Using Safe Decorating Ingredients for Dog Treats and Cakes for Dogs is Important
Time to read 4 min
Using safe decorating ingredients for dog treats and cakes has become increasing important as more and more people start to bake treats for their dogs. While it seems “normal” to double check that ingredients are safe for dogs to eat, not all people stop to think about it.
When dog owners see cute decorated treats and birthday cakes they tend to look for icing for dog treats that hardens so they can use the recipes without having to refrigerate their treats afterwards. The issue is that some of the DIY dog frosting recipes found might not be made with the healthiest ingredients for dogs.
Are yogurt chips safe to use for dog treat icing and dog cake frosting?
A popular choose for decorating dog treats and cakes is yogurt chips. A lot of chain stores and dog bakeries that purchase from online manufacturers sell these treats. Luckily, most of the manufacturers do use sugar free yogurt chips which are much better than the regular yogurt chips. The problem is that household bakers do not realize that the chips are a special sugar free recipe so they assume they are normal yogurt chips and use them.
What they may not focus in on is that the actual ingredients in most regular yogurt chips may not be the healthiest choice for our fur babies. Here they are: Sugar, Partially Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil, Whey Powder, Nonfat Yogurt Powder, Titanium Dioxide, Soy Lecithin, Salt, and Artificial Flavor.
Now, yes, your dog can eat them in moderation, but it is best to take a closer look at the ingredients before using them in your own dog treat bakeries. Not all of your customers want to feed this type of ingredient for their fur babies. So, your hard work that you put into baking and decorating healthy dog treats might be wasted if you choose to use to use this type of product to decorate with.
Here is a break down of some of the ingredients that might cause issues with a dog who already has some health worries and why you may choose a healthier option for your safe decorating ingredients for dog treats…
Hydrogenated Palm Oil is high in saturated fat, even we should avoid it. In humans, researchers claim hydrogenated oils can be associated with many serious diseases including cancer, diabetes, and obesity.
As for Artificial Flavor? I don’t even know what that is but “artificial” says enough for me. Of course sugar and salt and not the best for dogs, but we all know that.
It is best to chose a sugar free option of these yogurt chips but their ingredients might also contain hydrogenated palm oils, so be sure to double check the ingredients.
Is Shortening safe to use in Dog Treat Icing or Dog Treat Frosting?
Yes and no; just keep in mind that shortening and shortening powder used in dog treat icing or dog treat frosting are normally created with Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Corn Syrup Solids, Sodium Caseinate (a milk derivative), Mono & Diglycerides. Contains less than 2% of Sodium Silicoaluminate as an anti-caking agent and less than 2% Dipotassium Phosphate as a processing agent. Remember that “hydrogenated” ingredients and the other food additives might not be the healthiest choices for dogs, you might want to avoid this ingredient.
Can Meringue Powder or Human Royal Icing be used to decorate Dog Treats?
No, No, No. Meringue Powder contains an ingredient called Cream of Tartar which is made from grapes, which are known to cause renal failure in dogs. The scary part is that a lot of dog bakeries use human “royal icing” to decorate dog treats which contains all three questionable ingredients: sugar, shortening and meringue powder.
Can Human Grade Food Coloring be used in Dog Treat Decorating?
Yes, but a lot of controversy surrounds food coloring for humans, so a lot of dog treat bakers are using all natural food colors for dog treat decorating. Just be sure the all natural food colors do not contain fruits and vegetables that are not safe for dogs. Read the ingredients carefully and ask questions if you are not sure what an ingredient is.
Safe Decorating Ingredients for Dog Treats for yor Pet Treat Bakery
In conclusion, not all dog treats are decorated with all natural, sugar free dog treat icings or frostings. If you are shopping to buy a special treat or cake for your dog, you have the right to ask for a list of ingredients, legally all stores, dog bakeries and farmers market bakers need to have them listed somewhere. If they say “yogurt covering” or “sugars” assume they are using one of the questionable dog treat icing methods and ask for a detail ingredient list before purchasing or not.
Pastries 4 Pets takes pride in selling all natural dog treat icing ingredients and all natural food colors to dog treat bakeries so they can decorate treats and dog birthday cakes with dog treat ingredients that are safe.
For free dog treat recipes, decorating tips and everything you need to know about starting a dog treat business be sure to visit the Pastries 4 Pets Dog Treat Training Academy.
The academy has something for everyone! If you are you looking to bake a birthday cake for your dog, there are free, healthy dog cake recipes and… free dog treat recipes. The dog treat training academy even offers online dog treat courses so you can start your own dog treat business from home! If in person trainings are more beneficial for you, the Pastries 4 Pets Academy offers 4 amazing classes for you to personally train along side industry professionals!
No matter where you are in your dog treat baking journey, the best advice is to double check all your decorating ingredients to be sure they are safe for your dog treats. If you are simply looking to purchase a premade decorated dog cake or treats for your dog, be sure the store or dog bakery you are purchasing from includes a full list of ingredients that they used are available for you to read.
