Chocolate safe for dogs to eat? Carob is the chocolate substitute dogs can indulge on!

Apollo is super excited to get these "Chocolate" covered dog biscuits I just made. Of course, they are not dipped in real chocolate, because dogs can't have chocolate. It's one of those forbitten foods for dogs. These homemade dog biscuits are made with carob, a naturally sweet chocolate substitute that is safe for dogs to eat.

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So you know dogs are not allowed to eat chocolate, which is so sad, because we all love chocolate!
I've always wondered how the fancy dog biscuits look like they are dipped in chocolate, until I recently discovered that there is a chocolate substitute that dogs can safely eat. It's called Carob.

Carob has a naturally sweet flavor and many nutrients. Vitamins A, B, B1, B2, B3, B6 and D, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, manganese and protein make this ingredient a seriously, fun choice.  It's also a source of fiber and pectin, which help eliminate toxins, and this super food improves digestion, lowers cholesterol, and can be used to treat diarrhea. So with all these benefits, carob isn't just fake chocolate your dog is allowed to eat - it's actually good for them!
You can purchase Carob at the local health food store. I usually buy the Carob baking chips for my homemade dog treat recipes.

So now that you know you can spoil your pups with this healthy sweet treat, you need a recipe to get you started, right?
Well, I am ready to get you going. Here is one of my favorite dog biscuit recipe with the added carob icing.

Fancy Pumpkin Biscuit

Ingredients:
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 egg

for icing
1/2 cup carob chips
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

Directions

Biscuits:
Combine the egg, flour and canned pumpkin and mix well.
Your dough should be plyable, but not sticky, so add additional flour as needed to make it so it won't stick to your hands when kneading.
Roll out the dough onto a floured surface and use cookie cutters to make dog biscuits.
Arrange your biscuits on a greased cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes.

Icing:

melt your carob chips on the stovetop on low heat
pour panko break crumbs into a small bowl

Once the biscuits are baked and coolled down, dip them into the melted carob chips and sprinkle a few panko crumbs on top.
Refridgerate your biscuits for a few hours to let the icing harden.


Remember to store your homemade treats in a airtight container in the refridgerator. They are healthy because they do not contain preservatives!