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You let them sleep in your bed when you shouldn't. You stay up all night with them during thunderstorms. You constantly clean up after the little messes they leave around the house. And you're always forgiving them when they get into trouble. You know you'd do anything for your pet, (don't even pretend you were thinking about your children!) so why should they be left out of the kitchen? Take your pet's diet into your own hands and bake them up a batch of their favorite treats.

Nutrition

Like people, pets have specific dietary needs. Depending on whether they're cuddly new puppies or sweetly serene older cats, satisfying these needs are important. Just like in your own diet, pets need proper amounts of fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, energy, protein and water. Here's a quick ' but far from complete ' reference guide for feeding your pet.

Fats ' Both cats and dogs need omega 6 fatty acids in their diets. Cats require two (linoleic and arachidonic) whereas dogs only require one (linoleic). Omega 3 fatty acids are not considered necessary in the diets of cats and dogs.

Carbohydrates ' Though these sugars and fibers are not essential in terms of nutrition, they are extremely important for your pet's energy level.

Vitamins ' There are two types of vitamins that your pet (and your family) should consume on a regular basis: fat-soluble and water-soluble. Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) are required in small quantities daily because the body stores them in the liver and other body fat. Fat-soluble vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B6, B12) should be consumed daily as the body does not store them as well.

Minerals ' Often appearing on canned food labels as "ash," these inorganic materials are important for your pet's daily requirements. Macrominerals (calcium, phosphorus, sodium, chloride, magnesium and potassium) are all required in relatively large amounts (grams per day) for your pet. Microminerals (iron, copper, zinc, magnesium and selenium) are required in relatively small quantities (micrograms or less per day).

Energy ' It can be difficult to determine how much food to feed your pet, especially if he's growing quickly. Animals need calories for energy just like humans do, so this is an key part of their diets. PetDiets.com offers a food calculator that helps you figure out exactly what to feed your pet.

Protein ' Rather than requiring protein in their diets, pets need a certain amount of amino acids each day (cat need 13 amino acids and dogs need 12 amino acids). It doesn't matter what the source of this protein is (chicken, beef, soybean, lamb, etc.), it just needs to appear in their diet. This is a slightly controversial topic as some veterinarians feel pets must consume meat while others advocate a vegetarian diet. Speak to your veterinarian to get his or her opinion.

Water ' You should always have fresh water available for your pet. They don't know how to ask (though they can certainly make it clear sometimes), so don't make them beg. Water makes up between 40 and 80 percent of your pet's body mass, which makes it crucial that they have constant access to it.

Remember, these are just guidelines. If you have questions about your pet's diet, please speak to your veterinarian. You can also consult PetDiets.com, which is an informative website run by veterinarians.

Is Chocolate Really Toxic for Dogs?

Yes! The rumors are true ' large amounts of chocolate can be lethal for dogs. Chocolate contains theobromine, which is a stimulant found in the cocoa bean that affects the central nervous system and the heart. Different types of chocolate have different affects, and it also depends on how large your dog is. If he accidentally eats an M&M, you don't have to rush to the vet, but if he consumes an entire chocolate cake, there may be cause for concern. Just beware of what your dog eats and keep in mind this potentially dangerous situation.

Supplies

It's awfully hard to make the perfect dog bone without the perfect dog bone shape! Check out these sites for cookie cutters and more.

Good Dog Express
Dog Like Nature
Birthday Express
SitStay.com
Bay Village Store
Foose Cookie Cutters

Recipes

You'll be amazed at how easy it is to whip up a batch of kitty treats or doggy bones. Your pet will flip for the homemade goodness and you'll love knowing they're healthy. Spoil those little (and not so little) fur balls with home-baked treats in their favorite flavors. There's even a treat for your feathered friends.

Cats

Kitty Heaven (Sardines and Rice) Ingredients:

2 flat cans of sardines in oil
2/3 C. cooked rice
1 Tbs. cooked chopped liver
1/4 C. parsley, chopped

Directions

Combine all ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon to break up sardines into bite-sized pieces. Store unused portion in refrigerator, tightly covered.

Yield: 2 servings

Fabulous Feline Fish Balls Ingredients:

3 baby carrots, cooked until soft
2 6 oz. cans tuna in olive oil, drained
2 oz. cooked herring, skin removed
2 Tbs. whole grain breadcrumbs or oatmeal
2-3 Tbs. grated cheese
2 tsp. Brewer's yeast
Several pinches of chopped catnip
1 large egg, beaten
2 Tbs. tomato paste (not ketchup)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mash the carrots with the fish, breadcrumbs or oatmeal, cheese, Brewer's yeast, catnip, egg and tomato paste to an even paste. Mold into small balls and put on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes, checking frequently. The fishballs should be golden brown and feel firm. Cool thoroughly. Refrigerate extras.

Dogs

Liver Squares Ingredients:

1 lb. beef liver
4 eggs
1 C. cornmeal
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all the above ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth. Pour onto greased 8 inch square pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool - then cut into squares! Your dogs will love 'em!!

From: Recipe USA

Pet Party Mix Ingredients:

2 C. Cheerios
2 C. spoon-size shredded wheat
2 C. Crispix
1/2 C. melted butter or margarine
2 Tbs. dry gravy mix
1/2 C. Kraft grated American cheese powder
1/2 C. bacon bits
1 C. dog jerky/pupperoni/sausage

Directions

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Pour melted butter into 13x9" baking pan. Stir in cheese powder, bacon bits, and gravy mix. Add cereals and stir well until all pieces are coated. Heat in oven for 45 minutes. Meanwhile cut doggie meat treats into 1/2 inch pieces. Remove cereal from oven, add doggie treats. Store in airtight containers. May be frozen and keeps well.

From: Recipe USA

Cheese Bone Dog Cookies Ingredients:

2 C. unsifted all-purpose flour
1 1/4 C. shredded cheddar cheese
2 C. garlic, finely chopped
1/2 C. vegetable oil
4 1/2 Tbs. water

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Make a cardboard pattern of a dog bone, 4 inches long or use a dog-bone cookie cutter. Combine flour, cheese, garlic and vegetable oil in container of food processor. Cover, whirl until mixture is consistency of coarse meal. With a machine running, slowly add water until mixture forms a ball. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll out each piece to 1/2" thickness. Cut out bones. Transfer to ungreased cookie sheet. Do not reroll scraps. Bake in preheated hot oven for 10-15 minutes or until bottom of cookies are lightly browned. Carefully transfer bones to wire rack to cool completely.
Refrigerate in airtight container.

Fidos Fabulous People Biscuits Ingredients:

1/4 C. hot water
8 cubes chicken bouillon cube
1 pkg. dry yeast
1 tsp. sugar
1 1/2 C. tomato juice
2 C. all-purpose flour
2 C. wheat germ
1 1/2 C. whole wheat flour

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees, then pour the water into a large bowl. Add the sugar and yeast and let stand for about 5 minutes. Then add the chicken bouilion cubes. Crush them with a fork as you stir them in.

Add the tomato juice, 1 C. all-purpose flour and the wheat germ. Stir with a large spoon to form a smooth batter. Then stir in the remaining all-purpose and whole wheat flours (this will make the dough very dry and stiff). You'll probably have to use your hands to finish mixing.

Sprinkle flour on your cutting board, then take a couple of handfuls of dough out and work into a small ball shape. Then, with a rolling pin flatten the balls to about 1/4-inch thick on the cutting board. If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour

Use a table knife to cut out people shapes. Then repeat the whole process again with the rest of the dough, working a few handfuls at a time. Finally, use a spatula to put people biscuits onto a cookie sheet. Then bake at 300 degrees for about an hour. Afterwards, let them dry in the turned-off oven for about 4 hours.

Serve with a bowl of water and a nice big bone.

Birds

Bird Biscuits

This is an easy recipe to make because you can use the same biscuit mix you'd use for your family. Before you bake your family's biscuits, save some mix for the birds and follow this recipe. Then bake them all together!

Ingredients:

Biscuit mix
1/2 jar baby food sweet potatoes, squash or garden vegetables
1/2 jar baby food applesauce
2 Tbs. wheat germ
1/4 C. hand feeding parrot food
1/4 C. Beak Appetit, any flavor
1/2 C. oatmeal
1 Tbs. dry crushed red peppers

Directions

Prepare biscuit mix. Mix remaining ingredients together with biscuit mix very well. Coat your hands with flour (mixture is sticky) and shape mixture into 2 or more biscuits. Place on cookie sheet. Bake in oven preheated to 425 degrees until golden brown. Break up into serving pieces and give to birds. Freeze leftovers for later.