Dylan & Rainey

Tag: food

  • Yogurt and Honey Cake For Dogs

    Yogurt and Honey Cake For Dogs

    If you like to bake and have dogs, you are probably like us, and look for any excuse to bake a cake for your dogs. We like to take some of our favorite cake recipes and tailor them to make it more suitable for our dogs. It’s Rainey’s adoption anniversary, so it’s a good excuse to recreate a favorite—Yogurt and Honey Cake.

    What’s great about this cake is that it’s easy to make and you can eat it as well. It’s a very light and airy cake. The only real difference is that this will have a lot less sugar than what you probably use. But it’s still tasty, so no one will judge you if you want share it with your dogs.

    In this recipe, we include some rosemary. We think that it adds a nice flavor. But don’t worry, “rosemary, in most forms (dried, fresh whole plant, tincture, or tea) can be used very safely in dogs, and in fact is Generally Regarded As Safe (GRAS) by FDA for use in both humans and animals,” says herbalist Gregory L. Tilford, co-author with Mary L. Wulff of Herbs for Pets. You can omit if you would like.

    We also decorated the cake with some cherries, but you can use other dog-safe berries and fruit. You can also add some whipped cream. This cake is very versatile, and your dogs will happily play taste testers.

     

    cake for dogs

    Yogurt and Honey Cake For Dogs

    If you like to bake and have a dog, you are probably like us, and look for any excuse to bake a cake for your dogs. We like to take some of our favorite cake recipes and tailor them to make it more suitable for our dogs. What’s great about this cake is that it’s easy to make and you can eat it as well.
    In this recipe, we include some rosemary. We think that it adds a nice flavor. And don't worry, “rosemary, in most forms (dried, fresh whole plant, tincture, or tea) can be used very safely in dogs, and in fact is Generally Regarded As Safe (GRAS) by FDA for use in both humans and animals,” says herbalist Gregory L. Tilford, co-author with Mary L. Wulff of Herbs for Pets.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 40 minutes
    Total Time 50 minutes
    Course Dessert, Dog Treat
    Cuisine American
    Servings 16 slices
    Calories 100 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
    • ⅓ cup coconut oil melted
    • ⅓ cup honey
    • ½ Tbsp fresh (or ½ tsp dried) rosemary finely chopped
    • 3 eggs
    • 1½ cup unbleached flour
    • ½ tsp baking powder
    • ½ tsp baking soda

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 325℉.
    • Lightly grease a 9" round cake pan or Bundt pan. Set aside.
    • Whisk together yogurt, oil, honey, and rosemary.
    • Add eggs, one at a a time, whisking well between additions.
    • Sift in flour, baking powder, and baking soda. And stir together until batter is almost smooth. (It's ok if there are a few small lumps.)
    • Pour into prepared pan. Bake 40 to 45 minutes until top is lightly brown and tester comes out clean.
    • Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes before removing from pan.
    • Cool completely before serving. You can decorate the cake with berries and whipped cream, if desired.
    • Store in refrigerator for up to one week.

    Notes

    We used some cherries to decorate this cake, but you can use any berries. If you want, you can also decorate with some whipped cream or additional Greek yogurt. 
    Just remember that any cake for dogs shouldn’t replace proper balanced meals. Any treats should make up less than 5% of your dog’s daily diet. You don’t want to end up with a chubby puppy. It’s easy to overfeed them though as they are such good boys and girls and deserve lots of goodies.
    Nutrition calculation is based on the serving sizes a large dog and doesn’t include any whipped cream or other toppings.
    Keyword cake for dogs, dog
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    Just remember that any cake for dogs shouldn’t replace proper balanced meals. Any treats should make up less than 5% of your dog’s daily diet. You don’t want to end up with a chubby puppy. It’s easy to overfeed them though as they are such good boys and girls and deserve lots of goodies. You can always take your dogs for extra long walks to burn off those extra calories.

  • Mousse Jelly Cake for Dogs

    Mousse Jelly Cake for Dogs

    Does your dog have a special occasion coming up? This blueberry mousse jelly cake for dogs will make your best furry friend very happy.

    It’s Rainey’s 7th birthday soon and we always like to do something special. This cake is somewhat time consuming, but it really is worth it. Truth be told, the glaze on top should create a “mirror” effect but something went wrong. But that’s the great thing about baking for dogs, they do not care if it isn’t perfect. They are always just so excited to try something new—at least Dylan and Rainey are.

    We use blueberries in this recipe as Rainey likes them. And they are always in the house, but you can try other berries. Or you can get adventurous with other fruits or maybe even veggies?! Dogs make the best taste testers so go ahead and experiment. Maybe just make sure it’s something that it safe to give the pups first though.

    mousse jelly cake for dogs
    Rainey is a big fan of her birthday cake
    mousse jelly cake for dogs

    Blueberry Mousse Jelly Cake for Dogs

    Dylan & Rainey
    Does your dog have a special occasion coming up? This blueberry mousse jelly cake for dogs will make your best furry friend very happy.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 1 day 3 hours
    Cook Time 30 minutes
    Total Time 1 day 3 hours 30 minutes
    Course Dog Treat
    Cuisine American
    Servings 18 slices
    Calories 130 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    Blueberry Puree

    • 4 cups blueberries, frozen
    • 2 tsp honey

    Broth Jelly

    • 3 cups chicken broth (or bone broth)
    • 3 envelopes powdered gelatin
    • beet juice (for color), optional (see note)

    Blueberry Mousse

    • 1 envelope powdered gelatin
    • 1 cup blueberry puree
    • 2 cups heavy cream, whipped

    Sponge Cake

    • 4 eggs
    • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 2 Tbsp warm water
    • 1 cup unbleached flour

    Mirror Glaze

    • 2 envelopes powdered gelatin
    • ½ cup room temperature blueberry puree
    • 2 cups water
    • 4 Tbsp sugar

    Instructions
     

    To make blueberry puree

    • Simmer the blueberries and honey over medium heat until they are soft and bursting. Make sure to stir frequently to avoid sticking.
    • Puree until smooth. You can also run it through a sieve to make sure really smooth.
    • Set aside until ready to use.

    To make broth jelly

    • Whisk the gelatin with 1 cup of room temperature broth until dissolved.
    • Bring 2 cups of broth to a rolling boil in a pot.
    • Whisk in the dissolved gelatin. Add the beet juice, if using. Whisk well to combine.
    • Grease the bottom and sides of a 6-inch cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Lightly grease the parchment paper.
    • Carefully pour the liquid into the pan.
    • Refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight until firm.

    To make the blueberry mousse

    • Mix the gelatin with ½ cup of room temperature blueberry puree and set aside.
    • Heat up another ½ cup of blueberry puree just to boil. Add gelatin and whisk until smooth.
    • Remove from heat and cool to room temperature
    • Carefully fold the blueberry puree into the whipped cream.

    To make the sponge cake

    • Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease the bottom of a 8-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Lightly grease and flour the parchment paper.
    • Whisk eggs and maple syrup until light and fluffy. Add the water.
    • Slowly sift in the flour and fold until combined. You can add a touch more water if you think that the batter is too thick and heavy.
    • Pour batter into prepared pan and bake about 10 minutes or until center of the cake is slightly springy and edges have shrunk a little bit from the sides of the pan.
    • Spread a piece of parchment (slightly larger than the pan) on your work surface and sprinkle evenly with a little bit of sugar or cornmeal (to help prevent sticking). Carefully turn the pan onto the parchment. Remove the parchment that was on the bottom of the cake pan.
    • Place a slightly damp towel over the cake while it cools to help prevent it from drying out.

    To assemble cake

    • Line a clean 8-inch cake pan with parchment paper.
    • Spread blueberry mousse in the bottom.
    • Carefully place jelly on top (it should be slightly smaller than the pan).
    • Place cake on the top of the jelly and press down firmly but gently.
    • Put cake in the freezer for 3 hours or overnight.
    • As you are preparing the mirror glaze, take the cake out of the freezer and carefully flip it onto a wire rake which is placed into a baking sheet (glazing is very messy). Remove parchment paper.

    Making mirror glaze and finishing cake

    • Whisk together gelatin and room temperature blueberry puree and set aside.
    • Bring water and sugar to a rolling boil. Take off from heat.
    • Whisk in the gelatin and continue stirring until a candy (or meat) thermometer reaches 90°F.
    • Pour glaze over the cake ensuring you get all of the surface area covered. Allow excess to drip off for 5 minutes.
    • Carefully move to a serving plate.
    • You can scrape up the glaze that has collected at the bottom of the pan and heat up to dissolve then pour into molds and put in the fridge to make gummies.
    • Keep cake in the refrigerator and use within 4 days.

    Notes

    If you want to give your jelly some color, you can use natural coloring agent such as beet juice or pomegranate juice—they also come in powdered form. Or a food-based dye. You will need to add more gelatin depending on how much liquid you add. Rule of thumb: 1 envelope of gelatin for every cup of liquid. 
    To grease the pans, you can use olive oil or melted coconut oil. We try and avoid giving the dogs butter but this is a celebration cake, so if that’s all you have, use a little butter. 
    When assembling the cake, you can use an 8″ springform pan, but just reverse the order. So, cake, then jelly, then mousse. Although the other way gives you a smoother whipped cream surface. 
    Keyword cake for dogs, dog, dog treats
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    Just remember that you shouldn’t be feeding your dog cake all the time. Although who doesn’t like a daily slice of cake?! Especially some mousse jelly cake for dogs. This should only be given on special occasions. And shouldn’t replace a proper balanced meal. You don’t want to end up with a chubby puppy. It’s easy to overfeed them though as they are such good boys and girls and deserve lots of treats. Maybe take them for an extra walk to something to compensate.

     

  • Are dog treats healthy?

    Are dog treats healthy?

    We all like to treat ourselves with a yummy snack or dessert sometimes, right? Who is to say that dogs are any different than humans? I don’t know about your dogs, but I know my canine kids love getting treats. Are dog treats healthy though? When it comes to my dogs, I like to research and get as much information as I can when it comes to their health.

    Learning about whether or not treats are a healthy option for dogs is actually much easier than you might think. While the quality of the treats and what you actually feed them is important, what you really need to focus on is calories. That’s right.

     

    Are dog treats healthy?

    Dog treats can be healthy as long as they are fed to your dogs in the correct fashion and you need to keep their calorie consumption at the right levels. In order to make sure that this is done correctly, you just need to have the right information.

     

    How many calories should your dogs consume?

    Just like people, dogs need to keep their calorie consumption to a specific level. No, it’s not the 2,000 calorie limit that you often hear about with human diets. You will need to stick to a calorie level which is dependent on your dog’s age, breed, and size. As a general rule though, you should know that your dog’s calorie needs average roughly 30 calories per pound of body weight per day.

    Dogs who live a very sedentary life, or dogs that are older, require much fewer calories than active dogs. You can expect to feed these dogs roughly 30% fewer calories than dogs that move around more.

    This is a generalized calculation and you will notice that it won’t always match up to what the dog food bag suggests when it comes to feeding. To get the most accurate idea of how many calories your dog needs, be sure and ask your veterinarian. Just like people, all dogs are a little bit different and have different requirements.

     

    How do you know how many calories your dog is eating?

    Be sure to pay close attention to your dog’s food. Read the bag to get caloric information. If the dog food bag doesn’t have the calorie information, it takes a little more work to get the specifics, but it is needed. You can either go online and look (there are a plethora of information-filled forums out there), or you can find the customer service number for the dog food company and call and ask.

     

    What percentage of your dog’s calories should be treats?

    According to most veterinarians, the general rule of thumb is that treats should be no more than 5% of the calories in your dog’s diet.

    To make that easier, let’s break down this example. Let’s say you have an active Chihuahua. That Chihuahua needs approximately 400 calories per day. This means that treats should make up only 20 calories for each day in order to stay under that 5% cap.

    This doesn’t mean that you need to only give low calorie treats to your dog, but what it does mean is that if you are going to give your dog a treat that is high fat or high calorie, you need to be sure to add a little less food to their dish that day. It’s all about balance.

     

    What types of treats should you give your dog?

    Dogs can enjoy many different kinds of treats and frankly, dogs WILL eat just about anything. To make sure their diets and their treats are healthiest though you should make sure to give your dog the best treats possible.

    You should make sure you read all the ingredients before you feed anything to your dog. I avoid feeding the dogs treats that are full of ingredients that I can’t pronounce. And anything full of artificial flavors or dyes.

    The article, “Dangerous dog treats and how they could make your dog sick,” has a thorough list of potentially dangerous ingredients and items to avoid when choosing dog treats. Recently, the European Food Safety Authority has declared that titanium dioxide can no longer be considered safe as additive in dog treats and food. There is some concern about its potential as a carcinogen.

    Yes, you can buy high-quality treats at a pet store, but you can also make really great and healthy treats at home to have ready to give your dogs wherever the need for a treat arrives.

    • Bananas
    • Blueberries
    • Carrots
    • Cooked sweet potatoes
    • Cooked squash
    • Raspberries
    • Strawberries

    Or you can get more complicated and make your own healthy treats and cookies for your dog. We have a number of recipes on our blog.

     

    How to feed new treats to your dog

    Sometimes a new food can bother your dog’s sensitive stomach. If you are preparing to feed your dogs a new treat, the best way to go about it is to do it slowly. Give them just a small amount at a time so that you know whether or not it would affect their gastrointestinal systems.

  • Air Fryer Liver & Carrot Fries For Dogs

    Air Fryer Liver & Carrot Fries For Dogs

    If you are like us, you have been discovering all of the great things you can make in your air fryer. Well, why not start making snacks for your dog as well? Who doesn’t like a tasty snack? And these air fryer liver and carrot fries will make your pup very happy.

    Dylan and Rainey love carrots and anything homemade. We like to add vegetables into their diets. And using the air fryer makes cooking for them easier. They just love these air fryer liver and carrot fries. And they are just so simple and easy to make.

    These treats are super easy to make and you can experiment with different vegetables if you want—maybe bell peppers, green beans, or sweet potatoes. And instead of olive oil, you can try coconut oil. Here are some ideas for dog-safe foods, you can go crazy and experiment with the recipe. Dogs make great taste testers!!

    Air Fryer Liver Carrot Fries

    Air Fryer Liver Carrot Fries For Dogs

    Dylan & Rainey
    Who doesn't love making quick treats for their furry friend?! Your dogs will love you even more if you make them these air fryer carrot fries.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 15 minutes
    Total Time 30 minutes
    Course Dog Treat
    Cuisine American

    Equipment

    • Air Fryer

    Ingredients
      

    • 3–4 Carrots, small (or 1–2 larger ones)
    • 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
    • 2 Tbsp Liver Powder/Sprinkles

    Instructions
     

    • Slice carrots into small sticks (about the size of shoestring fries).
    • Lightly coat the carrots in oil.
    • Roll the oiled carrots in the liver powder.
    • Place prepared carrot sticks on an air fryer tray. Make sure they do not overlap.
    • Place the tray in the air fryer and cook at 190°F for 15 minutes. They will not be dried out at this stage just more of a fry-type consistency. If you want them to be dryer, you can cook them longer time at a lower temperature.

    Notes

    You can experiment with different vegetables like bell peppers, green beans, or sweet potatoes. And instead of olive oil, you can try melted coconut oil.
    Instead of liver powder, you can take any dehydrated or freeze-dried treat and using a food processor or blender make into a powder.
    These treats only keep a few days. If you only have one dog, I would recommend making them in a smaller batch.
    Keyword dog, dog treats
    Print Recipe

     

    Just remember that these are just treats and shouldn’t replace a proper balanced meal. Treats should make up less that 5% of your dog’s daily diet. You don’t want to end up with a chubby puppy. It’s easy to overfeed them though as they are such good boys and girls and deserve lots of treats.

  • Blueberry Chicken Pup Pops

    Blueberry Chicken Pup Pops

    Who doesn’t like a frozen treat on a hot day? Your dogs will love you even more if you make them these frozen blueberry chicken pup pops. We are always cooking up something for Dylan and Rainey and in the summer, we love to make frozen treats.

    Dylan and Rainey love to run and play in the yard, even if it’s hot out. But, they don’t always seem to drink too much water to cool down. So, we like to give them frozen treats, like these blueberry chicken pup pops, to help they cool down and take some time to relax.

    These treats are super easy to make and you can experiment with different fruit combinations. Besides blueberries, apples, bananas, mangos, and strawberries are good options. And instead of water, you can try coconut oil or bone broth. Here are some ideas for dog-safe foods, you can go crazy and experiment with the recipe. Dogs make great taste testers!!

    Blueberry Chicken Pup Pop

    Blueberry Chicken Pup Pops

    Dylan & Rainey
    When the weather gets hot, these are great treats to give your furry friend. They are quick and easy to make.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Freeze time 3 hours
    Total Time 3 hours 5 minutes
    Course Dog Treat
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12 pops
    Calories 22 kcal

    Equipment

    • Blender
    • Silicone mold
    • Cookie sheet

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 cup frozen (or fresh) blueberries
    • 1/2 cup water
    • 2.5 oz jar of baby food, chicken
    • 1 Tbsp honey

    Instructions
     

    • Step 1: Blend all ingredients in a blender until well blended.
    • Step 2: Lay molds on a cookie sheet for stability.
    • Step 3: Pour mixture into molds.
    • Step 4: Place in the freezer for at least 3 hours or until fully frozen.
      blueberry chicken frozen treat

    Notes

    Instead of water, you could use melted coconut oil. Or do a mix of half water and half coconut oil. We’ve even made them with homemade bone broth. The great thing about dogs (at least ours) is that they aren’t always picky so you can try different combinations. 
    Keyword dog, dog treats
    Print Recipe

    Just remember that these are just treats and shouldn’t replace a proper balanced meal. Treats should make up less that 5% of your dog’s daily diet. You don’t want to end up with a chubby puppy. It’s easy to overfeed them though as they are such good boys and girls and deserve lots of treats.