We do love our canine friends and they do love their treats

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JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Beef and cheese treats proved to be big hits with our canine taster. (WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store

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JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Peanut butter and honey treats. (WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store

WE do love our dogs. After doing two dog biscuit recipes two weeks ago, I received even more ideas for canine treats. Thanks to Wendy Muirhead, Shirley Hallatt, Beausejour's Bonnie Stefaniuk, and a swapper who wished to remain anonymous but signed her letter, "A Dog Lover."

This week, Shelagh Crokatt is looking for Scotch oatmeal cookies like her Scottish grandmother made, with "real oatmeal, not rolled oats," she writes. If you can help with a recipe request, have your own request, or a favourite recipe you'd like to share, send an email to recipeswap@freepress.mb.ca, fax it to 697-7412, or write to Recipe Swap, c/o Alison Gillmor, Winnipeg Free Press, 1355 Mountain Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R2X 3B6. Please include your first and last name, address and telephone number.

Peanut butter and honey dog treats

125 ml (1/2 cup) honey

250 ml (1 cup) peanut butter

250 ml (1 cup) all-purpose flour

In a medium bowl, mix honey, peanut butter and flour until smooth and blended. Refrigerate dough for about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 175C (350F). On lightly floured surface, roll or pat out dough to about 1 cm (1/2 in) thickness. Cut out with a cutter. Bake on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper for 8-10 minutes. Cool on rack. Store in airtight container in the fridge.

Tester's notes: This recipe comes by way of Chuck's Day Off on the Food Channel. These treats couldn't be easier to make, and they were a big hit with our dog, who stared at the pile on the counter with laser-like intensity. They are sweet and rich, so stick to small shapes, and you might want to get out the dog toothbrush afterwards. Also, these treats remain quite soft, so they can't be stored long-term like hard biscuits.

Special beef and cheese dog treats

500 ml (2 cups) whole-wheat flour

250 ml (1 cup) all-purpose flour

250 ml (1 cup) yellow cornmeal

125 ml (1/2 cup) non-fat dry milk powder

2 ml (1/2 tsp) garlic powder

1 package (3 oz/84 g) beef jerky dog treats, chopped fine

125 ml (1/2 cup) shredded cheddar cheese

75 ml (1/3 cup) vegetable oil

90 ml (1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp) beef or chicken broth

1 egg

Preheat oven to 175C (350F). In a large bowl, mix together flours, cornmeal, milk powder and garlic powder. Stir in cheese and jerky, then add oil, broth and egg and stir until combined. Dough will be stiff. On a lightly floured surface, pat dough out to about 1 cm (1/2 in) thickness. Cut with cookie cutter into shapes and transfer to ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 20-22 minutes or until firm and lightly browned on bottom. Cool on sheets and then transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Tester's notes: Wendy Muirhead says these treats have been a hit with their family pets for a long time, and it was another favourite with my canine tester. I initially found that my dough was too dry and crumbly to work with, so I ended up adding about 60 ml (1/4 cup) more broth. I didn't use beef jerky -- my dog's stomach doesn't handle it well -- but added a little extra cheese. And while I usually add extra garlic when making people recipes, I held off in this case -- that garlic really doesn't help with the dog-breath issue, as reader Barbara Rediker pointed out after the last batch of recipes. Her dogs love garlic-flavoured treats, she wrote, but she makes sure to stay downwind.

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition July 25, 2012 C9