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We Brits pride ourselves on being a nation of dog lovers. So, in one sense, virtually every day is National Dog Day! However, the official canine celebration is 26th August. Founded in 2004 by animal welfare advocate and pet lifestyle expert Colleen Paige, National Dog Day aims to celebrate all breeds, both mixed and pure. It also aims to help galvanise the public to recognise the number of dogs that need to be rescued each year, from public shelters and rescues.
Lots of the Caple team, across all departments, are dog owners. Managing director Danny Lay has an adorable Airedale named Bingley, and service director Richard Wood is kept fit (and busy!) walking his six pooches twice a day. We know that many of our customers are committed dog-lovers, too. So, in a departure from our usual human-focused dishes, this month we asked southern regional training manager Jo to put together a selection of dog treat recipes. Read on to discover her take on Caple-style canine cuisine.
How cute are these bunny-shaped treats? You can of course be as creative as you wish and design these in different shapes, too. What I like best about this recipe is that it produces a biscuit with a hard, crunchy texture that helps to remove plaque from your dog’s teeth. However, like all treats, these should be factored into your pooch’s daily food allowance, so do modify other meals as necessary.
But they do seem like a lovely thing to serve up if you’re celebrating National Dog Day! The method for this is really pretty simple. You basically need to combine the ingredients using two mixing bowls, then blend together into a dough. Knead this for around five minutes, then roll it out and cut it into your preferred shape. Following this, simply bake for 50 minutes, before allowing to cool.
Our Sense Premium C2601BS Smart Pyrolytic Single Oven is the perfect appliance for the job. This advanced model incorporates 23 different functions, and is even Wi-Fi enabled, to allow it to work with smart technology. And if there are any messy spills and drips, you won’t need to scrub and rub this oven clean. Pyrolytic appliances heat up to carbonise baked-on spills into fine ash. All you need to do is switch it on, wait awhile, then wipe it down with a damp cloth.
The multi-stage cooking this oven offers is endlessly versatile. I would recommend baking these dog biscuits at 160° for 50 minutes, then use the clever dehydrate function for five hours, for extra crunch. This uses fan heat to remove moisture from foods to dry and preserve them. I use mine a lot to dry out fruit and vegetables, but it works brilliantly for these dog biscuits too!
Top tip: Store at room temperature in a container with a loose-fitting lid. These dog biscuits also freeze well for up to six months.
I love baking, but we mustn’t share our Victoria Sponges with our canine friends because it’s not good for their health. While researching dog treat recipes for National Dog Day however, I came across this Liver cake. It’s obviously a million miles away from anything you or I would enjoy for afternoon tea, but it’s a great high-value reward for dogs, in small quantities as part of a balanced diet.
Most dog treat recipes aren’t too complex, and this one is no exception. You basically blend the ingredients together until they reach a sponge mixture consistency, then bake at 180° for 35-45 minutes. I would use our Sense C2362 60cm Electric Single Oven, which features our signature MotionHeat+ function. This distributes hot air evenly around the cavity, so it reaches the desired temperature rapidly. This means there’s no need to preheat your oven, saving time and money. It’s also perfect for multi-level cooking without any flavour transfer. So, you can rest assured that any other dishes you cook at the same time (for humans) won’t taste of your National Dog Day dog treat recipes!
Once your liver cake is cooled, divide it into 12 pieces then freeze them in our CAFF42 French Door Fridge Freezer. This versatile model is packed full with energy-saving features. You can even switch off an entire section of the refrigerator if you’re not using it! It includes super-cool and super-freeze functions, which automatically speed up cooling and freezing times. And you’ll never have to manually defrost it, because the freezer is frost-free.
Top tip: Only serve this to dogs and puppies over six months old – and check with your vet first if you have any concerns about giving your pet a home-cooked treat.
I’m always partial to an ice cream when the weather is warm, so I was thrilled to find some canine-friendly ice lollies to include in my dog treat recipes. If it’s warm on National Dog Day this year, these will be perfect for helping your pooch keep cool.
All you need is some plain live yogurt, a banana, a teaspoon of honey and a large carrot (for an edible lolly stick). Blend everything well – except the carrot – making sure the banana is properly ‘mushed’. Spoon into suitable pots then place your carrot, vertically, into the centre. Freeze for at least a few hours. I tested these using our RIF125 122cm In-Column Freezer. This fabulous roomy five-drawer model has a total net capacity of 127 litres – more than enough for a huge amount of dog ice lollies! This appliance incorporates a handy reversible door and matches our RIL125 fridge.
Top tip: In addition to, or instead of, the banana you could use other ingredients such as apples (pips removed), cucumber, mango or summer berries – but please check that any substitutes are safe for dogs to eat first.
My final suggestion for National Dog Day dog treat recipes is homemade savoury dog biscuits. Not the sort you or I would like, they feature 170g boiled chicken breast and 100g cooked plain rice.
You’ll need to blend, blitz and mix all the ingredients, before rolling out to a dough. Then cut out your biscuits, and bake in the oven for around 25-30 minutes. The conventional setting in the top oven of our Sense C3371 Electric Built In Double Oven would be ideal.
This model offers an impressive 101-litre total capacity – plus two pairs of handy, full-extension telescopic runners for instant easy access. Dog biscuits aside, it’s a fabulous choice for large families and keen cooks who like to entertain. This appliance also incorporates MotionHeat+ technology. Other key features include an easy-clean enamel interior, a tangential cooling fan and a triple-glazed door with heat-reflective glass.
Top tip: Store these dog biscuits in a cool, dark place, and use within three to four days.
Keen to treat yourself too on National Dog Day? Why not celebrate with a delicious strawberries and cream cheesecake – click here for the full recipe details.
