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You have total control over what you give your dog fro treats if you just take the time to make them yourself. It is much better for their health as you can avoid unhealthy additives all while giving them a better tasting treat.
Here are some really easy ways to make your fur baby some healthy homemade dog treats:
1. Leftovers Trail Mix – Combine any of the following leftovers from your refrigerator to create a flavorful trail mix, which you can pack for a hike or after dog park snack. Ingredients:
- Pieces of meat (if seasoned, make sure to rinse off any flavoring)
- Potatoes
- Vegetables (no onions)
- Fruit (no grapes or raisins)
Directions: Cut ingredients into ½ inch thick pieces. Spray lightly with cooking spray. Place in a food dehydrator or into a 200 degree preheated oven until dried.
2. Frozen Peanut Butter Yogurt Dog Treats – The perfect snack to cool your pet down after a vigorous play session. Ingredients:
- 32 ounces vanilla yogurt
- 1 cup peanut butter
Directions: Melt the peanut butter in a microwave safe bowl. Combine the yogurt and melted peanut butter. Pour the mixture into cupcake papers. Place in the freezer.
3. Basic Dog Biscuits – These basic biscuits can be customized to cater to your canine’s palette. Ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups whole wheat flour (substitute regular flour or oats if your dog is sensitive to wheat)
- 1 tsp. salt (or less)
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp. Beef or chicken Bouillon granules (can substitute beef or chicken broth/stock)
- ½ cup hot water
Optional Add ins: Bacon or chicken broth, eggs, oats, liver powder, wheat germ, shredded cheese, bacon bits
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Dissolve bouillon in hot water. Add remaining ingredients. Knead dough until it forms a ball (approximately 3 minutes). Roll dough until ½ inch thick. Cut into slices or bone shapes (you can purchase a bone shaped cookie cutter to make shapes with). Place dough pieces on lightly greased cookie sheet. Cook for 30 minutes.
4. Healthy Pumpkin Balls – This snack is not only delicious but is also filled with fiber, vitamin A, beta-carotene, potassium, and iron. Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
- 4 tbsp molasses
- 4 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon (optional)
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix pumpkin, molasses, vegetable oil, and water together in a bowl. Add the whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon to the mixture and stir until dough softens. Scoop out small spoonfuls of dough and roll into balls on your hands (wet hands work best). Set the balls onto a lightly greased cookie sheet and flatten with a fork. Bake approximately 25 minutes until dough is hardened.
5. Apple Crunch Pupcakes – A fruity treat your dog will adore. Ingredients:
- 2 ¾ cups water
- ¼ cup applesauce (unsweetened)
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1/8 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 medium egg
- 4 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 cup dried apple chips (unsweetened)
- 1 tbsp baking powder
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix water, applesauce, honey, egg, and vanilla together in a bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix until well blended. Pour into lightly greased muffin pans. Bake 1 ¼ hours.
You can easily avoid any of your pets allergies by making their treats yourself. If you do decide to try something new, make sure to give a small sample to your pup and see how they react. After making these treats, simply put them in an airtight freezer container or bag and store them in the freezer. Just thaw it for 30 to 30 minutes before feeding it to your pooch. Just keep in mind these treats will only last about 6 months.
Do you have any dog treat recipes you can share with our readers below?
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