Divas on a Dime: Celebrate National Dog Day with easy homemade treats

If you’ve been reading my column or following Divas on a Dime online, you know I adore fun, lesser-known holidays. Any opportunity for a celebration, I say. Well here’s a holiday that most people will totally be on board with.

Saturday is National Dog Day!

National Dog Day is celebrated annually on Aug. 26 and was founded in 2004 by Pet and Family Lifestyle expert and animal advocate Colleen Paige. The date is significant as this is the date Colleen’s family adopted her first dog “Sheltie” when she was 10 years old.

The National Dog Day Foundation supports all breeds and varieties of dogs and encourages adoption from rescues and shelters.

I adopted my beloved four-legged companion, Tabor (named after Mount Tabor, the Portland, Oregon neighborhood where I grew up) from the shelter in Pahrump in 2006.

As puppies, she and her sister, Ivy, were found in a box abandoned in a vacant lot. I had gone to the shelter to meet up with the owner of a lost dog I had found and made the fateful decision to “just take a quick look at the doggies.”

Next, I had to explain to my husband why I left home to return one dog but returned home with two more. Obviously, we’re dog people with room in our home and hearts for two more.

I’m forever thankful that Tabor’s and Ivy’s story had a happy ending. But there are so many lovable pets waiting for their forever homes. Can we please recognize the number of dogs that need to be rescued each year?

Saturday is National Dog Day, if you’re able to change a pet’s life by making the commitment to adopt a pet, please do. If not, consider donating to our local shelter or one of the pet rescues. They need everyone’s support.

If you’re already a pet parent, here’s an easy way to celebrate this most humble of holidays. Give man’s best friend some special attention. Here’s a super simple recipe for wholesome dog treats. It has only three ingredients so it’s budget-friendly and quick and easy to make.

Pumpkin Peanut Butter

Homemade Dog Treats

What You’ll Need:

1 can (15 oz.) pure pumpkin puree

1 cup peanut butter

2 ½ cups whole wheat flour or rice flour

Here’s How:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin and peanut butter. Add the flour ¼ cup at a time and mix. You’ll do this just until dough is no longer sticky so the measurement is approximate. Roll the dough out to ¼ inch thick between two sheets of parchment paper. Use a cookie cutter to cut out the dough, then place on the prepared pan.

Depending on size, bake for 8 to 12 minutes. Let cool completely. Store in an airtight container or freeze for up to 3 months.

If you don’t have a dog-bone shaped cookie cutter (I won’t hold it against you), you can just score the dough into squares. I guarantee man’s best friend won’t mind one bit.

Fabulous Fido Food by Patti Diamond from Divas On A Dime – Where Frugal, Meets Fabulous! Website and blog - www.divasonadime.com. Join the conversation on Facebook at DivasOnADimeDotCom