When you signed up to become a dog owner, you made an agreement. You promised to give your pooch regular walks, and love them until death do you part. You also promised you would give up those vacations you love in the name of pet ownership.
But, no one can go without sun for long, and you may be thinking about your options for a little time away. The first thing to note is that this is no reason to feel guilty. Everyone deserves time away, and you’re no different. It’s also important to realize that, whether you’re passing them to a friend or turning to extended dog boarding for your pooch, you need to do what you can to ensure a pleasant stay. That means shopping around for the best options and, of course, packing plenty of home comforts.
Leaving your dog is never easy. But, knowing they have their favorite toy to hand will help you relax. It’ll also put your mind at ease to know they have a supply of their favorite homemade biscuits with them. Nothing beats a taste of home during time away, and these could comfort your dog during their stay. There’s just one issue; homemade treats don’t last as long as their shop bought counterparts. As such, you may be worrying about how to ensure their shelf-life for the duration of your vacation. Fear not, though, because we have some handy pointers to help you do just that.
The power of preservatives
Preservatives are a dirty word. Isn’t avoiding these half the reason you make your dog treats? But, there are plenty of natural preservatives which can keep treats alive without harming your pooch. Though you may not realize it, certain spices and flavorings can take care of this. Adding citric acid, for instance, can work well. Spices like cinnamon and cloves would also work. All these options have the benefit of making those treats even tastier, so why not give them a go?
Consider storage
As with any baking, the life of your treats depends on storage. Handing these to staff in a plastic bag will see them stale before you know it. To make sure that doesn’t happen, invest in airtight containers for lasting freshness. Get this right, and you could see those treats lasting for a week or more. That could well be enough to cover the duration of your time away.
Freshness through freezing
If you’re staying away for longer than a week, ask the boarding staff whether they have a freezer on site. More often than not, they will. That means you could preserve those treats through freezing. All you’d need to do is let treats cool completely, and then store them in the freezer using containers. By placing sheets of baking paper between biscuits, you can even ensure they don’t stick. Thus, staff will be free to take one of these out each morning and treat your pooch with a taste of home later in the day.
