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Homemade Healthy Dog Treat Recipes for Picky Eaters
Homemade Holiday Dog Treat Recipes
Homemade Dog Treats for Allergies
Homemade Dog Peanut Butter Treats
You’ll love these easy homemade dog treat recipes if you’re looking for:
I love having several homemade healthy dog treat recipe ideas on hand as a great way to ensure all the ingredients are safe, healthy, and delicious for my dog, Lucy. It’s shocking how many store-bought treats have questionable ingredients that can harm dogs - chemicals, preservatives, common allergens, and too much fat and sugar.
Like humans, too much junk food has health consequences for our dogs. So, these dog treat recipe ideas are a great alternative. These are easy and healthy, and your dog will love them. And if they don’t, you can just try another recipe. It's no big deal since they’re mostly easy and inexpensive.
Remember to introduce new treats gradually and limit the numbers of treats to approximately 10% of total daily calories.
None of my dogs have been in the picky-eater-club, but it’s a common complaint in our Coton de Tulear community. So, if you have a fussy eater, try using stronger, flavorful ingredients to entice them. Here are some recipes that will be hard for your dog to resist.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Mix the chicken, flour, and cheddar cheese together to form a dough. Roll out the dough, cut into small squares or fun shapes. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 15-20 minutes. Cool and serve.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Combine the applesauce, oat flour, and ground cinnamon to form a dough. Roll out the dough, cut into shapes, and bake at 350°F (175°C) for approximately 15-20 minutes.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Mix the tuna, mashed sweet potato, and egg together. Roll into small balls or shape them as you like and bake at 350°F (175°C) for around 15-20 minutes. Tuna is usually a hit with dogs, and sweet potato adds a touch of sweetness.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Mix the grated carrots, grated Parmesan cheese, and flour together. Roll the dough into thin strips, then twist them into a spiral shape. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for around 15 minutes. The cheesy aroma is sure to entice your picky eater. Parmesan cheese has a high salty quantity, so limit how much you give your dog at once.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two muffin tins with liners (or grease tin with coconut oil). Mix all ingredients in a large bowl with a fork until thoroughly combined. Spoon the mixture into muffin tins approximately half full (or fill mini muffin tins). Bake for 20 minutes. Cool, then store one batch in the refrigerator and one batch in the freezer for later.
This is one of Lucy’s favorites. Since she loves to work for her food, I’ll often place a frozen meatball in a Kong or Pupsicle.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 200°F (93°C). Lay the apple rings on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle a small amount of cinnamon over the apple rings. Bake for 2-3 hours until they’re dry and chewy. Cool and serve.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 250°F (120°C). Slice the sweet potatoes into thin slices. Use a ghost-shaped cookie cutter to shape the potato slices into little ghosts. Lightly brush each piece with coconut oil. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 2.5 - 3 hours until they’re dry and chewy. Cool and serve.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). In a bowl, combine all ingredients and form into a dough. Roll out dough and cut out gingerbread man shapes with a cookie cutter. Place on a parchment-lined baking tray. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes until crisp. Cool and serve.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Combine all ingredients in a bowl to form a dough. Shape the dough into small sticks. Place sticks on a parchment-lined baking tray. Bake 15-20 minutes until golden and crisp. Cool and serve.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Mix all ingredients in a bowl to form a dough. Roll out the dough and cut out the shapes with a Christmas-shaped cookie cutter. Place trees on a parchment-lined baking tray. Bake 20-25 minutes until crisp. Cool and serve.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Mix all ingredients in a bowl and then shape the mixture into small latke (pancake) shapes. Place them on a parchment-lined baking tray. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden and crisp. Cool and serve.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Combine all the ingredients in a bowl to form a dough. Roll out dough and use a star-shaped cookie cutter to cut out shapes. Place on a parchment-lined baking tray. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Cool and serve.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Mix all ingredients in a bowl to form a dough. Shape the dough into small coin shapes resembling gelt. Place them on a parchment-lined baking tray. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes until golden and crisp. Cool and serve.
What makes these dog treats great for Easter? Well, nothing really, except they’re made with typical ingredients associated with Easter fun - eggs and carrots! Or they’re cut into Easter shapes like bunnies or eggs.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Combine the grated carrots, applesauce, and oat flour into dough. Roll the dough into egg shapes or use Easter-themed cookie cutters. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 15-20 minutes.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Mix the shredded zucchini, carrots, flour, and egg together into dough. Roll out the dough, cut into bunny shapes, and bake at 350°F (175°C) for approximately 15-20 minutes.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Combine the mashed banana, mashed blueberries, and oat flour into dough. Roll out the dough, cut into Easter-themed shapes, and bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 15-20 minutes.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Carefully remove the eggshells from the hard-boiled eggs. Remove yolks and fill the empty egg whites with mashed sweet potato or pumpkin puree. Your dog will enjoy the Easter "egg" with a delicious surprise inside.
Carrot and Cream Cheese Dog Pupcakes:
Cupcake Ingredients:
Frosting Ingredients:
Cupcake Instructions:
Frosting Instructions:
Once the cupcakes are cooled, you can "frost" them with a small amount of softened low-fat cream cheese on each. Or you can use plain, unsweetened yogurt.
Unfortunately, I am all too familiar with dog allergies. My dog, Luc, had severe food and environmental allergies for years. Many dogs have food allergies and sensitivities, so to avoid stomach upset, it’s a good idea to use recipes that avoid common allergens like wheat, soy, and dairy.
If your dog can’t eat eggs, you can substitute the eggs in these recipes with ground flax seed or chia seed egg replacement (one Tbsp flax or chia seed + 3 Tbsp water). 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce can also often replace one egg.
Take your dog’s unique food issues into account and substitute as needed.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Mix all ingredients in a bowl and form into a dough. Roll out the dough and cut into desired shapes using one of your favorite cookie cutters. Place on a parchment-lined baking tray. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and crisp. Cool and serve.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Combine ingredients in a bowl and form into dough. Shape the dough into small sticks or desired shapes. Place on a parchment-lined baking tray. Bake 15-20 minutes until golden and crisp. Cool and serve.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and then shape the dough into small bite-sized balls. Place them on a parchment-lined baking tray. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden. Cool and serve.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Combine all the ingredients in a bowl to form a dough. Shape the dough into small cookies. Place them on a parchment-lined baking tray. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and crisp. Cool and serve.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Mix all the ingredients in a bowl to form a dough. Shape the dough into small sticks. Place them on a parchment-lined baking tray. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and crisp. Cool and serve.
I’ve been searching for creative ways to get my dog, Lucy, to swallow her medication. It’s hard to hide the taste of a giant pill in healthy treats because there’s no fat and sugar to mask the taste. These are a few of the recipes that work for us. I also sneak pills in plain pumpkin puree or pitted dates. She’s become an expert at eating the treat and spitting out the pill :(
These recipes are also suitable for older dogs who need softer treats.
Ingredients:
Instructions: Mix all the ingredients together, roll out the dough, cut into shapes using your favorite cookie cutters, and bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Combine all ingredients, knead the dough, roll it out, cut into shapes, and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 25-30 minutes.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Mix all the ingredients, spoon onto a baking sheet, flatten slightly, and bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 20-25 minutes. Cool and serve.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Combine all ingredients, roll out the dough, cut into shapes, and bake at 350°F (175°C) for approximately 15-20 minutes. Cool and serve.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Mix all ingredients together, form into small balls or shapes, and bake at 325°F (160°C) for about 15-20 minutes until firm. Cool and serve.
Most of the recipes in this post do not include peanut butter because of the high-fat content. Many brands of peanut butter also add too much sugar. And as most of you already know, xylitol in peanut butter can be deadly. So, use these recipes sparingly since a little bit can’t hurt most dogs.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
This is a great no-bake recipe. Mix mashed bananas with peanut butter, spread the mixture on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and freeze until firm. You can then cut them into smaller pieces suitable for your dog.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, applesauce, peanut butter, grated carrots, honey, and cinnamon (if using). Mix until you have a smooth dough. If the dough is too sticky, you can add a little more flour.
Roll out the dough on a floured surface to about 1/4-inch thickness. Arrange on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes or until they are lightly browned. Keep a close eye on them to avoid overcooking. Cool and serve.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Mix the grated carrots, flour, and peanut butter together. Roll out the dough, cut into shapes, and bake at 350°F (175°C) for approximately 15-20 minutes. Cool and serve.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Mix the plain yogurt and peanut butter together. Pour the mixture into silicone molds. Add a few small treats to each mold. Freeze until solid.
I’m always looking for a simple recipe so I can whip up a treat fast and easily. Most of the recipes above are easy and have only a few ingredients. Here are some more limited-ingredient dog treats to try.
Ingredient:
Instructions:
Simply slice sweet potatoes into thin strips, lay them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake at 200 degrees Fahrenheit for about 2.5 - 3 hours. You want them to be dry and tough but not totally crisp to give that chewy texture.
Ingredient:
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 200°F (93°C). Slice the chicken breasts into thin strips. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 2 hours or until they are dry and hard.
Ingredient:
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 200°F (93°C). Place the beef liver slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 2-3 hours or until they are dry and hard.
The healthiest 1-ingredient dog treats are fruits and vegetables. It doesn’t get easier than that. But I get it, not all dogs will eat broccoli.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Mix the pumpkin puree, oats, and egg together. Drop spoonfuls onto a baking sheet and bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 12-15 minutes. Cool and serve.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Mix the pumpkin puree and turmeric powder with the oat flour to form a dough. Shape them into small, flat discs and place them on a baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden and crisp.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Combine the mashed bananas, blueberries, and oat flour. Roll into small balls or shape them as you like and bake at 350°F (175°C) for around 15-20 minutes.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Slice the sweet potato into thin strips. Mix the salmon and egg together. Dip the sweet potato slices into the salmon mixture to coat them. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 250°F (120°C) for about 2-3 hours until they become jerky-like.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Mix the grated carrots and apple with the oat flour to form a dough. Shape them into small, flat discs and place them on a baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden and crisp. Cool and serve.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
This recipe is a bit more involved. Heat the milk over medium heat stirring frequently. Remove from heat when it starts boiling and add the lime juice and salt until it separates into whey and cheese. Remove the cheesy lumps and press it to remove excess moisture. You can use cheese cloth to remove all the liquid. Then cut it into strips and bake at 200 degrees Fahrenheit until they are hard and chewy.
Here’s an alternate recipe with a helpful video
Ingredients:
Instructions:
Combine the shredded chicken, flour, and chopped parsley. Form into small biscuits or use cookie cutters to create shapes. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 15-20 minutes.
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