supercalifragilisticexpiHALITOSIS

Our dear Fiona has a problem.

Severely. Bad. Breath.

It's not her fault really. We don't know her history. The shelter from which we adopted her said she just wandered up to their doorstep. Her teeth were worn down, crooked, rotten. The vet speculated she had perhaps only eaten very soft foods, thus not benefiting from dry food, crisp treats,and bones, which serve to scrape away excess food bits and plaque from the teeth.

Whatever the reasons, her kisses are sweet, but not in the smelling sort of way. She tolerates me brushing her teeth every morning. We've given her store-bought treats that claim to be "breath-freshening." And so I thought, why not make my own?

Parsley Poppers

 

Ingredients: 

• 1/2 bunch fresh parsley, or 1/8 cup dried flakes
• 1/2 oats (not instant)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 applesauce (unsweetened is best for the pups, but whatever you have on hand - the first time I made this, all I had were those applesauce cups for kids' lunches)
• 2 cups flour (I've been using wheat flour, but I may move to rice flour. I fear I may be getting on the gluten-free bandwagon...)

Directions:

Combine water, applesauce, egg, and parsley. If using fresh parsley, pulse with a food processor or hand blender. Stir in oats. Gradually mix in flour. Roll into quarter-size balls and place on baking sheets. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes until golden brown and crispy. 

 

Baker's Notes:

• I used a melon-baller to scoop and form the dough. If you use your hands to shape the balls, wet hands really help with the sticky factor. 
• I also tried this recipe a second time, rolled the dough, and cut it with a circle cookie cutter. It rolled and cut well. I like the balls, though, because it really cuts down on prep time.
• You can also add mint with the parsley for an added burst of freshness. 
• If you want these to be crisper (remember the plaque issue?), after 30 minutes, turn off the oven and let them sit for a few hours, or overnight. This is a great trick for any homemade treats. 
• I was a little skeptical about how these might taste and if the dogs would like them, but the applesauce flavor really comes through. The dogs really seem to enjoy them.
• With fresh parsley at $.98 per bunch, one batch of these poppers, yielding 4 dozen, costs less than $1!!!
• View the original recipe here: Parsley Pucker-Ups

And the most important part - do these really help with bad breath? 

Actually, YES! After giving these exclusively to Fiona for a week, I do notice a difference! This is still combined with brushing her teeth daily, and I won't say her breath smells good. But with a lover like Fiona, who is always in our faces, we'll take any improvement we can get!