# Treats



## Coopersmum (Apr 13, 2005)

What is the healthiest treats to give your dog. I just give Cooper chew sticks, but there are a lot of different products out there like chocolate buttons etc, but i did not know if these were very good for him. Also he loves the little rawhide shoes with the laces that you can buy, are these okay?


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## Goldenluv (Apr 13, 2005)

I am not sure what is the best treat, but I'd go easy on the pig's ears


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## Liss (Apr 18, 2005)

*treats*

Hi,

My two dogs get what we call Roo Chews. They are dried kangaroo pieces rolled into a bar shape.

Kangaroo has the lowest fat content of all meats so it is good for the dogs.

Also liver chips and fourbie twos (4 x 2 inches but we just call them fourbie twos). They are a type of hard wholemeal biscuit. 

Mine also get the rawhide chews but I get the ones which are basted in a beef flavoured syrup. I'm not sure if they are available over your way but they are called Schmakos.

Alissa


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## timberwolfe (Apr 15, 2005)

I don't give any raw hides at all. Clancy is a very agressive chewer and he tears through those and swallows peices. I have heard that they can be dangerous if swallowed as they tend to swell up. Look at the ingredients on most treats and it's all meat by-products. And food colouring and preservatives. 

The pet feed store we go to sells all natural treats plus there are recipes I have yet to try but I hear make great treats. It's liver and flour and few other things which you bake. I also use leftover meat and vegies as treats. And raw bones, the big marrow bones only. The natural treats are expensive which is why he gets leftovers a lot.


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## Coopersmum (Apr 13, 2005)

Yes, i thought there was bad reports about the rawhide shoes, thats why i asked, thanks. Why raw bones and not cooked ones, any difference? I have not given him a bone yet because i am waiting until he is older. What age do they get their adult teeth, i think his bottom ones look adult, but i never noticed any falling out.


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## Leena G (Apr 12, 2005)

Cooked or Raw Bones? The cooked ones do splinter, so unless Cooper is very careful and eats slowly, he should not be given any cooked bones.
In particular, chicken and pig bones make big hard sharp splinters, so be aware of those.
Regarding rawhide shoes: it's the same as giving him one of your leather slippers, no difference whatsoever.


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## Liss (Apr 18, 2005)

I sometimes lightly grill the bones for my dogs.

I just put the stove griller on meduim and whack them under for a few mins, turning occasionally.

The grilling apparently brings out the flavour.

I never grill them so the bones actually cook too, just enough to give it flavour and colour.

Alissa


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## timberwolfe (Apr 15, 2005)

As Leena said, cooked ones will splinter. I only feed raw and only the big beef weight bearing marrow bones. Now I know some RAW feeders who give their dogs entire chicken carcasses raw. Apparently they eat and digest the bones no problem. But again, cooked chicken/pork bones can be extremely dangerous.

I can't see grilling harming the bone, You aren't cooking the bone. Might as well put some BBQ sauce on it as well.


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## Joe (Apr 9, 2005)

Now you actually make me hungry guys


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## Joe (Apr 9, 2005)

By the way, try Bonni's recipe:
http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com/showthread.php?p=330
Kia loved them and she would listen like never before to get some.
joe


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## Coopersmum (Apr 13, 2005)

Thanks for the advice, i am so glad i read it because i dont know what made me think it would only be cooked bones (probably because i wouldn't eat raw meat). Cooper eats very fast so i won't be giving him a cooked bone!

I will have to try out Bonni's recipe! I think my children will want to eat them never mind Cooper! They sound good.


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## Joe (Apr 9, 2005)

I don't know if Bonni will read this. But when she brought them over and told me what's in it, I tried them.
They were perfect. I would eat it with tea if it wasn't Kia's present


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## Coopersmum (Apr 13, 2005)

LOL!!! I think i would have tried one too!


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## Joe (Apr 9, 2005)

Yeah, I gave it a try when no one was looking. 
I guess I am not the only nut on this forum


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## timberwolfe (Apr 15, 2005)

It's funny you posted that. On my way home today I stopped and got the ingredients and made those. Only problem is I'm not set up for baking. I had no rolling pin so I used a big can, and the only cookie cutter I had was a giant heart. So I made a bunch of hearts then used the left over pieces as they were and just made odd shapes figuring he's a dog and wouldn't care.

He had a couple pieces and ate them up, so it appears he likes them. And he doesn't like healthy treats that much normally.

Quick and easy to make, even for baking incompetent like me.

Oh ya. I tried them to. I little dry but not bad.


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## Coopersmum (Apr 13, 2005)

You big softie making hearts!!! I hate the face Cooper gives me when i eat, it is like "please give me that last little bit!" usually i do, lol! Its amazing the bond that we have between a human and a dog. Cooper has became my best friend. I think the fact that although i have had dogs all my life, he was the first that really belonged to me, makes him more special. I wish he could talk so i could tell him that! But he cant so i will make him the peanut butter cookies instead, lol!!


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## Joe (Apr 9, 2005)

Timberwolfe, you da man 
I will have to make some too. All those Bonni made are long gone. Yeah they are kind of dry, but they're pretty good and if your dog for some strange reason wouldn't eat them, hey... they'll be always good for Sunday's breakfast


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## Coopersmum (Apr 13, 2005)

I have a confession to make!! When i was a little girl i tried my dogs "good boy" chocolate drops! They were quite disgusting, but i think i ate quite a few of them when my mum would not buy me a sweet, lol!


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## Joe (Apr 9, 2005)

Ok, I think we are getting there... 
Coopersmum, you're sooo funny...


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## Bonni (Apr 12, 2005)

*Too funny!*

You're all absolutely hilarious! 

Joe, I can't believe that you tried the cookies and that they were palatable! I can't stop laughing.  I'm glad both you and Kia enjoyed them. Now I know what to bring you guys the next time we come to visit... 1 batch for you, and one for Kia!!!  

Seriously though, if anyone is looking to make healthy treats for their dog and they enjoy baking or cooking, then you should really consider picking up a copy of Three Dog Bakery Cookbook. I haven't seen it in any bookstores in Canada, but I'm thinking of ordering it from Amazon.ca.

Maybe next time you can try them with a little jam and then you'd have an instant PB&J!!!

Happy baking,
Bon


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## Joe (Apr 9, 2005)

Bonni, I hoped you wouldn't find this topic 
Well  haha... that's the life, you remember we asked you how you made it, and at the moment (from what you said) I became more interested than Kia 
Well you know me


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## Vierka (Apr 10, 2005)

We tried to give Kia raw bones, but she wouldn't touch them. Something about them really bothered her (any ideas?). Maybe she just needs another time to try. I'll go and get some from the butcher this week and will report .

She loves to chew things - especially the tree branches outside - she mauls them down to tiny little pieces and is very proud of herself... even huge tree branches she pulls through the entire park and destroys them.


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## Coopersmum (Apr 13, 2005)

Yes, Cooper loves tree branches too. We trimmed the trees at the back of the house a little and Cooper dragged them all into his room! (his room looks a lot like Joe and Vierka's room did when they got home yesterday!!) He has recently started digging holes in the garden, but he has not buried anything yet.


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## mojosmum (May 20, 2005)

I'd be careful about letting Kia chew on the tree branches. Before we got Mojo we were at a dog show at the Skydome in Toronto and the breeder we dealt with was supposed to be showing one of the dogs she co-owns with another couple. The dog wasn't right for some reason so Carol (the breeder) called the vet to come up and take a look and apparently the dog had a piece of branch (wood) stuck in her throat and had to have surgery to get it out. I've always been so frightened since then to allow the dogs to have any wood. Just thought I should pass that info on.


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