Pumpkin Flax Dog Treats

• 1/2 cup of pureed pumpkin (canned or fresh)
• 2 tablespoons of coconut oil, softened
• 4 tablespoons of water, plus more if needed
• 2 cups of whole wheat flour (or spelt or brown rice flour)
• 1 tablespoon ground flax meal
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 egg

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degree F.
2. Mix the pumpkin, softened coconut oil, and water together in a large bowl.
3. Then mix in the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and baking powder
4. Mix it a bit and then stir in the egg.
5. Continue to stir until it’s ALL combined. This might take a good minutes and feel free to add a touch more water in order to get all of the mixture into one solid, slightly sticky ball.
6. Once done, roll the dough out on a floured surface to ~1/4 inch thick.
7. Using a cookie cutter, cut out treats. These can be as small or as large as you want them (depending on the size of your dogs. I realize not everyone has giant dogs like me)
8. Place prepared dough treats on a lined/ greased baking sheet and bake for ~30 minutes (depending on size) or until dough has hardened.
9. Let cool and enjoy your pups excitement!

• 1 cup raw goats milk, kefir or for a dairy-free options - coconut kefir.
• 1 can pure pumpkin puree (make your own using this recipe, or purchase canned - make sure to NOT purchase pumpkin pie filling!)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preparation Instructions

1. If making your own pumpkin puree, start here
2. Combine all ingredients in a blender, mix well and serve up as a liquid treat, OR pour into your favourite mold and freeze for a yummy frozen treat.

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Slice the pumpkin in half, crosswise through the stem, and scoop out the seeds and strings. Feel free to keep the seeds for later to roast.
3. Place halves, cut-side down, onto a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.
4. Roast, uncovered, for 40-60 minutes, or until tender.
5. Once you have the pumpkin roasted and cooked through, it’s time to turn it into puree.  Cooked pumpkin is already very soft and can be mashed by hand using a potato masher or fork to turn into a puree, but I prefer to use a food processor or blender.

Your pet may experience a decreased appetite when they aren't feeling well. Bone broth is often an appetite-stimulant for pets who are otherwise hesitant to eat. The aroma of it being cooked over the course of 12+ hours is often enough to entice them to lap up a bowl of home-cooked nourishment. It is also a nice warming meal to soothe a sore throat. Here's my favourite and super-easy bone broth recipe:

1. Start with a full chicken, or a combination of any bones including beef marrow bones, poultry feet, wings, and backs. The key is to use bones that contain joint & connective tissue as this is what will give you the most nutrient-rich base. When you boil a bone, the marrow breaks down into gelatin. That gelatin contains collagen full of amino acids.
2. Add in a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar for each litre of water.
3. Add Vegetables - I like to use aromatic root vegetables such as carrots (to aid digestion), celery (to support the large intestine) and rutabaga (contain a diverse range of nutrients). 
4. Optional - 1 clove of fresh, minced garlic*
5. Optional - 3 Shiitake mushrooms, dried or fresh - these mushrooms are a powerful immune booster.
6. Optional - add in a few small pieces of beef liver. Especially if I am not using a full chicken, I like to add in a bit of liver to both enhance the flavor and also to boost the nutrient value. Liver (and other organ meats) contain essential vitamins & minerals that muscle meat doesn't contain such as zinc, iron, and Vitamin A.
7. Combine the water, vinegar & vegetables (& garlic, liver & mushrooms if using) in a crock pot (slow cooker) or stockpot and cover. I like to use a crock pot and cook on high for 1-2 hours, then cook on low for a minimum of 10-12 hours. If using a stock pot, you may want to simmer for longer (up to 24 hours).
8. During the last 30-60 minutes of simmering, add any herbs. My go-to herbs for a sick pup include: a large sprig of parsley and a small piece of fresh ginger* in addition to the garlic and Shiitake mushrooms.
9. When finished cooking, remove from heat and strain to remove any bones that have not broken down. I like to pour the strained broth into a wide-mouthed mason jar. If your pet likes vegetables, you can offer some, or you can discard them - the nutrients have been infused into the broth.
10. Allow to cool before refrigerating. Once fully cooled, the fat will separate and form a hard layer on top - skim this off and discard before feeding. You will notice that what is left is a thick, gelatinous liquid which is exactly what you want! Store in fridge for up to 1 week and freeze remaining portions. I like to warm this up a little before serving to my dogs.

*Note that garlic is safe in small, appropriate doses. Both ginger and garlic have "warming" actions and may not be suitable for your pet. Consult a certified animal nutritionist, herbalist or Holisitc/Integrative vet for direction. You can simply leave these out, if you are unsure. The broth in and of itself is a nourishing addition. For dogs under 20lbs, I like to err on the side of caution and recommend leaving out the garlic altogether.