Here’s a dog treat recipe you can make at home:

 Liver “Brownies”

 2 lbs chicken livers

2 C corn meal

2 C wheat germ

2 eggs

2 1/2 tsp. granulated garlic (not salt)

1/2 C dried parsley

 Liquefy livers in food processor, pour into mixing bowl and add other ingredients. Mix until smooth like a brownie batter. Spread on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper until it’s evenly spread about 1/3 inch thick. Bake at 350 F for about 35 minutes. When cool cut into squares, or whatever shapes you prefer. Keep them in a ziplock bag in the refrigerator.

 Why make dog treats yourself?  Why not just buy them at the store?  The main reasons are so that you know exactly what ingredients are in the  treats and the quality of those ingredients.  Have you ever looked at the ingredients in commercial dog foods, I mean really looked at them?  Do you know what they are?

 Let’s look at “meat by-products,” a common ingredient in many commercial dog foods and dog treats.  It is defined as the non-rendered, clean parts, other than meat, derived from slaughtered mammals. It includes, but is not limited to, lungs, spleen, kidneys, brain, livers, blood, bone, partially defatted low temperature fatty tissue, and stomachs and intestines freed of their contents. It does not include hair, horns, teeth and hoofs.  Not particularly appetizing, but it gets even better.

 The pet food companies are not required to tell where they get their meat by-products.  They can be obtained from any source, so there is little control over quality.  Any animal can be used, including “4D animals,” dead, diseased, disabled, or dying prior to slaughter.  Animals euthanized at shelters can be (and are) used.  It can also include cancerous tissue, decomposing tissue, and pus.

 Now that you know what it is, why would you want to feed this to your beloved dog?  You wouldn’t.  One answer is to carefully research commercial products you buy for your dog.  An even better answer is to gather dog treats recipes and dog food recipes and make your dog’s food and treats yourself.  Your dogs are an integral part of your family.  They give you true unconditional love.  You owe it to them to give them the best possible nutrition to ensure their health and quality of life.