As the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee is just around the corner, many of us will be celebrating the long weekend. And why should our furry friends miss out on the festivities?
Pet experts, Bob Martin, have put together a roundup of recipes and advice for pet owners for the Jubilee weekend:
Bake some treats- Union Jack puddings
It’s easy to create a pudding that dogs can eat, as they need lots of different foods in their diets. By using healthy ingredients such as yoghurt, xylitol-free peanut butter, and eggs, you can whip up a pud that your pooch will love.
To give things a regal twist, you can use a few dried red cranberries and blueberries for decoration. These fruits are safe for dogs to eat in small amounts, and provide fibre and nutrients. Yoghurt is another food that is safe in small amounts, as long as your dog doesn’t struggle with digesting lactose. If you are unsure, you can give your dog a tiny portion to try ahead of the jubilee weekend, to make sure that they enjoy it and can digest it comfortably. Another good idea is to double check any potential new treats with your vet.
Pick these ingredients up and you’ll be good to go:
- 60g peanut butter
- 7 table spoons wholewheat flour
- 1 egg
- Yoghurt and cranberries
Melt the peanut butter until it softens, then take it off the heat and mix it with the flour in a bowl. Add the egg, and combine the ingredients into a dough. Then, press the mixture into the desired rectangle shape and place on a baking tray. Bake the treats at 175°C for 25 minutes or until they look crispy. To give these treats the look of a Union Jack, allow them to cool, and then spread a spoonful of yoghurt on the top and add some dried cranberries and blueberries as decoration.
Make some ‘pupsicles’
With a predicted heatwave for the jubilee weekend, why not make your dog their very own pupsicle? For a healthy, hydrating snack that’s perfect for a summer treat, whizz up a handful of their favourite fresh fruit or veg in a blender and freeze in silicone moulds, so you can easily pop them out into your dog’s bowl whenever they need to cool down.
Vets often suggest feeding bananas to dogs, as they are a great source of vitamin B6, vitamin C, and potassium, and can benefit your pet’s digestive system (Animal Trust). These are therefore a great staple ingredient to use in your homemade pupsicles. On the other hand, if your pooch prefers their treats savoury then a chicken recipe is sure to be a hit: mix a cup of low-salt chicken stock, half a cup of water, and about 50 grams of finely shredded chicken before freezing this in a silicone mould. You could even use carrot as the pupsicle stick to make these chilled treats as healthy and refreshing as possible.
While our recipes above are the perfect treat for our pets, there are some fruits and vegetables to avoid:
Grapes and raisins
Make sure to keep your furry friend away from the fruit salad, as these are actually some of the worst foods that your dog can consume. Grapes and raisins are highly toxic for dogs —even the smallest amount causes serious damage, and can potentially be fatal. Although it is clear that these fruits are dangerous for dogs, it’s not clear as to why. It could be caused by salicylate, which may decrease blood flow to the kidneys, but this cannot be confirmed without further research (Science ABC).
Avocados
Avocados contain a toxin called persin, which can be lethal for some animals. Although dogs are more resistant to it, the toxin can still cause some damage to their stomachs. The majority of the persin is found in the leaves and skin of the plant, but there’s also some found in avocado flesh, so it’s best to stay cautious and keep pets away from the guacamole!
