Homemade Dog Treats - Easy Recipe Ideas

Because Szuka is such a large pup (weighing in at 95 pounds these days), people always ask us about our food bills.  Everyone assumes we're going broke buying dog food and treats for such a sizable pup.  The thing is, she's pretty low energy so she doesn't eat as much as we expected.  Her cute, mod bowl always has kibble in it and she'll graze throughout the day, but she never eats more than four or five cups a day - often only three.  She's a really picky eater and isn't very food motivated.  Even when I finally find a snack or treat she favors, she will still turn it down if she's not in the mood/distracted/angry with me/guarding the house/too tired/lazy. 

Cheese is her only weakness.  She also really likes freeze dried liver (we buy Pure Bites), but only if we dole it out sparingly.  Too much, too often, and it looses its appeal.

That girl has willpower to spare!  I, on the other hand, recently swerved the truck and hit a gravel shoulder so hard I created a dust cloud that engulfed us, and five cars behind us, in pursuit of roadside pie.

Because she is so picky, I often bake Szuka dog treats and these homemade treats gets ranked pretty high up there - just below cheese.  I call them "kitchen sink cookies" because I don't use a recipe.  They end up being somewhat budget-friendly too, because I usually use leftovers from our own cooking/baking.

Excellent DIY Dog Biscuit Ingredients:

• Shredded carrots
• Unsweetened pumpkin puree
• Bits of bacon
• Bacon grease (secret ingredient she salivates for)
• Chicken broth
• Bouillon cubes
• Unsweetened peanut butter (she finds peanut butter very agreeable)
• Shredded cheese (her weakness!)
• Oats
• Dried Blueberries
• Mushed banana
• Apple pieces

For ideas, I look at the ingredients on the wholesome doggy biscuits I've bought her (ones she didn't turn her nose up at).  Of course, I don't add any ingredients that are harmful or poisonous.  I'll pick a few ingredients from the list above, then add an egg or two, some flour (whole wheat, preferably), a little chicken broth or bacon grease, and mix until the dough is firm enough to roll out onto a floured cutting board.  I use a cute, dog-approved set of cookie cutters and bake at 350 degrees until lightly browned (usually about 10-15 minutes).  Easy! 

I like experimenting with different ingredients.  The batch pictured has pumpkin puree, oats, peanut butter, flour, eggs, and a bit of water.

She must recognize her cookie cutters because when I'm baking for her she seems to know it, and she'll watch the oven the whole time.  Because she's so blasé about her food, it makes me happy to bake her something she actually likes!  We don't feed her table scraps, so maybe it's the thrill of getting to eat something made in the human's kitchen that makes these cookies such a win for her.
 


If you've got a picky pup, I encourage you to try your own "kitchen sink cookies".  It won't take long before you land on a magic ingredient that appeals to your own pup.  But if you're not a fan of winging it, I found a some great-looking recipes to help get you started: 

• A good, basic dog biscuit recipe that you could easily build on.
• Peanut butter and milk biscuits that look easy to make! 
• A grain-free recipe for pups with a wheat allergy or intolerance (black beans are the secret ingredient!).
• Bacon biscuits - I've made a similar version with little bacon bits (leftover from our own BLTs) and they were a HUGE hit. 
• If you don't have a bone cookie cutter, these paw print cookies are an adorable option. 
• Can't go wrong with cheddar + bacon biscuits! 
• These carrot and banana cookies would be a good way to use up bananas that are getting a bit too soft and are banana-bread bound.
• Squash, Parmesan, and yoghurt cookies sound delicious! 
• A low fat option for pups who have packed on the pounds...

If you've got a recipe of your own (or a secret ingredient), I'd love to hear it!

How to Sew Your Own DIY Catnip Stuffed Cat Toy

When Handy Hubby was in high school, a teeny, scraggly stray kitten found her way to his childhood home.  He and his Dad welcomed her into their lives and, some 15 years later, Wido Piddy continues to melt hearts.

Her small stature leads many to believe that she's still a kitten; an ever-kitten.  She now lives in my father-in-law's woodworking shop, along with another kitty and some canine companions.  In the spring she started excessively grooming and essentially pulling out her beautiful fur in tufts.  In an effort to help soothe her, I decided to make her a catnip stuffed cat toy. 

After an afternoon of our own hair pulling, my Mom and I finally made this adorable, DIY catnip-stuffed felted fish toy:

But first, there was some trial and error (you can skip to Version Three if you just want to know how we made the little fishy).

DIY Cat Toy Version One

Supplies:

• Scrap Fabric
• Fusible interfacing
• Thread
• Catnip (10-20 grams)
• Sewing Machine
• Needle
• Scissors

We originally made a catnip-stuffed toy out of my favorite cowboy fabric ;) 

Steps:

I cut out one of the lone cowboys, leaving enough fabric for a half inch seam allowance.  Then I cut out a corresponding shape from a plain, colour-coordinating cotton (for the back), and two pieces of fusible interfacing to match the shapes.  (My Mom thought that interfacing would help give this toy some strength against sharp kitty claws).  I ironed on the interfacing, as per the instructions, and the two shapes were ready for sewing.

After pinning the right sides facing each other, we sewed along the edge, leaving a half inch seam allowance and a small opening under the horse's belly.  When the edges were sewn, we tied off the thread and snipped the edges to make the curves easier to shape once they're right side out:

Then, as I spent a good twenty minutes struggling to turn this tiny cowboy right side out, I wondered why I didn't just buy a $5 cat toy.  The complicated, small shape, and the stiffness from the interfacing made it a struggle but eventually I got it.  Using a small spoon to help poke and prod everything into place helped.

Triumphantly, I stuffed it with loose catnip, stopping periodically to make sure the catnip was worked into the legs, head, and tail.  Once it was packed full of the good stuff, the bottom was sewn shut by hand.

DIY Cat Toy Version Two

Supplies:

• Scrap Fabric
• Thread
• Catnip (10-20 grams)
• Sewing Machine
• Needle
• Scissors

When we were done with the cowboy, I wanted to experiment with a simpler shape - and no interfacing - in the hopes that it would be easier to make.  I cut out a little "mouse" shape from scrap cotton and we sewed the edges again.  After we snipped the edges, I turned it right side out with more ease.  I stuffed it full of catnip and things were progressing fairly smoothly, although it was still piddly work. 

Then my Mom and I had an argument about whether it was a mouse, rat, or parsnip.  She wanted to sew a bunch of leaves on the top and call it a day, but I fought hard.  We ended up adding a braided string tail, some whiskers and beady eyes.

It's a mouse, dammit. 

DIY Cat Toy Version Three - THE WINNER!

Supplies:

• Felt
• Catnip (10-20 grams)
• Sewing machine
• Needle
• Thread
• Scissors

Totally dejected by our weird little cat toys, but figuring Piddy wouldn't care what they looked like because she'd loose her mind for the drug inside, I started fiddling with some felt earmarked for another project.  That's when it dawned on me that felt would be much easier to use for a cat toy too, because we wouldn't need to flip it right side out.  Because it doesn't fray, we could just sew the shape on the right side.

I cut out a simple little fish shape from two pieces of felt.  I cut out pairs of smaller and larger circles for eyes and then cut out little fins.  I hand sewed on the eyes with a few stitches and then we attached the fin at the base with the sewing machine while the fish body was still in two pieces.  We pinned the two fish sides together and sewed around the edges, leaving the tail open.  I tied off the threads and stuffed the fish body with catnip, leaving the tail empty.  Once it was stuffed, we sewed the bum shut and did some decorative stitching on the tail.

SUCCESS!  It turned out to be so stinkin' adorable.

This version was faster (think minutes, not hours) and so, so easy.  Plus, it looks infinitely cuter than the rat/turnip and cowboy.  If you don't have a machine, you could even do a simple blanket stitch around the edges - felt is so forgiving.  If you use felted wool - and not a synthetic felt - you could even needle felt some designs or details onto a simple shape. 

A note on catnip: I found catnip locally, in a shop that sells loose leaf teas.  But you can also track it down on Amazon: this listing seems like a good deal.  I used 50 grams for all three toys, but the amount you need will depend on the size and quantity of toys you make.  You can also mix in some catnip with some batting, if you only want to purchase a small amount of catnip.  I looked at store-bought toys and some boast 100% catnip filling while others have a mix of batting and catnip - you might have to test it out and decide what amount you can give your kitty with her going totally batty.

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DIY Aquamarine Tassel Necklace

In May I felt the urge to make some jewellery but because I'm trying my best to budget, I vowed to steer clear of the craft stores and use supplies I already have.  Luckily I found some gems in my stash (haha): pretty aquamarine chips, to be specific, plus some filigree bead caps from a pair of vintage chandelier earrings.  I lit a fire on a chilly afternoon, turned the music up loud enough to drown out honking geese, and plonked down at the dining table (facing the lake, naturally).  After an afternoon of blissful crafting, I felt so recharged!  Plus I have a sweet new necklace to wear with summer tops and dresses (or, if I'm being honest, the black t-shirt/grey cardi combo I lived in all spring).

This necklace was really simple to make!  If you're feeling crafty, I've listed all of the supplies I used below, but you can use any kind of beads or stones.

Supplies:

Aquamarine chips (but they don't need to be chips - these faceted ones are even prettier)
Gold eye pins
Flat filigree bead cap - needs places to affix the dangling chains for the tassel
A second, more spherical bead cap - should be smaller than the flatter bead cap
Pearl or other bead to fit inside the second bead cap (optional, you could skip the centre chain)
Needle nosed pliers
Wire cutters (or use the cutter on your pliers)

A note about the supplies: the number of beads and eye pins you require will depend on how long you'd like your necklace, and how big of a tassel you'd like.  For my project, I used approximately 200 eye pins and stone chips.  You will inevitably squash some eye pins and some stone chips won't have evenly drilled holes, so buy a little bit more than you think you'll need.

Steps:

Grab an eye pin, slide on a aquamarine stone bead, trim the wire, and form a loop (see this post of mine for a clear tutorial on loop-making).  Before you gently close the loop with your pliers, slip on the loop from the next eye pin.

Repeat a zillion times until you've formed a chain long enough to slip over your head (or you can stop and add a clasp for a shorter necklace at any point).

For the tassel, I used an eye pin, two bead caps, and a pearl.  It's easy: thread the pearl onto an eye pin, then add the smaller bead cap, and then the larger.  This will form the base for the tassel.  I was overzealous and already started to make my tassel before I snapped a photo, so here is the same idea with a glass bead instead:

Next, create a series of smaller chains, using the steps above.  Dangling from my pearl - the centre of the tassel - is a chain with five stones.  On the smaller bead cap are a series of chains with 6 stones each, hooked onto the edges of the cap.  For the largest bead cap, I have chains with 7 stones.  This way, the lengths of the chains are very similar.  But you can shake things up.  As I finished each mini strand, I simply hooked it onto the edge of the filigree bead cap and gently closed the loop - so it's key that your bead cap has a place to affix the beaded chains.

When it's completed, the tassel looks like this:

For the ends of the tassel chains you can use a straight pin so you don't end with a loop, but I didn't have any so I just used eye pins.  I seriously just ordered a pricey planter from Modernica, but didn't want to spring for straight pins.  I penny pinch in the weirdest ways.

My Mom was kind enough to snap a photo of me wearing my fancy new necklace...

But then all of a sudden she was wearing it.  I think I might be making a second one...

I'm really quite besotted with aquamarine  - no surprise, given my penchant for mint and aqua - and I'm so happy I finally found a use for these beads!  I've been hoarding them since 2009 (I'm hanging my head in shame).

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Long Time No See

Hello again!

I can't believe I've been gone for so long...

At the end of May we received some upsetting and shocking news.  We dropped everything, stuffed too few clothes in a duffel bag, ushered a surprised Szuka into the truck, and made our way to Southern Ontario, while my parents hopped on the next available flight.  My family is working hard to maintain some semblance of privacy, so I can't go into detail about the unthinkable series of events that transpired, but I will say that a close family member passed away suddenly.

I only reluctantly returned home at the beginning of July.  We had a rough June.  My family had an overwhelming number of things to get settled and, of course, a lot of grief to work through.  Things are not entirely resolved, so I may disappear again, but for now I'm home.  Even though I'm physically here, it's going to take some time to find my way back to normal.  I'm working on it, taking one day at a time.  The calming effect of the lake is certainly helping.  But I worry about some of my family members and hope that they too can find some refuge.

Thank you so much for all of your kind words here, on Instagram, and via email.  I'm really touched that so many of you reached out to me.  Your kindness has done wonders to lift my spirits.

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