For the Love of Dog Biscuits breaks ground with healthy dog treat recipes guaranteed to make tails wag

“Scary “is the word Priscilla Feral, president of Friends of Animals, uses to describe some of the commercial “crunchy” dog biscuits that are available to our four-legged family members.

That’s why as a food activist and author of two vegan cookbooks, she decided to write For the Love of Dog Biscuits—a cookbook that provides recipes for healthy, all natural, nutritional and delicious dog treats that won’t break the bank. With recipes made entirely from plant foods, dog owners can rest assured they are feeding their best friends safe treats suitable for their own palate. The icing on the dog biscuit—they’ll be extending compassion to all animals.

“Commercial dog treats are full of rendered products from animal tissues and bone, diseased or not, animal byproducts, sugar, artificial color and chemical preservatives like BHA and BHT, which studies have shown promote liver disease and other health problems. And treats that use more natural ingredients to achieve a longer shelf life can carry a hefty price tag,” Feral said. “I decided to publish this cookbook to fill the void in the pet industry for nutritious, affordable treats that are sure to make tails wag.”

The timing couldn’t be better. According to new research from the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, 53 percent of dogs in the United States were overweight in 2014. The study also found a significant “fat pet gap,” in which 95 percent of owners of overweight dogs incorrectly identified their pet as a normal weight. According to the organization, the amount of calories in treats is a significant factor in the rise in pet obesity.

“Since dog treat regulations regarding ingredients are not monitored all that well, the only way to guarantee that what your pet is eating is healthy is making the treats yourself. And these treats are not only healthy and guilt-free, they are delectable. Testing the recipes resulted in a number of devoted canine fans,” Feral said.

The cookbook provides 12 recipes—one for each month—which feature seasonal ingredients and compliment the holidays. There are even gluten-free recipes as well as a recipe for Carrot Parsley biscuits that can help combat doggie breath.

The recipes in For the Love of Dog Biscuits that really make Feral’s rescue dogs’ tails wag are the Peanut Butter Biscuits and the Peanut Butter Carob-Chips Biscuits.

“It’s hard to pick a favorite recipe, but I enjoyed making the Banana Carob Biscuits. Carob chips are similar in flavor to chocolate but unlike chocolate, which is poisonous for dogs, carob is non-toxic,” Feral said.

The recipes in For the Love of Dog Biscuits are brought to life with photographs of the biscuits taken by Jane Seymour and whimsical illustrations of ingredients, as well as some of the taste testers, by Caroline Thaw. It’s the cookbook every dog owner and dog lover should have.

“I want to buy the cookbook and I don’t even have a dog,” said Debbie Mazzillo Machnick, of Portland, Conn.