Cheese please. What pup doesn’t like taste of cheddar once in a while? Yes, I understand dairy isn’t the best thing for canine intestines so moderation is the key. And these are treats, right.

The original version of this recipe suggested cutting the dough into strips, but admittedly that didn’t work for me. So I cut squares. Cheese squares. Actually, cheese bread squares.

I made these the week after my cocker-terrier cross Victor had surgery on his paw to remove a one-inch long growth from between his toes. Fortunately, it wasn’t cancerous – look closely on your dog for growths like this because most continue to grow. Our groomer found it, just in time.

Point is, I had to keep Victor ‘quiet’ for a week while the stiches healed and if you’ve been reading regularly, you’ll know that’s a tall order. He loved these cheese squares as a distraction … too much.

I doggie calorie count they’re a bit high – he gained .5 kg by the end of the week.

Fortunately, we’re back to our high energy exercise routine thanks to a good between-the-toe closure that healed well.

Cheddar Cheese Dog Squares

Ingredients:

1 cup of whole wheat flour (I used half whole wheat and halve white flour because I was low on whole wheat)

1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon of soft butter

1/3 cup of milk (I used 1%)

Directions:

Combine flour and shredded cheese into one bowl.

Stir in butter like a flaky pastry. Gradually add milk to moisten.

Roll into a ball and kneed on a floured surface.

Using a rolling pin, flatten dough into a thin sheet. If you can, make it square and cut strips. I couldn’t, so I cut squares.

Place squares on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake at 350F for about 15 minutes. I left mine a little soft. Allow to cool.

Store in an air-tight container for up to a few days. Like bread products, they go stale within a few days. They lasted about three days at my house which might explain the (temporary) weight gain.

Thanks to tasteofhome.com for the original recipe. (Twisted strips do look more appealing than squares).