Can you believe it’s the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Dog Bite Prevention Week already? Wow, this just seems to come faster every year.
Snark aside, as a former dog trainer, this one’s kind of dear to my heart. So many pooches are misunderstood, and so many kids are the unhappy victims of dog bites — even from beloved family pets. I did a story for Parents magazine about preventing dog bites that sums up the common myths that lead to kids getting bitten by dogs. Good reading; really!
But kids are drawn to dogs, and since I talk against kids dressing dogs up in that article along with other “don’t do this” stuff, I thought I’d gift kids and dogs everywhere with something kids can do for their faithful furballs:
“Bite This, Not That” Dog Treats
This is a super-stinky recipe I used to make for my pooches. They absolutely loved them…and my housemate’s boyfriend at the time actually came in the kitchen asking what smelled so good, too!
- 1 lb. chicken liver
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 1 1/2 cups cornmeal
- 1/2 cup dried milk
Couldn’t be easier: Drop everything into a blender and blitz away until smooth. Pour onto a (rimmed!) baking sheet and pop it in the oven at 400 degrees. When it looks firm and the sides pull away from the edges, take it out and let it cool a bit. Break it into pieces and store in the fridge.
Less Stinky “Bite This, Not That” Dog Treats
Okay, chicken livers not your kids’ thing? Try this one:
- 2 tablespoons corn oil
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 2 cups white flour
Mix together the oil, peanut butter, and water. Slowly add the flour and knead until it’s a firm dough. Roll it out (about 1/4 inch thick), cut it into shapes, and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
Super Kid-Friendly “Bite This, Not That” Dog Treats
When I taught a kid-and-canine-camp, I had the kids make these treats for their pups, who loved them. Couldn’t be easier.
Cut some hot dogs into coins about 1/2 inch thick. Lay them on the outside circle of a plate, and pop them in the microwave. It depends on how much moisture is in the hot dogs, but you want them to end up dry (but not on fire! So watch carefully). Once they cooled, the kids put them in baggies and used them to teach the dogs obedience skills and tricks.
Woof!
