Chocolates are so delicious, and we know how it is good for our health. But for dogs? Nope, they aren’t. But when you eat your chocolate, we surely know your dog will give you the ‘sad eye’ look for a piece of chocolate. It is best for both of you if you don’t give them.
Well, here’s the good news. You can give a chocolate alternative to your pooch. Yes! Today we’ll be looking at the goodness and chocolatey flavour of carob and a luscious truffle recipe for your doggo.
Are chocolates really dangerous for dogs to eat?
Absolutely! If you didn’t know, chocolate is deadly to dogs, and even a tiny amount can make them sick or even kill them. That’s how serious it is. Allowing your dog to consume chocolate or any food with a bit of chocolate can give the pet serious illnesses. It is because stimulants such as theobromine and caffeine are present in chocolates. These two can cause the dog to encounter risks as their digestive system will find it hard to digest them. Thankfully, carob comes to the rescue, providing a pleasantly sweet, mild, somewhat nutty flavour as well as a rich, dark colour just like chocolate.
What is carob? Is it safe for dogs?
Yes, carobs are entirely safe for dogs, and their non-toxic sweetness is famous for being an item to add to dog delicacies. Carob derives from the carob bean, which is grown in pods on evergreen carob trees native to the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Carob beans are processed similarly to cocoa beans, and we can typically buy them in carob powder or carob chips for baking.
Carob does not contain caffeine or theobromine, but it is high in fibre and includes a wide range of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It also helps to keep the digestive system in good form. As a result, it is both healthy and delicious.
Is it possible to make dog treats with carobs?
Definitely yes. This dog-friendly chocolate alternative is a great product to make dog cupcakes or other chocolatey desserts. All you need to do is follow a recipe that includes chocolate and replace it with carob; that’s it. For instance, if you want to bake cookies for your dog, make a carob chip cookie using a chocolate chip cookie recipe. You only need to replace ‘chocolate chips’ with ‘carob chips.’ As carob has less fat than cocoa, you can adapt to a recipe by adding a bit of extra oil/butter or whatever fat is used in the recipe when using carob instead of chocolate. This will add texture and flavour to carob.
If you’re melting them to make frosting or dip delicacies, the ideal way is to melt tiny batches of carob chips at a time in a double boiler. If you’re having trouble melting something, adding a little heated milk or oil will assist. You can alternatively heat the chips in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each interval. If you’re using the microwave, adding a splash of warm milk can help. You can also take small carob chips, melt them, and add another batch to get a good amount of melted carob. If you do these correctly, you will get a chocolate-like consistency to use in your recipe.
When you directly add carob chips into a dough without melting, they will melt but harden when cool. Notably, the carob does not reheat well once melted, so melt it in tiny amounts to prevent wasting it. But anyhow, your dog will love to crunch the cookie!
Chocolate? Nope, carob truffle recipe for your dog
How to Make Carob Chocolate
Do you know that carob pairs nicely with peanut butter? Yes! The smooth texture of peanut butter and carob’s sweetness will burst into flavours in your pet’s mouth. Here is an easy carob truffle recipe for your doggo.
Required Tools:
Things Needed?
FAQS
Q. Does carob help with diarrhoea?
According to several studies, consuming carob pod powder or drinking raw carob bean juice before taking ORS lowers diarrhea symptoms. Carob beans work for both dogs and humans.
Q. What are the effects of theobromine?
Theobromine has a depressant impact and predominantly affects the central nervous, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems. Vomiting, haematemesis, and polydipsia are the earliest indicators of poisoning in dogs.
Conclusion
Ensuring our dogs are content and happy is one of the best feelings ever. Giving them delicious treats to satisfy their buds will give them so much joy and will keep them active the whole day. Additionally, when those treats give our dog immense health benefits, it’s even better. Have a nice day and enjoy baking the truffles! We hope that you’ve found the best ingredient today to help your dog feel bouncy.
Dr. Aram Baker has been with Santa Clarita Animal Hospital since 1995 and his special interests include behaviour medicine and dermatology. He graduated from the Cleveland Humanities Magnet Program in Reseda, CA and attended California State University at Northridge where he received a Bachelor’s degree in biology. He went on to pursue his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine at the University of California at Davis. He also spent time in the zoological medicine department at U.C. Davis during his Junior and Senior years. He is dedicated to caring for all pets big or small, young or old with compassion, patience, kindness, and love.