Homemade dog cookies are the perfect snack. They are simple, tasty, economical and, most importantly, they are very nutritious and allow you to control the food you feed your dog.
Do you think making dog cookies is complicated? Well, you will be surprised how easy and quick it is to prepare and bake dog snacks. Cheer up and try these 3 recipes that we at Las Almenas have already proven that our dogs and puppies like them.
Our selection of homemade dog cookie recipes is:
1-Cookies with two ingredients, ideal for novice cooks.
2-Homemade cookies for diabetic dogs, highly recommended also for overweight dogs.
3-Homemade dog cookies with meat, the most economical recipe based on the leftovers of homemade meat stews.
Advantages of homemade dog cookies
If you prepare at home your own dog treats you are going to get several benefits:
- Control the food you give your pet, something that is essential in the case of allergic, intolerant, diabetic, with gastric problems or overweight dogs.
- There is an infinite number of recipes for dog treats with all kinds of ingredients. This way you can offer your furry friend a variety of foods.
- You avoid that your dog ingests additives and preservatives that are not recommended and that the commercially available dog snacks do have.
- They are very cheap and easy to prepare. You can even take advantage of the leftover food of the family.
Tips and recommendations for preparing homemade dog cookies
Before we get into the recipes, from Las Almenas we want to give you a series of tricks and warnings so that you know how to make dog cookies.
Think and choose the best ingredients for your dog’s treats.
In addition to dispense with those foods to which your dog may be allergic or intolerant, you should avoid foods that are forbidden for dogs. So do not add chocolate, raisins, onion, avocado, sugar, etc. to your homemade dog cookie recipes.
Remember also to eliminate seeds from fruits and vegetables, whether you give them raw or in a tasty cookie.
As for the flour, you can choose white, whole wheat, rice, oat or barley flour. All of them are valid for these recipes, but you must choose the most suitable for your dog.
And if you want to do without flour, you can exchange this ingredient for potato or sweet potato.
New ingredients, with caution
Are you going to give your puppy a new food for the first time? To prevent allergic reactions, it is best to introduce the new ingredient in the recipe in small quantities and, little by little, you can increase the amount.
Store dog treats properly.
As the recipes for homemade dog cookies do not include artificial preservatives, it is necessary that you take care of this aspect. The best thing to do is to keep your own dog snacks in the refrigerator. How? Well, you can put them in a jar, in an airtight tin or in zip-lock bags.
Remember to take them out of the refrigerator at least ten minutes before offering them to your dog. If they are too cold they will not taste as good.
If you have leftover dough, do not throw it away. You can freeze it to take it out later and cook it. Keep it in the freezer in separate bags, just as you do with the rest of the family’s food.
If they are moldy, throw them all away.
If you store homemade dog cookies properly, they will keep for two weeks in the refrigerator. However, always check them before giving them to your dog and make sure they are free of mold. If you see that some of them have mold spots, throw them all away, even those that are not affected.
Be careful with the sizes
It is important that you choose a mold whose size is suitable for your dog. A cookie for a shih-tzu puppy (https://almenas.es/guia-completa-de-la-raza-de-perro-shih-tzu/) is not the same as a cookie for a German shepherd, for example.
Don’t abuse cookies
Homemade dog cookies, although they are healthier than industrial ones, are not a substitute for conventional food. Offer them only as a reward for good behavior or to celebrate a special moment.
Ration the portions well so as not to cause any type of indigestion.
3 healthy recipes for homemade dog cookies
There are plenty of recipes for you to prepare tasty treats for dogs. There are cookies for dogs in thermomix, recipes of cookies for dogs without cereals, recipes of cookies in microwave, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. We propose you 3 exclusive recipes that are really very simple and healthy.
1-Two-ingredient cookies, ideal for novice cooks.
Let’s go with the first recipe we have selected from Las Almenas. This one is very, very simple and, as we tell you, it is ideal for inexperienced cooks or without time to make delicious homemade dog cookies.
For this recipe you only need to combine two ingredients: 150 g of whole wheat flour (spelt wheat, bran or oats) and 125 g of carrots. The trick is that you can make this recipe using a jar of baby food, for example carrot or apple.
As you can see, you only have to mix the flour with the baby food. In 10 minutes you will have enough to prepare up to 20 medium-sized snacks.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to about 175°C. Prepare a baking sheet with baking paper. Put the two ingredients in a bowl and mix until a stiff dough forms. If necessary, add a little water or more flour. Once mixed, flatten the dough with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface until it is 6 mm thick. Cut the dough into the desired shape with a cookie cutter or pizza cutter. Place the snacks about 13 mm apart on the baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. When done, let them cool and store them in airtight bags or jars and put them in the fridge.
2-Homemade cookies for diabetic dogs.
To control diabetes in dogs, diet is a very important part. It is highly recommended to follow a routine with meals to reduce the ups and downs of blood glucose.
In these circumstances, finding an appropriate treat for a diabetic dog is really complicated, so homemade dog cookies can be the best solution.
In this case, we recommend you a recipe also very quick in which you are going to do without flour, which is a carbohydrate that increases blood glucose. You can substitute it with chicken liver, which provides high quality proteins. For this recipe you will need 3 chicken livers, a medium potato of about 100 g, 1 egg, 20 ml of olive oil and a tablespoon of natural yogurt without sugar.
Instructions
Cook the chicken livers until cooked, cool them with cold water and mash them. Cook the potato without the skin and mash it, you can do it together with the livers. Beat the egg with the oil and the spoonful of natural yogurt and add the chicken livers and the potato, all mashed. Once everything is mixed, it is time to put the mixture in the molds or spread it on the baking sheet and then cut it into the shape you prefer. Bake the homemade dog cookies in the oven for 15 minutes at 180 ºC.
Keep in mind that these cookies, not having flour, will not be as crunchy as others. This is also an advantage if you have a puppy or an elderly dog with chewing problems.
Don’t forget to keep the homemade dog cookies in airtight containers in the refrigerator or in a cool, dry place.
3-Homemade dog cookies with meat, the most economical recipe
Leftovers from stews or roasts with meat are a fantastic base for making tasty homemade dog cookies. Cooking with leftovers is a gastronomic trend that can also be used for your dog’s food.
In this recipe that we propose from Las Almenas, you will simply have to add additional ingredients to the stew, such as 200 g of whole wheat or white flour, 1 egg and half a cup of hot water.
Instructions
Mix your stew (without skin or bones) with the flour, the egg and the hot water until you get a manageable dough. Now you only have to spread it on the baking tray or in the molds and let it bake for about 15 minutes at 180°C (350°F).
Once it has cooled, your homemade dog cookies are ready, enjoy!
The best reward for your dog
As you can see, the dog cookie recipes we have shown you are ideal as a healthy treat or snack, as they are much healthier than industrial snacks. However, we recommend you not to offer cookies to your dog every day. If you have to reward with food, do it also with other foods, such as apple or carrot pieces that they also like and are very healthy.
As a responsible breeding center, from Las Almenas we encourage you to reward your dog with caresses and cuddles, which are also very pleasant rewards. As you can see, positive reinforcement does not have to be limited exclusively to food.
What did you think of our tips and recipes? Have you tried making your own homemade dog cookie recipe? Share that special recipe with us! Leave us your comments here below or on our Facebook, Instagram profiles or on our Las Almenas YouTube channel. And before you say goodbye, let us know if you liked this article and would like us to suggest other types of recipes for your dog. Enjoy!
