They say feeding someone is the key to their heart and surely this platitude is true for feeding your dog. One way dogs bond with their owners is by feeling cared for and nurtured. Feeding patterns can help your dog recognize you and feel reliance on you for their tasty meals.
Cooking tasty treats can be a fun way to bond with your dog. DIY dog treats allow you to control the ingredients that go into your dog’s food so you can be sure they’re healthy and don’t contain pesticides. It also adds variety to your dog’s palate.
If you’re looking for some treats to whip up for your dog, then let’s explore some healthy DIY dog treat options:
1. Frozen Peanut Butter Yogurt Pupcake Treats
Flavorful pupcakes are simple and creative ways to treat your dog to a tasty snack. These tasty treats can help cool your pup down after playing!
Ingredients:
- 32 ounces vanilla yogurt
- 1 cup of all-natural peanut butter
Directions:
Step 1: Melt peanut butter
Step 2: Add yogurt to melted peanut butter
Step 3: Pour into cupcake holders
Step 4: Store in the freezer
2.Dog Biscuits
Rather than feeding your dog regular dog biscuits, a homemade version can be healthier and tastier with custom ingredients!
Ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups of oats or flour (only use whole wheat if your dog can tolerate it)
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp. Beef or chicken Bouillon granules (can substitute beef or chicken broth)
- ½ cup hot water
- 1 tsp. salt (or less)
- Liver powder, wheat germ, shredded cheese, bacon bits
Directions:
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Step 2: Dissolve bouillon in hot water
Step 3: Add all ingredients
Step 4: Knead dough until ½ inch thick and then cut into slices or bone shapes
Step 5: Bake dough for 30 minutes
You can further customize this recipe by sprinkling cheese or bacon on top of the biscuits too.
3. Pumpkin Balls
Dogs love this healthy snack that is rich in vitamin A, beta-carotene, potassium, iron, and fiber.
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:
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Step 2: Stir pumpkin, molasses, vegetable oil, and water together in a bowl
Step 3: Add whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon to the mixture and stir until dough softens
Step 4: Scoop into spoonfuls on top of dough. Roll into balls on your hands
Step 5: Set the balls onto a lightly greased cookie sheet and lightly flatten with a fork
Step 6: Bake for approx. 30 minutes or until dough is hard
Bonus tip: You can even add shredded carrots to the mix!
4. Salmon & Sweet Potato Dog Snacks
These treats are great for training your dog because they are soft and easy to break into bite-sized pieces. Older dogs will also benefit from the soft chew! With five ingredients baking for 60-70 minutes, this recipe is simple and easy!
Ingredients:
- 1 can of salmon
- 1 medium sweet potato
- 2 eggs
- ⅓ cup coconut flour
- Coconut oil (for greasing pan)
Directions:
Step 1: Preheat oven to 300
Step 2: Mix coconut flour, eggs, and salmon in a medium bowl. Wait 10 minutes for flour to moisten. Stir in sweet potato.
Step 3: Grease cake pan with coconut oil
Step 4: Press mix into pan
Step 5: After cooking, allow to cool and slice into squares
5. Doggie Trail Mix
For a hearty meal for your pup, consider baking doggie trail mix. The ingredients can be pre-made or be leftover from your fridge. You can even pack the snack for a hike or enjoy it after you play in the park with your dog.
Ingredients:
- Small portions of meat (no seasoning)
- Mashed potatoes
- Vegetables – Caution: Avoid onions*
- Fruit – Caution: Avoid grapes and raisins*
*Onions, grapes, and raisins are not meant for dog consumption and can result in serious or fatal injury.
Directions:
Step 1: Cut meat, potatoes, and vegetables into ½ inch pieces
Step 2: Spray very lightly with cooking spray
Step 3: Place ingredients in food dehydrator or a 200 degree preheated oven until dry
There are ton of a DIY dog treats you can find on websites like Pinterest. Some of these favorites are sure to please your beloved pup. Even if you don’t have experience cooking, these recipes with just a few ingredients and little turnover time are easy!
Indulge your canine this weekend by cooking a delicious, homemade dog treat. Your dog will likely be impressed with your cooking skills and they’ll love you even more. Happy snacking!
