Christmas is just around the corner and everybody is preparing what gifts to get for who and it’s a race to the finish line! Of course we can’t forget a Christmas present for our four-legged friends. But what is the best gift for them? We don’t have to think about it for too long because we know our dogs love nothing more than food, toys and treats! During Christmas time, we humans like to indulge in a treat or two as well but there are some things to be mindful of when setting up our Xmas lunches and parties full of chocolate temptations, Xmas puddings and all the yummy things we love to eat.

The favourite Christmas sweet for the most of us is probably chocolate. But for our trusty four-legged furry friends it can be really dangerous: Chocolate contains the methyl xanthine “theobromine” which is similar to caffeine and used medicinally as a diuretic, heart stimulant, blood vessel dilator, and a smooth muscle relaxant. Theobromine can be poisonous to dogs and result in severe clinical signs, such as vomiting, increased thirst, restlessness, a racing heart rate and occasionally seizures.

So during Christmas (or at any time of the year) don’t feed your dog’s chocolate (and don’t forget to keep chocolate well hidden - like in the fridge) and up high as sneaky little noses and paws can reach up high without notice!  To help you share in the Xmas treat fun with your pets we have found a terrific recipe that you can bake and share with your dogs this festive season.

Yummy Dog Xmas Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup natural creamy peanut butter
• 1 banana, mashed
• 1 egg white
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/8 cup milled flax seed
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 3/4 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup of a mix of chopped raw pumpkin seeds, roasted almonds, dry roasted pecans, dry roasted peanuts, dried cranberries, dried pineapple and dried banana chips

 Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F (180 celcius)
2. In a large bowl, vigorously whisk olive oil and brown sugar until smooth.
3. Stir in peanut butter and blend well.
4. Mix in banana and egg white.
5. Add flour, milled flax seed, cinnamon and baking powder and stir (preferable with a sturdy wooden spoon) until well combined.
6. Add oatmeal and stir until a dough forms.
7. Combine nuts and fruits together in a small bowl.
8. Stir homemade trail mix into the batter.
9. Spray a sheet pan with cooking spray.
10. Roll dough out onto a floured surface and use a biscuit cutter in form of a bone or a dog head for example.
11. Transfer cookies to the sheet.
12. Bake for 8 minutes.
13. Cool completely on a wire rack.