My husband and I don’t fit the “Southern mold” when it comes to food. We’re not fans of fried anything (except Oreos—those are downright dangerous) and we aren’t big meat eaters. When it comes to what we put in our bodies, we lean toward home cooked, healthy meals. They take a bit more time to prepare, but the benefits far outweigh the hassle.
I’ve come to feel the same about our dog’s diet. It’s amazing how much garbage often goes into the treats we buy for our canine companions. A label-reader is better able to make wise choices, but the cost can be a high—especially if you have big dogs.
Making homemade treats is much easier (and less time-consuming) than most people realize. You might not be aware, but many human foods are better for your dog than anything you can buy prepacked in the pet aisle. Because many small dogs, like Rambo, the family pet in Illusions, tend to have allergies, it’s a good idea to know what’s going into their bellies.
My sister-in-law gave me a dog treat recipe years ago. The dogs loved them, but they required me to cook liver. I don’t like liver, and I really don’t like the lingering scent of organ meat wafting through my house for hours after. All of these recipes are meatless, but they still contain enough protein to keep your dog happy and healthy.
Even though our Maltese Casper couldn’t care less what his treats looks like (he scarfs them down regardless), I really like the look of those fancy dog treats you might find in up-scale pet stores. This Peanut Butter Treat Recipe fits the bill perfectly. You can keep it simple by skipping the frosting. Fido won’t mind.
You may already know this, but dogs love pumpkin. Not only is it tasty, but it helps with gut-health, too. I add canned pumpkin when making Casper’s dog food (which I’ll share later in the week) so that he doesn’t get constipated. I have a hard time getting him to drink much, so anything that helps with this issue is appreciated.
That said, this Love from the Oven website has a great go-to pumpkin treat recipe as well as peanut butter and a couple of other unique ingredient treats, including dog cupcakes. I really enjoy baking, so I’d have no trouble spending a day creating (and freezing) goodies for my dog.
This next suggestion sounds good enough for me to eat! Blueberry and Banana dog biscuits? I already consume every ingredient in this recipe. I’ve never fed Casper bananas, but he absolutely loves blueberries! It calls for fresh, but I would think frozen would work, too.
And what dog doesn’t love cheese? Byron’s Favorite Buttery Cheese Dog Biscuits include quick cook oats, corn meal, a small amount of butter, whole wheat flour (which is necessary to hold it all together) and cheddar or Colby cheese. Yum!
The last recipe I’m going to share is for all you vegetable-loving people (or dogs) out there. This one is Spinach, Carrot, and Zucchini Dog Treats. Believe it or not, dogs like veggies, too. These treats also include pumpkin, peanut butter, eggs, oats, and of course, flour. Whole wheat is best.
Most of the sites I shared have multiple dog treat recipes. I’ve highlighted those that caught my eye and had my mouth watering. That’s what I love about these homemade goodies—I have most everything I need at home already.
FYI—most of these recipes include peanut butter. I can’t stress enough how important it is that you make sure your peanut butter does not contain Xylitol. It is really bad for Fido. I also check to be sure the sugar content is very low. Believe it or not, Walmart’s Great Value Peanut Butter fits the bill, and the price is great. Kroger’s brand peanut butter is also good—and it has an even lower sugar content. One gram rather than the three in Walmart’s.
Need some cookie cutters to go along with those treat recipes? Here is the overall pick on Amazon. Eight cutters for $10, a 4.7 star-rating with over 2,000 reviews. Can’t beat that!
Happy baking!
For a chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card, share what special treats you give to your dog (or cat or fish or…) If you missed Monday’s post, be sure to visit and comment for another chance to win the Amazon Gift Card.
Comments 6
I have a cat, no dog, but you now have me searching online for cat treat recipes. 😊
Author
LOL. I’m sure they’re out there. Let me know what you find.
I have 3 granddogs so these recipes might elicit more brownie points for Mimi! 😁
Author
Yes, ma’am! They make special Christmas gifts–for the kids and the dogs.
I am forwarding this post to my brother to make one of these for our dog.
Author
They’re fun and tasty. Plus, much better than those processed treats in the stores.