If you have a canine companion at home, you know that a treat will go a long way in getting your dog to listen!  Although there are many great treats available at your local pet store, it’s also easy to make your own at home.  Before you decide to take on this task, there are a few things you should know about what you can and cannot feed your furry friend. First of all, just because certain foods are good for you, doesn’t mean that they are good for your dog.  Here’s a list of foods that are safe for your dog to eat and a list of foods that you should never, EVER feed your dog! Good foods for Fido: Vegetables: carrots, broccoli, squash (or sweet potatoes), green beans, cabbage, beets, zucchini, spinach Fruit: bananas, apples, blueberries, mango to name a few. Protein: chicken, eggs (hard boiled only), beef, lamb, peanut butter, small amounts of liver Grains: barley, oatmeal, brown rice Milk and dairy products in SMALL amounts Foods you should NEVER, EVER feed Fido: Alcohol – can kill your dog Avocado – highly toxic Chocolate –is highly toxic and can cause death Corn on the cob – dogs can actually choke on the cob Grapes – including raisins and currants are highly toxic Citrus fruits – are highly toxic Macadamia nuts – highly toxic Mushrooms – highly toxic and can cause death Raw onions and garlic Salt Yeast breads Now that you’ve got a sense of what is okay to feed Fido, you can start experimenting to see which foods your dog likes the most.  Try a slice of apple, a carrot stick or a piece of unseasoned cooked chicken.  A great way to get Fido to try vegetables, like carrots, is when you’re preparing soup stock!  For example, if you’re preparing chicken stock, reserve some of the cooked carrots that have soaked in the chicken flavour; trust me, Fido will not complain! Once you’ve determined what your dog likes, you can always find great recipes on-line!  Here are some web sites to get you started. http://www.dogsincanada.com/recipes http://www.dogtreatrecipes.org/ Don’t forget to limit the amount of treats you give your dog.  Like humans, the more treats they eat, the more their waistline pays for it!