Here at All American Pet Resorts, we are excited to discuss one of our favorite topics: treats! While treats out of a box work just fine for making your pets' tails wag, we all know that homemade food always tastes better. Why simply satisfy your furry family members when you can wow them?
Homemade dog and cat treats are not only delicious and easy to make but feeding them to your pets can give you peace of mind. If your pet has an allergy or is on a vet-recommended diet, you can customize the recipe to meet their specific needs. Here are five quick, easy recipes for some of our pets' favorite treats.
Treats for Dogs
Peanut Butter & Banana Treats
Ingredients
- 1 ripe banana
- 1 1/2 cups of oats
- 1/2 cup of peanut butter
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Using a blender, blend the oats until they are a fine powder. Place 2 tablespoons aside that you'll use later to roll out the dough.
- Blend together the banana and peanut butter.
- Mix the oats and the peanut butter-banana mixture together in a bowl.
- Roll out into a 1/4-inch thick dough.
- Cut into the dough using your favorite shapes of cookie cutters (we suggest using cute dog-themed shapes, like fire hydrants, bones, or tennis balls!).
- Bake for 10-12 minutes.
*Recipe from thisgirlslife.com
Sweet Potato Treats
Ingredients
- 1 cup mashed sweet potato
- 2 eggs
- 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Pierce the sweet potato with a fork and then heat it in your microwave on high for 6 minutes (or until it's tender).
- Cut the potato in half and scoop out the potato into a bowl, discarding the skin.
- Mash the potato with a fork and measure out 1 cup of it (use the rest for your dinner!).
- Mix the whole wheat flour, applesauce, and eggs into a large bowl with the mashed sweet potato until dough forms.
- Roll everything out into a 1/2-inch thick dough.
- Cut into the dough using your favorite shapes of cookie cutters.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes.
*Recipe from allrecipes.com
Bacon-Flavored Biscuits
- Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 10 tablespoons melted bacon fat
- 5 cups whole wheat flour
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a cookie sheet.
- Beat the eggs in a large bowl.
- Stir in the milk, water, salt, and bacon fat until well blended.
- Gradually stir in the flour until stiff dough forms.
- Pull off pieces of the dough and roll them into 2-inch balls.
- Place the balls onto the cookie sheet.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes.
*Recipe from allrecipes.com
Treats for Cats
3 Ingredient Salmon Treats
Ingredients
- 10 oz canned salmon (undrained)
- 1 egg (beaten)
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Pulse the salmon in a food processor and chop as finely as possible.
- In a stand mixer, combine salmon, egg, and whole wheat flour until dough forms. If the dough seems too dry, add 1/3 cup water; If the dough seems too wet, add a little bit more flour. Dough should be tacky, not sticky.
- Roll out until the dough is 1/2 inch thick.
- Cut into the dough using your favorite shapes of cookie cutters.
- Place treats onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
*Recipe from thecookierookie.com
Catnip Crumbles
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons catnip
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil.
- Mix all ingredients by hand in a large bowl.
- Spread the mixture on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 7-10 minutes.
- Drain any excess fat and crumble.
*Recipe from doggydessertchef.com
Unsafe Ingredients
While baking for your pets allows for creativity, there are certain ingredients you should never add to your homemade treats. Here's a list of some foods that are dangerous for both cats and dogs. Make sure to keep these ingredients as far away from your mixing bowls as possible:
- Chocolate: The theobromine in chocolate can cause heart problems, tremors, seizures, or death.
- Xylitol: This artificial sweetener is found in most gum, toothpaste, and baked good products.
- Onions and Garlic: Any form of these foods can kill your dog's red blood cells, causing anemia.
- Caffeine: This can be fatal.
- Grapes or Raisins: These can cause kidney failure.
- Raw Eggs: make sure to bake all recipes as long as the suggested time is to avoid giving your dog salmonella or E. coli poisoning.
If you have doubts about adding a certain ingredient to your recipe, contact your veterinarian!
