Easy-to-Bake Dog Treat With Bacon & Cheese

Easy cheese-and-bacon dog treats require ¼ cup of chopped bacon, 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, ¼ cup of cheddar cheese, 2½ cups of whole-wheat flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, two eggs and 1 cup of milk.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mix the flour, eggs, oil and baking powder in a large bowl. Then stir in the milk, bacon and cheese; a stiff dough should form. Add more flour if the mixture appears too sticky. Roll the dough out by hand, pinching off 2-inch pieces. Roll these into balls.

Space the little bacon and cheese balls on a cookie tray and pop the load into the pre-heated oven. Leave it to bake for 20 minutes, then flip and leave it for another 10 minutes or until slightly crunchy. Leave them to cool for 10 minutes. Once they're cool enough, put the treats in a sealed container and refrigerate to retain freshness.

Approximately 150 years ago, inspiration struck when James Spratt, an electrician and lightning rod salesman, saw dogs in the London dockyards eating sailors’ hardtack. In 1860 Spratt began manufacturing Patented Meat Fibrine Dog Cakes, the first commercial dog biscuits. His entrepreneurial genius spawned an entire industry that now rakes in $18 billion annually. Taking a cue from mainstream trends, the industry has gained health consciousness. High-end treats and foods are specialized to meet specific canine nutritional needs according to breed, age, size, activity level and health issues. The high cost of such products has led many to take matters into their own hands, literally.