Enjoy a naturally fun, healthy Easter egg hunt with your dog!

Easter is almost here! One of the most prolific symbols of Easter are eggs, so why not enjoy a little Easter egg hunt with your dog?

Egg shells are an excellent source of calcium and protein for your pet. And eggs themselves are a wonderful source of protein, too.

So for Easter why not make eggs a game and a healthy treat for your dog!

For this activity it's best to hard boil your eggs, because we are going to naturally dye them, hide them around the house and the yard, so your dog can enjoy a nice find it game with a pawsome egg treat as a reward! Much less messy that way.

Here's how:

Cooking:

Start by hard boiling your eggs. Hopefully you've purchased free range, free roaming, organically fed chicken eggs from your local farmer or healthy grocer.

Let the eggs cool while you whip up some natural dyes.

Dyeing:

Natural dye you make at home is much more healthy than the artificial dye you would purchase for egg dyeing at a store. Why? Because some egg dyeing products can be toxic. Naturally dyeing is chemical free, purely natural rather than artificial, and perfectly safe and healthy for your dog to bite into!

First gather your ingredients. We like to use what we have in our fridge or pantry like:

Turmeric or cumin = Bright yellow
Red beets = Pink to red
Red cabbage = Blue
Spinach = Green
Raspberries or blackberries = Pink to purple
Yellow or green apple peels = Yellow-green

To create the dyes, take 2 cups of chopped or mashed fruits and veggies, or 2 Tablespoons of your selected spice, and boil them in 2 cups of water and 1 Tablespoon of white vinegar (vinegar is important for adhesion of the dye to the egg). Let that simmer for 30 minutes. Then, strain out the bits of fruits or vegetables, and the remaining liquid is your dye.

Place the un-dyed eggs in the dye and place in your fridge overnight. You should wake up to some very natural looking dyed eggs that have a matte finish. You can add a little rubbing of olive oil to make them shiny, but be sure and wipe well after so you don't get any olive oil on your carpets, floors, etc. Olive oil will also make them a little more attractive for your dog to find, and it's healthier too!

The Game!

Within the next day or two, hold an Easter Egg Hunt for your dog! Here's how:

While your dog is inside or in another room, go outside or in another room and hide your recently dyed Easter eggs. Hide them behind couches, chairs, in corners of the room, under furniture that your dog can reach under, in baskets covered with wash cloths (well you get the idea!).

Then release your dog and tell them to find it! If your dog doesn't know the 'find it' game, play along with them and start searching around the yard or your home where you have placed the eggs. Dogs will instinctively help you search if they see that you are.

Once your dog has found the egg, break it and give them a treat!!!

Remember everything, including eggs, should be consumed in moderation for the size and appetite of your dog. You can always refrigerate unused eggs and use for later or even make a nice egg salad for yourself!

While you are here, enjoy one of our favorite Easter videos from the Busy Bee Dogs!


Happy Easter!

Source and egg photo courtesy of Organic Gardening
Other photos courtesy of kkinjo and Dave Fayram on flickr.com