Tag / healthy treats

Treats, dog treats cookbook, biscuits, ice-creams, cakes to make at home / Gluten-free recipes for dogs / Baking for dogs / Dog food recipes created by nutritionist and approved by vets (C) Natalia Ashton
by Natalia

No tricks, just TREATS

Something happened two weeks ago. Something that meant a lot to me.

I published Treats – my second and much-treasured cookbook for dogs. I know I should probably be cool and content, but this recipe book was such a joy, such a heartwarming venture, that I wish I could sing about it from the roof tops.

Treats was a natural progression of Beyond the Doughnut. Same concept, different ideas. The Doughnut was all about meals and treats directly inspired by some of the famous staples to allow dog parents make a meal or treat that looked like human food but was definitely dog-friendly and safe.

Treats were purely about treats. Treats that are easy to prepare. Treats as we see them when we think of our dogs. Treats in a form of biscuits. Lots and lots of different biscuits. Treats for summer because it’s lovely to have some ice-creams a pup can enjoy. Treats for holiday celebrations and birthday parties because “party without a cake is just a meeting”.

Treats, biscuits, ice-creams, cakes and baked by Natalia Ashton (C) The ultimate dog treats cookbook / over 30 recipes including gluten-free recipes for dogs and puppies of all ages by canine nutritionist. Home cooking and baking ideas for dogs.
(C) by Natalia Ashton, taken from Treats, the ultimate dog treats cookbook

I looked for inspiration in my boys’ eyes… places we visited… flowers and seasons… Even books. I spent hours in the kitchen, inventing, cooking, testing over and over again. I got into food styling because everything had to be beautiful, tell a story, put a smile on my readers’ faces. And I fell in love with my camera for helping me to capture my ideas. I became a small animal nutritionist, food stylist and photographer in one. It was a huge challenge to take on, but life is dull without challenges.

And once I was done with the images, I designed the text pages to compliment the photos, take you away daydreaming with me. Even if for a second. It was a one-woman project that instilled me with happiness… and anxiety for the unknown future of my paper baby…

This book makes me buzz. It makes me want to dance.

Do get a copy. I know you and your pup will adore it.

Available on amazon worldwide as paperback, hardback (selected countries only) and Kindle


Image credit: cover and pages design by me, illustration of the dog by Xenia Voronicheva, food styling and photography by me, photo of me, Cooper and Fred by Elizabeth Clarke

Benefits and risks of raw honey in canine diet / dog nutrition and healthy home made treats for dogs / canine nutritionist in UK / perfect cocker spaniel / dog blog about English cocker spaniels, tips on grooming, hand-stripping, diet, nutrition, food, health, raising a cocker spaniel puppy (C) Natalia Ashton
by Natalia

Can my dog eat… honey?

“Honey” may be one of the sweetest names for a golden cocker spaniel puppy, but it is also one of my favourite “superfoods” and natural ailments.

Nutritionally, about 40% of honey is fructose, 40% – glucose, 15% – water and 5% – other sugars plus 80 trace vitamins and minerals including B, C, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, calcium, potassium, iodine, sodium, copper, manganese, zinc, boron, silver and silica. Manuka honey also contains some proteins and fatty acids.

No wonder that honey is praised for its antibacterial properties, source of energy, and an ability to maintain healthy digestive, nervous, immune and skeletal systems, support haemoglobin levels, improve memory function and aid natural detoxification.

Studies that were done on humans or rats linked manuka honey to the blood sugar control, reduced risk of diabetes, metabolic syndrome and several cancers.

In dogs, a 2016 pilot study concluded that medical grate manuka honey could be used for treatment of ear infections (but please do discuss this with your vet before going ahead!)

But can the dogs really eat honey?

The answer is… IT DEPENDS.

Whilst a little honey may be beneficial for healthy adult dogs without underlying health conditions, it should not be given to overweight and obese dogs, dogs who have diabetes, and must never be fed to puppies under 12 months of age or any dog with the weakened immune system.

Raw honey may contain botulism spores (two other common sources are raw meat and carcasses of dead animals) and be potentially fatal. Adult dogs are resistant to the bacterium, but neither puppies, nor ill dogs have enough natural defences for protection.

The spores cause paralysis, extreme salivation, vision problems, runny eyes, difficulty swallowing and breathing and death due to either paralysis of the heart or lungs. If a dog does recover, he requires maintenance therapy for life. First symptoms may take between a few hours to up to 6 days to develop and often begin with weakness in rear legs that appear within 24 hours after ingestion of the spores.

For this reason, all puppy parents must check any foods or treats for presence of honey and avoid them until their dog’s first birthday. It is also essential to check that grooming products, especially balms and creams, you use for a puppy are free from both honey and beeswax (cera alba).

The good news is dogs naturally love honey (because they do love anything sweet) and honey may provide some goodness for all healthy grown-up canines, so treat them to a 1/4 tsp (cocker spaniel size) of good quality raw honey a few times a weeks without worried.


Adapted from Beyond the Doughnut: 30 meals & treats your dog will love.


Photo credit: Karsten Masden and Florian Kurz via pixabay