Alton Brown Teaches Us How To Make 'Stinkin' Dog Treats'

This week on Cook Smart, Alton Brown dedicates an episode to "terrifically terrible treats for your canine companion." According to Alton, the decision to go the homemade route for dog treats came about after he discovered his dog had been snacking on cat litter (which he discovered when his dog licked his ear).

"So after I sterilized my entire head, I became curious as to why my otherwise discerning canine companion would relish something so revolting," says Alton.

"So I do some research and I find that all around the world, dogs like cat poo. And yet, no one likes healthy dog treats to replicate that 'poo-ness,' until now."

The main components of Brown's litter-inspired treats, made into biscuits for "dentri-ficious" benefits ("dental" plus "nutritious," I think), are sweet potatoes and rolled oats, both of which provide great nutrients for dogs. Not unlike baking cookies for humans, the dog treats are made by mixing ingredients together and then baking them in the oven. Actually, it's exactly the same as baking cookies for humans, except that human cookies don't usually involve sardines.

In case you missed it, here's last week's coverage of Cook Smart.

Karen Lo is an associate editor at The Daily Meal. Follow her on Twitter @appleplexy.