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Coconut Clusters for Dogs! Ingredients:

3 tbsp whole wheat flour 1 tbsp ground flax seed 1/4 cup, plus 1 tablespoon applesauce, unsweetened 1/4 cup soymilk or low fat milk 1/2 cup shredded coconut, sweetened 2 tbsp all natural peanut butter 1 1/2 cups rolled oats

Instructions:

Mix the first 6 ingredients together in a large bowl. Slowly add the rolled oats, about a 1/2 cup at a time. The mixture may be too loose (or dry) to clump together. If that is the case, gradually add one tablespoon of applesauce at a time. Check the mixture by squeezing a small cluster in your hand. If it does **not** stick together, add one more tbsp of applesauce. Scoop coconut clusters with a tablespoon or cookie scooper. Then, with damp hands, press into a cluster shape. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Storing & Yield:

These easy homemade dog treats can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks and can be frozen for up to 3 months. For more tips on dog treat and __dog food storage,__ be sure to review the “Helpful Hints“ page on dogtreatkitchen.com The **yield** is 32, 1 1/2" flat clusters.

TIPS ON CHOOSING HEALTHY DOG TREATS

THE BEST DOG TREATS ARE ALWAYS HOMEMADE. THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO BE ABSOLUTELY SURE WHAT YOUR DOG IS INGESTING. If cooking for your dog is not something that sounds appealing, then there are definitely other choices. The best treats to feed your dog are always homemade ones. There are many excellent small companies that sell their own natural oven-baked dog food and gourmet dog treats. Then there are commercially made dog treats to buy, and some are actually healthy for your pet. Make sure there are absolutely no additives, chemicals, or artificial preservatives or coloring, as these are extremely unhealthy and unnecessary. Also, treats which contain massive amounts of sugar are not good for your dog as this can cause obesity or diabetes. A treat should have high concentrations of fiber and protein. The best natural dog treats available commercially have human grade ingredients, and reputable companies who make these types of treats will definitely advertise this. Look on the label and if it sounds as though all the ingredients are something you would eat, then it is a good bet that it is healthy and appropriate for your dog. BELOW IS A SIMPLE COMPARISON OF A GOOD COMMERCIAL DOG TREAT AND A BAD COMMERCIAL DOG TREAT. Use this to guide you when choosing store bought treats. Which one of these do you think is edible by both humans and dogs? Which one would you think should be thrown in the garbage?


 * __GOOD DOG TREATS__**
 * MA SNAX ORGANIC CRANBERRY OATMEAL DOG BISCUITS**

INGREDIENTS: unsweetened applesauce, organic rolled oats, unsulphered molasses, flax seed, cage-free eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and vitamin E. THAT’S ALL – Everything in this treat can be found in our own pantry. So always check the ingredients list for something with minimal, easy to understand ingredients. These will always be the best dog treats, rather than the chemical laden treats with loads of preservatives and additives.

__**BAD DOG TREATS**__ corn gluten meal, water, ground yellow corn, sugar, glycerin, beef and chicken by-product meal, hydrogenated starch hydrolysate corn starch-modified liver, soybean meal, salt, bacon fat preserved with BHA, natural and artificial flavors, added color (Red 40 and other colors), gelatin, phosphoric acid, dried whey, ascorbic acid (a preservative), animal digest, natural porterhouse steak flavor, soy protein isolate, BHA (a preservative)
 * PURINA T BONZ PORTERHOUSE FLAVOR:**
 * INGREDIENTS:**

How many things on this list would YOU eat?

Source: recipes4gourmetdogs.com