Neverending Treat Quest

[bradl]

Always open to new treat ideas - if they seem like they might be healthy, or least not actively dangerous - we recently tried Moo Tubes. The dogs liked them quite a bit. They sort of have the sense of 'Cheetos' about them and I thought they'd last about 15 seconds. They lasted more like 15-20 minutes. Not bad. They made a lot of noise like they might be good for teeth.

Link is to sitstay, but you can find them many places. Google: "moo tubes".

[Greg]

Googled this up.....if your inclined to cook for your dog.

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Ranch/1011/dog.htm

[bradl]

Great resource!

[Brigette]

Thanks for that link! I love to cook and always throw away so much since its just my husband and I eating. Now I can cook for my three boys too.

[Toto times 2]

Apart from carrots we like Mother Hubbard treats. There is a very small one which the boys like and it is small enough I don't feel too guilty. I also found one for fresh breath with mint, brewer's yeast rosemary, parsley and varioud vitamins and minerals. Its called Icy Breath by Just for me. I think it may only be in Canada but there is another brand called Breath Busters which I believe is from the states. Puppy breath is a thing of the past at our house.

Stuff like pigs ears, hoofs etc. make the boys really sick.

[Scully'sMom]

brad, that does look interesting. Now we can have Cheeto breath to go with the Frito feet smell!

[bradl]

I just like saying the name. Moo tubes. That cracks me up for some reason.

Like macho sticks, I try not dwell on the origins.

Moo tubes.

[kayharley]

And I think the Merrick brand is preservative free too. Thanks Brad..I'm always looking for something to distract and pacify my crew.

[MikeC]

I am with Toto times 2. My guys also love the Mother Hubbard brand of treats and the pigs ears, snoots, etc. also make them sick. By the way, Moo tubes are the beef trachea in case anyone is interested.

MikeC

[Guest posting as: Stacey]

I make my own dog treats. Wheat free. Preservative free. Likely to cause drooling they are so yummy.

I mix about 2 cups of rice flour (ground rice) with a small jar or two of meat spread and a jar or two of baby food (any kind without onions) and an egg or two. I sometimes replace up to 1/3 of the rice flour with raw oatmeal. If you need, add enough water until you have a slightly sticky dough. Refrigerate for about an hour. Sprinkle some of the rice flour on your kitchen counter, and then pat or roll it until it is about 1/3 to 1/4 inch thick, cut out with a small cookie cutter, bake in a low oven (325) for about 15 minutes, or until lightly brown on the bottom.

Apart from the rice flour the recipe is very adaptable, so throw in anything you like really. Your dogs will not care.

If you roll the dough thinner, you will get crispier treats. One of my Cairns hates to bite anything hard (unless it is a street find, in which case any old bone will do), so I make them quite thick and when they are out of the oven sprinkle them with water so they are chewy.

Keep them in the refrigerator. I refrigerate enough for about a week and keep the rest frozen until needed.

I live in England, although I'm an American, and to be honest I've been here so long now I cannot remember whether there's an equivalent to meat sandwhich spread or paste in the U.S. If you cannot find it, just use more of the baby food.

Stacey

[fancypants]

Brad _ I'd like to recommend a site that opened my eyes to many issues around pet nutrition! I've had a very sick dog (Shaker Dog Syndrome) and a very sick cat requiring surgery during the past year or so and vet bills up to here. Now I feed a lot of raw food. I don't feed all raw because of time constraints, but even at 50% I see improvement, so check it out:

google Pet Grub.com It's a good site!

[bradl]

Thanks for the link. I think canine nutrition will never be a 'solved problem' so it's wise to read widely and with an open, critical (in the good sense) mind. Plus, Pet Grub is nearly as much fun to say as Moo Tubes

[CathyAnn]

I like the way Moo Tubes sounds, too....!

Now try saying, "Moo Tubes, Moo Tubes, Moo Tubes" 3 times really fast!!

Cathy

[GIDGETSMOM]

One thing's for sure. It doesn't take much to amuse us

I caught myself laughing out loud at Scully'sMom....Cheeto breath and Frito feet. Now that's a combination!

My German Shepherd is on the BARF diet, but I have Gidge on Cainidae. I recently got some of the Iams gravy to try on her food, cause she's not been eating too well. The only time she ever ate every bite was when I put it in her empty coke bottle. She loves the gravy....cleans her bowl almost every time.