Healthy & Tasty Homemade Dog Treats That Your Pup Will Love

What dog doesn’t love a good dog treat? 

While there are many different types of dog treats you can buy, healthier options are few and far between. If you’re a pet parent, you may know that finding the perfect dog treat for your ultimate good boy can be a difficult task.

We’re here to help! Come, sit, stay—We’ll give you a quick rundown of what you need to know about dog treats, as well as give you a few of our favorite homemade dog treat recipes!

First things first…

What’s the Deal with Store-Bought Dog Treats?

If you’ve taken a walk down the dog treat aisle at your favorite pet supply store, you know that there are countless options with the promise of being a healthy treat for your pup. 

Unfortunately, many brands tend to fall short on those promises. Store-bought dog treats often contain unhealthy ingredients, such as artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives. They can also be high in fat and calories…yikes, right?

The Solution: Homemade Dog Treats

Homemade dog treats are a healthier and more affordable alternative to questionable store-bought dog treats. 

Homemade treats can be made with fresh, healthy ingredients that you know your dog will love. And what better way to show your dog how much they mean to you than with made-with-love treats that support a happy, healthy life?

There are many benefits of making dog treats at home:

Things to Keep in Mind

If you’re thinking about making homemade dog treats for your pup, there are a few things you need to keep in mind:

Health & Safety

As we said, store-bought dog treats oftentimes lack the good stuff and are filled with the bad stuff. You don’t want that, and your pup definitely doesn’t want (or need) that. So when making your dog treats, opt to use fresh, whole ingredients.

Cooking Requirements

Just like halfway-cooked food for us isn’t always great, neither is halfway-cooked dog treats for your pup. If your dog treat recipe calls for cooking or baking, be sure they are completely cooked through.

Storage

No one—including Fido—likes stale, moldy goodies. For your treats to stay fresh and delicious, they need to be properly stored. We recommend storing your homemade treats in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.

Now, for the fun part…

4 Homemade Dog Treat Recipes

Making homemade dog treats might sound like an overwhelming task, but it doesn’t need to be! Here are a few of our favorite, simple dog treat recipes that’ll make your dog come barking back for more:

3-Ingredient Dog Treats

Ingredients:

- ½ Cup Natural Peanut Butter
- 2 Medium Ripe Banana
- 2 Cups Oats (1-minute, instant, or old-fashioned)

Instructions:

1.  Preheat your oven to 300°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
2. Grind oats in a food processor until they’re a fine powder. If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a blender or coffee grinder, or just buy oat flour (since oat flour is denser, start with 1 cup and add more as needed).
3. Add peanut butter and bananas and blend until mixture turns into a dough.
4. Remove and roll out on a lightly floured surface (Use dog-safe flour or even more ground oats). Cut into desired shapes.
5. Line treats on your prepared baking sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until they have puffed up and are dry and dark brown on the bottoms. Let cool before giving your pup. 

Why We Love Them:

*Recipe courtesy of It Doesn’t Take Like Chicken

Pumpkin Dog Treats

Ingredients:

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
2. In a large bowl, mix pumpkin puree, peanut butter, and eggs together on medium-high speed until well combined to form a dough (we recommend using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer). 
3. Reduce speed to low and slowly add flour. Mix well. Add additional flour until dough has the texture of cookie dough and is not sticky.
4. Remove, knead, and roll dough to ¼ inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut into desired shapes. 
5. Line on your prepared baking sheet and bake between 20 to 30 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Let cool before giving to your pup.

Why We Love Them:

*Recipe courtesy of Kathleen's Cravings

No-Bake Peanut Butter Dog Treats

Ingredients:

Instructions:

1. If you need to melt your coconut oil, place it in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook until melted.
2. Add peanut butter and cinnamon to coconut oil. Stir mixture well until smooth. Mixture should be thick, yet pourable.
3. Pour mixture into a silicone tray and freeze until set.
4. Carefully remove from tray and give to your pup.

Why We Love Them:

*Recipe courtesy of Live Laugh Rowe

Veggie Dog Treats

Ingredients:

- 1 Cup Pumpkin Puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- ¼ Cup Natural Peanut Butter
- 2 Large Eggs
- ½ Cup Old Fashioned Oats
- 3 Cups Whole Wheat Flour, or more as needed
- 1 Carrot, Peeled and Shredded
- 1 Zucchini, Shredded
- 1 Cup Baby Spinach, Chopped

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
2. In a large bowl, mix pumpkin puree, peanut butter, and eggs on medium-high until well combined using a stand mixer or a hand mixer.
3. Reduce to low speed and gradually add old-fashioned oats and 2 ½ cups flour until well combined. Add additional ¼ cup of flour at a time until dough is no longer sticky. 
4. Add in carrot, zucchini, and spinach until well combined. 
5. Remove, knead, and roll dough to ¼ inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut into desired shapes. 
6. Line on your prepared baking sheet and bake between 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Let cool before giving to your pup.

Why We Love Them:

- Nutritious: Carrots, zucchini, and spinach are good sources of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that can benefit your dog’s immune system, skin health, and more.
- Not Your Average Treat: It’s hard to find dog treats that are loaded with the goodness of vegetables. This allows you to incorporate maybe some new foods into your dog’s diet.

*Recipe courtesy of Damn Delicious

All of these treats are not only healthy for your furry companion, but also delicious! They’re so tasty that maybe you will even want to sneak a bite or two.

A Tip from PupGrade

While we may be considered a store-bought dog treat brand, we like to consider ourselves the exception. 

PupGrade’s dog supplements are a great daily treat for dogs because they are made with all-natural ingredients that you can trust. We include everything your dog needs and nothing that they don’t. 

Our products are designed to support your dog’s specific needs, along with their overall health and well-being. Whether your dog may need joint, digestive, allergy, or general health support, we have you covered.

If you’re short on time, or if baking just really isn’t your thing, you can give your pup our tasty supplement chews with total peace of mind.

We've gone ahead and enclosed a 10% OFF Coupon below for you to use in the store - remember, your puppy DESERVES to have the healthiest life! Click here to start shopping!