DIY DOG TREATS

I’ve always LOVED to bake ever since I was a child. Some of my fondest memories are helping out my parents and grandparents in the kitchen. One of the first treats I was ever allowed to bake by myself was for the four legged member of the family, our black lab mix named Duke. My mom laid everything out for me (pre-measured so I had no chance of screwing it up) and I had so much fun mixing, mashing, rolling, and shaping the treats.

Looking back, though, the treats I made way back in the ’90’s weren’t the healthiest thing for our dogs. Recently I had some time to experiment in my kitchen with some more updated DIY dog treats that are wholesome, healthy, and easy to make. A quick note on some of the ingredients:

• Eggs- a great source of very digestible protein, riboflavin, and selenium

• Pumpkin– A good source of fibre and beta carotene- a source of vitamin A. It’s also really great for keeping your pup’s GI tract regular.

• Yogurt: Another great source of protein and calcium. Make sure you find one that has no added sugars or artificial sweeteners, and one that is fat free!

• Bananas- A good source of potassium, manganese, vitamin B6, vitamin C, fiber, biotin and copper.

• Flour– If you want to use plain old all purpose flour, go for it. Just know that it’s not the best thing for dogs and if your dog has a grain allergy, then avoid it. Ideally you’ll want to go for a grain free flour like coconut flour, chickpea flour, potato starch/flour, quinoa flour, or oat flour.

If your pooch has allergies feel free to sub any of the ingredients for something that won’t upset their bellies.

Without further ado, here are three DIY dog treat recipes.

PEANUT BUTTER AND BANANA BISCUITS

INGREDIENTS:

• two cups of flour

• 2 over-ripe bananas

• 1 cup natural peanut butter (no sugar or salt added)

• ½ – ¾ cup water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

1. Mash the bananas with a fork or give them a spin in a food processor

2. Mix mashed bananas and peanut butter together, then add the flour. Add ½ cup of water to bring together; add water as needed to form a pliable dough

3. Either roll the dough out (flour your board and roller first) and use a dog bone cookie cutter, or use a small cookie dough baller to form bite sized balls

4. Bake for 15-20 minutes on a parchment lined baking sheet

3 INGREDIENT PUMPKIN BITES

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup pureed pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)

• 1 ½ – 2 cups flour

• 1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 375

Combine pumpkin and egg well. Add flour and mix. That’s it! Roll the dough into bite-sized balls and bake for 15-20 minutes on a parchment lined baking sheet.

PUP-KIN PROTEIN COOKIES

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 eggs

• 1 cup pureed pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling!)

• ½ cup plain greek yogurt

• 2 & ¾ cup flour

Preheat oven to 350

1. Mix all the wet ingredients together

2. Add in the flour a bit at a time and combine

3. Dough should be pliable but firm; adjust your dough with more wet or dry ingredients as needed

4. Roll into bite-sized balls

5. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes on a parchment lined baking sheet

Have fun baking for your pups!

Post your recreations to Facebook or Instagram and be sure to tag us so we can admire your skills! @puptoperfection