If you’re a Cardinals fan and happen to be in the Phoenix area, you should think about stopping by Bosco’s Biscuits in Carefree, AZ. I just discovered this adorable little shop this afternoon and I highly recommend it to the dog lover living in or visiting the Phoenix area. Bosco’s Biscuits is offering Cardinals dog treats in honor of Super Bowl XLII – Steelers vs Cardinals. Bosco’s Biscuits are baked fresh daily right in the store and they’re preservative and by-product free so it’s a treat you can feel good about sharing with your football loving dogs. They’ve been baking and selling natural biscuits for over 20 years and I’m sure they’ve got many, many satisfied canine customers. Also, they’re not just biscuits over at Bosco’s Biscuits. They’ve got an amazing assortment of unique dog toys, lots of healthy pet food and treats. Check it out the next time you’re in the area.

Let’s not forget the Steeler’s dog fans out there. I wasn’t lucky enough to discover any local options for Steelers dog treats, but I did find this online source for Pittsburgh Steelers Dog Treats. The site describes these as “yogurt covered natural fresh baked biscuits”. They look pretty yummy to me!

If you’d like to make your own dog treats, here’s a link to some great ideas over at the Two Dog Press website.

And last but not least, here’s a list of healthy fruits and vegetables for dogs as outlined by the Partnership for Animal Welfare website. Nothing like a little doggie crudite platter to class up your Super Bowl partay!

• Apples (they contain potassium, which stimulates the immune system, and pepsin, which helps the stomach)
• Brewers yeast (health aid and can help remedy some skin conditions)
• Broccoli (rich in vitamins)
• Carrots (rich in vitamins, great treats to substitute for biscuits)
• Cabbage (rich in vitamins, good for digestive system and skin)
• Cucumber (good for teeth and bones due to potassium content; can combine with carrots to promote a healthy liver and kidneys; in juice form, a good diuretic … peel cucumbers unless organically grown)
• Celery (chopped or juiced; can help with arthritis)
• Flaxseed oil, fish oil, omega 3 and 6 supplements (beneficial and essential fatty acids)
• Garlic (removes waste from blood, can help repel fleas; use fresh garlic finely minced)
• Green beans (lightly steamed; healthy and low-cal treat)
• Parsley (can reduce allergy symptoms and aid kidney function; chop finely or boil parsley and add the juice over food)
• Kale (rich in antioxidants and can help reduce allergy symptoms)
• Green or yellow squash, asparagus and spinach (very healthy; serve chopped)
• Another veggie snack idea: cooked skins from organically grown potatoes
• Bananas (in small quantity; a coveted treat)
• Whole grains including oats, oatmeal, brown rice, millet
• Cereal grasses, such as barley grass, and barley supplements
• Tofu
• Plain low-fat or no-fat yogurt
• Olive oil, sesame oil (a tablespoon a day is good for skin and fur)
• Vitamin B complex can bolster health, calm a stressed nervous system and help repel fleas. A suggested dose is 50 mg of B complex once a day for smaller dogs and cats, and twice daily for larger dogs.
• Preparation suggestions: Many veggies can be served raw, lightly steamed or in juice form. For most vegetables such as broccoli and carrots, it is far better to steam them instead of serving raw for improved digestibility and nutritional value. Also, since dogs have small digestive tracts, you can puree vegetables to enable your pet to digest more. If you use canned vegetables, get the salt-free kinds.
• Organically grown benefits: Due to their smaller size and more compact body systems, pets can be more prone to the toxic effects of pesticide contamination than are people. So it is best to feed them produce that is organically certified, which also has higher nutritional value for everyone.

WARNING: Do not feed pets any chocolate, caffeine, alcohol, bread dough, meat and poultry bones, salty foods, nuts, onions, tomatoes, avocados, raisins, grapes, rhubarb or spoiled or moldy food. These items can be TOXIC to pets. You can read more about the details here on the PAWS website.

What kinds of treats will you be serving your dog friends on Super Bowl Sunday? Have any great homemade dog food recipes to share? Leave a comment below and let us know your plans!