Dog Treats For Daisy

Doctor-"Mrs. SweetiePetitti, I'm afraid we have a weight issue".
Me-"What...huh...weight??"
Doctor-"Yes, I'm sorry, but Daisy has GOT to drop 8-10 pounds"
Me-"Daisy? Yea, Daisy!!! Of course!"

Poor Daisy, even she isn't immune from the diet dilemma. She is a Golden Retriever, and during the long cold winter there just wasn't a lot of squirrels to chase, the pool is too cold to swim, and the little dog (Sookie) never seems to clean her bowl, so Daisy just eats a little, all day long.

So I bought diet dog food, bought a new leash and embarked my sweet Daisy on her program. I'm not sure if she is losing weight, but those evening walks are making both dogs sleep like babies. I go to bed and think I'll get to sleep in because the dogs will sleep late, and there I am waking up 5:30, just because, and I have to wake up the dogs!

When I ran into the pet store to get Sookie a new harness I saw this huge display of gourmet dog treats. I got to thinking...I could totally get my baking fix in, make something healthy for Daisy and Sookie, and not eat a thing! So after much hunting I found a recipe on Epicurious that was perfect for altering just the way I think a furry 4-legged buddy would like it! This is a great website for searching recipes, and the reader comments give you real person commentary.


Peanut Butter Dog Treats
2 ½ cups whole wheat flour
1¼ cups cornmeal (I used yellow)
1¼ cups oatmeal
½ cup wheat germ
½ cup brown sugar
1T baking powder
1½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup peanut butter (I used creamy)
1 cup plus water
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 egg

Pulse dry ingredients in a food processor. Add peanut butter and pulse. Add water and pulse until dough forms. It will be very crumbly. Dump the mess onto a floured board and add the parsley and water a Tablespoon at a time to get the dough to form a mass. Knead until smooth and divide the dough into 2 pieces.
Preheat oven to 350°. Roll out a portion of dough until about ⅓" thick. Dip cookie cutter in flour and cut out shapes. Brush treats with an egg wash (egg and water) and bake for 30 minutes or until browned. Turn off oven and allow treats to dry out overnight.
My taste testers declared this to be the most delicious treat ever. As with any weight loss program, moderation is the key, so if your pooch scarfs down a dozen a day, she may get fat. But when your pooch comes home from a brisk walk, it's a great way to tell them you love them lots!