Whether it’s a biscuit or teeth chew, few things make dogs wag their tail quite as hard as a tweet. However, the ingredients inside might not be quite as healthy or nutritious as they seem. It’s not uncommon to find things such as preservatives and additives in the ingredients of your favorite treats. Rather than taking a gamble on mainstream treats, why not try making some homemade dog treats for your canine companion?
Making your own dog treats is a great idea because you know exactly what ingredients are being given to your doggo, and you don’t have to worry that they are dangerous or unhealthy. Here are some treats you can easily make from scratch for your furry friend:
1. Frozen Peanut Butter Yogurt Dog Treats
Whether the temperatures are high or if your dog just finished a marathon fetch session, this is the perfect treat to cool them down. This frozen peanut butter yogurt recipe mixes low fat yogurt and peanut butter together for a simple treat that is healthy for your canine. Simply mix the two ingredients together, spoon the mix into cupcake liners and put them in the freezer to harden. Your pup will go crazy.
2. Ginger Apple Dog Treats
This ginger apple dog treat recipe is perfect for any dog with a grain allergy. Just mix brown rice flour, finely diced apple, plain greek yogurt, minced ginger and coconut oil until everything is well combined. Then roll it out on a flat surface, cut it into any shapes you like and bake. Your grain-free dog treats will be ready in just 25 minutes.
Christian Mueller/Shutterstock
3. Chicken Dog Treats
If your dog is a meat lover, this chicken dog treat recipe is the one for you. Just add diced chicken, cooked rice, rice flour, parsley and an egg in a bowl and mix well. Spoon into the molds of your choice and bake for 20 to 30 minutes. But you aren’t limited to chicken — you can substitute the meat in this recipe for your dog’s favorite meat (whether it be beef or pork) to make it more personalized.
4. Homemade Dog Biscuits
Use this homemade dog biscuit recipe for a healthier version of the classic dog biscuit. You’ll need whole wheat flour, oats, flaxseeds, beef broth and peanut butter. Just mix together your dry ingredients first then add the peanut butter and beef broth until you have a thick dough. After 20 minutes in the oven, your healthy biscuits will be ready to eat. Just make sure you don’t accidentally take a bite out of them yourself — these treats look a lot like granola bars.
RoJo Images/Shutterstock
5. Diabetic Dog Treats Recipe
It can be hard to find a treat that is safe for your diabetic dog to eat, but this diabetic dog treat recipe is delicious and suitable for diabetic dogs. Just add beef liver to a food processor or blender and pulse until finely chopped. Then mix whole wheat flour and eggs and until smooth. It takes about 15 minutes for these treats to cook, then all you have to do is cut them into bite-sized squared and serve.
6. Pumpkin Carrot Bites
Pumpkin is a great ingredient to incorporate into your homemade dog treats. This pumpkin carrot bite recipe calls for pumpkin, an egg, shredded carrot and whole wheat flour. Simply mix everything together in a large bowl, roll the mixture into bite-sized balls and bake for 30 minutes. This is a great treat to give your dog year-round, not just during pumpkin spice season.
7. Sweet Potato Dog Chews
If your puppy is in the teething stage, these are the perfect treats for them to chew on. This sweet potato dog chew recipe calls for one simple ingredient: sweet potatoes. Making these treats are incredibly simple — all you have to do is cut your potatoes lengthwise into 1/3 inch strips and bake for 6 hours, flipping halfway through. The slow cooking time means the perfect texture with plenty of chew.
