Homemade Dog Treats

image from www.browneyed.baker.com

I'm not the type of dog owner who makes their dogs' food and I don't watch every little thing that goes into their mouths (that would be a full time job anyway), but I do make my own dog treats.  Why?  Well honestly, I did it at first because it was a novelty.  Then the dogs really got into Mama's cookies and when I got lazy and bought store bought dog biscuits, well they didn't snub them but they sure didn't wolf them down the way they did with the homemade ones.  I don't claim to be a math wiz, but most of the ingredients were already lying around or were in the pantry, so other than some time and a bit of effort, it really didn't hurt me to whip up a batch.  I shared my recipe with another friend who is a dog lover and suddenly I started getting requests for my "dog cookies."   I thought I'd just share the tried and true recipe.

Mama's Dog Cookies

2 cups of flour---the original recipe called for whole wheat, but all purpose is what I had on hand and it goes over very well

1/2 cup of oatmeal---instant or whole oatmeal, it doesn't seem to make a difference

1 egg

1 beef bouilion cube, crushed---again, the original recipe called for bouillon granules, but I had cubes

1/2 cup hot liquid--I use water, but I've also used leftover soup or broth

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Dissolve the bouillon in the hot water (or whichever liquid you decide to use).  Grease a cookie sheet.  Add remaining ingredients and mix until a stiff dough forms.  Knead the dough until smooth.  Roll out the dough to about 1/2 inch thick and cut with a cookie cutter....or I just usually make squares with a knife.  Place on the cookie sheet about 1/2 inch apart.  They will slightly poof as they cook.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Cool before storing or feeding to your hounds...if they let you.  Mine like to tackle the first batch and bay at the counter until I can pull them off and toss them across the room like a linebacker.  They will store for about a month.  You can keep them in the fridge or even freeze them for a longer shelf-life.