Homemade
Dog Treats
© John Dow
I know why my dog loves me. It’s all about the homemade dog treats I give him. That’s OK, I can live with that. Oh sure, he considers me the leader of the pack, but I’m also the major source of great tasting homemade dog treats.
I learned a long time ago that giving a dog treat as a reward for good behavior was one of the best training methods. There’s not a dog in the neighborhood that doesn’t come when I call him, and I don’t kid myself, it’s all about the dog treats I hand out.
My dog treats are better than the commercial ones you find in the pet and grocery stores. No preservatives, artificial colors or flavors, and made from all fresh natural ingredients. Sounds like a lot of trouble but they are easy to make and can be stored for weeks.
Given the sharp sense of smell most dogs have, they know I have treats before I ever tip my hand. My family even makes fun of me because I always have dog treats in my pockets. You never know when you might need a dog treat for rewarding a dog you meet.
The reason I make my dog treats is that the commercial ones tend to have too many bad things, not
to mention the cost is very high. You want to reward your dog but not make him fat or give anything that’s not good for him.
What many people forget is that your dog couldn’t care less what the treat looks like. Dog treat manufacturers make treats look like food to sell to the humans, not the dogs. Dogs go by smell and taste, not looks. Bright colors, shapes like steaks or looking like bacon or ground beef doesn’t attract dogs, they attract us.
Plus, the prices of many dog treats are outrageous. You know you’re getting taken when the package comes by the ounce and it’s $3-4. Many treats would cost over $20 per pound if they sold in larger quantities. Go look in your grocery store’s meat isle and you won’t find many meats over $20 per pound.
So the commercial treats are expensive and have ingredients that aren’t healthy for your dog. Chance are you eat at home and prepare your own
food often. If you make some homemade dog treats at the same time, it’s not very difficult. You’re already in the kitchen cooking, just take an extra 5 minutes and make some homemade dog treats too.
Leftovers are good treats, but they don’t always store well and can have seasoning and spices that you will regret giving to your dog. Dogs don’t like spices like we do and most have a low tolerance. Which means that you can get an immediate reaction that you don’t want to clean up. Plus, even though a dog might love gravy and some other high fat items in a normal meal, they aren’t good for them in large quantities.
Here’s a couple of easy, quick, and cheap dog treat recipes that I use often. Most of the ingredients are already on hand and just need a little preparation.
Darlene's Favorite Dog Cookie
• 2 cups rye flour
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2/3 cup warm water
• 1/2 cup white flour
• 1/4 cup cornmeal
Mix well. I usually add about 1/4 tsp. either vanilla or mint flavor.
Roll out to 1/4" thick. Cut into shapes (I usually use about a 3-4" bone-shape cutter).
Bake on lightly greased cookie sheet for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
Dog Bones
• 2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup nonfat dry milk
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 beef bouillon cube
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients, stirring until well blended. Knead dough
2 minutes.
On a floured surface, use a floured rolling pin to roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness.
Using a bone shaped cookie cutter cut out bones.
Bake 30 minutes on an ungreased baking sheet. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.
Healthy Snacks
• 1 cup white rice flour
• 1/4 cup soy flour
• 1/4 cup egg substitute
• 1 tablespoon molasses --unsulphered
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/3 cup powdered milk
• 2 tablespoons safflower oil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients together. Add molasses, egg, oil and
milk. Roll out flat onto oiled cookie sheet and cut into dally bite-sized pieces. Bake for 20
minutes. Let cool and store in tightly sealed container.
If
you see some ingredients you don't keep handy, just add them
to your shopping list next time you go to the grocery store.
You could also print out a copy of the recipes and put them on
the fridge or somewhere you'll see them and remember to give
them a try.
The
two biggest factors on the above homemade dog treat recipes is
they have no artificial ingredients or preservatives. They
store easily and can be a great project for kids to help with
and learn how to cook!
