PRINCEVILLE — It has been a good while since I did an article on food for my four-legged babies; years in fact. Hobert and I are in Fries, VA this week in the RV and have two of our babies with us. That got us to thinking and talking about treats for them. So, this week, you are getting food for fido ideas. Please keep in mind that these are treats and extras. They are NOT intended to replace any regular food that your dog gets.

Our first recipe is great for any pet that has problems with regularity. It’s high in fiber and will help keep them going. This is great for when you travel and you need for them to be able to “go” while on a leash. Most dogs don’t like that. They want some privacy just like we do. This recipe will also work for two-legged people but you will need to add a little sugar and vanilla to make it taste better.

The second recipe is banana bones. Bananas are good for people and pets. This one is called bones only because you use a bone-shaped cookie cutter.

The third recipe is doggie donuts. If you don’t have a donut-shaped cookie cutter, use your biscuit cutter and then use a pop bottle to cut the hole. These are cooked in the microwave so they are very healthy. They need to get hard so that fido can crunch them.

The fourth recipe is started in a Crockpot and is very easy. You can use tofu, ground beef or ground lamb. If you take out the doggie portions and then add some spices like salt, pepper and garlic and onion powder, you can have this yourself!

The last recipe is an apple muffin. It’s sweetened a little with honey, which is fine for dogs. This is also fine for people but may not be quite sweet enough for our tastes.

Please remember that our four-legged friends don’t care about salt and pepper, so don’t add them! They also shouldn’t have sugar substitutes so if you want to sweeten one of these dishes a bit use honey not Splenda. They should also be stored in the fridge or freezer as we haven’t added any preservatives.



Pup-kin pie



2 cups pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese

9-inch pie shell



Mix pumpkin and ricotta cheese together. Spread evenly throughout pie shell. Chill and serve.

Banana Bones



2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 cup nonfat powdered milk

1 large egg

1/3 cup mashed ripe banana

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup chicken broth



Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Mix all ingredients until well blended. Knead for 2 minutes on a floured surface.

Roll to 1/4" thickness. Cut into cookies using a bone-shaped cookie cutter, and place on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake for 30 minutes. Cool on wire rack before serving.

Microwaved Doggie Donuts



2 cups whole wheat flour

1 egg (lightly beaten)

2/3 cup beef or chicken broth

3 tbsp quick cooking oatmeal



Grease a shallow, microwave-safe plate or baking dish. Set aside.

Whisk together the egg and broth in a large bowl. Gradually stir in the flour and oats. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and roll out to 1/2 inch thickness.

Cut out cookies using a round cookie cutter. Use a smaller round cookie cutter to cut out the center hole. Place on prepared plate, arranging the cookies on the dish without crowding them.

Cover with a paper towel, and cook in the microwave on high until firm, about 10 minutes. Repeat steps to use up the remaining dough. Cool on a wire rack.

Meat & Potatoes

1lb tofu (or ground lamb or beef)

1 1/2 cups brown rice

2 stalks broccoli (cut up into bite size pieces)

2 medium potatoes (unpeeled, cubed)

4 medium carrots

5 cups water



Begin boiling the water in a crock pot, so it is already hot while you are preparing the rest of the ingredients. Brown the tofu or meat in a frying pan and add the potatoes. Put the broccoli and carrots in the crock pot, and add enough hot water to cover.

Throw in 1/2 cup brown rice and mix. Let cool and serve.



Jack’s Apple Muffins

3 cups water

1/4 cup applesauce, unsweetened

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

4 cups whole wheat flour

3/4 cup diced apples, peel on

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 egg, beaten slightly

3 tbsp honey



Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray your muffin tins.

Combine the water, applesauce, vanilla, egg, and honey in one bowl. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and apples. Slowly add the wet ingredients from the first bowl and mix thoroughly to form a batter.

Pour into muffin tins and bake for 1-1/4 hours or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out dry. Let cool and serve.

Makes 13 muffins.



Did  You Know?



Ten Steps to Your Dog’s Dental Health



1. The Breath Test: Sniff your dog’s breath. Not a field of lilies? That’s okay—normal doggie-breath isn’t particularly fresh-smelling. However, if his breath is especially offensive and is accompanied by a loss of appetite, vomiting or excessive drinking or urinating, it’s a good idea to take your pooch to the vet.

2. Lip Service: Once a week, with your dog facing you, lift his lips and examine his gums and teeth. The gums should be pink, not white or red, and should show no signs of swelling. His teeth should be clean, without any brownish tartar.

3. Signs of Oral Disease: The following are signs that your dog may have a problem in his mouth or gastrointestinal system and should be checked by a veterinarian:

•    Bad breath

•    Excessive drooling

•    Inflamed gums

•    Tumors in the gums

•    Cysts under the tongue

•    Loose teeth

4. The Lowdown on Tooth Decay: Bacteria and plaque-forming foods can cause build-up on a dog’s teeth. This can harden into tartar, possibly causing gingivitis, receding gums and tooth loss. One solution? Regular teeth cleanings, of course.

5. Canine Tooth-Brushing Kit: Get yourself a toothbrush made especially for canines or a clean piece of soft gauze to wrap around your finger. Ask your vet for a toothpaste made especially for canines or make a paste out of baking soda and water. Never use fluoride with dogs under six months of age—it can interfere with their enamel formation. And please do not use human toothpaste, which can irritate a dog’s stomach. Special mouthwash for dogs is also available—ask your vet.

6. Brightening the Pearly Whites: Taking these steps will make brushing a lot easier for the both of you:

•    First get your dog used to the idea of having her teeth brushed. Massage her lips with your finger in a circular motion for 30 to 60 seconds once or twice a day for a few weeks. Then move on to her teeth and gums.

•    When your pooch seems comfortable being touched this way, put a little bit of dog-formulated toothpaste or a paste of baking soda and water on her lips to get her used to the taste.

•    Next, introduce a toothbrush designed especially for dogs—it should be smaller than a human toothbrush and have softer bristles. Toothbrushes that you can wear over your finger (or a clean piece of gauze) are also available and allow you to give a nice massage to your dog’s gums.

•    Finally, apply the toothpaste to her teeth for a gentle brushing, as in step 7.

•    A veterinary exam beforehand may be helpful to find out if your dog’s gums are inflamed. If your dog has mild gingivitis, brushing too hard can hurt her gums.

7. Brushing Technique: Yes, there is actually a technique! Place the brush or your gauze-wrapped finger at a 45-degree angle to the teeth and clean in small, circular motions. Work on one area of your dog’s mouth at a time, lifting her lip as necessary. The side of the tooth that touches the cheek usually has the most tartar, and giving a final downward stroke can help to remove it. If your dog resists having the inner surfaces of her teeth cleaned, don’t fight it—only a small amount of tartar accumulates there. Once you get the technique down, go for a brushing two or three times a week.

8. Know Your Mouth Disorders: Getting familiar with the possible mouth problems your dog may encounter will help you determine when it’s time to see a vet about treatment:

•    Periodontal disease is a painful infection between the tooth and the gum that can result in tooth loss and spread infection to the rest of the body. Signs are loose teeth, bad breath, tooth pain, sneezing and nasal discharge.

•    Gingivitis is an inflammation of the gums caused mainly by accumulation of plaque, tartar and disease-producing bacteria above and below the gum line. Signs include bleeding, red, swollen gums and bad breath. It is reversible with regular teeth cleanings.

•    Halitosis—or bad breath—can be the first sign of a mouth problem and is caused by bacteria growing from food particles caught between the teeth or by gum infection. Regular tooth-brushings are a great solution.

•    Swollen gums develop when tartar builds up and food gets stuck between the teeth. Regularly brushing your dog’s teeth at home and getting annual cleanings at the vet can prevent tartar and gingivitis.

•    Proliferating gum disease occurs when the gum grows over the teeth and must be treated to avoid gum infection. An inherited condition common to boxers and bull terriers, it can be treated with antibiotics.

•    Mouth tumors appear as lumps in the gums. Some are malignant and must be surgically removed.

•    Salivary cysts look like large, fluid-filled blisters under the tongue, but can also develop near the corners of the jaw. They require drainage, and the damaged saliva gland must be removed.

•    Canine distemper teeth can occur if a dog had distemper as a puppy. Adult teeth can appear looking eroded and can often decay. As damage is permanent, decayed teeth should be removed by a vet.

9. Chew on This: chew toys can satisfy your dog’s natural desire to chomp, while making his teeth strong. Gnawing on a chew toy can also help massage his gums and help keep his teeth clean by scraping away soft tartar. Ask your vet to recommend toxin-free rawhide, nylon and rubber chew toys.

P.S.: Gnawing also reduces your dog’s overall stress level, prevents boredom and gives him an appropriate outlet for his natural need to chew.

10. Diet for Healthy Teeth: Ask your vet about a specially formulated dry food that can slow down the formation of plaque and tartar. Also, avoid feeding your dog table scraps, instead giving him treats that are specially formulated to keep canine teeth healthy.

(http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/dog-care-dental-health.aspx