As someone who loves your dog, keeping him or her happy and avoiding these diseases is an important part of caring for them. There’s perhaps no easier way to make a dog happy and excited than to give it a beloved treat. Whether you’re providing a treat for chewing, for dental hygiene or as a tasty nutritional snack, keeping healthy is an important consideration. After all, a well-balanced diet is the secret to a long and happy life for canines as it for humans, so it’s best to opt for natural dog treats that don’t disrupt that regimen.
Of course, simply finding the right natural dog treats online or at your local store isn’t that easy, which is why many owners opt for healthy homemade dog treats instead. By learning how to make your dog happy with homemade dog treats, you have full control over what they consist of and therefore what your dog ingests. In other words, these treats can be part of healthy diet and a frequent reward rather than a diet excursion that you tend to feel bad about.
Do-It-Yourself Dog Treats with Absolute Ease
At this point, you may be thinking, sounds great, but who has the time to prepare and possibly cook homemade dog treats. Here’s the good news: there are numerous options for easy homemade dog treats that you can make in batches in a relatively short period of time and often at less expense that when those store-bought treats would cost. With that in mind, lets learn how to make homemade dog treats with three recipes that your pooch will absolutely adore each and every time you reward them.
Recipe #1: Chicken Jerky
The health benefits of chicken for dog are many. Chicken is a high-protein meat that’s low in fat and is easy to chew and ingest. In fact, chicken is one of the main ingredients in prepackaged dog foods. However, when you prepare your own chicken for healthy homemade dog treats, you get to ensure that the chicken is whole and not processed or diluted with filler.
Jerky is a preferred option for easy homemade dog treats because it lasts a long time and you can make a lot of it at once. Large jerky strips are easiest to make with large chicken breasts, but if you want to lower the costs even more, simply use the largest chicken thighs you can find. There’ll be a little more prep work and the strips will be a bit smaller, but otherwise it’ll work fine. Here’s the recipe:
- Rinse chicken. Remove any fat.
- Slice chicken with the grain into very thin strips.
- Preheat oven to 200° F.
- Prepare a baking sheet with a light coating of non-stick vegetable spray.
- Place strips on baking sheet. Don’t overlap.
- Bake for 120 minutes. Chicken should be dry and firm.
- Remove from oven. Allow to cool on a wire rack.
- Refrigerate for up to three weeks or freeze for up to 8 months.
Recipe #2: Peanut Butter Treats
The health benefits of chicken for dog lovers and their pets are many, and the same is true for peanut butter. Peanut butter provides protein and is an excellent source of Vitamin E and Vitamin H. Vitamin E helps to bolster the canine immune system, and Vitamin H will improve the health and the luster of a dog’s coat, skin and nails. Many store-bought treats are made from filler with a peanut butter flavoring, but making completely natural dog treats with peanut butter is easy. Here’s the recipe:
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Mix 2.5 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder and an egg.
- Stir in 1 cup of peanut butter and 2 tablespoons of honey to a dough consistency.
- Roll out the dough to ½” thickness on a lightly floured surface.
- Cut into preferred shapes, and you can stamp them for additional texture.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown
- Remove from oven. Let cool. Store in an airtight container.
Note: Flour choice will depend on your dog. Whole wheat flour is a fine choice for homemade dog treats for most dogs. If you have a dog with allergies or sensitivities, you’ll need to learn how to make homemade dog treats for your dog, which may require some trial and error. A possible substitute for whole wheat flour is a combination of oatmeal and brown rice flour.
Recipe #3: Soft Dog Treats
Soft dog treats can be an important tool in learning how to make your dog happy. Soft treats are an excellent option as a change of pace, as a means of feeding pills and when the dog is feeling down or growing older. Variety is also an essential component of keeping healthy, and with these treats, you can opt for a different main flavor each time you make them. Here we use beef, but next time you might use chicken, peanut butter, sweet potato or something else. Here’s the recipe:
- Brown 2/3 lb. of ground beef.
- Drain beef. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Mix in 6 oz. can of tomato paste.
- Mix in ½ cup of nonfat dry milk and 2 large eggs.
- Mix in ½ cup grated cheese and 1 ¼ cups of flour.
- Prepare a baking sheet with a light coating of non-stick vegetable spray.
- Put mixture onto sheet in small bite-sized balls.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove from oven. Let cool.
- Refrigerate for up to three weeks or freeze for up to 8 months.
Keeping Your Dog Healthy
Be mindful that eating well is just one piece of the puzzle. Diet must meet the needs of a dog’s teeth and mind as well as its nutritional needs. Routine exercise is essential too, as a lack of it can completely undermine your best laid dietary plans. As for chew toys, flea products and any other items you bring into your dog’s life, do so with care and preferably recommendation from a vet your trust.
References:
Natural News. 2015. Your Pets Could Be At Risk for Life Threatening Illnesses. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.naturalnewsblogs.com/pets-risk-life-threatening-illnesses. [Accessed 17 January 16].
Zoe’s Doggy Treats. 2015. Health Benefits of Chicken. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.zoesdoggytreats.com.au/advice/health-benifits-of-chicken.aspx. [Accessed 17 January 16].
Web MD. 2013. Are Your Dog’s Teeth Healthy?. [ONLINE] Available at: http://pets.webmd.com/healthy-dog-teeth-10/. [Accessed 17 January 16].
Mom Me. 2014. Can Dogs Eat Peanut Butter?. [ONLINE] Available at: http://mom.me/pets/dogs/17934-can-dogs-eat-peanut-butter/. [Accessed 17 January 16].
