Peanut Butter Puppy Cookies

We love our pets and the dog treat industry knows it. Walk down the treat aisle at your local pet store and you will discover not only an incredible variety for your pets but an astounding price point as well. In this economy most of us cannot afford $5-$10 or more for a simple treat to give Fido and fortunately we don't have to. With a few supplies and an oven we can whip up a simple doggie treat that we can not only create to size for our extremely tiny or large pets but that fits our budget a LOT better than current pet treat prices. As an added advantage you will know exactly what these cookies contain as well as what they don't--no added sugar, no artificial colors or flavors--just simple goodness at a cost of a few pennies and a little time.

Things You Need:
Mixing bowl
Spoon
Baking sheets
Knife or cookie cutter

2 Cups Wheat Flour (or 1 cup all-purpose and 1 cup whole wheat flour)
1 Cup Quick Cook Oats (can use old fashioned oats but avoid instant)
1/3 Cup Peanut Butter (Whatever you have, chunky or smooth it does not matter)
1-1/4 cups warm water (steam rising from water)

Note: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step One:
Place flour and oats in the bowl and mix.

Step Two:
Add Peanut butter and water.

Step Three:
Stir until well mixed. All the flour should be scraped off of the sides of the bowl. Add a little more flour if the dough is sticky.

Step Four:
Place dough on a well-floured surface and knead for one minute, adding flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking to your hands.

Step Five:
Roll or pat out dough to 1/4-inch thickness. A uniform thickness is important for even baking.

Step Six:
Cut the dough into pieces using a knife of a cookie cutter. For little dogs use a knife to cut a 1-inch grid for treats just right for those pocket-sized pets. For larger dogs you can make a grid of 2-inch squares for a small bite or go even larger depending upon the dog and your preference.

Step Seven:
Place treats 1-inch apart on baking sheets and place in preheated oven.

Step Eight:
Bake treats for 20 minutes.

Step Nine:
Allow to cool well before serving.

Tips:
These treats keep really well in the refrigerator or freezer but can be stored on a shelf if kept extremely dry. To ensure sufficient dryness for long-term storage you can place overnight in a dehydrator.
Every oven bakes differently so you may have to cook these for shorter or longer times. The treats will be golden brown when done.