Homemade dog food and treats

Has Fido been a good boy lately? Treat your pup to these easy-to-make dog treats to save money.

The secret of many successful show and obedience trainers is nothing more than a little chewy liver nibble that dogs can't resist. Try it — your pet will jump through hoops for this homemade treat that has much more liver flavour than the store-bought kind.

What you need:

• 500 g (1 lb) beef or chicken liver
• 1 egg250 g (1 c) flour
• 50 g (1/4 c) bran meal
• 175 g (3/4 c) cornmeal
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) garlic powder

  What to do:

  1. Preheat oven to 204ºC (400ºF). Chop raw liver, and then liquefy it in a blender. Add egg, pulse to blend, and then pour mixture into a mixing bowl. Stir in flour, bran, cornmeal and garlic powder.
  2. Spread mixture evenly into 23 x 32.5 centimetre (nine x 13 inch) greased sheet-cake pan and bake for 15 minutes.
  3. While still warm, cut sheet into 2.5 centimetre (one inch) squares. Turn squares out onto baking rack to cool and harden.
  4. Store cooled treats in a plastic zip bag in the freezer to preserve freshness for up to three months. Serve either frozen or at room temperature.Makes 117 liver snaps.

Puppies often have "puppy breath" that they naturally outgrow by the age of six months. If an adult dog has occasional bad breath, this tasty recipe will combat the problem. If bad breath persists, however, it may be a sign of dental or digestive problems that a vet should treat. Here is a specialty dog biscuit that you don't have to shell out a fortune for at a pet store.

What you need:

• 15 ml (1 tbsp) activated charcoal (available in fish section of pet shops)
• 125 g (1/2 c) whole wheat flour
• 250 g (1 c) white flour
• 50 g (1/4 c) bran cereal
• 125 g (1/2 c) cornmeal
• 60 ml (4 tbsp) vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 125 g (1/2 c) chopped fresh basil, wintergreen, or mint
• 125 g (1/2 c) chopped fresh rosemary or thyme
• 250 ml (1 c) of acidophilus milk

  What to do:

  1. Preheat oven to 204ºC (400ºF). Process charcoal in coffee grinder until finely ground. Mix flour, bran, cornmeal and charcoal together in a bowl. Stir in other ingredients.
  2. Form into bite-size patties and place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake 20 minutes, or until dry and hard.
  3. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for one week, or in the freezer for up to three months.Makes 24 medium biscuits.