They aren’t just a farm dog – any farmers consider their dogs an essential part of their farming operations.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, there are 76,811,305 dogs in the United States. Roughly 38.4 percent of all U.S. households, including most farms, have at least one dog. They pull active duty guarding livestock. They work hard herding sheep or cattle from pasture to pasture or into a pen. They ride shotgun, ready to stand guard to protect the farm truck from would-be intruders during a stop at the feed store, equipment dealership, vet’s office or some other place of business, often receiving a treat for their diligence.

Sometimes they are just a friendly face at the end of a stressful day. No matter what their job is, dogs are essential employees on the farm. More than just a working animal, dogs offer us companionship and unconditional love. American dog owners spend about $38.4 billion on dog food and treats. I am one of the guilty parties spending money on food and special treats for my four-footed furry friend.  And frankly, sometimes she is not impressed with my choices When that happens, I resort to making my own treats, which she seems to enjoy. She’s diligent about supervising the process from the time I get the bowls out of the cabinet to when I take the finished treats off the cooling rack. She carefully supervises me placing her treats in a container and storing them in the proper place. And when it is time for a snack, I can count on her sitting by the counter looking at me expectantly as she waits patiently for a treat to enjoy after a hard day’s work of supervising the daily operation.

This week, I am sharing some recipes for treats to make for your favorite pup. These treats will let them know that every day is dog day in their house. Until next time, simply cook.

Not So Crunchy Biscuits (for dogs with difficulty chewing or missing teeth)

1 package dry yeast

¼ cup warm water

A pinch of sugar

2 bouillon cubes

4 cups boiling water

3 ½ cups flour

1 ½ cups whole wheat flour

1 ½ cups rye flour

1 cup cornmeal

½ cup powdered milk

 

Glaze

1 egg

2 tablespoons milk

In a small bowl, combine water, yeast and sugar and set aside. In a medium-sized bowl, dissolve bouillon cubes in boiling water and set aside to cool to room temperature. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, whole wheat flour, rye flour, cornmeal and powdered milk. Combine yeast mixture and bouillon mixture and mix well. Make a well in the flour mixture and gradually stir in wet ingredients until well blended. Divide the dough into two balls. Knead each ball until smooth, about 1 minute. Roll each ball into a ¼- to ½-inch rectangle. Cut each rectangle into pieces and place the biscuits on a greased baking sheet. In a small bowl, mix the glaze and brush each biscuit with the glaze. Bake in a 300-degree oven for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn the biscuits. Return the baking sheet to the oven and bake for another 25 minutes. Cool on a rack and store refrigerated in a plastic bag. If the biscuits are too hard, pop them in the microwave for about 5 seconds to soften them up. Cool before serving.

 

Colored Crunchies

1 cup canned mixed peas and carrots, drained

½ cup powdered milk

2 ½ cups whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 egg, beaten

6 tablespoons vegetable oil

½ cup ice water

In a blender or food processor, puree peas and carrots and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine powdered milk, flour and garlic powder. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add pureed vegetables, egg, ice water and oil. Divide dough and knead dough on a floured board, about 2 minutes. Roll the dough into a ¼- to ½-inch rectangle. Cut the dough into pieces and place on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes in a 350-degree oven, remove from the oven and turn the biscuits. Return to the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Cool on a rack and store in an airtight container at room temperature.

 

Smile Bright Biscuits (not recommended for small dogs, even if they have a big attitude)

¾ cup powdered milk

1 bouillon cube

1 ½ cups boiling water

1 cup quick cooking oats

1 egg, beaten

½ cup ground cornmeal

¼ cup bulgur

2 ¼ cups whole wheat flour

Variations: add a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter, add brewer’s yeast to aid in flea control, add a couple of tablespoons of molasses, add 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.

Combine powdered milk, cornmeal, bulgur and flour and set aside. Dissolve bouillon in boiling water, add oats and let stand for about 5 minutes, before you stir in the egg. Gradually add the dry ingredients until well blended. Divide the dough into two balls so it is easier to work with. Flour a hard surface and turn out dough onto the board. Knead for about 5 minutes. Roll the dough into a ¼- to ½-inch rectangle and cut the dough into biscuits. Place the biscuits on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake in a 325-degree oven for 50 minutes, turning the biscuits halfway through the baking process. Turn the oven off and leave the biscuits in the oven overnight. Store the biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature.

Biscuits for a Bunch of Dogs

3 cups white flour

3 cups wheat flour

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup rye flour

1cup brown rice flour

½ cup bulgur

½ cup chopped peanuts

2 eggs

4 cups boiling water

4 bouillon cubes

Mix all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs and stir. Add water and bouillon and mix together until the dough is well mixed. (Add more flour if the dough is too wet, or more water if the dough is too dry). Knead the dough on a floured surface until the dough is stiff and not too wet. Divide the dough into smaller portions, so the dough is easy to work with. Roll the dough into a ½-inch thick rectangle and cut the dough into pieces. Bake for 15 minutes in a 325-degree preheated oven. Remove the pan from oven and turn the biscuits, return to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes. Shut off the oven and allow the biscuits to remain in the oven overnight to harden. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

 

Beefy Dog Treats (for your four-footed farmhand)

1 package (1 tablespoon) active dry yeast

¼ cup warm water (110 to 115 degrees)

1 teaspoon beef bouillon granules (or 1 bouillon cube)

2 tablespoons boiling water

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup non-fat dry milk powder

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup cooked long grain white rice

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

1 4-ounce jar baby food vegetable beef dinner

1 egg

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.  In another small bowl, dissolve bouillon in boiling water. In a large bowl, combine all-purpose flour, milk powder, whole wheat flour, rice and gelatin. Stir in baby food, egg, oil, yeast mixture, bouillon mixture and mix well. Knead until the mixture forms a ball.

Turn the mixture onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out to ¼-inch thickness.  Cut into 1-inch squares or use a floured bone-shaped cookie cutter.

Place treats 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 300 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool. Let stand for 24 hours or until hardened. Store treats in an airtight container.

Yield about 36 treats depending on size. You can also substitute beef bouillon and vegetable beef dinner with chicken bouillon and chicken flavored baby food if your dog prefers chicken over beef. 

 

Easy Dog Treats

1 ¼ cup water

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 ¼ cup peanut butter

1 ¼ tablespoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Meanwhile mix water and peanut butter in a large bowl until smooth. In a second bowl, combine flours and baking powder and gradually add to the peanut butter mixture. Knead the dough by hand, adding small amounts of water if the dough is too dry. Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface and cut treats into shapes. Bake on a cookie sheet for 15 minutes. Cool on a rack for several hours and store in a well-sealed container.