There are many varieties of dog treats on the market, including doggie ice cream. The more “gourmet” or “all-natural” the treats, the more expensive they are. A great way to save money is to make dog treats at home. By making treats at home, a dog owner can feel confident about what is in the treats. Also, many dogs have allergies or dietary restrictions and homemade treats are the best option with these types of dogs.
Several companies offer dog baking mixes for things such as cookies, cakes, biscuits, and brownies. These mixes can easily be ordered online or found at a local pet store. Below are a few homemade treat recipes, however if these are not enough, there are several dog treat cookbooks available.
The website Good Dog Express has a large variety of treat mixes, cookbooks, cookie cutters, and cake pans. These supplies are not necessary for making treats at home; however they can make the task really fun!
Peanut Butter Dog Cookies
- 3 cups whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup natural creamy peanut butter
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup oatmeal
- Water, as needed (about a cup)
- Put all ingredients, except water, in a large bowl and begin the mix.
- Add the water as needed to make dough that has a pliable texture.
- Roll dough out on a floured surface and cut into desired shapes.
- Bake at 375 degrees F for about 25-30 minutes. The cookies should be hard like store bought dog cookies, but not burnt. (Note: if the shapes of the cookies are really small, lessen the baking time and monitor the cookies while baking so that they do not burn.)
- Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks. Refrigerate or freeze for longer shelf life.
- 3 cups plain or vanilla yogurt
- 1 cup all natural peanut butter
- 1 cup water
- Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.
- Pour mixture into small plastic containers (1/2 cup sized) or small paper cups.
- Cover the small plastic containers or cups with lids or plastic wrap and freeze. These will last for up to 3 months.
- 2 chicken breasts, boiled and minced
- 4 large sweet potatoes, peeled, boiled, and pureed
- Combine the minced chicken breasts with the pureed sweet potato.
- Spoon mixture into small plastic containers (1/2 cup sized) or small paper cups.
- Cover the small plastic containers or cups with lids or plastic wrap and freeze. These will last for up to 3 months.
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