dogs

Treats are all about positive reinforcement, so when your dog does something you are happy with, a little treat goes a long way to instil good behaviour and lovely manners.

I could always guarantee that Lily would return at my call, even in the middle of Hampstead Heath, as she knew I would have a yummy treat waiting for her when she came back to me. We were very diligent with her when she was a puppy every time she went to her bed we immediately gave her a treat and the same applied to Lulu. Now if they think we have a treat to give, they often run to their beds to receive it. This happens mostly at night when its time for the Bedtime Biscuit!

Maybe it goes without saying, but the size of the treat needs to match the size of the dog, so please bear this in mind when making the recipes in this book. Everything tends to be border terrier size because of my two dogs, but feel free to increase the size of the treats if you have a bigger dog, and to reduce them if you have a toy breed. You can buy moulds in a variety of sizes, so pick the one that best suits your dog. The same rule applies to quantity: give just enough to make the treats meaningful, but not enough to pile on the pounds. Tiny dogs in particular put on weight very easily, and its terrible to see an overweight chihuahua, so make only half the recipe. That way the treats will be fresher and wont end up hanging around for too long.

We sometimes dont think twice about feeding our dog the leftovers after a meal. But you do need to make sure you are not feeding scraps that are salty or peppery. Giving a dog some gravy seems like a lovely idea, but do bear in mind that it will have been seasoned for humans and not for dogs, so its likely to be far too salty for them.

The other thing to avoid is feeding table scraps that are too fatty, for example the skin of a chicken youve cooked for the family. Doing so could cause a bout of pancreatitis if your dog is sensitive to fat.

For a straightforward vegetarian option, simply omit the meat and add in the same weight of grated vegetables, such as carrots, sweet potato and spinach, plus an egg.

For vegan recipes, omit any cheese (some dogs dont tolerate dairy very well anyway) and add nutritional yeast, which has a cheesy flavour. You can also replace the egg in various doughs with water. It will bind the dry ingredients together, but the dough will be shorter and a bit more brittle to handle.

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If your dog is on a restricted diet, there are lots of vegetarian recipes you can offer it from this book.
In addition, many of the meat recipes can be adapted to vegetarian or vegan requirements.

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Ideally, you would always use organic ingredients when making food for your dog. Unfortunately, the cost of some organic ingredients can sometimes be rather high, so as long as you are happy with the food choices you are making, then the ingredients you choose will be fine and still much better than something cooked up by a mass-produced pet-food company (apart from ours, of course!)

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• Animals that are reared organically have a better quality of life, as they are free to roam outdoors, in their natural habitat.
• No pesticides are used on foods or grass that these animals eat.
• Hormones and antibiotics are not allowed except in exceptional circumstances.
• Organic production usually has a much lower yield, as animals and pastures have not been pumped up with steroids, fertilizers and other artificial additives.
• Organic farming is better for the environment in general fewer pesticides and artificial fertilizers mean more wildlife and a better overall eco-system.
• Organic certification is a guarantee that no genetically modified ingredients have been used and no artificial ingredients have been used that have not been previously approved by the certifier.

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Essential Ingredients

Most of the ingredients used in this book are easy to find at your local shop, while more unusual ones are obtainable online. Those store-cupboard essentials I cook with most frequently are listed below, and I recommend you buy organic if possible.

This is thought to be great for overall gut health, itchy skin and to ward off fleas. It does have a strong smell, so can put a fussy dog off its food, but Ive generally included it where the smell is a bit more disguised by another ingredient. If your dog doesnt mind it, sneak a teaspoonful into its food once a day, or add to the water bowl. Start with a tiny amount and build up very gradually to a teaspoonful a day. Make sure they are drinking it, and have a bowl of plain water nearby in case they dont like the taste of the vinegar.

Ive always been a fan of this ingredient. Apart from having a delicious malty flavour, it contains lots of beneficial minerals, particularly iron, so may be helpful for dogs who are under the weather to regain their strength and vitality. It can also help to make your dogs coat beautifully glossy. It is a sugar, so only use in small amounts.

Some dogs benefit from having this oil added to their food, especially if they have joint issues, but do check with your vet first. Lily is a very sensitive dog, so I cant give her more than two drops a day, and sometimes even this small amount is too much for her.