Harold and Bev Cut Out a Tray of Star Cookies. Someone Left Evidence on His Nose.
Baking day is in full swing. The table is dusted with flour, a rolling pin rests beside a sheet of dough, and dozens of star-shaped cookies are lined up on a baking tray, waiting for the oven. Bev presses a cookie cutter into the dough with a gentle smile, and Harold leans in to lift each star carefully onto the sheet. Beside them stands Duke, so tall his chin reaches the tabletop. A white smudge of flour sits right on the tip of his nose, a clear sign he has already done some investigating. Eggs, a sugar jar, and herbs on the windowsill round out the cozy kitchen.
A dog in the kitchen during baking needs a few ground rules. Raw dough is not safe for dogs, especially yeast dough, which can expand in the stomach. Raw eggs and raw flour can carry bacteria, and many cookie ingredients, including chocolate, raisins, macadamia nuts, and the sweetener xylitol, are toxic to dogs. Giant breeds like the Great Dane can reach countertops easily, so keep cooling racks and dough bowls pushed back from the edge. A safe chew or a frozen lick mat can keep a large dog busy and out of trouble while you bake. If he does eat something risky, call your vet right away.
Duke will not be sampling these stars, but his floury nose says he got close enough to enjoy the smell. Maybe the next batch will be a dog-safe one, just for him.
