Healthy Homemade Dog Treats

Our animals are part of our family. So much so that they often get more space in bed than I do! And sometimes it’s nice to head into the kitchen and whip up a little special treat for the fur-children in my life, just like I do for the human members of my family. Enter homemade dog treats!

Creating this recipe was a fun little project that our puppies were very happy to help test! The resulting treat is quick and easy to make, has some nice nutritional boosts for your dog, and wraps up beautifully to gift to your dog (or your dog-loving friends).

A caveat here: there are tons of (many times conflicting) reports about what and what not to feed your dog. Some people say milk is okay. Others say it’s a no-no. Some swear that garlic is a death sentence. Others say they’ve been feeding their dog garlic for years. Some feed their dogs only raw meat, others swear that’ll ruin your dog’s digestion. As with all decisions regarding the health of your loved ones, it’s probably best to check with a trained health care professional when introducing any kinds of new foods. A vet can give you a definitive “yes” or “no” on what should end up in your pup’s bowl.

That being said, the ingredients below avoid any products that are well-known doggie no-nos (like, say, chocolate!) and focus on ingredients that are generally accepted as good for doggie-dom. Just like with human food, it depends on the individual. Your dog might be allergic to wheat or eggs or pumpkin or something else. So keep a close eye on your puppy any time you give them a new food or treat. Even though these dog treats are formulated to be as gentle on their systems and give them as many added nutritional benefits as possible, they still might not agree with some pooches.

That being said, one of our dogs has a historically weak tummy, and these treats didn’t cause a hint of an issue with her. She’s happy as a furry clam.

And as far as taste goes, I didn’t try ’em out (although I could, because it’s all human food), but our puppers love them. Rory in particular will literally stand in front of the cabinet that holds these treats and whine at the door, hoping that it’ll magically open and the whole bag of treats will spill onto the floor. She’s a big fan. And I’m a big fan of knowing all the ingredients and of saving a pretty penny by making these over the high-quality, all-natural treats I have been buying her.

I snuck in a few ingredients that are nutritional superstars for our canine friends. I want the furry members of our family to stick around as long as possible, and if I can give some treats that help with that? I’m all over it.

• The ground flax seed in these is a great source of Omega-3s, which help keep your puppy’s coat and skin healthy.
• Eggs are an amazing simple source of protein, especially for pups who may have adverse reactions to other proteins.
• Pumpkin is full of fiber, which helps keep your dog’s gut balanced, and beta-carotene, which is a powerful antioxidant.
• The applesauce is full of phytonutrients, which are thought to help protect against cancer.
• The olive oil helps get much-needed healthy fats to your puppy, and contains compounds that may help prevent cancer.
• The wheat germ is packed with Vitamin E that helps make your puppy’s coat soft and silky.

Yeah, these little bones are big winners.

If you check the comments below, you’ll probably see lots of folks having trouble with the recipe. We heard you! We headed back to the kitchen and reformulated this recipe to be much easier to make. The new recipe is below, and I hope you (and your puppy) love it!

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Yield: 2-3 dozen treats, depending on cookie cutter size

Healthy Homemade Dog Treats

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Your four-legged friends will love these Healthy Homemade Dog Treats, which are packed with wholesome ingredients like oats, pumpkin, applesauce, and eggs.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 3/4 cups (372 grams) whole wheat flour
• 1 cup (75 grams) wheat germ
• 1/2 cup (43 grams) ground flax seed
• 3 large eggs (153 grams, weighed out of shell)
• 1/2 cup (106 grams) olive oil
• 1/2 cup (122 grams) unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup (122 grams) pumpkin puree
• 1 tablespoon (20 grams) honey

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment (or grease with cooking spray).
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, wheat germ, and flax seed. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, olive oil, applesauce, pumpkin, and honey until smooth.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until thoroughly combined. Form the dough into a disc.
4. On floured parchment paper, roll the dough out to 1/4-inch thick. Cut shapes with a cookie cutter and place them an inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the treats are deep golden brown and very hard. Cool completely on a rack before letting your pup enjoy.

Notes

If the dough is sticky or hard to work with, refrigerate it for 30 minutes and/or knead in an extra tablespoon or two of flour.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

36

Serving Size:

1 treat
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 44Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 6mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 2g

At Wholefully, we believe that good nutrition is about much more than just the numbers on the nutrition facts panel. Please use the above information as only a small part of what helps you decide what foods are nourishing for you.