Homemade Dog Treats

Training your dog is much easier using homemade dog treats.  Nowadays commercial doggie treats are filled with disgusting end-parts.  Parts that should be thrown away, but are ground into pet food and feed make it into factory production lines.  Examples include: feathers, beaks, hoofs, and other non-digestible parts.  Commercial dog treats are in the business of making money not keeping your dog healthy.

Make sure to look for all natural doggie treats.  Raw Hide dog treats have “100% natural” on the packaging, but compare them to other 100% natural dog treats.  You will see Raw Hide has a bright red color to them.  This is because they use an artificial, gloss-red coating on their treats.  I think the Raw Hide managers do not know what their Chinese counter-parts are putting into their products.  Wait for the next China production scandal.

Getting back on topic of how to make dog treats.  Choosing a base is the most important part.  Find flour that is packed with nutrients, unlike dull white flour.  Whole wheat, rye, and corn flour are all good choices to start.  Add-ins can include nuts, raisins, peanut butter, jerky bits, or anything your dog likes to eat.  This is the perfect way to provide nutrition with great flavor.  You can season the treats to your dog’s preference.  Canines prefer less salt and sugar than humans.

Homemade dog treats shouldn’t be boring.  Choose a cookie-cutter to shape the dog treats in your favorite design.  The best shapes for function are long, skinny shapes which make feeding your dog easy.  Examples of stretched, thin shapes include the classic bone, simple strips, trees, and fish.  Using stars, people, and ghosts is okay too, but your dog won’t be able to devour it.

The final step is actually baking them.  Turn your oven to 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes and your canine delight will be ready.  Don’t over-indulge your dog.  This is not a meal, but rather a treat or snack.  One or two per day is plenty.  Commercial dog treat packages recommended giving up to 8 treats per day for large dogs, but this is just so you buy more product.  Giving large quantities of these to your dog will lead to future problems with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and even cancer.

Make sure to store your results properly.  Dry end-products should be kept in cool dry places.  The more moisture you have in your dog treat, the shorter the shelf-life of your doggie treat.  Freezing or refrigerating your treat will help keep the product longer. Don’t hesitate to make some for your friends.  Wait, not for your friends, bur rather your friend’s dogs.  You friends and dogs will appreciate it.

Now you know exactly how to make dog treats in your own kitchen.