4 dog biscuit recipes

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE DOG TREATS

Approximate reading time:  10 minutes

To celebrate the day they joined your family, because they`ve been sick or simply to show them how much you love them. Surprising your dog with delicious treats you make yourself is a great way to show your affection, but also a great alternative to store-bought industrial snacks . If you want to control the ingredients your pet eats and have some fun in the kitchen, don't hesitate! Baking dog biscuits at home is much easier than you think. You can use ingredients you have at home - as long as you make sure they are safe for your dog - and they will be ready in just a few minutes.

Table of contents

1- Quick and easy dog snack recipes

• Sardine and pepper biscuits

• Yoghurt and pumpkin biscuits

• Turkey and carrot biscuits

• Apple and banana biscuits

2 - How to use homemade biscuits as a treat for my dog?

Quick and easy dog snack recipes

Although the most practical thing to do is to buy your dog's biscuits in the shop or supermarket, the truth is that preparing them at home is very simple and has great advantages. For one thing, you can include only those ingredients that you really want to give your dog. Many industrial dog biscuits include preservatives and poor quality by-products. However, if you bake your dog's biscuits at home, you can use quality raw materials and customise the recipes with the flavours that your furry friend likes best.

What's more, baking your pet's biscuits yourself is often much more economical, as you can adjust the quantities and use ingredients you already have in the fridge, not to mention how much fun it is! I'm sure once you take the plunge and discover how easy it is, you'll never buy biscuits for your pet again. Below are 5 easy dog biscuit recipe ideas that your dog will love. But before you get started, keep these tips in mind:

• Be very well informed about which foods are safe for dogs. If in doubt, consult your vet.
• Some ingredients you can use are salmon, tuna or turkey as a protein source, oatmeal or wholemeal flour and potato as binders, egg, pumpkin, fruit... Get imaginative!
• Do not add salt, sugar or hot spices to your dog biscuit recipes.
• You can make both sweet biscuits (without sugar or sweeteners, but sweetened with fruit) and savoury biscuits.
• To shape them, you can use silicone moulds with bone or round shapes, or you can also make small balls by hand or with any utensil that can be used as a cutter.
• Keep the biscuits in a tin jar or cloth sack to keep them dry and make them last longer. A trick is to put a piece of kitchen paper inside to absorb the moisture.
• The quantities of the ingredients are approximate, adjust if necessary to obtain consistent and malleable doughs.
• The baking time can vary quite a lot from one oven to another. Keep this in mind!

• Sardine and pepper biscuits

Dogs love meat, but they also love fish. A great source of protein and healthy fats is sardines, which you can combine with the sweetness of peppers in this tasty dog biscuit recipe.

Ingredients:

1 can of low-salt sardines, natural

1 egg

Half a red pepper 

Oatmeal (as much as the mixture will hold)

How to prepare:

1. Roast or boil the red pepper (it can be any variety you like, but red is sweeter), and crush it.

2. Mix all the ingredients except the flour in a bowl.

3. Add the oat flour (they serve crushed oat flakes) little by little, until it forms a dough that is consistent and easy to handle.

4. Roll into balls, create round shapes or transfer to a baking tin of your choice and bake in the oven at 150°C for 30 minutes or until set (you will notice that they are dry).

• Yoghurt and pumpkin biscuits

Does your dog have a sweet tooth? They'll love these biscuits thanks to the juiciness of the yoghurt and the sweet, fruity flavour of the pumpkin. In addition, this vegetable will provide your pet with calcium, magnesium, vitamins A, C, E and beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant - tasty and nutritious!

Ingredients:

100 g roasted pumpkin

200 g oat flour or wholemeal flour (or mixture of both)

150g plain yoghurt (no sugar or sweeteners) 

A pinch of cinnamon

How to prepare:

1. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl until you get a lump-free dough.

2. Shape them as desired or use moulds or fun cutters you have at home.

3. Bake for about 45 minutes at 150°C.

• Turkey and carrot biscuits

If your dog likes turkey, they'll love these biscuits, which you can use as a treat or snack between meals. They have a slightly more neutral taste, but they are very tasty and provide your pet with protein, minerals and vitamins. And best of all, you don't need an oven to make them - go for it!

Ingredients:

100g wholemeal flour

100g oat flour

50g carrots 

200g chopped turkey

1 beaten egg

How to prepare:

1. Boil the carrot in a saucepan with water and mash it with a fork.

2. Mix all the ingredients very well, until they are all well integrated.

3. Shape or place in a silicone mould and microwave for about 5 minutes. If you cover them, they will cook much faster.

• Apple and banana biscuits

Let's go with another sweet recipe for dog biscuits. This time, the base will be fruit, combining the freshness of the apple and the sweetness of the banana. A delicious mix rich in vitamins, minerals and potassium, your dog won't be able to resist!

Ingredients:

1 apple

1 ripe banana

2 cups wholemeal flour 

1 egg

How to prepare:

1. Grate the unpeeled apple, so that it retains all the vitamins and nutrients.

2. Mash a ripe banana with a fork.

3. In a bowl, mix the egg, apple, banana and cinnamon, and add the flour little by little.

4. Shape them with your hands and bake for about 15 minutes at 220°C.

How to use homemade biscuits as a treat for my dog?

The best thing about baking your dog's biscuits at home is that you can choose good, wholesome ingredients that make them much more nutritious and, therefore, recommendable treats than those you buy in the shop. However, even if you use quality ingredients, we recommend that you do not overdo it when it comes to offering these biscuits as a treat to your pet. Some of them contain flour, which should never be over-consumed in a dog's diet and, in addition, your dog could get used to receiving too many treats and they would no longer have the desired rewarding effect.

Once you have your homemade biscuits baked, store them properly in a cool, dry place and surprise your best friend from time to time with these easy-to-prepare healthy treats - they are sure to love them!