• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Dog's Best Life

Dog's Best Life

The information you need to keep your dog happy, healthy, playful and loyal.

  • Top Stories
  • Blog
  • What We Do
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

Homemade dog treats: Create rewards with healthy ingredients

Posted January 8, 2021

 
Photo illustration of ingredients for homemade dog treats.
When you make your own dog treats, you know the ingredients are healthy and safe.

Homemade dog treats are good for your dog and an easy way for you to help control what your pup eats.

You can use any ingredients you and your dog like. If he has some preferences like, for example, blueberries, you can make him blueberry treats or doggy muffins with blueberries.

If he is crazy about tuna, there are many great treat recipes for tuna cookies and tuna treats for dogs. You can give him exactly what he likes best.

With homemade dog treats, you control the quality of the ingredients, too.

Ingredients for homemade dog treats

You can use the same ingredients that you would use for your own family — with a few exceptions.

Dogs can’t eat many foods, including grapes, raisins, chocolate, onions, garlic, avocado, and most nuts.

And while most dogs love peanut butter, be sure to check the label to ensure it’s not sweetened with xylitol or birch sugar, a sweetener that’s also found in gum and candy that can be deadly for dogs.

Good foods for dogs include carrots, sweet potatoes, broccoli, and spinach. If you have a dog that tends to be nervous or fearful, consider mixing CBD oil for dogs with your peanut butter in homemade dog treats.

When you make your own treats, you know the ingredients are healthy and safe. You can also use organic ingredients if you prefer or buy from local farmers.

Another option to make it faster and easier to bake your own treats, consider using a dog treat mix.

Baking options

Homemade dog treats cool on racks after baking.
In most cases, when you make homemade dog treats, you save money because you can buy ingredients in bulk or when they are on sale.

Produce as many or as few of the treats as you want to make. Quadruple a recipe and make lots of treats so you can freeze them. Or you can make a small batch to see how your dog likes them.

In most cases, when you make homemade dog treats, you save money because you can buy ingredients in bulk or when they are on sale.

If your dog has allergies, you can make sure that you only use ingredients that are safe for your dog to eat and avoid using any items that might trigger a reaction in your dog.

And, homemade dog treats are usually delicious. Dogs will love them.

You can give him treats right out of the oven. Nothing says, “I love you,” quite like baking for your dog.

Store-bought dog treats

There are some great store-bought treats, too. Of course, some commercial treats have questionable ingredients, and you will probably want to avoid them, just as there are some lower quality dog foods.

You should avoid treats that use animal digest or bi-products, for example. But there are some delicious treats made by reputable companies that use human-grade ingredients, organic ingredients, and good reputations. Need help finding healthy treats? Use this guide from Consumer Affairs.

Three Dog Bakery makes good treats using natural ingredients for dogs with many creative flavors. Old Mother Hubbard is a company that’s been around for a long time and is known for making healthy treats using human-grade ingredients for dogs, and there are others. If you feed your dog a good quality dog food, the company that makes the food probably makes dog treats, too, so check the store to see if they carry them.

Make homemade dog treats

If you have the time to make homemade dog treats for your dog, your dog will love them. They are always wonderful. But if you don’t have time or if you hate to bake, don’t feel bad. There are some excellent store-bought dog treats that your dog will love.

Nancy Cope is the owner of four rescue dogs and Pampered Dog Gifts.


Peanut Butter Doggy Biscuits

2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup peanut butter (smooth)
1 cup milk

Before you begin, you should preheat your oven to 375F. Lightly grease a
baking tray.

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Use a separate bowl to
mix the peanut butter and milk to form a smooth paste, and then add this to the
flour mix. Mix these well until they form a thick dough.

Lightly flour a clean bench or surface and knead the dough lightly. Roll the dough
out until it’s approximately ¼ inch (1/2 centimeter) thick. Cut the dough into bite-sized
squares, or use a cookie cutter to create shapes if you wish.

Place the cookies onto the baking tray and bake them for around 20 minutes until
they turn a light golden brown. Watch carefully as they tend to burn easily.

Remove cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely before offering them to your dog.
Store any unused cookies in an airtight container until needed.

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

 

Related Posts

  • healthy dog weight
    Healthy dog weight: Boost exercise, limit treats

    In addition to regular vet visits, ensuring a healthy dog…

  • slow-cooker dog food
    Healthy dog: Create your own slow-cooker dog food

    Slow-cooker dog food ensures your dog gets healthy meals. Taking…

  • bake dog treat
    Spoil your pup with these 7 easy dog treat recipes

    With just a few ingredients, you can create a variety…

  • Spoil your pup: Dog cakes for special occasions

    Bake dog cakes to celebrate your pup’s special occasions including…

Share this post:

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Pinterest Share on Email Share on Reddit

Filed Under: Dog Health, Home Page Tagged With: Dog food

« Previous Post
Next Post »

Primary Sidebar

Follow Us

Categories

  • Adoption
  • Dog Breeds
  • Dog Facts
  • Dog Fun
  • Dog Grooming
  • Dog Health
  • Dog Inspirations
  • Dog Training
  • Dog Travel
  • Holidays
  • Home Page
  • Puppies
  • Top Stories

Featured Posts

  • Tricolor Australian shepherd in front of white background. Take steps to stop dog pawing.

    Canine body language: What’s your dog saying with his paws?

  • The most common warning signs to watch for in your puppy's behaviors include snarling, growling, mounting, snapping, nipping, lip curling, lunging, dominance, challenging stance, dead-eye stare, aggressive barking, possessiveness, and of course, biting!

    Take action immediately when you spot aggressive puppy warning signs

  • Cute corgi puppy wrapped in a blanket. Talk with your vet about starting your dog on medication to protect him from parasites including flea and tick prevention, as well as heartworm prevention.

    Puppy training 101: 10 tips to prepare your dog for success

Tags

Allergies Crate training Rottweiler Water Christmas Aggression Chihuahua Bichon frisé Dog sounds Neutering and spaying Jumping Cavalier King Charles spaniel Major life changes Greyhound Dog begging Dog walks Ear infection Dog safety Working dogs Dog gifts Moving Small dogs Veterinarian Separation anxiety Thanksgiving Dependent dog breeds Puppy kindergarten Corgi Hip dysplasia Dogs eat grass

Footer

Quick Links

  • Home
  • Top Stories
  • Blog
  • What We Do
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

Recent Posts

  • 5 reasons why maintaining your pet’s dental health is important
    Poor dental health can lead to tooth loss, heart disease, and other health problems. Provide proper dental care for your dog. […]
  • 7 famous dogs that shaped the course of history
    Read more to find out how seven famous dogs helped shape human history. Famous dogs include Peritas, Soter, Old Drum, and Pavlov's dog. […]
  • Discover 10 interesting facts about dog behavior
    Here are ten facts about dog behavior that may help you understand your pet more and wonder less about sometimes slightly peculiar habits. […]
  • 5 common dachshund health problems and how to treat them
    Dachshund health problems include hip and elbow dysplasia, invertebrate disc disease, obesity, allergies and asthma. […]

Get Our Newsletter

Get more news to help keep your dog healthy delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for DogsBestLife.com's monthly newsletter.

© Copyright 2022 Dog's Best Life online magazine · All Rights Reserved · Privacy
Get Our Free Monthly Newsletter

Get more news to help keep your dog healthy delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for DogsBestLife.com's monthly newsletter.