A few bites of fully cooked yeast bread are okay, but yeast dough is toxic for your dog, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Yeast rises in a warm, moist environment, such as your dog’s digestive tract, and the dough can expand to rupture his stomach. An alternative is yeast-free Parsley Biscuits, a recipe that includes several healthy ingredients and a breath freshener. They are safe for your pet whether raw or cooked.
Parsley Biscuits
The easy-to-make recipe for Parsley Biscuits is from the archives of Valley Natural Foods, a cooperative in Burnsville, Minnesota. Parsley Biscuits is one of the recipes the co-op shared as a demonstration on how to cook for your pet using safe, nutritious and whole ingredients. Dogs who sampled the results were satisfied pooches. More to your satisfaction, it is easy to make.
Ingredients
The recipe calls for 3/4 cup fresh minced parsley leaves and tender stems; 1/4 cup finely grated carrot, 1 teaspoon vegetable oil; 3/4 cup whole-wheat flour, 1/2 cup fine cornmeal; 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 1/4 cup water. If you know your dog has a corn allergy, substitute ground flax seed for the cornmeal.
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Mix the dry ingredients and set them aside in a bowl. Chop the parsley, grate the carrot and mix them in a small bowl with the oil. Then add the parsley mixture to the dry ingredients, using a pastry cutter to blend. Add water and mix with your hands as you would knead dough. Scoop small teaspoons of dough and flatten them into half-dollars on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 to18 minutes, until lightly golden. Once the Parsley Biscuits cool, you can store them in a container up to a week
Treat Training
You dog will love homemade fresh treats; they'll serve alongside praise when you use them in training. For example, teach your dog short and simple commands, such as Sit, and reward the act immediately with a word of praise and a nibble of treat. Or use these treats to reinforce already trained commands in special refresher sessions. Dogs are food-motivated; they'll surely sit for Parsley Biscuits. Do not overfeed treats.
