Sweet Potato Dog Treats

Sweet Potato Dog Treat Recipe - lolathepitty.com

These sweet potato dog treats are definitely on our top 5 list. Simple, healthy and tasty, we’re pretty confident in saying your dog will be watching your every move while making these and devour every crumb!

They are light and crispy, easy to chew or snap in half dog biscuit made with just four ingredients. Packed with flax seed and sweet potato, you’ll be feeding your dog a treat that is high in Omega-3’s and vitamins.

Lola and Rio were slightly obsessed with these treats (even more so than most)…

Sweet Potato Dog Treat Recipe - lolathepitty.com

5.0 from 2 reviews
Sweet Potato Dog Treats
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 24-36
Ingredients
  • 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
  • 1 cup rice flour
  • ¾ cup oat flour (can substitue with regular flour)
  • 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or nonstick spray.
  2. Dice sweet potato into small squares and place in a saucepan, add approximately 1 cup of water and place over high heat and bring to a boil. Cook for 7-9 minutes or until the potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork; remove from heat, drain and cool.
  3. In a large mixer, beat the sweet potatoes until smooth.
  4. Add the flour and flaxseed meal and egg and stir until a dough forms.
  5. Place dough onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out into rectangle and cut out biscuits with a cookie cutter.
  6. Place the treats on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool before serving.

Sweet Potato Dog Treat Recipe - lolathepitty.com

Sweet Potato Dog Treat Recipe - lolathepitty.com

Note: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 10 days. If you would prefer to use whole wheat flour, you may substitute for the rice and almond flour in this recipe. Also, if your dog has egg allergies you can replace the egg with applesauce.

Recipe adapted from Pretty Fluffy. 

Turmeric Dog Biscuit Recipe

Turmeric Dog Treat Recipe via Lolathepitty.com

Turmeric Dog Treat Recipe via Lolathepitty.com!

Before we get into the health benefits of these homemade dog treats, let’s talk about how much Lola and Rio obsessed over these! I’m thrilled with the texture of these and they for sure go on my top three dog treat recipes I’ve made to date. They’re perfect for Lola because they snap easily in half and aren’t so rock hard that she just swallows them whole (yes, this is a problem around here). These treats are crisp and crunchy kind of like a graham cracker.

Okay, so turmeric. It’s kind of a buzz word for 2016 and 2017? And for good reason. Turmeric made the list in my 9 Healthy Additions to Your Dog’s Diet and I knew I had to incorporate it into a recipe!

What is turmeric? Good question, it actually comes from a root, that looks similar to ginger, imo.

Turmeric is one of the most researched plants in existence today as a powerful antioxidant. The health benefits include:

  • Anti-cancer properties
  • Protects against radiation-induced damage
  • Reduces unhealthy levels of inflammation
  • Detoxifier
  • Relieves allergies
  • Acts as a binding agent, great for treating diarrhea
  • High in fiber and rich in vitamins and minerals

Turmeric Dog Treat Recipe via Lolathepitty.com

In addition to turmeric powder, I also added peanut butter to help bind everything together, a combination of oat and rice flour, and flax seed…because why not!?

It’s official. My dogs are spoiled. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Turmeric Dog Treat Recipe via Lolathepitty.com

This recipe can be made with only dirtying ONE bowl. Mix everything together until nice and crumbling like the photo above.

Roll out and cut into shapes. Easy as that!

Turmeric Dog Treat Recipe via Lolathepitty.com

Okay, this recipe just might be one of my favorites yet.

4.3 from 15 reviews
Turmeric Dog Biscuits
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
These turmeric dog treats are the perfect healthy treat for your pup! They are light and crispy when cooked making a snack your dog is certain to love!
Author:
Serves: 24-30
Ingredients
  • 1 cup Oat Flour
  • 1 cup Rice Flour
  • 3 Tablespoons Turmeric (ground)
  • 1 Tablespoon Ground Flax Seed
  • ½ cup + 2 Tbsp peanut butter
  • ¼ cup water
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients
  3. Mix until crumbly
  4. Form into two large balls and roll out
  5. Cut into shapes with cookie cutters
  6. Place onto prepared baking sheet
  7. Bake for 25 minutes, turn off oven and leave in the oven for another 10-15 minutes or until crisp
  8. *Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Have you made these treats before? Please share with us in the comments. Thanks for reading!

-Sarah, Lola, & Rio

9 Healthy Additions to Your Dog’s Diet

9 Healthy Foods to Add to Your Dog's Food {lolathepitty.com}

9 Healthy Foods to Add to Your Dog's Diet - lolathepitty.com

Truly…every single meal around here is one of the best moments of my dog’s life. So even though my dogs may never get bored of their food, I do, and want to feed them a little “something” special that is not only a treat for them but offers several health benefits as well. I’m also kinda (ok, really) picky on what we feed our dogs. They don’t just get any table scraps.

Okay, onto more important things like jazzing things up for your pooch. I’ve included nine different ingredients and foods to add to your dog’s diet to provide them with more nutrients and vitamins:

9 Healthy Foods to Add to Your Dog's Food {lolathepitty.com}

Turmeric Root

Turmeric is one of the most thoroughly researched plants in existence today as a powerful antioxidant. Adding turmeric to your dog’s diet has many benefits, including its anti-inflammatory properties.

  • Anti-cancer properties
  • Protects against radiation-induced damage
  • Reduces unhealthy levels of inflammation
  • Detoxifier
  • Relieves allergies
  • Acts as a binding agent, great for treating diarrhea
  • High in fiber and rich in vitamins and minerals

Tip: add a quarter of a teaspoon per ten pounds of your pet’s body weight of ground turmeric to their food per day (or ~1 1/4 tsp for a 50lb dog).

9 Healthy Foods to Add to Your Dog's Food {lolathepitty.com}

Carrots

Not only do carrots make awesome dog treats, but they’re packed with vitamin A and also offer the following benefits:

  • Packed with fiber (great for digestive health
  • Naturally clean your dog’s teeth
  • Beta-Carotene: great for coat vibrancy and eyesight

9 Healthy Foods to Add to Your Dog's Food {lolathepitty.com}

Sweet Potatoes

Who doesn’t love sweet potatoes? My two dogs (and I) are in love with them. Sweet potatoes are a great addition to your dog’s diet for digestive health (high in dietary fiber) plus they contain vitamin C, vitamin B6, and manganese. Oh, and they’re low in fat. A win across the board.

9 Healthy Foods to Add to Your Dog's Food {lolathepitty.com}

Fresh Parsley

I buy a bundle of fresh, organic parsley at the grocery store for $0.79 on the regular. Fresh parsley helps with bad dog breath (thankfully), and is rich in protein, fiber, minerals (calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus) and vitamins A, C, B1, B2, and K.

9 Healthy Foods to Add to Your Dog's Food {lolathepitty.com}

Plain Greek Yogurt or Kefir

Kefir contains several major strains of friendly bacteria not commonly found in yogurt (Lactobacillus Caucasus, Leuconostoc, Acetobacter species, and Streptococcus species). It also contains beneficial yeasts, such as Saccharomyces kefir and Torula kefir, which control and eliminate destructive pathogenic yeasts in the body. So basically it’s an anti-fungal, anti-biotic, a probiotic and kills yeast. When shopping for greek yogurt, make sure you get the plain flavor with no added sugars.

9 Healthy Foods to Add to Your Dog's Food {lolathepitty.com}

Raw Free-Range Eggs

Shell and all, just plop a raw egg on top of your dog’s food and watch them gobble it up! Lola and Rio go nuts over them. I’m not sure I’ve met a dog that doesn’t enjoy eggs. Just don’t be like Lola and insist on carrying it over to any carpeted surface to enjoy (I now drop her egg in the bowl so it cracks open).

9 Healthy Foods to Add to Your Dog's Food {lolathepitty.com}

Goat Milk

The only time goat milk is in this house is for the dogs which is why I love, love, love The Healthy Kitchen’s powdered goat milk (Pro Bloom). I mix up 1 packet (makes 1 cup) and feed it to them over two meals. Then simply pour it over their kibble, let it soak for a few minutes and dig in! Yum, yum.

Fish Oil

This stuff seriously stinks up the kitchen, but (like 99% of all foods) Lola and Rio go nuts over it. Fish oil provides omega-3 fats which helps with a healthy coat and nails and aids in joint relief.

Bone Broth

Bone broth is a true superfood that’s not only very inexpensive and simple to make, but filled with nutrients. Major benefits of bone broth:

  • Packed with glucosamine
  • Helps detox your dog’s liver
  • Loaded with minerals

To make bone broth for your dog: Fill a slow-cooker with raw bones (use joint bones which have cartilage, we love beef marrow bones), add enough water to cover the bones, squeeze the juice from from 1 lemon (helps extract the minerals from the bones), and cook on low for 24 hours. Remove the bones and store remaining broth in the fridge or freezer.

And this is just the beginning…what other healthy foods do you add to your dog’s diet? Coconut oil, pumpkin?

Dog Lovers Gift Guide | 2016

Gift Guide for Dog Lovers - Lolathepitty.com

Dog Lovers Gift Guide! Tons of great ideas for dog parents via Lolathepitty.com

There’s a good chance you have a dog lover on your holiday shopping list this season. Well, no better place to ask advice for gift ideas than from a dog-enthusiast herself!

dog-teepee
photo credit: pipolli

{1} Dog Teepee

Great interior design addition + cozy space for your pup? This dog teepee is almost a total win. The only issue? It’s a tad too small for Lola :(.

Shop it! Dog Teepee

All I want to do is drink coffee, save pitbulls, take naps t-shirt

{2} “All I want to do is Drink Coffee, Save Pitbulls, & Take Naps” t-shirt

This pretty much explains my life.

Shop it! ‘Coffee, pitbulls, naps’ t-shirt

grounds and hounds coffee

{3} Grounds & Hounds Coffee

For the coffee + dog lover in your life, nothing quite beats coffee from Grounds & Hounds Coffee Co.; started by Jordan Karcher, Grounds & Hounds was born out of his passion to give back to the animals by offering delicious coffee. Plus Grounds & Hounds is a fair trade, organic coffee company and 20% of all revenue received is donated to rescue groups. Whoop.

Ladies love and rescue sweatshirt

{4} Ladies ‘Love & Rescue’ Fleece Pullover

I’m in love with everything about this hoodie, plus 50% (50!) of proceeds donated to rescue.

Shop it! Love & Rescue Pullover

Handmade dog collar stand - walnut

{5} Dog Collar Stand

Is it just me, or are you obsessed with dog collars? They’re kind of like shoes for me…gotta keep the pups looking fresh! Well this stand can hold up to 8 dog collars instead of stuffing them in a box somewhere and forgetting about them. Dog collar of the week?

Shop it! Wood Dog Collar Stand

paw-print-necklace

{6} Paw Print Necklace

This paw print necklace is just plain cute!

Shop it! Paw Print Necklace

pitbull-art

{7} Pitbull Art on Canvas

I want every one of these to hang in each room of my house! Check out his entire collection on the Gemini Studio Etsy shop link below…he offers tons of dog breeds and even a “rescue dog” print.

Shop it! Pitbull Art

*This is NOT a sponsored post and all products are just truly products I love and would buy!*

Fall Dog Treat Recipe Roundup

Cinnamon-Honey Dog Donuts

Fall Dog Treat Recipe Roundup - Lolathepitty.com

I’m not sure about you, but I absolutely adore fall. Pumpkin spice lattes, leaving crunching under your feet, homemade soup recipes, and of course homemade dog treat recipes. Fairly certain my stovetop and oven have received more use the past couple months than they did all summer long.

Enjoy the recipes and let me know which is your (pups) favorite!

Ginger Apple Dog Biscuits

*insert double heart-eyed emoji*

recipe

Pumpkin-Flax Dog Biscuits

Simple, healthy. Pumpkin Flax Seed Dog Biscuit Recipe - Lolathepitty.com

Cinnamon-Honey Dog Donuts.

Everything Pretty Fluffy does it not only gorgeous, but genius.

Cinnamon-Honey Dog Donuts

Homemade Pumpkin Spice Puppuccinos.

Ahh, my fave.

Pumpkin Spice Puppuccinos! Love thi easy recipe for your pooch! Via lolathepitty.com

Simple Peanut Butter Banana Dog Treats

a classic that you should have hanging on your fridge.

Lola's Homemade Pumpkin Dog Biscuits

Sweet Potato Dog Treat Biscuits

Say whaat?! These look amazing. Visit the Little Epicurean by clicking on the photo below for the recipe.

sweet potato dog biscuits

Looking for even more? Follow our Dog Treat Recipe Pinterest board or check out our full collection of dog treat recipes on this blog.  

Do you have a favorite fall-themed dog treat recipe? Tweet it to us @lolathepitty. Hope you enjoy!

Better with Pets Summit 2016

better with pets summit

This October I was invited to the Better with Pets Summit, an annual event presented by Purina in Brooklyn, NY! It was my first time attending the Summit and what an experience it was! I was extremely excited and thankful for the opportunity. The Summit brings together experts and leaders in the pet community to explore the future of pet care and experience how passion and innovation through nutrition will help improve the health and wellbeing of pets. Because after all (I think we’d all agree if you’re reading this)…life is better with pets. Especially pit bulls ;). Below I’ve recapped the day and things I took away.

The day kicked off a welcome keynote from Nina Leigh Kreuger, President of Purina PetCare. Side note: I also had the pleasure of speaking briefly with Nina the night prior to the Summit and loved how down to earth she was (and she has a son going to school in Colorado. Whoop!). The passion Nina has for her career was great to hear and she led us into the first panel: Demystifying Quality and Safety.

Panel 1: Demystifying Quality & Safety

Not an easy panel and it definitely brought up the tougher discussions about taking a closer look at the quality and safety standards of pet food. There is a huge farm to table movement, not only in our own food, but our pet food. People are demanding more trust from brands. I’m sure everyone remembers the huge pet food recall years back…we’ve come a long ways since then and as Shaun Kennedy mentioned, “There is very little difference between human food and pet food”. I remember even when I was young, our choices between dog food were minimal and at one point, our choices were either dog food or cat food. Things I learned:

  • The FDA is broken into various divisions and they have minimum requirements – to which Purina goes above and beyond
  • Almost all recalls do not pose a threat to health, but usually pertain to a labeling problems. Class 1 recalls are the only recalls which pose a threat to health.

Panel 2:  How a Passion for Pets Builds a Better World

A discussion about how connecting pets and people build stronger communities that will improve the health and well being of pets and people and ultimately shape a better world.

The panel opened with an amazing and touching story of Roben Harris who has a daughter, Selah, who has Spina Bifida and has extended hospital stays (over 27 surgeries before the age of 11) and always misses her dog, Chocolate Chip. In order for Selah to see Chocolate Chip in the hospital, Purina stepped in and helped create a room at the St. Louis Children’s Hospital where patients can visit with their pets during their hospital stays. And this is just one of the efforts valuing and recognizing the human and animal connection and bond.

Panel 3: The Science of Innovative Nutrition for Pets

This was probably my favorite panel which explored how nutrition has the power to help treat conditions to enable better lives for our pets. There is an obvious link between health and our food – not only for ourselves but for our pets. I am a huge advocate for feeding our pets right and feeding Lola and Rio clean, healthy foods and treats. As Steve Ettinger, Founder of Berkeley Veterinary Medical Group said, “Let food be thy medicine…we can treat disease with proper diet”. Such a powerful message, let’s keep our pets healthy from the beginning with a healthy diet and exercise – versus spoiling our pets. Another favorite quote from Steve, “Love does not mean to continually overfeed your pet”. Truth.

The day concluded with packing up gift boxes for the victims (and their pets) of domestic abuse at the Urban Resource Institute. I loved learning about the different programs and partnerships Purina has formed to prove their shared belief that people and pets are better together.

The Better With Pets Summit by Purina used the hashtag #LetsLiveBig – so let’s hear it from you how you are living big and how your life is better with pets!

Pumpkin (Flax Seed) Dog Biscuits

Simple, healthy. Pumpkin Flax Seed Dog Biscuit Recipe - Lolathepitty.com

‘Tis the season for pumpkin-everything and we just had to jump on board, again.

I’ve been telling myself I need to get my hiney back in gear and baking for the dogs on a regular basis, but to be honest I’ve been kind of lazy/busy as all get-out.

So I decided to make a batch of pumpkin dog treats.

The best part?

Four ingredients.

Pumpkin Flax Seed Dog Biscuit Recipe - lolathepitty.com

No rolling out dough – just mixing, scooping, and baking. These treats are made for those days where you don’t feel like cooking but want to whip something special up for your pup.

Doesn’t get much simpler than this, friends!

Pumpkin Dog Biscuits
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Four-ingredient (five if you include the flax seed) pumpkin dog biscuits. Simple, healthy, crunchy, and a treat your dogs will love!
Author:
Serves: 12-18
Ingredients
  • 2½ cups oat flour
  • 1 Tbsp flax seed (optional)
  • ½ cup pumpkin puree
  • 2 eggs
  • ¼ cup almond milk (unsweetened)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Combine oat flour, flax seed, pumpkin, eggs, and almond milk in a medium-sized bowl.
  3. Mix until well combined.
  4. (Note: add a splash more of almond milk if mixture seems too dry - should be able to scoop into balls while still holding shape).
  5. Scoop into 1" balls onto prepared baking sheet.
  6. Bake at 350 F for 35-40 minutes, until golden brown on top.

*Store in an airtight container for up to one week.

Other treats you’ll love:

Ginger Apple Dog Treats

Chicken Wild Rice Dog Treats

Isle of Dogs – Shampoo, Treats, & Giveaway

isle of dogs giveaway

This dog shampoo, friends, I’m telling you. So dang good.

Lola and Rio were softer, smelled better, and seriously…smelled better for days (versus the typical first few hours after a bath). I’m a pretty harsh critic and won’t ever give a product five stars just because I’m doing a review. That’s not fair to my readers…or the brand.

I had the pleasure of trying out Isle of Dogs’ No. 20 Volumizing Shampoo with Royal Jelly and the No. 50 Light Conditioner with Evening Primrose Oil. Sounds fancy, huh? It is. I promise you your pup will be softer than ever and smell amazing after using this combo of shampoo and conditioner. And if your pups are anything like mine, I’m constantly kissing their little heads, cuddling them, and so forth, so it’s nice when they’re clean and smell amazing. While I’m not concerned about the need to “volumize” my two pitties, this shampoo seemed to clean incredibly well and I followed with the amazing conditioner with primrose oil (which smells a bit like laundry detergent IMO), and I can’t keep my nose out of their coats.

I encourage you to hop on over and explore the Isle of Dogs website – I love that they offer a wide range of grooming products (and more!) which cater to a variety of different coat types and needs.

isle-of-dogs-lolathepitty

A little more about the shampoo and conditioner from Isle of Dogs:

“No. 20 Royal Jelly shampoo is a highly effective tool in the fight against shedding. Formulated with Royal Jelly, a protein-rich botanical which stimulates new hair growth, repairs damage, and reduces shedding.”

“No. 50 Light Management is a light conditioner featuring moisture-enhancing Evening Primrose Oil that leaves a luxurious finish on the coat. The hair will be shiny and healthy, skin will be protected, and brushing will be easier.”

Oh, and we can’t forget about Lola and Rio’s favorite part – the cherry soft & chewy joint treats. Lola tends to swallow her treats whole, so I have to be really careful about giving her hard, crunchy treats. Soft treats though…she chews. She’s a strange one. I love these treats because of the quality ingredients and the addition of glucosamine and chondroitin to help support joint and bone health and reduce inflammation within the joints.

Then there’s the odor neutralizer spray. This replascent spray is great and smells refreshing without being overpowering. Violet + Sea Mist? Yes, please. I’ve primarily used it around the house, but repláscents offer an alternative to perfume and home sprays, which are not safe for application directly on your dog’s coat, while this spray is safe for your pet.

 

“The most affectionate creature in the world is a #wetdog ?” -A.B.

A photo posted by L O L A the P I T T Y (@lolathepitty) on

Onto the best part…the giveaway! I’m so excited to have teamed up with Isle of Dogs for this gift basket giveaway featuring all of the goodies pictured above (only your very own brand new bottles of course). To enter? Simple. Use the widget below, cross your fingers and paws, then stay on the lookout for a “congratulations!” email.

Best of luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

This is a sponsored post for which I received compensation in exchange for writing this review and giveaway. Although this post is sponsored, all opinions are honest and my own.

3 Healthier Ways to Treat Your Dog

3 Healthy Ways to Treat Your Dog - lolathepitty.com

3 Healthy Ways to Treat Your Dog - lolathepitty.com

We’re sticklers around here with keeping our dogs at a healthy weight. There are so many associated health problems with overweight dogs and I want to make sure ours avoid any health problems that we can possibly control.

With that being said, when first moving back to Colorado I was having a house built and while in limbo I was living with my grandfather who loves to spoil the dogs. And his way of spoiling? Lots of treats. And while I did set the limits on what they can eat, I had to get creative while still allowing him to give the dogs their daily round of treats (which he truly enjoys, and hey…when your 86 years old you get your way).

Break treats in half (or quarters).

Depending on the size of the treat, break them into tiny pieces so they go farther. Your pup won’t mind, he’s getting a treat after all and that’s all that really matters! If they’re anything like mine, they don’t even get to the chewing part before it’s in their stomach. Another great tip is to use their food as treats. Working on training? This is the perfect opportunity to reward your dog without completely ruining their diet.

Make your own treats.

By making your own treats you know what goes it them and have control over what they’re eating. We love these Pumpkin Puppuccinos for autumn! Fill a Kong for pro-longed entertainment or sit on the patio and let them enjoy (without making a mess)! Check out our DIY dog treat recipes and let us know what you think.

Treat with Fruits and Veggies

Your pup probably won’t even notice! If they’re anything like mine, they go down so fast they don’t even chew. Try dicing up carrots, apples, bananas or even green beans!

Can’t help yourself? You just love handing the treats out?

Cut back on the food. Measure the amount of food your dog gets every day and keep in mind that treats are exactly that – often richer and higher in calories. Unfortunately…

Tip: looking to spoil your pooch? Take them on walks, teach them tricks (learn + get treats!) and work with them on training, and try experimenting with different puzzle games for dogs. I love taking Lola and Rio to the field to play disc as their ‘special treat’ and working especially with Rio on new tricks as he’s my over-pleaser!