Homemade dog treats: easy recipes your pup will love

If you are a first-time dog owner and you have always imagined yourself rewarding your good boy or good girl with a doggy biscuit and seeing them happily chomp down on it, know that you can take this level of involvement and care for your dog even further and make some treats yourself.

And while you may think that there is a whole industry providing dog food and treats in aisles and aisles of supermarket stands, consider for a moment the benefits of giving your dog something homemade, which are, more or less, the usual benefits of homemade food. You have control over the ingredients, and you can tailor the treats to suit their taste. Plus, they will be more affordable in the long run.

Let’s break down these benefits

Ingredient control means you know precisely what and how much of it you put in your dog’s snacks. While most commercial options have the necessary nutrients in the recipe, they also have fillers and other substances that help with shelf life, like everything available for purchase in a store.

This is especially great for dogs with sensitive stomachs and allergies. You can be 100% sure what you are giving them is safe, instead of having to trust a label. And if you have a picky snacker, you can work on the recipe until your dog loves it. You can do that because you have control over the ingredients.

Making your dog’s snacks at home gives you more control over the budget and the time spent acquiring the treats. While kibble is usually available in large bags to save money, treats are considered a more premium product; therefore, you get a few pebbles of anything in a bag for a lot of money.

If your dog is going through training, you will need a lot of treats, so store-bought ones might leave a dent in your family budget. But if you prepare them yourself, even with careful attention to the ingredients, you will still save.

The final argument for preparing your dog’s snacks at home is that it is already a bonding activity. Preparing food for your loved ones is a declaration of love, so why would making food for your dog be any different in this respect? Moreover, the whole family can participate, and you can get the kids involved in caring for your furry family member.

Safety first

Something to keep in mind when making dog snacks is to:
1. Be mindful of quantity. They might be good for your dog, but there is always the risk of overfeeding unless it gets plenty of exercise. The best approach would be to discuss with your vet what the snacks contain and establish the proper amount for your dog. You won’t need the same quantity of snacks to reward a Beagle as you might need for a Doberman. Proportions are key!
2. Avoid using foods that are unsafe for dogs. The main ones are chocolate, onions, garlic, grapes, raisins, xylitol, salt, and excess sugar.
3. Use separate kitchen tools to avoid exposing the dog to ingredients from your own food. They don’t have to be the best on the market. Just new and clean.
4. Refrigerate and keep in the freezer if needed. Natural, homemade snacks will go bad sooner than store-bought dog snacks with preservatives.

Recipes

Apple and Carrot Sweet Snack
This is perfect when you are gobbling down sweet snacks and feel your dog is missing out on a great experience. You can also make something sweet and safe for your friend. Just mix shredded carrots and grated apples with oat flour and bake.

Frozen Banana and Yogurt
The same goes for ice cream. Instead of giving in to those begging eyes and extending some of that sugar-filled, chocolaty ice cream you have been enjoying, make your dog its own ice cream. Mash some bananas, mix with yogurt, place them in silicone molds, and offer them to your dog on a hot summer day.

Frozen banana slides can be an option here, as they are sweet and cold.

Peanut Butter and Oat Biscuits
Another sweet option is oats, peanut butter, bananas, and one egg. Stir, bake, let, cool, and offer them to your best friend.

Pumpkin Bites
These are great when you need to increase your dog’s fiber intake or when it has an upset stomach. You can use canned pumpkin, wheat flour, and eggs, depending on the quantities. Bake and serve!

Cheese + Sweet Potato = Love
Your dog will love these chews. Boil and mash sweet potato, add cheese to the mix, roll up some small balls, and bake in the oven on a baking paper sprayed with olive oil. It’s best not to use salted cheese for this recipe.

Chicken and Rice Nuggets
These are the best trainer’s aid snacks. They are delicious, a great motivator, and packed with the protein your friend needs. Not to mention easy to make. Just boil the chicken meat and the rice, and mash everything up. You can blend it for a more consistent consistency by adding an egg, making little balls, and baking them in the oven.

Use the smaller snacks as training incentives. You will use many, and the quantity will add up without you noticing. Use the larger ones as snacks between meals when needed.

Keep everything made with eggs, meat, and dairy products in the fridge!

You got the gist of it

The main idea here is that simple ingredients and homemade treats are always best for your loved ones. You can use the recipes in this list, which have options for sweet and savory treats.

Mix the ingredients differently when you feel like changing something and offering your dog something new. Don’t get too creative; check with the vet before introducing new ingredients.