The newest member of our family, Cooper the basset hound, turned 2 this month and we had a doggie celebration in his honor!

Since charcuterie boards are all the rage and I love making them for parties, I decided to make a pup friendly version called a Doggie Barkcuterie Board!

This fun snack for your doggies can be assembled easily in minutes and features both dog treats and veggies, fruits, and eggs!

Scroll down for Cooper’s party pics and the details on how to make your own the barkcuterie board.

Happy 2nd birthday to our sweet boy Cooper!

I used a variety of dog friendly snacks for the treat board including dog jerky, milkbones,

and small dog treats along with healthy human food like apple slices, baby carrots, cut out cheese, and boiled egg. 

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Doggie Barkcuterie Birthday Board

Ingredients

• variety of small or cut up dog treats like cup up jerky milkbone cookies, small dog treats and training treats
• assortment of sliced dog friendly fruit and veggies like apples carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower
• 1 boiled egg sliced
• 4 slices of cheese cut in bone shapes (optional)
• decorated dog friendly birthday or themed cookies
• plain yogurt or peanut butter optional

Instructions

• Using a large flat platter or tray, preferably unbreakable plastic or wood, start by adding a row of cut out cheese and stacks of a variety of dog treats (I like flat, cut in half chicken jerky and small training size treats).
• If you want to add a small bowl of yogurt or peanut butter, add a small bowl of either to the tray. Warning- this gets messy!
• Next, add sliced fruit in rows.
• Finally, add sliced eggs and fill in empty spaces with mini dog treats (I like mini milkbones).
• If you have decorated dog cookies like I do add those on top and serve to your hungry pups!

Notes

Be sure to skip any foods that are not safe for dogs like grapes, nuts, raisins, onion, candy, and chocolate. 
This is a lot of food for 1 or 2 dogs! We let them eat some then bagged the rest for later.

The kinds of dog treats you use is up to you and what your dog likes. These are some of my favorites. Remember small sizes or cut up is best.

My dogs love fruit and veggies so I made sure to add sliced apples, baby carrots, sliced boiled egg, and cheese to the tray too.

I used extra thin, sandwich sliced cheese and cut out bone shapes for my dog themed tray!

Start adding rows and fill in with small dog treats at the end!

Copper what do you think?!

He was one happy pup! We are so lucky to have him in our lives. 

Nom, nom,nom. Cooper shared with his brother but it was still a lot of food for 1 or 2 dogs!

We let them eat some then bagged the rest for later.

Aren’t the cookies adorable! These were only used for photos and were made by Keichel Cookies

So many treats, so little time!

Life is so much butter with dogs in it! Am I right?

Happy Birthday Cooper!

The post Cooper’s Doggie Barkcuterie Birthday Board appeared first on For the Love of Food.

Our wild and crazy pup Elvis turned one this month! Naturally, we had to celebrate with a doggie party filled with music, toys, treats, and a special dog friendly birthday cake made with his favorites, bananas and peanut butter (just like the real Elvis too!). This cake is easy to throw together and looks too cute topped with mini bone treats on top! You can frost with regular creamy peanut butter (I like Jif, just make sure no Xylitol in the ingredients) or make a creamier topping with plain yogurt and pb.

Elvis loved it and it was plenty big enough to slice up share with his brother Cooper! 

Scroll down for the recipe and photos.

Peanut Butter Banana Pupcake 

1 ripe large banana, mashed

2 tbsp creamy peanut butter (I like Jif, be sure to check for no Xylitol)

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 egg

1/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats

1/2 tsp baking powder

Frosting:

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup plain yogurt, optional -see notes

1/4 cup mini Milkbone dog treats, for topping

Directions:

1. Preheat  350 degrees.
2. Add all cake ingredients to a large bowl.
3. Mix everything together with a rubber spatula until well combined. 
4. Press into a greased large ramekin or small round baking dish.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes until browned and solid.
6. Let cool then remove to a plate to frost (optional). 
7. Prepare your frosting or just use peanut butter. Spread on the top and sides of the cake in a thick layer.
8. Decorate the top and sides of the cake with bone shaped dog treats. 
9. Serve whole or in slices to your happy pup(s)!

Peel a large ripe banana then mash with a fork until smooth.

Add all cake ingredients to a large bowl. 

My little helper Ava loves to bake with me!

I use peanut butter in both the cake and frosting. I like creamy JIF brand.

Any brand will work as long as it has no Xylitol sweetener which is poisonous to dogs. 

Mix everything together with a rubber spatula until well combined. 

Press into a greased large ramekin or small round baking dish.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until browned and solid.

Let cool then remove to a plate to frost (optional). 

I frosted our cake with just peanut butter but you could also do a mix of peanut butter and plain yogurt as a frosting. 

Add frosting in a thick layer on top and sides.

How cute are these mini Milkbone dog treats?!

Decorate the top and sides of the cake with bone shaped dog treats. 

How cute is the final product?

We found a cake shaped dog cookie and stuffed cake toy for him too!

Elvis had to sniff it and make sure it was a treat first. 

He loved those treats on top…and all that peanut butter!

Ready to dig in!

Serve whole or in slices to your happy pup(s)!

Big brother, always there to help you finish your dessert!

Happy 1st birthday Elvis!

Follow along on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/elvishoodthedog/

The post Birthday Peanut Butter Banana Pupcake for Elvis appeared first on For the Love of Food.

Today we celebrate Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day.

On this day we remember our pets that have passed and celebrate the lives that they lived and how they changed ours for the better.
My pup Dylan passed away in May and we still talk about him every day. Today I wanted to share this beautiful Rainbow Bridge printable poem with all my fellow pet lovers.  You can download it for free and even customize it with your own pet photo. It makes a wonderful framed gift for anyone who’s beloved pet has passed away. 

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. I would love to hear what you think and for you to share any stories of your beloved pets n the comments. 

If you’re like me, you’re pets are family too. I had Dylan for 13 years and his sudden passing is still difficult for me to talk about.   

I make sure to keep his memory alive with photos of him and our beagle Charlie all over our home. This framed poem is a new favorite of mine.

Would you like a copy of Rainbow Bridge?

You can download your own free copy of this beautiful poem!

Customize it by adding your own photo {digitally or by taping on a wallet size picture}.

Download and print here: Printable Rainbow Bridge Memorial Pet Poem .

  ” A piece of my heart is at Rainbow Bridge”.

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It’s National Puppy Day and y’all know I love my pups!

So today I wanted to share some of our favorite homemade dog treats for you to make and give to your furry friends!

My Dylan boy is the sweetest cocker spaniel on the planet.

He is always there for me and has been my fur baby for almost 13 years!

My Charlie beagle passed away a couple years ago but he is featured many times on the blog.

I got him in college and he was my first baby.

Treat time! Scroll down to check out the recipes!

1. Frozen Puppy Love Treats – For the Love of Food

2. Homemade Sweet Potato Dog Treats – The Little Epicurean

3. Peanut Butter Almond Dog Biscuits – Hello Nature Blog

4. Bacon Cornmeal Dog Biscuits – Ann’s Entitled Life

5. Cheesy Pup-kin Homemade Dog Treats – For the Love of Food

6. Easy Pupcakes – Jane’s Patisserie

7. Homemade Sweet Potato Chews Dog Treats – Pet Coupon Savings

8. Apple Peanut Butter Heart Shaped Dog Treats – Itsy Bitsy Kitchen

9. Mini Training Dog Treats – Dog Vills

10. Healthy Homemade Banana Pumpkin Dog Treats – Pook’s Pantry

11. Homemade Frozen Banana Peanut Butter Coconut Oil Dog Treats – Moments with Mandi

12. Frosty Watermelon Dog Treats – Pet Guide

13. Oat and Apple Pretzel Dog Treats – The Cookie Rookie

14. Strawberry Dog Cookie Treats – Homemade Dog Treats Now

15. Blueberry Banana Frozen Yogurt Dog Treats – For the Love of Food

16. Mouthwatering Mint Dog Treats – The Animal Rescue Site

17. Frozen Blueberry Coconut Oil Dog Treats – Hello Nature Blog

18. Easy 4-Ingredient Blueberry Dog Treats – Sprinkles and Sea Salt

19. Peanut Butter Carrot Cake for Dogs – Put On Your Cake Pants

20. Peanut Butter and Bacon Dog Treats – Sally’s Baking Addiction

21. Homemade Whole Wheat Dog Treats – Vitacost

22. Howliday Dog Cookie Pops – For the Love of Food

23. Easy Dog Gingerbread Treats – Baking Mischief

24. Turkey Jerky Dog treats – Homemade Food Junkie

25. Pumpkin Apple Doggie Mint Treats – Damn Delicious

26. Cranberry, Lentil and Oat Christmas Dog Treats – I Don’t Have Time for That

27. Tropical Pineapple Coconut Dog Treats – Wild Wild Whisk

28. Doggie Oatmeal Cheddar Cookies – For the Love of Food

29. Vegan Sweet Potato Dog Treats – Glue and Glitter

30. Spinach & Green Apple Biscuits – Pretty Fluffy

31. Homemade Peanut Butter Dog Cookies – For the Love of Food

32. Carrot Oat Applesauce Treats for Dogs – Baking Mischief

The post 30+ Easy To Make Homemade Dog Treats appeared first on For the Love of Food.

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Blueberry Banana Frozen Yogurt Dog Treats

Makes 36 small treats

Ingredients

• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 1 small ripe banana

Instructions

• Add the banana to a large bowl and mash with a fork until smooth.
• Add yogurt and mix well.
• You can either mix the blueberries in or drop a couple into each silicone shape.
• Using a silicone mold {I used two dog shaped molds} add yogurt mixture and blueberries to each mold, smoothing on top.
• Place in the freezer for at least two hours.
• Remove from freezer and pop out of the molds.
• Serve a couple to your pup and watch their tail wag with happiness!
• Store in an airtight container in the freezer.

The post Adams Flea and Tick | Blueberry Banana Frozen Yogurt Dog Treats appeared first on For the Love of Food.

Stella sure had a great time at her Puppy Party!

Scroll down for a The Secret Life of Pets recipe and craft roundup!

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Ruff-age Veggie Cups

Makes 6 

Ingredients

• 3 stalks celery cut into 18 2 inch pieces
• 18 baby carrots
• 1 small head broccoli stem removed and cut into small florets
• 12 cherry tomatoes optional
• 3/4 cup ranch dressing

Instructions

• Pour 2 tbsp ranch dressing in the bottom of each cup.
• Add 3 pieces of celery, 3 carrots, 2 tomatoes, and a few broccoli florets to the cup.
• Serve right away or place in the fridge for the party later in the day.

Notes

*For both recipes I use clear 9oz Solo Cups. 

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Water Bowl Jello

Makes 5

Ingredients

• 3 oz box blue Jell-o
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 cup cold water

Instructions

• Makes Jell-o according to box directions {whisking in boiling water to powder mix then add cold water}.
• Pour into cups, filling about 1/3 way.
• Place in the fridge for the required time until set.

Notes

*For both recipes I use clear 9oz Solo Cups.

The post Puppy Party Snacks: Ruff-age Veggie Cups and Water Bowl Jello appeared first on For the Love of Food.

This post is sponsored by Pro Plan BRIGHT MIND and the BlogPaws® Pet Influencer Network. I am being compensated for helping enrich the lives of senior dogs, but we only share information we feel is relevant to our readers. Pro Plan BRIGHT MIND is not responsible for the content of this article.

Dylan is turning 9 this year but he has always looked like a puppy and no one ever believes he’s his age. But before we started this new dog food he was getting more sluggish and tired in his older years and I could see my boy was starting to show his age.

Now, three months later and still on Bright Minds,
I am happy to say Dylan is acting like a puppy again!

Not only does he have energy and attention, his coat is shiner and his joints don’t seem to be as stiff.

He can even keep up with my endless energy toddler, Ava!

High-quality protein, including chicken as the 1st ingredient of Bright Mind.

Other ingredients include EPA, an omega-3 fatty acid, and glucosamine, that help support joint health and mobility.

Purina Links

• Purchase Purina® Pro Plan® Bright Mind .
• Bright Mind website
• Pro Plan Instagram
• Pro Plan Twitter
• Pro Plan Facebook

DIY Braided Dog Toy

These simple durable tug of war toys are easy to make and cost under a dollar each.
They make great gifts for all the pups you know. Dylan sure loved his!

What you need:

 

• 3-4 different prints of fleece fabric, at least 1/4 yard of each.
• fabric scissors or a rotary cutter
• rubber band

The post Positive Changes with Purina Pro Plan #BrightMind and DIY Braided Dog Toy appeared first on For the Love of Food.

When Purina asked me to review their new Purina® Pro Plan® Bright Mind dog food I was excited! This was just what Dylan needed! It is created for dogs ages 7 and up, like my Dylan, and  it helps them think more like they did when they were younger along with promoting memory, attention, and trainability. If you notice your older dog has less interaction with you and lower engagement in daily activities, Purina® Pro Plan® Bright Mind dog food can help! The enhanced botanical oils provide an efficient fuel source for the brain in dogs age 7 and older. Around age 7, the glucose metabolism in a dog’s brain begins to change, which can affect memory, learning, awareness or decision-making. Enhanced botanical oils can be used as additional energy source for the brain. 

Before Dylan was sluggish and didn’t want to play and interact as much but after three weeks of Purina® Pro Plan® Bright Mind  dog food he is alert and as playful and happy as ever!

I had Dylan before I had both my girls so they have gotten to grow up with him over the last few years. Ava especially loves her Dylan and “pup-pup” was one of her first words!

How amazing is this dog? He loves his girls so much!

Dylan boy has always been his usual happy self but now he is more alert and responsive to us just like when he was younger. We love the change we’ve seen in him since we started Bright Minds dog food three weeks ago. Even better it helps with his skin and coat and his joints as he gets older. We are definitely going to keep using Bright Minds dog food with Dylan so it will continue to help him as he gets older.

Purina Links

 

• Purchase Purina® Pro Plan® Bright Mind .
• Bright Mind website
• Pro Plan Instagram
• Pro Plan Twitter
• Pro Plan Facebook

Scroll down for my Howliday Dog Cookie Pops recipe. 

Ingredients:

For the cookies:

• 4-5 oz container baby food {I used blueberry and apple}
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 6 rawhide sticks

For the frosting:

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl mix together baby food and flour until a dough forms .
3. Form into a flat disc and place on a floured surface.
4. Roll into about 1/2 inch thickness and cut into desired shapes {I used a dog paw cookie cutter}. 
5. Lay one cookie down on a lined baking sheet then lay a rawhide stick in the center about halfway up on the cookie. 
6. Lay another cookie on top and press to seal the edges.
7. I use my fingers to make indentions on each paw to frost later.
8. Repeat with remaining cookies and rawhide sticks.
9. Bake for 15 minutes until cooked through but still soft.
10. Let cook completely before frosting.
11. For the frosting:  mix the cream cheese, honey, and yogurt together in a bowl.
12. Add flour and stir until smooth and slightly thick.
13. You can simply frosting the top of each cookie or you can scoop the frosting into a piping or plastic baggie and pipe dog paw prints on each cooled cookie.
14. Let the frosting dry and store covered in the fridge for up to a week.

 to Purina® Pro Plan® Bright Mind dog food!

Picked up a bag of @purinaonedog @proplan #Brightmind #dogfood for Dylan. This new formula helps promote alertness and mental sharpness and is made specifically for older #dogs like my boy. Look for a #review on the blog soon! #ad #purina

A photo posted by Nicole (@flchefnicole) on Dec 7, 2015 at 8:26am PST

The post Howliday Dog Cookie Pops and New Purina Pro Plan Bright Mind Dog Food appeared first on For the Love of Food.

Charlie is my loud, loving, full of energy beagle dog. He rocks at the obstacle course and my water boy could swim all day. He loves lobster and belly rubs.

Dylan is my sweet cocker spaniel who still acts like a puppy at 7 and gets along with everyone (people and dogs)! He love vegetables and fruit and tennis balls. Scratch his ears and he’ll be your best friend forever.

http://www.petparents.com/

Ingredients:

• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt  (I used a heaping cup)
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp peanut butter (creamy works best)
• 1/2 a banana
• medium size bone shaped dog treats
• 2-3oz Dixie cups

Directions:

1. Blend together yogurt, honey, peanut butter, and banana in a blender or food processor until smooth. 
2. Spoon into small paper dixie cups, filling half way full.
3. Insert a dog treat into the center of each cup, with the bone sticking out of the top as a handle.
4. Place yogurt filled cups on a small baking sheet and place in the freezer until frozen, at least a few hours but preferably overnight.
5. To serve to your pups, place the cup under warm running water for a few seconds and the treat should pop right out!

These treats are not only tasty but perfect for cooling your dogs down on a hot summer day. Make sure your pups always have fresh water to drink too! 

 
Don’t think these are only for pups! Replace the dog treats with popsicle sticks for handles and these are also a delicious kid friendly treat!

My boys have been best friends since they met!

I am not the only one who thinks of our dogs as family! 

Ashton is a great Dog Dad and they sure do love him! 

My perfect family

The post Frozen Puppy Love Treats | Pet Parents site by K9 Advantix II appeared first on For the Love of Food.

Lucky Dog Lobster and Potato Hash with Hollandaise

Lobster Roll 

 

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Lobster Thermidor

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients

• 2 whole lobsters 1 pound each
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp flour
• ½ tsp salt
• 3 tbsp whipped cream cheese
• 4 large mushrooms diced
• ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese
• ½ tsp paprika
• Lemon and parsley garnish

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Steam lobsters then split shells and scoop out lobster meat.
• Clean shells and rinse.
• Cut lobster meat into small pieces.
• Melt butter in sauce pan and whisk in flour and salt.
• Then add cream cheese and mix well. Remove from heat.
• Add mushrooms and lobster meat.
• Spoon into shells. Top with cheese and paprika.
• Place on baking sheet and cook for 8 minutes or until brown and bubbly.

You can have your lobster’s steamed at the store or steam them fresh at home.

 

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