Happy Anniversary, Ray!

Today is Raymond’s 10th anniversary with us and we are absolutely thrilled! To celebrate the good times, we are going to make a limited ingredients dog treats recipe for those puppies like our boy Ray who has dietary restrictions. All our dogs have loved these snacks, not just Raymond.

You can always skip straight to the limited ingredients dog treats recipe, but given that it is his special day, I hope that you will indulge me with some story telling. Especially since he’s been such a good boy all these years.

The Day we Met

Raymond came to live with us 10 years ago. We were supposed to be meeting another boxer that was in foster at the local shelter. However, the volunteer stood us up! We were heartbroken as we love the breed and all of us severely missed our boy we lost earlier that year. Since we were already at the shelter and were in the market for a companion for our other senior dog, we decided to look around. It was late in the evening and we decided if nothing else, a few dogs would get to stretch their legs and get some pets before bed.

It was a bit of pandemonium in those kennels. I was in tears seeing all these lost souls begging for salvation. One by one we took out a few dogs that interested us. Some were being quite hilarious like the boy dog that escaped the warden and went running around marking all the kennels. Others wanted nothing to do with us and wanted to bicker with the other dogs or escape to the wilds.

And as we were leaving because it was close to closing time, there sat Raymond. He was this quirky looking dog with little legs and big wide eyes and two prick ears sticking out like a bunny. He wasn’t frantic or barking like the others. This little dog was very calm and quiet. He and I made eye contact. Right then and there I knew. This was my dog. “What about him? I asked my husband?”

He bent down and looked into the cage holding this quiet little pup. “Him? He’s so funny looking.”

“Yes, him. I think he’s perfect.”

“Well, I guess we could look at him before we go.”

He goes and finds one of the workers and she comes back all smiles. “This is Raymond. Everybody loves Raymond. He’s been here for over three months now. I don’t know why. He’s a wonderful little corgi mix.”

“Corgi?” My husband’s eyes light up and he says “they seem like fun dogs.” And out came Raymond. He ran with us out side. He seemed desperate to leave. We were both a little worried as he ran out those doors thinking he didn’t want anything to do with us, but it turns out, he just needed to use the facilities.

And then…we both officially met Raymond. He was perfect. He made such deep eye contact, wanted to run around and play with us, enjoyed the affection and was such a sweet little dog. But we had run out of time and he had to return to the shelter. It was time to make the decision whether or not to purchase him right that moment. We didn’t. We had to consider whether his energy would match our senior dog, Wishbone. As we reluctantly handed this sweet dog back over to the young lady working, we could tell she was quite heartbroken. “Well, if you change your mind…”

We went home that night and neither of us could get Raymond off our minds. We were so upset we made the wrong decision not to bring him home. But we knew Wisher didn’t like most dogs. We had to think of her. And sometime in the middle of the night, we both decided if he was still there when we went tomorrow, we would bring him home. And he was there. The young lady saw us and brightened up immediately.

“Are you here to get Raymond?”

“We are.”

Another worker perks up. “Everybody loves Raymond! You are making a good choice.”

As we took Raymond out of the cage and left the shelter, workers all came up to wish him well. It was true. Everyone loved this little dog. And he loved them. We knew in that moment, this was a good dog to take home.

Greeting our other Dog

We met Wishbone outside away from the house and it went so well we were shocked. She was a stray we found many years ago that hated all dogs except our boxer that had passed away. She met him with indifference and walked with him to the house and welcomed him inside. They had a few squabbles initially, but Raymond accepted her pecking order and they settled in nicely. Before long, they were running around in the yard and sleeping side by side.

My photography skills have thankfully improved a lot since then. But they were so happy in that blurry photo I’ve always kept it to remind me of the joy they had together.

Searching for Limited Ingredient Dog Treats for our Allergic Pal

But not all was sunshine and rainbows. Raymond’s health issues showed up pretty much immediately and they piled on one by one over the years. The first thing we discovered was he’s allergic to most grains and lots of different things from fleas to leaves and seasonal grasses. He couldn’t eat most foods and we had to search and search for dog snacks. When we found limited ingredients dog treats, they were expensive and full of sugar and preservatives.

That’s when I started baking them for Raymond using ingredients he could enjoy. And they were cheap to make! I could make hundreds of treats for a fraction of the cost the expensive ones cost. He was one happy puppy. When I decided to start sharing recipes with others, it occurred to me: there are other Raymonds out there needing treats, too. So I decide to share ones he enjoyed with you all.

It’s been ten years we’ve made him a variety of limited ingredients dog treats and you can find many on this website that are his favorites. For instance, he really enjoys pumpkin and peanut butter so we made a treat for each of those flavors. Perhaps I should combine the two! That’s a new idea.

However, today, I am showing the recipe that started them all. A simple plain dog biscuit. Over the years, I’ve also made these with different oils, milk, water, broth and a variety of dog friendly spices. He has enjoyed each and every one of them.

Before you start making these for your own doggo, please check with your veterinarian if you have a special pup like Raymond. Make sure they are suitable before letting your pooch indulge. Also, always feed your dog treats in moderation. You want a happy, healthy pet to live as long as possible as they are such a blessing in life. Happy baking, my friends means creating fond memories along the way. Today’s memories follow a lifetime with Raymond.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Now that you’ve indulged me about my story about my special boy, Raymond, let’s get to baking these limited ingredients dog treats! This is a really simple and fast recipe to do. Much faster than reading this wall of text!

Step 1: Gather the Ingredients

When it comes to baking anything, including dog treats, gathering your ingredients ahead of time is a wise idea. It will ensure you have all the components needed before you get started. There is nothing worse than getting halfway through a recipe to only discover you are missing a key ingredient. This saves you the headache.

Step 2: Mix the dough

This is such an easy recipe. You will dump all the ingredients into one bowl. You don’t have to combine ingredients in a special way. In fact, most of the dog treats on this website is an all-in-one method of mixing. You don’t want to keep your dogs waiting!

You will then want to stir it until it forms a shaggy dough like pictured below. When you squeeze the dough, it will clump together and stay cohesive.

Step 3: Knead and Roll out the Dough

After you get the dough mixed, turn it onto a clean work surface and knead the mixture until you get a smooth dough. Using a silicone mat will keep it from sticking to the counter.

Next you want to roll the dough out until about 1/4″ thick or 6mm. You don’t have to be precise here. The dogs won’t mind. If you don’t have a silicone mat, you may want to sprinkle down some rice flour if your dough is sticking to the counter. Don’t add it if you don’t need it.

Once you have the dough rolled out, use a cookie cutter and cut into various shapes. Today we are using hearts to show Raymond we love him!

If you don’t have a cookie cutter, don’t fret. Simply place the dough onto a piece of parchment paper and use a pizza cutter or a knife and score the dough into squares. The dogs will love them just as much. The shapes are more for our aesthetics. Dogs eat really gross things.

Step 4: Baking the Limited Ingredients Dog Treats

You are already done with the hard part. Now you just have to bake them until they are the desired texture. For a chewier treat, bake for 15 minutes. For a crispier treat, bake for 20 minutes or longer depending on the size of your cookie. The crisp up as they cool.

After they are baked, cool on a wire rack. Keep the small pieces on the parchment paper until they are cool enough to break apart.

Make sure the treats are completely cool before serving or storing. You don’t want to burn your pup’s mouth. Ouch!

Step 5: Feed in Moderation

No matter what your dog says or how doe-eyed they stare at you, always feed treats in moderation. As a general guideline, treats should never make up more than 10% of your animal’s daily diet. This will ensure a happy and healthy fido that will be with you for years to come! Always seek veterinarian advice before giving your dogs treats for the recommended amount. Some dogs like Jackson only need a treat the size of a dime to fill up!

The crew was already to try them out. They were a big success! Raymond was thrilled to get such a special treat on his very special anniversary! Who are you making these for? Be sure to say hi to Raymond in the comments below and tell us about your lovely pooch(es) along the way. Happy baking!

Substitutions

Here are some common substitutions and additions for the recipe.

• If your dog doesn’t have allergies to these grains, you can use corn meal, all-purpose flour or barley flour in place of the rice flour or in addition. You may need to adjust the water to get a workable dough. Add only one tsp of water at a time.
• Add 1/4 tsp cinnamon for a spicy cookie.
• Add a tsp or two of peanut butter. They don’t need a lot.
• Instead of water, use milk or low sodium broth.
• Instead of cooking oil, use coconut oil or melted butter.

Storage

These dog treats do not have any preservatives so they will only last a short while. The longer you bake them, the longer they will last. Moisture is the enemy of fresh baked dog treats. We have found they can last around 5-7 days when stored in an air tight container in a cool dark place like a pantry.

We recommend storing just a few at room temperature in an airtight container for a couple days and keeping the rest in the freezer. When ready for more, simply thaw them at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving. Check for mold or mildew before serving, especially in humid climates. Discard if any is present.

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