Whether it’s for a special occasion or just to give our best furry friends a special treat for being pawtastic, a dog cake recipe with meat is the perfect way to spoil them. My dogs only like ‚meaty‘ treats, so for my pup’s 15th birthday I knew the cake would need to be meat-based. So I searched the internet, tried, tested and found my favorite top 3 dog cake recipe with meat for you to try!

All three recipes use healthy ingredients, they are completely dog-friendly, you can customize them to your own doggies taste, and most importantly, our dogs wolfed them down!

Doggy Meatloaf Cake

This recipe from Lady and Pups went down a treat with my pooch, and it doesn’t have any added salt or sugar. You can add some extra ingredients such as organs if you want to adapt it for your dog too!

Cake Ingredients

– 1 cup of diced broccoli
– 1/4 cup of diced carrot
– 1 shallot peeled (optional)
– 1 clove of garlic smashed
– 9.2 oz skinless and boneless chicken thighs, diced
– 9.2 oz lean ground beef
– 1/2 cup of cooked white rice
– 3/4 cup of quick-cooking oats
– 1 large egg
– 1 1/2 tbsp flaxseed oil
– 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
– Potato Frosting Ingredients
– 2 large starchy potatoes, peeled and diced
– 3 tbsp of unsalted butter

Instructions

Cake

1. Preheat the oven on 350 F
2. In a blender mince the shallot, garlic, carrot and broccoli and set aside.
3. In a blender mince skinless and boneless chicken thighs until smooth and sticky.
4. Now add the beef and the cooked white rice and pulse for one minute.
5. Now add the quick-cooking oats and one large egg and pulse for one minute until smooth and sticky.
6. Then add the flaxseed oil, and toasted sesame oil, and run for a further minute.
7. Finally, add the vegetables back to the food processor, and eun until evenly combined.
8. Taking a 5 1/2″ round cake tin, lined with parchment paper add your cake mixture.
9. Bake in the oven for approx. 45 min or until an inserted skewer comes out clean

Frosting

1. Boil your potatoes until they are soft
2. Strain and add to the food processor with the unslated butter, mixing until smooth and sticky. You can either just frost the outside of your cake, or slice it through the middle and add a potato filling too!

Dog Cake For Meat Lovers

A little quicker to rustle up than other options, this dog cake from Personal Creations was easy to make and it smelled delicious! I also added some sweetcorn because my dog is a huge fan and it worked perfectly. Beef is one of the best sources of protein for dogs and has a range of vitamins him or her fit and healthy.

Cake Ingredients

– 1 pound of beef (lean and grounded)
– An egg
– 1/2 cup of oats
– 1/2 cup of shredded carrots
– 1/2 cups of peas (fresh/frozen)
– Frosting ingredients
– 1 potato
– 1/2 cup water
– Carrots, peas or your dogs favorite veg.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F
2. Chop and then boil your potatoes until they are soft.
3. Mix together the egg, oats, meat, and veg
4. Grease the tins with the oil and add the ground beef.
5. Cook for approx. 35 minutes until the meat is cooked throughout.
6. Add the potatoes that have been boiled to a bowl and blend with a mixer or masher.
7. Once your cakes are cool you can add your potato frosting and for decoration sprinkle with peas and carrots or your dogs favorite veg!

Dog Birthday Cake Beef Recipe

This recipe is my personal favorite, mainly because I could play around with the ingredients and make it just how my dog likes it. Also, it was easy to prepare and it made a good-sized cake. It will stay fresh in the fridge for three to five days.

Cake Ingredients

– 12 oz of minced Beef
– 4 eggs
– 1 cup of flour
– 1/2 tsp of baking powder
– 1/2 cup of oatmeal
– 1/2 cup of oil (corn or flaxseed)
– Parsley (Optional)
– Half cup grated Carrot (Optional)
– Cream Cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350
2. Grease and flour a cake tin
3. Puree the Beef food processor, with eggs and oil
4. Grate your carrot or finely cut your parsley, both optional.
5. Adding them to the meat mixture and mix together.
6. Add flour, oatmeal and baking powder to your mixing bowl.
7. Make a dip in the middle of the flour mixture and slowly stir in the meat and veg mix.
8. Pour into the cake tin (greased)
9. Cook for approx. 60 minutes
10. Let the cake cool for around 30 minutes
11. Cover the top of the cake with cream cheese frosting.

You can add dog birthday cake decorations of your choice – treats, vegetables or fruit.

And that rounds up our top 3 dog cake recipe with meat, we hope that you and your pup enjoy them as much as ours did!

Fall is fast approaching and we can feel the crisp of leaves under our boots and the smell of nutmeg, cinnamon, and pumpkin fills the air. But, it’s not only us humans that love the turn in season; our furry friends also love the change too. So what better way to reward them than with some home-baked pumpkin dog treats!

Why pumpkin? Pumpkin is super nutritious for your doggy. Pumpkin can help with a range of ailments by strengthening their digestive system and relieving any digestive problems, helping to eliminate worms, and of course bringing a bright shiny smooth coat.

And pumpkin treats are not only great during fall season… you can treat your pup all year round!

Here is our list of favorite pumpkin dog treats!

1. PUMPKIN DOG TREATS

All the recipes we have listed include either canned or fresh pumpkin but this one worked best with fresh, making this one from Food With Feeling my favorite homemade dog treats with pumpkin puree. The mixture made a lot of treats that lasted nearly two weeks when stored in the fridge (they may have lasted a few days longer if my pups hadn’t gobbled them all up!)

Ingredients
•1/2 cup pureed pumpkin: canned or fresh either is fine
•2 tbsp coconut oil
•4 tbsp water
•2 cups wheat flour
•1 tsp cinnamon
•1/4 tsp baking soda
•1/4 tsp baking powder
•1 egg

Recipe
1.Pre-heat your oven to 350F.
2.Mix your pumpkin, coconut oil, and the water together in a large mixing bowl.
3.Now add the flour and mix, then add the cinnamon, baking soda, & baking powder.
4.Mix and add the egg, stirring the mixture until it all sticks together. It might take a few minutes and you may need to add a little more water to get the desired consistency. You should make a round sticky ball.
5.Now roll your dough out to 1/4 inch thick. (Dust the surface with flour to minimize sticking)
6.Use a cookie cutter to cut out your shape, I have a dog bone one for my pups, but any will do the trick.
7.Place your treats on a baking sheet on a tray and place in the oven. Cook until dried through, approx. 30 minutes.
8.Let cool on a drying rack and let your dogs enjoy!

2. Peanut Butter & Pumpkin Treats

This was my dogs favorite because she loved peanut butter! the recipe was super simple to follow, the biscuits cooked perfectly, smelt delicious and had a great texture when they were finished. I didn’t add the salt as stated in the recipe because I am little cautious of adding salt to my doggy’s food and they didn’t notice so I would say it is optional.

Ingredients
•1 cup of whole wheat flour
•2 eggs
•1/2 cup pureed pumpkin: canned or fresh either is fine
•2 tbsp peanut butter
• tsp salt (optional)
•1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Recipe
1.Preheat oven to 350F
2.Mix together flour, both eggs, the pumpkin, peanut butter, salt, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl.
3.Add water as required to make the dough the right consistency; the dough should be dry and stiff.
4.Now roll your dough out to 1/2 inch thick. (Dust the surface with flour to minimize sticking).
5.Use a cookie cutter to cut out your shape
6.Place your treats on a baking sheet on a tray and place in the oven.
7.Bake in the oven until hard, approx. 40 minutes.

3. Pumpkin Dog Treats

Again, another super simple recipe that took about 10 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to bake. I was dubious because my dogs are not huge apple fans but they certainly enjoyed them. I stored them in the fridge and they kept for a week. This recipe is from Delicious Everyday

Ingredients
•2 cups of all-purpose flour
•1 tsp of baking powder
•2 apples peeled, chopped and diced
• cup of pureed pumpkin: canned or fresh either is fine
•1 egg
•1/2 cup of water

Recipe
1.Preheat oven to 350F
2.In a large mixing bowl, add all of the ingredients mixing together until your mixture is dough-like and the right consistency.
3.Add water as required to make the dough the right consistency; the dough should be a little sticky.
4.Now roll your dough out to 1/2 inch thick. (Dust the surface with flour to minimize sticking).
5.Use a cookie cutter to cut out your shape
6.Place the dog bones on a greased baking sheet.
7.Bake for 30 minutes.
8.Remove from oven and let completely cool.

4. Pumpkin Treats (Grain Free)

This grain free pumpkin dog treat recipe from A Cozy Kitchen is great if your dog has dietary requirements or if you are trying to eliminate grains from their diets. It seemed very similar to the other PB recipe just substituting the wheat flour for garbanzo flour and my dogs enjoyed the crumbly biscuit treats. Garbanzo is a cheaper wheat flour alternative but you can also use quinoa or potato flour.

Ingredients
•1 cup of garbanzo flour
•2 1/2 tbsp peanut butter
•2 large eggs
•3/4 cup of pureed pumpkin: canned or fresh either is fine

Recipe
1.Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
2.In a large mixing bowl, add all of the ingredients mixing together until your mixture is dough-like and the right consistency.
3.Add water as required to make the dough the right consistency; the dough should be a little sticky.
4.Now roll your dough out to 1/2 inch thick. (Dust the surface with flour to minimize sticking).
5.Use a cookie cutter to cut out your shape
6.Place the dog bones on a greased baking sheet.
7.Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
8.Remove from oven and let completely cool.

And there you have our top 4 pumpkin-based dog treat recipes! You can make some small substitutions if you wish to adapt them to your pup’s taste but other than removing the salt, I cooked them all as is and my doggies gobbled them down and their tails were wagging for more!

At the Dog Bakery we  strive to improve the lives of all dogs and this year we would like to celebrate National Dog Week with a special announcement!

We baked up some very special cookies just for National Dog Week so you could spoil your dog even more. But even better is that you’ll be able to pay the love forward. We’re donating a portion of the profits from the sale of these cookies to Abandoned Animal Rescue in Magnolia Texas!

For each half dozen purchased we’ll donate $2 and for each ‚Barker’s Dozen‘ we’ll donate $4.50. Our Peanut Butter ‚I Woof You‘ Cookies are freshly baked dog cookies made from only the highest quality ingredients. We make them from scratch right in our bakery in Venice, CA

They are packed full of peanut butter and each cookie is decorated by hand giving each one a unique twist. Meaning that not only will you be contributing to a great cause, but your pup will have a box of handmade treats to enjoy too!

Abandoned Animal Rescue in Magnolia Texas

Abandoned Animal Rescue in Magnolia Texas has one goal in mind:

 “making our community a no-kill, safe haven for homeless pets.”

 There are lots of ways you can help them; through donations, volunteering and adopting your own furry friends. You can find more information about their organization and the great work they are doing here:https://www.aartexas.org/ 

What is National Dog Week?

From September 22nd to the 28th National Dog Week will commence. National Dog Week is a celebration of all things dog-related, it is a time when we come together as a collective of dog lovers, parents, and handlers and appreciate not only what these wonderful souls bring to our lives, but also how we can work together in the ongoing task of helping to secure a safer future for them.

National Dog Week began in 1928 when Captain William Judy, a World War I veteran, decided that more could and should be done to celebrate and give thanks for all the good things dogs bring to the world and to thank them for their unwavering dedication and loyalty. During the past ninety-plus years, the week has grown in popularity across the world and the dog lover community meaning that the last week of September can be celebrated, alongside man’s best friend, with fundraisers, activities, volunteering and adoption drives. You can find more information about events near you on Facebook, social media and at your local shelters.

We hope you will have lots of fun celebrating National Dog Week with friends, family and your doggies too! Our special I Woof You Cookie can be purchased for a limited time and don’t forget not only will you receive a box of yummy treats for your dog, but you will also be contributing to a fantastic charity who are doing amazing work to help abandoned pets find a loving home.

Halloween is the time of year where we can all let our hair down and be someone different for a night, but this year you could go one step further and give your best furry friend the chance to transform and celebrate too: By hosting your very own  Halloween party for dogs. This article looks at everything you’ll need to know to ensure your Dog Halloween Party is the talk of the town!

Where To Host Your Party

Depending on where you live and the size of your guest list, you may opt for a furry friendly party in your own home. Remember that other dogs may have different habits to yours so take the time to pet-proof keeping your things safe and the pooches out of danger.

Alternatively, you may decide to host your party in your garden or at your local dog-friendly park – both are great options if you prefer to be outdoors. Here’s a listing of dog friendly party venues

Invitations

If you are hosting a small Dog Halloween Party with your friends, why not get your creativity flowing and set up a little photography session with your dog, add the details of your party and share via social media with your besties.

Or if you’re having a bigger get-together with friends but you are also thinking of inviting pooches you see on your daily walk, you can also print a few invite cards and take some with you next time you walk around the block. Not only is it a great way to meet local dog owners, but it also means that there will be more dogs attending!

And if you’re opening an ‚all are welcome‘ Dog Halloween Party, think about creating an event on Facebook to get the word out

Decorations

Decorations that hang from your ceiling are a great option for a Dog Halloween Party because there’s  less chance of a curious dog in taking a bite out of them or knocking them over with their tails.

Outdoors you can use bunting and pumpkins but use caution with candles – wagging excited tails near an open flame is never a good idea.

Games & Activities

1. The Costume Parade

Let guests know in your invite that there will be a costume parade and a winner so your dog friends come dressed to impressed.

Or you could ask pets and their people to come dressed as a pair (like copy and robber, Vampires etc)

To ensure you get a winner, give each guest two votes and stipulate they cannot vote for their own dog. Provide some prizes like treats or toys for first and second place, but make sure you have plenty of treats to go round so every dog is a winner!

You can also add your own twists if you have a big event and add some extra categories, such as scariest, prettiest, sparkliest, best pet and parent combo.  And because some dogs aren’t comfortable in fancy dress outfits you can also include a category for the best accessory so every dog can be included.

2. Trick For A Treat

Place a star on the floor and have a big of treats ready, every time a doggy does a trick on the star they get a treat!

3. The Hunt

Before your guests arrive hide lots of delicious treats around your party, remember to hide them in safe locations and for small or shy dogs pet owners can join in the hunt too!

You’ll want to make sure that the treats are ‚fragrant‘ so the dogs‘ noses lead the way like hot dog bits, jerky and other meat -based treats.

4. Bone Bobbing

A personal favorite of my pooch is Bone Bobbing, she is a little ball obsessed! So we took a small 15″ wading pool and filled it with hollow tennis balls and kongs that are stuffed with cheese, peanut butter and treats,  letting the dogs bob for a ball to play with and the balls that survived the day were taking home.

5. The Spooky Booth

Just like the human version, creating a photo booth is super simple. All you need is a spooky backdrop, a range of pet appropriate props and we provided a polaroid camera too so our guests had a photo to take home and put on the fridge, not just in their phone gallery. It was a huge hit! Some dogs weren’t keen on the props but all of them loved a cuddle with their owner and pup best friends against our haunted night sky backdrop.

Food & Drink

There are two audiences here to feed: Dogs and Humans.

Humans

You can ask guests to each bring a plate to share to make it really easy.  Here’s a list of fun Halloween food ideas.

Dogs

It’s best NOT to leave treats out on a table throughout the party, because it’s too distracting for many dogs, and could cause aggression. Instead have times throughout the party where treats are offered. It’s also preferable that you give each pet parent the treat and let that person give their pup the food.

It goes without saying to stay clear of human food especially chocolate and candy as many are harmful to dogs and the wrappers are a pesky hazard too. Instead, you can find a great range of healthy and organic treat options online or at your local grocery store.

If you want to have a go at baking a dog safe cake, why not make it with pumpkin? It’s definitely seasonal and pumpkin is so good for dogs. 

Water

Make sure you have lots of bowls out with water. Some dogs don’t like to share a bowl with another dog so having different places where they can take a slurp is a good idea to stop any bar fights!

Party Favors And Parting Gifts

All dogs are winners in our eyes and therefore they all deserve a doggy bag to take home. There are tons of cute goodie bag options on Etsy.

Here are some ideas of things you could include:

– Dog treats
– Halloween Toys
– A ball
– A photo from the photobooth
– A Halloween bandana
– A Halloween collar pendant

And that concludes our ideas, tips, and recommendations on hosting a pawtastic Halloween party for dogs. We are sure you and your furry, and non-furry, friends will have a hauntingly great time!

Jerky is a great snack for your dog, and given in moderation, it can be a healthy snack, however most jerky made for human consumption includes added salt, preservatives, and spices which can be dangerous for our pups. So we decided to take on the challenge to find healthy AND delicious recipes for dog jerky!

We tried and tested a range of recipes and here are 3 of our favorite ways of how to make jerky for dogs.

1. Homemade Beef Jerky

This recipe was so simple because it only included one ingredient, not only that but I am lucky to have an organic butcher nearby who actually sold the beef, organ, and bones mix preblended. Whilst you can use ground beef, using organs is really good for your dogs because it gives them a wide range of vitamins and nutrients. You can store for 3 weeks in the cupboard or longer if you keep refrigerated. This recipe is from What Great Grandma Ate

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 12 hours

Ingredients
1 lb mix of ground beef & organ meat & bones (Can use only ground beef)

Instructions
1.Preheat your oven 130 degrees
2.Place the meat on parchment paper, and using a rolling pin flatten the meat to approx. 1/8 inch thick.
3.Use a knife to score into squares so you can break them later into pieces.
4.Place on a baking sheet, and dry in the oven for approx. 8 hours.
5.Remove from the oven and drain any fat.
6.Break into pieces along the lines, then place them on a rack back in the oven above fresh parchment paper.
7.Cook for a further 4-5 hours.

2. Fish Jerky Treats

I wasn’t too sure about this one as the salmon was cooking, my kitchen took on a fishy smell that infiltrated throughout the house. But my dog LOVED them! She is a fan of fish anyway, but she never took her eyes off the oven door for 3 hours. When they finally cooled she was drooling and lapped them up, fish is great for dogs being high in omega 3 and protein so we have included it for any fish fanatics out there! This recipe is from The Daily Puppy

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 2-3 hours

Ingredients Salmon or tuna steaks

Instructions
1.Place your fish steaks in the freezer and freeze until nearly frozen.
2.Remove from the freezer and slice them into strips approx. 1/8-inch-thick, 1 inch wide and 3 inches long.
3.Line your tray with aluminum foil, before adding the rack – makes for a quick clean up.
4.Dry your strips with paper towels and place on the tray.
5.Cook at 180 degrees with the door open an inch for circulation.
6.Cook 2-3 hours, checking the consistency is stiff.
Store at room temperature for 3 weeks, or keep in the fridge if planning to keep longer than that.

No Time To Cook?

The Dog Bakery make really yummy jerky that’s ready to go 

✔️ 100% Sourced & Made in the USA

✔️ Three Day Air Dried Then Slow Baked

✔️ Absolutely Nothing Artificial (seriously!)

Check it out here.

3. Chicken Jerky

This recipe was a bit different to some other chicken jerky I have made before because it included some dog-friendly spices. This made it super tasty and it smelt delicious. It needs to be stored in an airtight container in the fridge but it made a lot of jerky and had no added salt or sugar. This recipe is from Proud Dog Mom

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 2-3 hours

Ingredients

• 1 pound of chicken breasts
• Olive oil
• Optional dog-approved pices: Turmeric, and ginger (grounded)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 250ºF
2. Grease your wire rack with the oil and place the parchment paper underneath.
3. Remove all the fat from your chicken breasts.
4. Slice your chicken 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch thick.
5. (Optional) Sprinkle with dog-approved spices.
6. Place your chicken on the rack and place in the oven.
7. Cook 2-3 hours, checking the consistency is stiff and then flip them over.
8. Cook for a further 45 minutes.
9. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Conclusion

And there you have three of our favorites, so whether your dog prefers fish, beef or chicken there is a
recipe for dog jerky that he or she can enjoy and you can be assured that there will be no added preservatives or ingredients that are bad for them. Bear in mind that drying out the meat will take a  few hours but prep time is low so you can get on with your day while the meat is toughening.

And the best thing is that your pooch will love it!

Healthy Jerky Choices –  Made In USA