Edible Frosting for Dogs

So you love chocolate and would love to share it with your fuzzy-faced friend, but you know that chocolate is a no-no for dogs. Take heart, there is a chocolate substitute that is almost as good as the real thing. It's safe for your dog to eat and he won't know the difference. Mix 12 ounces of whipped cream cheese with 3 to 4 tablespoons of carob powder, found in any health food store. Add in a teaspoon of sweetener, such as honey, and mix well. Alternatively, you can melt 3 ounces of carob chips in the microwave for 30 seconds on high and mix it in with the cream cheese. If you don't have whipped cream cheese, use the regular kind, but allow it to come to room temperature so it is easier to spread.

For a sweet treat that's hard to beat, try using some overripe bananas for the frosting base. Mash two or three bananas together in a medium bowl. Add a tablespoon of melted butter or margarine. Blend well, then mix in some fine flour, the kind used for gravies and thickening. Mix the flour in a little at a time until you get the right consistency for frosting. Frost the cake, and then sprinkle the top with broken dog biscuits. To break up harder biscuits, put a few in a plastic zippered bag and tap several times with a hammer until the biscuits are a powder. Use peanut butter biscuits for an extra sweet surprise.

Look to the plant kingdom for some inspiration. Your dog will never know that the frosting is packed with vitamins and minerals that will make his heart healthy and his immune system in fighting shape. Cooked sweet potatoes, white potatoes and cauliflower all make a great dog cake icing base. Cauliflower? Yes, cauliflower! Boil a bag of frozen cauliflower florets. Strain and allow the cauliflower to cool. Using a potato masher or food processor, mash or whip the cauliflower into a nice, fine white puree. Add some mashed potato flakes if it's too watery. Using mashed potatoes or cauliflower as a base opens a whole world of ideas. Use food coloring to make it more festive, and add sesame seeds or pulverized colored dog biscuits for a finishing touch.

Use smooth or chunky peanut butter for a nutritious and tasty special treat. To make it easy to spread, mix 4 ounces of peanut butter with 8 ounces of cream cheese and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Mix it all until smooth and creamy. Top it off with bits of chopped carrot, or use shredded carrot for a pretty treat. Coconut flakes also work well as a topping, as do sesame seeds, both of which can be colored with food coloring.