I personally have never been one to get excited over Valentine's Day. I do, however, get excited over my dogs. Ask anyone and they will probably tell you that I'm one of those "dog people," the kind who prefers four-legged friends to two-legged ones. In my defense, I can't think of any one time my pups, or any pup for that matter, has left me feeling betrayed, deflated or otherwise unwanted. Can you?
One day upon scanning the shelves at Books-A-Million, I discovered the “Organic Dog Biscuit Cookbook” from the Bubba Rose Biscuit Company. It makes sense now that we are becoming more aware of all the advantages of organic eating that we would want to offer our pets the same kind of benefits we want for ourselves, so I bought into the idea and haven't looked back since.
The book has more than 100 recipes that are fun and simple to make. The most difficult ones involve the use of a food processor (which says a lot), because if you own one you know they exist only to make your life easier. You don't have to be a seasoned baker to make these treats, and I promise your pet will still love you regardless of the outcome.
Since I've experimented with this book, I've purchased others that are equally as creative but bring some concern, as some of the recipes call for ingredients such as garlic and raisins- foods I've learned are toxic to dogs. So for the most part, I stick to Bubba Rose, and I test my treats on my loyal, loving subjects. They may or may not be able to taste the difference in their new biscuits, but I've yet to hear any objections, and I feel a whole lot better knowing they're eating identifiable ingredients that I put together with my own hands.
This article appears in Feb 9-15, 2012.