Why Make Treats from Scratch For Your Pets?
What we feed our dogs, even as snacks, is important. Just like we wouldn’t dream of putting dish detergent in our gas tanks and expecting our vehicles to run properly, it’s important for us to provide quality fuel for our dogs’ systems. When we went to look for treats for our Goldendoodle dogs and puppies, we were dismayed at the ingredients included in many of the store-bought versions. If we were going to try to avoid health problems in our family by making healthier food choices, then we absolutely wanted to be sure that we were giving the healthiest possible snacks to our dogs, as well. Considering that many of the ills of the first world dietary choices also afflict first world pets, such as cancer, degenerative diseases, autoimmune disorders, and obesity, we know that our pets deserve better options for their health, too!
DIY All Natural Dog Treats
This is the first recipe in a series on dog treats that can be made at home. We aim for these treats to be free of ingredients that could cause health issues, and to include items that will actually support and nourish the fur-babies that are in our care. Each day we have a choice whether to build up or tear down our bodies by the food we put in them, but for our pets, they cannot make that choice by themselves. It’s up to us to make wise decisions for them.
A NOTE OF CAUTION:
Some peanut butters are sweetened with xylitol. Xylitol is toxic to dogs and should absolutely not be fed to them.
While peanut butter and roasted cashew butter are safe for dogs when ingested in small amounts, you want to avoid raw cashews, walnuts, macadamia nuts, Brazil nuts, pistachios, and pecans. See Safe and Unsafe Nuts and Seeds For Dogs & Cats by Dr. Beth Turner on Preventipets.com for more information.
Aww, Nuts! Are Nuts Safe for Dogs to Eat?
Answer: Yes, and no. The best Peanut Butter is one that is all natural, and unsweetened. (Dogs don’t need the extra calories from sugar any more than we do). If you really want bonus points, you could invest in a Vitamix Blender and blend your own. But we won’t judge if you choose to buy your nut butter already made. : )
Allergies? If someone in your home has peanut allergies, you should be able to skip the peanut butter and substitute roasted cashew butter. I was hoping to test drive this recipe with cashew butter, but I have not fit it into my schedule yet. If you try a substitution, please comment below how it goes!
Dog shaped cookie cutters on Amazon.
*Turmeric is a common spice in Indian and Middle Eastern Cuisine that has been shown to reduce inflammation and help fight cancer. Here is Organic Turmeric Powder at Amazon.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven to 375 °F
- Mix together all ingredients to make a dough (Note: Oat flour dough will be spoonable, like drop biscuits.)
- With floured hands, pat dough to 1/4" thick on lightly floured surface.
- Use cookie cutters to cut out treats.
- Place cut-out treats on an ungreased baking sheet. (Spoon oat flour treats onto ungreased baking sheet.)
- Bake for 8-20 minutes, depending on size, thickness, and desired crispness.
- Remove from oven when treats are puffed, golden brown, and crusty to touch.
- Allow to cool completely.
- Baked treats can be stored an uncovered container on the counter for about 3 days.
- Freeze treats in a sealed container if you want to save them longer than 3 days.