Healthy Homemade Dog Treat Recipe

Every day, dog owners must make decisions about the treats that they give their dogs. Commercial dog treats are often high in fat, in salt, in preservatives and in ash, as well as other unnecessary ingredients.

Homemade dog treats are often the healthiest dog treats. Fortunately, dog treat cook books abound in book stores, on the Internet, and at dog shows all over the country. In addition to these cook books, easy dog treat recipes can readily be found on the Internet as well.

Dog treats do not need to be complicated to be satisfying to your pet. Dogs like simple treats, even as simple as a baby carrot straight from the bag. Carrots are sweet, they are crisp, and they are loaded with moisture—a perfect snack!

Another simple, but popular, dog treat consists of slicing canned dog food and baking it in a moderate oven until it is crisp. Your kitchen will not smell wonderful, but your dog will love you for it.

Other simple dog treats include:

Liver treats
1 pound of beef liver, pureed
1 box of corn bread mix
1 tsp. of garlic powder

Combine all of the ingredients. Pour into a lightly greased baking pan. Bake at temperature recommended on box. Treat is finished when a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Beef Heart Treats
Beef heart, sliced thin
Garlic powder

Have the beef heart cut into .25 inch slices at the store. Sprinkle the slices liberally with garlic powder. Wrap the slices in aluminum foil. Bake at 350 degrees until the beef is cooked throughout. Individual slices can be frozen and removed as needed.

Peanut Butter Treats
2 cups flour or or whole wheat flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
2 cups peanut butter, creamy or chunky
1 cup skim milk

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Combine peanut butter and milk in a separate bowl, stir until smooth. Add peanut butter mixture to dry ingredients, mix until completely moistened.

Knead dough on lightly floured counter or bread board. Roll out dough to approximately .25" thick; cut with a cookie cutter. Bake on greased cookie sheet in a 375 degree oven until lightly browned.

How Many Treats?
No matter how healthy your dog treats are, you should only give him a few treats at any one time. Dog treats are meant to be appealing snacks or rewards; they are not nutritionally balanced and should not be fed in place of his regular meals. For this reason, dog treats should never make up more than five to ten percent of your dog's diet. These treat recipes were created for normal dogs in good health and not for dogs requiring special diets.

Next article: Homemade Dog Treats or Commercial Dog Treats