Homemade Dog Treats- Healthy and Yummy!
How to Make Healthy, Tasty Homemade Dog Treats
Hello, and welcome back to my channel! If you’re new here, I’m Dr. Andrew Jones, and in today’s episode of Veterinary Secrets, I’ll be showing you how to make delicious and healthy homemade dog treats. Many of you requested this after my last episode, where I discussed the dangers of toxic dog jerky treats. So, let’s dive in and create something healthier for our furry friends.
Healthy Dog Treats with Simple Ingredients
This dog treat recipe is going to be flour-based, using gluten-free flour as the main ingredient. I’m using rice flour in this recipe, which is an excellent choice for dogs with sensitivities to gluten. Here’s what we’re going to use:
- 1 cup gluten-free rice flour
- ½ cup natural peanut butter (make sure it’s organic and free from xylitol)
- ¼ cup applesauce (homemade or store-bought)
- ¼ cup of a liquid base (I’ll be using my Ultimate Canine Health Formula supplement mixed with water, but you can use chicken broth or a chicken bouillon cube)
Step-by-Step Instructions
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Prepare the Base
Start with 1 cup of gluten-free rice flour. Next, add ½ cup of natural peanut butter. The peanut butter I’m using is organic, and it’s important to make sure it’s natural, as many peanut butters contain xylitol, which is toxic to dogs. Stir to mix the oil into the peanut butter if it has separated. -
Add Applesauce for Moisture
Now, add ¼ cup of applesauce. I’m using homemade applesauce here, but store-bought will work just as well. -
Incorporate a Flavorful Liquid Base
For the liquid base, I’m using a scoop of my Ultimate Canine Health Formula supplement mixed with ¼ cup of water. This supplement not only adds flavor but also provides essential vitamins, minerals, probiotics, and flax oil—making this treat extra nutritious. Alternatively, you can use chicken broth or a bouillon cube. -
Adjust Consistency
Mix all the ingredients together. If the dough is too runny, add a little more rice flour to thicken it up until it reaches a consistency that’s easy to roll out, similar to cookie dough.
Rolling and Shaping the Treats
Once the dough is ready, roll it out on a floured surface to about ¼ inch thickness. Use your favorite cookie cutters to create fun shapes—stars, bones, or whatever you like! If the dough feels too sticky, add a bit more flour to get the right balance.
Baking Time
Place your shaped treats on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes. The treats should be golden on the edges but still soft in the center. Don’t worry if they get a little dark on the edges, as long as they’re soft in the middle, they’re perfect!
The Moment of Truth: Tasting Time
After baking, it’s time for the big moment—testing the treats with Tula! These treats may have come out looking like slightly funky star shapes, but Tula doesn’t mind—she loves them! The best part is that with the addition of glucosamine, chondroitin, and MSM from the supplement, these treats are not only tasty but also beneficial for dogs with arthritis.
Bonus Tip for Dogs with Joint Issues
If your dog has arthritis, this recipe is especially great because of the glucosamine, chondroitin, and MSM found in the Ultimate Canine Health Formula. These ingredients help support joint health, making it a great choice for older dogs or those with joint pain.
Thank You for Watching
I hope you enjoyed this episode of Veterinary Secrets. If you’d like more healthy dog recipes and natural remedies, be sure to like this video and subscribe to my channel. And don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter—just click the link in the box below to receive free books, videos, and my top natural remedies for healing your dog at home.
Thank you for watching, and I’ll see you in the next episode!
So cute recipe! Very entertaining!
We are glad you enjoyed it. The best recipes are the ones that make tails wag and bring a smile too.
Loved your video.Fun to watch you go through all the steps as I do, and you measure very much like me only I don’t use measuring cups for peanut butter, I just eyeball it then adjust my dough at the end. Another short cut I have found is to roll the dough out then onto a cookie sheet, just kind of spread it out into the corners and try to get it as even and flat as you can. then take a knife or cutting tool and press down the dough and basically cut into squares. When they are baked they will just break apart. Saves a lot of time and the dogs really don’t care about the shapes.
We are all for making things easier, and scoring the dough into squares before baking is such a great time saver. Best of all, the dogs are just as happy with tasty treats, no matter what shape they come in. Thanks for sharing!
Excellent way to take on the dog treat industry killing our pets!!! WAY TO GO DR. JONES!!! BTW, I love to see a man in the kitchen. The work is great and now your fan base, nearing 100,000 subscribers can start making their dog treats at home. Is the spelling of that ingredient that should NOT be in the peanut butter xylitol? And here is one of our USA television chefs making treats for her friends’ dog. Enjoy the video if you have time. You’ll have your own cooking channel soon! THANK YOU!!!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/whole-wheat-and-peanut-butter-dog-biscuits-2499067
Thank you so much! And yes, you are absolutely right, it is xylitol, although many peanut butter brands now list it as birch sugar or xylitol. Either way, it is something we always want to avoid because it can be extremely toxic to dogs. We really appreciate you sharing the video too. Homemade treats are such a simple way to know exactly what is going into our pets’ snacks. Happy baking!
I look forward to your videos, good job! I also like to make homemade treats for my 2 dogs. I have a juicer so I like to take some of the pulp and add it to the dough, instead of water I use kombucha which you know is a wonderful health benefit to all. Then of course I add all the vitamins and coconut oil. Their coats are shiny and their insides are happy.
We love that you are making homemade treats for your pups. The extra care really shows. We would just be a little cautious with kombucha since it can contain alcohol, caffeine, and added sugars that are not ideal for dogs. The veggie pulp, healthy fats like coconut oil, and balanced ingredients are all great additions. Sounds like your two lucky pups are enjoying lots of love and some tasty treats!
Like the recipe. Would like to order your Ultimate Canine supplement, but my dog doesn’t seem to like flax. Do you think he would refuse to eat it on his food?
Also, love all of your videos and get a wealth of great information. I only wish I could find a vet like you in the Fresno, Ca. area.
Thank you for all of your generous and informative info.
Most dogs do well with the Ultimate Canine supplement since the overall flavor is very tasty. If your pup is picky, just start with a small amount mixed into a favorite food and build up gradually. We wish we had a clone in Fresno too!
Love your recipe . Made them but my dog doesn’t like peanut butter. Is there anything else that I can use? Love your video. Thanks ???
If peanut butter is not a favorite, you can swap it with plain pumpkin puree or unsweetened applesauce. Both work well and many dogs love them. Just be sure to avoid anything with added sugar or xylitol. Give one of those a try and let us know which one your pup likes best!
I enjoyed the webinar! And thank you for giving us the link to come here. I look forward to the canine supplement. I only wish I had clicked on the monthly ordering. This video is entertaining; I also learned to add supplements to my batter which I never did. Also I’ve been using oatmeal, and then press it into the pan. Again thank you for reaching out to us doggy and Cat parents. Most vets and doctors are too preoccupied to do so. Kinda of lost to humanity….respectfully, corina
We’re so glad you enjoyed the webinar and picked up a few new treat making tips. Oatmeal is a great addition too. We can’t wait to share the canine supplement with you. Thanks for being part of our dog and cat loving community. Give your furry family a hug from us!