I don't know about you, but don't you find that homemade treats just taste better? Maybe it's the fact you've put in some hard work, or it's that loving touch, but I've always found that when you make a homemade treat, everyone's a big fan.
So why can't we apply this to our pups too?
Many people feel intimidated by the idea of making their own dog treats because they think it's going to be really complicated (spoiler: it's not) or they're going to have to buy some crazy exotic ingredients. But that's 100% not the case!
These recipes (both my own and some great ones I've sourced online) contain all-natural ingredients that you can buy at the grocery store! They're also very simple to make, so there's no need to get overwhelmed!
This recipe is an absolute staple! With only 6 ingredients, it's easy to put together and I haven't found a dog that doesn't like them. Made primarily from peanut butter, whole wheat flour and wheat germ, these treats can be made in under an hour.
Tip: Since this recipe is the most similar to "human" cookies, while I often like to cut them out in the shape of dog bones (with a cookie cutter of course!), you can use any shape you like. I've made these for holiday treats in the shape of snowflakes, and hearts for valentine's day.
Your dog may not realize how cute they go with the current holiday, but any friends or family that you gift them to will!
Ingredients:
Directions:
*Note: Make sure to read the ingredients to avoid anything that contains xylitol (otherwise known as birch syrup). This ingredient is toxic to dogs, and commonly found in popular nut butters.
Feeling crunched on time? Or no access to an oven? This recipe is even EASIER to make and doesn't contain any wheat! I know some dogs have a hard time digesting wheat, so if your pup is one of those, this peanut butter-based recipe is the one for you.
What I love about this recipe is that you can make them in under 15 minutes (though they do need time to set)! So they're great as a last-minute treat to give your pup (especially if they've been particularly good that day).
This recipe was created by Chungah Rhee over at Damn Delicous so I can't take the credit for that, but it's such a great recipe I had to share! She also has amazing (human) recipes too if you're in a cooking frenzy. For full directions (and picture-by-picture instructions) you can check it out here.
Ingredients:
Directions:
So I know the last recipe was wheat-free, but what about all those dogs who can't have ANY grains? I'm looking at you bullies and mastiffs (though there are actually quite a few different breeds that have a hard time with grains).
If your pup is one of those with a sensitive tummy, these grain-free pumpkin coconut dog treats are absolutely amazing! If you didn't know, pumpkin is incredible for helping with digestion (and it really is a treat on its own), so these dog treats are perfect to make your pup feel special, while still feeling 100%.
This recipe came from Cassie at Wholefully. She's a Certified Holistic Nutritionist so she knows what she's talking about! For full directions (and images) of how to make these you can find them here.
Some people have had issues with this recipe, so they have an in-depth comments section to troubleshoot! This recipe may take a bit of trial-and-error to get it perfect but if your dogs love it, it'll be worth it.
Ingredients:
Directions:
With summer having pretty much arrived, I'm sure your dogs have been experiencing the heat! Especially after a big run or dog park excursion. Wouldn't you like to offer them a quenching frozen treat?
This recipe contains only THREE ingredients and requires any mould or ice cube tray. What's great is you can make a big batch and then store them in the freezer for the summer! Created by Jen at Peel with Zeal, you can find the full recipe and substitution recommendations here.
(by the way, these treats are human-friendly too, so you get something out of it as well!)
Ingredients:
Directions:
Did you give any of these recipes a try? Let me know how they went for you and if your pup loved them as much as I hope they would! Drop me a comment below to let me know how it went.
Want to keep up to date about dog stuff in Ottawa? Join my mailing list!