15 Easy Homemade Dog Treats Recipe Ideas
Giving dog treats is a great way of showing your furry friend how much he or she means to you. Unlike human treats, those for dogs are a great source of proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and all the essential nutrients dogs need for a healthy diet. While commercial treats may not be the wisest choice, homemade dog treats are the safest and easy to make alternative!
The Benefits of Homemade Dog Treats
The best part of preparing homemade dog treats is pretty obvious: you will know exactly what ingredients are going into your dog’s treats. Not to mention that you can change the recipe by adjusting the portion size depending on your dog’s food preferences which, of course, you will always know the best.
Compared to commercial dog treats, the ones you make at home will be free from preservatives and other chemicals used for keeping them fresh for as long as possible. Therefore, your doggo will enjoy treats made out of pure love, using the freshest and most delicious ingredients.
What To Consider Before Preparing Treats At Home
Just like human food, dog treats should be free of any risks that could threaten your canine friends. This is the reason why you should check a few things before giving your dog homemade treats. Even if this is the healthiest alternative to the commercial option, if prepared or stored improperly, homemade dog treats may cause digestive problems.
ALLERGIES
If you have decided to prepare dog treats at home, the first thing you should consider is the allergies that your dog may present to certain ingredients. Moreover, it is a good idea not to add ingredients that your dog doesn’t really fancy that much.
When following a recipe that involves new ingredients, allow your doggo to taste them in small quantities, before starting to cook. This way, you will be sure that the result is going to please your pet as you expected.
Therefore, it is better to prevent than to treat. So, if you want to find out what your dog is allergic to, you can try the RAST test or radioallergosorbent test. This method was specially created to determine whether a dog is allergic to certain antigens.
THE AVERAGE LIFE OF HOMEMADE TREATS
Dog treats bought from the store usually last much longer than home-made ones, due to the preservatives in their consistency. Without any substances to keep their freshness last longer, the one you prepare by yourself will last depending on the ingredients used and the place where they are stored.
For instance, dry dog treats without meat can be stored in an airtight container for at least two or three weeks, while moist treats made with meat will only last refrigerated for a maximum of one week. Therefore, before you start cooking a delicious treat for your pup, avoid preparing large quantities if the ingredients can’t last long enough so that your buddy can enjoy every last bite.
OUR ADVICE: Use natural preservatives such as citric acid, rosemary, Vitamin C, or E. These will help your home-made dog treats last longer.
HUMAN FOOD THAT IS TOXIC FOR DOGS
Remember the moments you eat, and your dog looks at you intently? You can hardly resist those puppy eyes. Unfortunately, no matter how great the temptation, you can’t share every kind of food with your dog.
Some types of food or ingredients can be harmful to dogs. Therefore, you should never give your dog a bite of your food without first informing yourself of the effects it may have. The same goes for dog treats recipes, in which you shouldn’t introduce ingredients you usually consume, which could be harmful to your dog. Consult this expert advice on dog nutrition to find out what foods you should avoid.
DOG SAFE SPICES
- Basil
- Cinnamon (in small amounts)
- Coriander
- Dill
- Garlic (in small amounts)
- Ginger
- Marjoram
- Oregano
- Parsley
- Rosemary
- Sage
- Tarragon
- Thyme
- Turmeric
15 Homemade Dog Treats Recipes
1..BAKED SWEET POTATO FRIES / READY IN: 3h 5 min, SERVINGS: 25
Sweet potato is a healthy and nutritive vegetable for dogs, and it also has an amazing taste that your little one will adore. However, remember to avoid giving your dog raw sweet potatoes, because it can be very harmful to the canine digestive system.
This recipe offers you an easy and delicious way to transform sweet potatoes into crunchy dog treats. The “hardest” thing to do will be to wash and peel a potato, cut it into fry shaped pieces, put them in the oven, and… that’s it! Although the baking time is quite long, the final result is worth the wait.
2. CHEESY BONE TREATS / READY IN: 40 min, SERVINGS: 12
Prepare these at home and your kitchen will be soaked in the delicious smell of cheese for a long, long time. Perhaps the most difficult part of this recipe will be making the dough, after which each step is as simple as possible. The bone-shaped cutter will make your work much easier while preparing these delicious treats.
This is the kind of dry and easy homemade dog treats we were talking about earlier. Stored properly, these biscuits will last between two or even three weeks.
3. PEANUT BUTTER BISCUITS / READY IN: 50 min, SERVINGS: ≈ 20, depending on the size and shape of chosen cookie cutters
All the magic happens when you combine the pumpkin puree, peanut butter, and eggs. This is the moment when taste comes to life. After adding the flour as well, your homemade treats will be ready to be shaped, depending on what cookie cutters would you like to use. However, we adore the bone-shaped ones and we use those whenever preparing biscuits for dogs.
WARNING: Watch out for the peanut butter brand you choose. Even though many dogs love its taste, some products have in their composition a toxic ingredient for dogs called xylitol. Even eating in small amounts can be very harmful.
4. PUMPKIN APPLE DOGGIE MINT TREATS / READY IN: 50 min, SERVINGS: ≈ 18, depending on the size and shape of chosen cookie cutters
This homemade dog treats recipe is a great solution for bad breath in dogs. In addition to the freshening effect, these treats have a pumpkin-apple base, which is a nutritious ingredient, rich in fiber and powerful in combating constipation and diarrhea.
Moreover, apples are a great source of vitamins A and C, omega 3 and 6, making these treats not only delicious but also efficient and nourishing.
5. NO BAKE PEANUT BUTTER OATMEAL PUPPY TREATS / READY IN: 15 min, SERVINGS: 24+
Your best friend needs the best homemade treats! This is why our recommendations are based only on healthy ingredients, easy to prepare, and absolutely delicious, even for the most demanding pups.
This recipe is a special one because it doesn’t need baking. With only 5 ingredients, your homemade dog treats will be ready right away.
6. HOMEMADE DOG DONUTS WITH BACON / READY IN: 25 min, SERVINGS: 12
Who said only humans should enjoy donuts? These tasty-looking donuts need only a few ingredients to be prepared, which you probably already have in your kitchen.
Just combine all ingredients except the yogurt and bacon bits that you will later use for topping and give your treats these round shapes by using a donut baking pan. Keep in mind to let the donuts cool before decorating them with the delicious topping.
7. DELICIOUS SQUASH PUPCAKES / READY IN: 40 min, SERVINGS: 15
If you are looking for the perfect treat for a birthday anniversary, those pupcakes will be a great alternative to a traditional cake. The recipe is made with cream cheese and peanut butter frosting and a crunchy cookie topper.
Even if it is a little more complicated than others before, this recipe is ideal for spoiling your dog for special occasions.
8. EASY PUMPKIN NO BAKE TREATS / READY IN: 1h & 10 min, SERVINGS: 10
Another super easy and quick recipe that does not require baking. You will only need 3 healthy ingredients including pumpkin to prepare it. Coconut oil and ginger are ingredients that also ensure healthy and balanced digestion for your puppy.
Use a paw silicone mold to get the shape just like the one from the recipe and don’t forget to refrigerate the treats before serving.
9. OAT AND APPLE PRETZEL TREATS / READY IN: 50 min, SERVINGS: 15
These simple pretzel treats are made with only 4 ingredients: gluten-free wat flour, gluten-free rolled oats, 1 egg, and 1 cup unsweetened applesauce. By using gluten-free ingredients, you will protect your dog from possible side effects if he or she is gluten intolerant.
Even if these pretzels are perceived as dietetic treats, their taste will be adored by the puppy, who will definitely be a good boy to receive more.
WARNING: Some dogs may be allergic to the gluten in regular flour. When preparing homemade dog treats, you should use flour such as coconut flour, whole-wheat flour, oat flour or buckwheat flour.
10. CARROT PEANUT BUTTER PUPCAKES / READY IN: 40 min, SERVINGS: 6
Here comes the carrot version of the first pupcake recipe recommended by us earlier. Those are some easy homemade dog treats with peanut butter, yogurt, and topped with bone-shaped treat biscuits.
At first glance, these pupcakes looks like two treats in one. But there’s no issue, your dog will double-love them!
11. DIABETIC DOG TREATS / READY IN: 20 min, SERVINGS: 36
Sugar diabetes is a metabolism disorder that affects dogs as well as humans. With such a condition, your dog will need a healthy diet that does not worsen his health. That doesn’t mean he or she shouldn’t be allowed to have treats. Therefore, this recipe is specially made for diabetic dogs!
12. VANILLA DOG BITES / READY IN: READY IN: 1 h 15 mins, SERVINGS: 75
You wouldn’t believe that vanilla could be a part of dog treats, would you? Well, here is the proof it can be a great and delicious ingredient of easy homemade dog treats! Do not worry about the cooking time, because 45 minutes of this time is allocated to only baking.
13. BANANNA AND HONEY DOG TREATS / READY IN: 1 h 15 mins, SERVINGS: 72
Yes, we already know that you would like to try such a dessert too. These ingredients are delicious even separately! Imagine how happy your dog will be after you cook these sweet treats especially for him or her.
14. TURKEY AND CRANBERRY DOG BONES / READY IN: 1 h 15 mins, SERVINGS: 45
If you can enjoy a delicious Christmas turkey, why shouldn’t your dog have a holiday treat too? Just thinking about the combo of turkey and cranberry in one place will awaken the flavor of Christmas. However, it is not mandatory to cook these treats exclusively for Christmas. Your doggo would love them at any time of the year, for sure.
15. APPLE AND CHEDDAR CHEESE PUPCAKES / READY IN: 25 mins, SERVINGS: 12
Your buddy will be the happiest to have those delicious treats anytime. The good part is that this recipe is even easier compared to others earlier.
Follow the three simple steps of this recipe and prepare some absolutely delicious pup cakes!
In Closing
To sum up, there are many ways to prepare dog treats at home. These are much healthier and tastier and are prepared with carefully selected ingredients for your canine friend, who will be very grateful that you prepared them yourself.
Don’t forget to write to us in the comments below what recipes you tried from our recommendations. Does your dog have a favorite homemade treat?