Easy Homemade Dog Treats
As dog owners, we always want the best for our dogs and that includes the treats we give them. While store-bought dog treats are convenient, they can often contain unnecessary preservatives, artificial ingredients, and added sugars. Homemade dog treats are a healthy and cost-effective alternative that allows you to control what goes into your pet’s diet. This can be beneficial if your dog has allergies and you are having a hard time finding suitable treats.
In this article, we’ll explore our go-to easy homemade dog treat recipe that your dog will love, using ingredients commonly found in your kitchen.
Benefits of Homemade Dog Treats
Before diving into the recipe, let’s take a look at some of the advantages of making your own dog treats at home:
1. Control Over Ingredients
When you make your own treats, you control the quality of the ingredients. You can avoid harmful additives, preservatives, and artificial flavours, ensuring that your dog gets only the best.
2. Customization for Allergies or Sensitivities
Some dogs have food allergies or sensitivities to certain ingredients. Homemade treats allow you to customize recipes to accommodate your dog’s specific dietary needs. For example, if your dog is allergic to eggs, try switching out the egg in this recipe (and any other) for pumpkin puree.
3. Cost-Effective
Buying high-quality dog treats can add up quickly. Making your own treats at home can save you money, especially if you’re using ingredients you already have on hand.
4. Bonding Experience
Creating treats for your dog can be a fun and rewarding experience. It’s a great way to spend time with your pet and ensure that you’re contributing to their health and happiness.
Easy Homemade Dog Treats
Equipment
- Large Bowl
- Rolling Pin
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Baking Sheet With Parchment Paper
- Cookie Cutters
Ingredients
- 2½ cups whole wheat flour
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup all natural peanut butter
- 1 cup water
- 2 tsps honey
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix together the whole wheat flour and egg. Once combined, add peanut butter water and honey. Combine the ingredients until it forms into a dough. At this stage, we recommend using your hands to work the dough as it can be sticky and hard to mix.
- Lightly sprinkle flour onto your countertop and roll out the dough with a rolling pin. Once it is rolled out, use a cookie cutter to make fun shapes!
- Place the cut-out shapes onto the baking sheet. Bake for 18-20 minutes.
- Once done, set aside to cool. For storage, these homemade treats will stay fresh for around one week in an airtight container in the refrigerator and around 8 months in the freezer.
Notes
Tips for Making Homemade Dog Treats
- Storage: Most homemade treats can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week, or frozen for longer storage.
- Ingredient Substitutions: If your dog has allergies, you can substitute ingredients like whole wheat flour with gluten-free alternatives such as rice flour or oat flour.
- Portion Size: Keep the treat size appropriate for your dog’s breed and size to avoid overfeeding.
- Avoid Harmful Ingredients: Make sure to avoid toxic ingredients like chocolate, onions, garlic, grapes, xylitol and raisins when making homemade treats.
Fun Tip! Our dog is obsessed with these dog cookies so we have started to add one to the opening of his frozen Kong. Whenever we go to work, we leave him with a Kong treat, a licking mat and a puzzle game. The first thing he always runs for is the homemade dog treat sticking out of his Kong then he moves to his licking mat. This is a fun way to get your dog engaged with fillable toys, especially if they are new to them.
Making homemade dog treats is not only a healthier option for your pet but also a fun way to bond with them. These easy-to-make recipes are packed with wholesome ingredients that will keep your dog happy, healthy, and coming back for more. So the next time you’re looking for a way to give your dogs a delicious treat, skip the store-bought snacks and whip up a batch of these delicious homemade treats!
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