Turkey Day Treats for Your Canine

AVC is ready for Thanksgiving – are you!? We’ve talked before about potential Thanksgiving leftovers and how your doggo might do with them, but how about if you made them their own dish? Let’s dig into some potential turkey day treats for your furry four-legged friends that you can make at home with the ingredients you’re already using for your own meal! 

Turkey Jerky 

There’s no need for a food dehydrator with this treat – just your oven! Your leftover turkey will make for a nice, crispy, crunchy snacco for your doggo. Be sure to stick to white breast meat over dark meat since it has far less fat.  

Ingredients: 

¼ cup of olive oil

chopped parsley

*unseasoned* and *skinless* turkey breast cut into thin strips

Directions:  

In a long container with lid, mix olive oil and parsley.

Add turkey strips, cover, shake gently, and marinate for 3 hours (or longer if the turkey is dry).

Preheat oven to 250°. Line a cookie sheet and place strips evenly. Bake for one hour.

Let cool and store in fridge or freezer.

Apple Cheddar Bacon Biscuits 

This one is a (bacon) bit more involved than the others, but your playful pooch will appreciate the effort!

Ingredients: 

1 1/2 cups of white flour (or whole wheat flour)

1 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour

1 egg

2 tablespoons of softened butter

2 tablespoons of olive oil

8 ounces of grated cheddar cheese

1 apple peeled and grated (ensure there are no pieces of core or seeds)

2 tablespoons of dried parsley

3 tablespoons of bacon bits

1 cup of milk
(put aside a little cheese, bacon bits, and parsley to sprinkle on top)

Directions:
Place egg, butter, and olive oil into bowl and whip together. Add milk and mix well.

Slowly add both flours, then apple and cheese, and finally parsley and bacon bits.

Dough should be smooth and ready to roll. Too dry? Add a bit of milk or water. Too sticky? Add a bit more flour.

Roll out dough to approximately ¼” thick and cut your biscuit shapes!

Place biscuits on lightly coated baking sheet and place in pre-headed 375° oven for 20-30 minutes.

Allow to cool and they’re ready to serve!

Refrigerate leftovers for up to 2 weeks.

Pun-kin Crispies 

A puppy-friendly Rice Crispy treat! This one is a great choice for older doggies or those with wheat allergies.
Ingredients: 

2 cups pumpkin puree – remember not pumpkin pie mix!

¾ cup rice cereal

½ cup powdered milk

 Directions: 

Preheat oven to 300°.

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.

Use a spoon or melon baller to drop dough onto lined cookie sheet. Shape or flatten balls to your choosing.

Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool and serve!

Refrigerate leftovers.

PB&Pumpkin Treats 

Here’s another quick recipe with a pumpkin staple including a variation with one of your doggy’s favorites – peanut butter!

Ingredients: 

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 cup pumpkin

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup water as needed

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350°.

Mix all ingredients except water together in a medium bowl. Sparingly add water since this will depend on the oil content in your peanut butter.

Roll the dough on a floured surface to cut into fun shapes.

Bake on cookie sheet for about 20 minutes

Cool and serve to that patient pup!

Refrigerate leftovers.

Pumpkin Pie 

And finally, a classic! We’ll remind you again that canned pumpkin is an okay treat for your pup (rather than canned pumpkin pie filling). Fiber content is high in pumpkin. So, be sure to indulge in this treat in moderation. This recipe serving size is for two 4 ½” diameter cake pans.

Ingredients: 

Crust

¾ cup oat flour

1 large egg

Pumpkin Pie Filling

1 can 15 ounce pumpkin puree

1 tablespoon honey

1 large egg

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350°.

Mix ¾ cup oat flour and egg in a bowl.

Knead the resulting dough into a ball and separate into two separate balls.

Press each ball into baking pan to make the crust. Bake for 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine pumpkin puree, honey, egg, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Mix well until smooth.

Pour the pie mixture evenly into each of the baking pans and bake for 30 minutes.

Cool before serving and enjoy!

Happy Thanksgiving from everyone at Arlington Veterinary Center! 

Be sure to check out our other blogs for more tips, tricks, and education when it comes to you and your pet!