Cooking for Dogs CISC Spring 2006 Issue

WELCOME to COOKING FOR DOGS : Birthday Celebrations
by Valerie Sharp


Well it happens to all of us, where we want it to or not, Yup, I’m talking about that fact that like clockwork, your dogs all get older, and at some point in time, it’s their birthday. Now some of you will think this birthday cake recipe is a bit over the top, but when you see how happy it makes your dog, and puts smiles on everyone’s face that is there to share.. Perhaps you to will give it try.


Dog Birthday Cake
1 Pound Hamburger (lean is great) or to make a double cake, double everything.
2 Shedded Carrots
2 Largre Shedded Potatoes
1 tsp minced Garlic
2 Large Fresh eggs or One large Duck egg


In a large bowl mix all ingredients. Then place in a any shape baking pan you want, I like a slightly round cake, so I mound it together in a large pie plate, and then flatten the top a bit, and bake for around 45 min in a 350 oven.

At the same time, peel and cook around six to eight med to large potatoes and whip them well with some butter and milk, you want a it whipped enough to be spreadable but still stiff enough to stay in place.

Cool both the mash and the doggy meat loaf, and then spread the mash potatoes on the loaf, if you want to be able to write on it, save some of the mash, add a few drops of food color and then write away with the same thing you would for icing bag, or just use the little fine gel icing that they sell, the rest of the cake is so healthy, that tiny bit of gel won’t hurt anything :)


Can be served right away or chilled to serve at a doggy Birthday party, have a few friends and their dogs over, and everyone will get a good laugh and smile out of the birthday cake.


Here is a shot of my own crew, well a few of them anyway, waiting for the ok for them to be able to dive into their cake, in this case it was a dog cake, not the birthday cake above but the idea is the same.


If you are thinking about having a doggy get together for someones birthday, dunking for hotdogs is a ever popular party treat, think bobbing for apples doggy style. You will need a cut up hotdog per dog, a bucket of room temp water in a old ice cream pail and place that you don’t mind that the water gets all over, and then the fun begins, if the dogs don’t to put their whole head under, or you have a small dog, lower the water level, but as they can see and smell the hotdog, they will want it.


If it’s winter time and the idea of having splashing water does not appeal to you, try this indoor party game instead, gather up a few different things, baskets, towels, bowls, cups a pillow or two and in an area, hide a cut up hotdog, try and make some really easy to find, and some med-hard to find, normally food under a towel is one of the hardest for the dogs, they can smell it and they can bite into the towel, but it takes thinking to move the towel away from the food. See how many pieces of hotdog they can find in one minute, and then do the next dog, and have a little prize for the winning dog, and owner, perhaps a new throw toy to take home with them.


For those that are wanting a little team play, how about musical chairs with dogs, it’s best if a larger crowd to do this outside but with a few folks and dogs, inside works as well, so have someone in charge of the music and watching the dogs. The goal is of course to be the last person on the chair with their dog in a sit-stay. So you are heel walking in a circle, and when the music ends, the person needs to be sitting and then they need to sit/stay their dog, when the dogs butt is on the floor they are safe.. If everyone gets really good at this, and likes the game, the more difficult level is to do a down/stay…


Have fun and hope this gives you a few ideas for your next backyard doggy get together.