Home-Made Winter Treats
This article is written by Pet Circle veterinarian,
For many of us, winter time means home-made comfort foods and evenings spent snuggled up with a warm cup of our favourite drink. So why should this be any different for our furry companions? Here is a selection of pet friendly healthy home-made recipes for your pet including a Puppuccino (Doggy Hot Chocolate), Chicken Soup, KONG Stuffers, Tantilising Tongue Twisters and fresh Cookies and Cakes. Spend some time at home this winter with your pet whipping up some delicious home-made treats to warm them up and spoil them!
Puppuccino's (Dog Friendly Hot Chocolate)
Puppuccino (Dog Friendly Hot Chocolate)
Nothing says winter like Hot Chocolate. Here is an easy dog friendly Puppuccino recipe for those cold winter nights. You can even try it yourself!
Puppuccino
Ingredients
- 2 cups of unsweetened coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons carob powder (can be purchased from your local health food store)
Method
- Add coconut milk and carob powder to a saucepan
- Heat gently and whisk until bubbly
- Allow to cool before serving
- Sprinkle with additional powder and serve with Huds and Toke Doggy Cookies
Suitable For:
- Dogs
Home-Made Chicken Soup
Who doesn't love a warm bowl of soup on a cold winter's night. Here is a pet friendly, healthy Chicken Soup recipe you can make for your pet to help warm them up this winter. Serve lukewarm as a treat or ladle over their regular dry or wet food diet as the perfect comforting addition.
Home-Made Chicken Soup
Ingredients
- 4 free range chicken drumsticks, skinned with fat removed
- 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
- 1 celery stick, chopped
- 5 parsley stalks
- 8 cups of water
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves
Method
- Add chicken drumsticks, carrots, celery, parsley stalks and water to a pot
- Bring to the boil and gently simmer for 1 hour until the meat is falling off the bones.
- Remove the drumsticks and parsley stalks from the pot and carefully remove the meat from the bone. Discard the parsley stalks and bones. (Do not feed the bones to your pet)
- Shred the chicken meat and return it to the pot. Add the chopped parsley leaves.
- Allow the soup to cool before serving.
- Served warm as a treat or ladle over your pet's regular food as a special winter treat!
Suitable For:
- Cats
- Dogs
KONG Stuffers
KONGs are a great way to keep dogs and cats entertained. Your pet will love these super simple home-made KONG Stuffer recipes. Full of healthy, natural ingredients and packed full of goodness, these recipes can be frozen ahead of time and thawed for an easy mid-week treat.
For Dogs
Sunday Chicken Roast
Ingredients
- KONG classic
- 1/2 cup of cooked chicken
- 1/2 cup of mashed potato
- 1/2 cup of frozen peas and carrots
Method
- Mix all the ingredients together
- Using a spoon fill each KONG to the top
- Freeze for a longer lasting treat
Suitable For:
- Dogs
Pup-permint
Ingredients
- KONG classic
- 1 cup of plain yoghurt
- 1/4 cup of chopped fresh mint
- 1/4 cup of parsley
- 1/2 cup of chopped apple
- KONG paste
Method
- Mix yoghurt, mint, parsley and chopped apple together
- Using a spoon fill each KONG to the top
- Seal the hole with KONG paste
- Freeze for a longer lasting treat
Suitable For:
- Dogs
*recipes care of the KONG company website
Other great KONG stuffing ideas:
For Cats
For cats try the Cat KONG or a Wobbler KONG . You can fill the KONG with treats such as Greenies, Whole Dried Fish or any other small treat.
For a longer lasting challenge, try filling the inside with liquid treats like the Dine Creamy Treats or Inaba Pastes. For a smell sensation add a spray of Cat Nip.
Tantilising Tongue Twisters
Image courtesy @lickimat
Licking is natural behaviour for cats and dogs. It is not uncommon to find cats grooming themselves for long periods of time or dogs licking their owners or each other in greeting. As well as having a functional purpose for our pets, licking produces a calming affect through the release of endorphins.
Products such as Lickimat are designed to keep your pet stimulated and entertained, reducing boredom and anxiety as well as slowing those that eat too quickly. The flexible mat design and raised grooves allow food to be spread or sprinkled on the surface and encourage licking to retrieve the tasty treat all while releasing relaxing endorphins.
There are many different Lickimat designs to choose from. The Tuff Lickimats and Slomo Lickimats are dishwasher safe and microwave friendly, so are a great option for winter time when you may want to warm up your pet's food.
Smashed Sardine Pate
Ingredients
- 2 cans of sardines in spring water, drained
- 1/2 cup of cottage cheese or natural yoghurt (yoghurt is a better choice for cats)
Method
- Place ingredients in a mixing bowl and mash with a fork to combine
- Texture should be smooth with some lumps
- Load the Lickimat with mix and smooth over
- Mixture will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you have another Lickimat load that and freeze for later
Suitable For:
- Cats
- Dogs
*recipe care of the LICKIMAT website
More Recipe Ideas for Dogs
- Warm porridge- pre-cooked with no sugar
- Mimi and Munch Pooch Peanut Butter or Natural Peanut butter- Ensure it is Xylitol Free
- Pumpkin, Sweet Potato or Apple Puree- Why not mix them together and try different combinations
- Canned fish (salmon, tuna or sardines)
- Cottage Cheese or Natural Yoghurt
- Pastes such as KONG paste
- Wet food options such as Royal Canin Wet Food, Wellness Core Simply Shreds or Ziwi Wet Food
- Sprinkle with Treats such as Blackdog, Natures Cuts or Ziwi Treats
- Fill with Home-made Chicken Soup or stock
More Recipe Ideas For Cats
- Canned fish (salmon, tuna or sardines)
- Pumpkin, Sweet Potato or Apple Puree- Why not mix them together and try different combinations
- Natural Yoghurt
- Pastes such as Dine Creamy Treats or Inaba Pastes
- Wet Food such as Royal Canin Wet Food, Wellness Core Simply Shreds or Ziwi Wet Food
- Sprinkle with Treats such as Greenies, Loving Pets or Blackcat
- Fill with Homemade Chicken Soup or stock
Home Baked Cookies and Cakes
There is nothing quite as delicious as fresh home-baked cookies and cakes. So why shouldn't our pets enjoy the same delicious treat?Wagalot Mix and Zap have a range of pet friendly treats that you can bake at home including cookies, cupcakes and even birthday cakes! So easy to make, even the kids can bake them. A great way to spoil your pet!
Shop All Wagalot Mix and Zap Bake At Home Mixes
*These recipes and treats are not complete and balanced and are not designed to replace your pets diet. Treats should only be fed in conjunction with a complete and balanced diet. For more information on what diet to feed your pet please contact our vets Discover Page. Check with your vet first to ensure that these treats are suitable for your pet.
Further Reading
What is the best treat for your dog?
Premium pet food: Is it worth it?
Your guide to fleas, ticks and worms
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Want to know more? Check out our Discover Page for more tips from our expert Vets on keeping your pets happy and healthy.