Easy DIY Dog Treats

Nothing is as healthy and nutritious as homemade foods and treats made with fresh, whole ingredients. Not only is this true for your human family, but it’s also true for your most loyal, loving, and devoted fan of all, your dog! Our canine family members also deserve treats made with love, care, and the healthiest possible ingredients. These ingredients include whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, peanut butter, bone broth and Greek yogurt.

So why are homemade delicacies safe and beneficial for your pet? Here are a few reasons why.  

1. You select all ingredients.
2. Just like with many store-bought human brands, dog food and dog treats are often loaded with unhealthy, processed elements.
3. You control the nutritional value of the treats you make.
4. If you’ve never done so before, you get to take on a new skill: baking!

Below we’ve provided you with 6 recipes using five or fewer ingredients for treats that are healthy and tantalizing for your dog. What’s more, not only will your dog benefit, but you’ll get that warm and fuzzy feeling of knowing you’re doing something truly special for your beloved pup. Even if your fellow humans don’t appreciate your culinary skills, rest assured that Fido will be ecstatic with your creations.

Also, if you’re in the process of training him, you’ll be astonished at how quickly he responds to your cues and commands when your homemade treat is at the other end.

CRITICALLY IMPORTANT

Absolutely, unequivocally, unquestionably avoid anything that contains xylitol, or any other sugar alcohol, because it is deadly for dogs. You are most likely to find this ingredient in products that are labeled sugar-free.

RECIPES

Peanut Butter – Pumpkin Delights

From: Eating Bird Food

Note: the cooking time for this recipe depends on how hard or soft you want the biscuits to be for your pup. Younger dogs need the crunch of a harder biscuit whereas older dogs will appreciate the softer side of this cookie.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup peanut butter (Avoid any product that contains xylitol)
• 1/4 cup pumpkin
• 1/4 cup liquid vegetable chicken or beef stock
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

1. Mix together the flour, peanut butter, pumpkin and cinnamon.
2. Add the liquid and mix.
3. Roll out the mixture with a rolling pin to a thickness of ¼ inch.
4. Use a cookie cutter to make your desired treat shapes.
5. Place the cutouts on an ungreased cookie sheet and for harder treats, bake at 350 degrees for approximately 18 minutes.

Salmon and Sweet Potato Treats

From: Kol’s Notes

These treats are exceptionally nutritious and break p into smaller pieces easily to use as reward treats. Their softer texture makes them great for older dogs, too.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Ingredients

• 1 can salmon
• 1 medium sweet potato, baked in the skin
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 c. coconut flour
• coconut oil, as needed to grease the pan or parchment

Instructions

1. Beat the eggs until fluffy.
2. Mix in the coconut flour and salmon.
3. Let rest for 10 minutes for coconut flour to absorb mixture
4. Remove the sweet potato’s skin and mash.
5. Mix in the mashed sweet potato.
6. Grease a 9x9 cake pan with coconut oil and put the mixture in the pan.
7. Bake for 60-70 minutes making sure edges are golden and a tooth pick comes out clean.
8. Cool before slicing.

Pumpkin-Blueberry-Bacon Pupsicles

From: Daisy the French Bulldog

Besides a taste that sends pups crazy with delight, these treats are especially great for your dog on a sultry summer day.

Ingredients

• 1 can pumpkin
• 1 bacon strip, crumbled
• Fresh blueberries
• 1 cup water
• 1 package rawhide strips (handle)

You will also need a popsicle mold for this project.

Instructions

1. Place pumpkin, bacon and water in a blender or food processor and mix until smooth.
2. Put 3 or 4 fresh blueberries in the bottom of each mold.
3. Pour pumpkin mixture over the blueberries.
4. Place a rawhide stick into the mixture in each mold.
5. Freeze until set.

Diabetic Dog Treats

From: All Recipes

This treat is one that is healthy for the diabetic dog, as well as one that all dogs savor. Plus, it’s quick to make and cook!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 10 x 15 jellyroll pan with parchment paper

Ingredients:

• ½ cup whole wheat flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 ½ pounds beef liver, cut up

Instructions

1. Put liver into food processor and mix until finely chopped.
2. Add flour and eggs and mix until smooth.
3. Spread mixture into pan.
4. Bake for 15 minutes. Make sure center is firm.
5. When cool, cut into squares.
6. Store treats in airtight container in refrigerator.

Frozen Watermelon Treats

From: Earth Rated

We don’t know about your dogs, but ours love watermelon, a fruit that is refreshing all the time, but freeze it and your dog will go wild for it on those hot days. You might even want to enjoy this treat right along with your dog!

Ingredients:

• 1 seedless watermelon
• 1 cup coconut milk, coconut water, or plain water

Instructions:

1. Cut the rind off the watermelon.
2. Cut up the watermelon into small cubes.
3. Mash the watermelon in a blender, food processor, or by hand.
4. Add the coconut milk, coconut water, or plain water.
5. Pour mixture into ice cube tray.

Apple-topped Peanut Butter Bites

The Dog People

It’s just one of those things: peanut butter is a pure and complete culinary delight for most dogs. This recipe combines that obsession with healthy pieces of apple and Greek yogurt.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 apple
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter

Instructions:

1. Mix yogurt and peanut butter together.
2. Cut apple up into small chunks, taking care to remove the seeds.
3. Pour the yogurt-peanut butter mixture into ice cube trays, filling them almost to the top.
4. Place a chunk of apple into each individual slot.
5. Put the tray into the freezer and serve when frozen.