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It’s the month of love, with Valentine’s Day marking a time to spend with the ones you care about the most. Even after a long day, you get to come home to your sweetheart’s adorable face welcoming you back. You know, that face with the big bright eyes you cannot ignore. Add in that happy voice, the warm cuddles, sincere kisses, and wet nose bonks to make for a perfect ending to a not-so-perfect day.

Don’t be shy to admit it. With Valentine’s Day just a couple of days away, you are so wanting to give a gift to your Valentine…your loving pet, of course! Companion animals don’t ask for much, but they surely do not need a vase of flowers or a box of decadent chocolates (an unsafe food for animals to eat anyway).

Instead of a toy this year, shower your furry Valentine with these healthy homemade heart-shaped treats paired with plenty of hugs!

Treats for dogs, pigs, horses (for animals that love apples and peanut butter!)

Since making these apple treats is like decorating cookies, there are no set measurements for ingredients.

INGREDIENTS:

  • Medium sized apples, any kind, sliced into 1/4 inch thick pieces
  • Carrots diced into tiny pieces
  • Organic peanut butter
  • Cooked and toasted oats or oatmeal
  • Any size heart-shaped cookie cutter

PREPARATION:

  1. Use heart cookie cutter on apple slices to cut out as many hearts as you like.
  2. Take leftover apple pieces from apple slices and chop finely.
  3. Mix together chopped apples and carrots in shallow dish.
  4. On one side of heart-shaped apple, spread on or press into peanut butter.
  5. Press peanut butter side into oats.
  6. Repeat peanut butter on other side of apple heart.
  7. Press second side into chopped apples and carrots.
  8. Place finished apple hearts on a tray, put in freezer for about five minutes to harden.
  9. Keep extra treats in airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

Treats for small furry animals (like rabbits and guinea pigs)

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 cups chopped apples, carrots, celery
  • 1 small thoroughly cooked sweet potato
  • 1 cup crushed rabbit or guinea pig pellets
  • Small nuts and seeds
  • Maple syrup for drizzling
  • Small heart-shaped cookie cutter or mold

PREPARATION:

  1. Skin and mash sweet potato.
  2. Combine all ingredients EXCEPT for maple syrup
  3. Add a little water to mixture if it seems too dry — a little more crushed pellets if too wet.
  4. Press mixture into heart-shaped cookie cutter or mold.
  5. Gently push treat from shaper, place on cookie sheet or tray to dry.
  6. When done shaping, brush on or lightly drizzle maple syrup on top of hearts.

By making homemade Valentine’s treats for your non-human companions, you are not only saying, “I love you,” but also, “Thank you for being an important part of my life.”

Happy Valentine’s Day from all of us at One Green Planet!

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