While flowers, candy hearts, and chocolate are popular Valentine's Day gifts for humans, they are not appropriate for your four-legged loved one. Chocolate is especially dangerous and can even be deadly to dogs as it contains theobromine, a chemical that belongs to the class of chemicals that also includes caffeine. As an alternative to chocolate, this recipe calls for carob — a tropical Caribbean pod that tastes very similar to chocolate but is considered safe for dogs.
All you “knead” is love and a few ingredients to make these carob treats for dogs.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup carob chips
- ½ cup unsalted peanut butter (be sure it doesn't contain artificial sweeteners like xylitol)
- 4 cups whole wheat flour
- 2 cups quick-cooking oats
- 2 ½ cups warm water
- Heart-shaped or holiday-inspired cookie cutters
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350℉.
- Combine peanut butter, flour, oats, and water into a large bowl and mix well.
- Once dough forms, knead it on a lightly floured surface until firm. Tip: Add a little water if the dough is too sticky to handle.
- Roll the dough out to about an inch in thickness and cut out shapes using your cookie cutters or a small knife.
- Bake for 40 minutes, then turn off the heat and let the treats stay in the oven until they harden (about 1 to 2 hours).
- Prepare your carob chips by melting them in a double broiler (or other indirect heat source) while stirring occasionally.
- Once the treats have cooled, dip them into the melted carob and place on a cooling rack until carob hardens.
This article contains recipe information that is considered suitable for pets. However, not all pets can tolerate different foods — it depends on their age, health history, and health conditions. Carob in large amounts has a laxative effect in dogs, so you should only give your dog this treat in small amounts — which should be less than 10% of their daily food. It is important to consult with your veterinarian before feeding your pet any new foods or offering your pet any of the ingredients contained in this recipe.
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