Homemade Dog Treats

Have you ever considered making your own dog treats? News headlines and numerous recalls in recent years have made us ever wary of store bought treats. From salmonella contamination to unknown harmful ingredients from China, store bought dog treats have had their share of problems and have sometimes resulted in pet illness and death. I admit, I avoid store bought jerky treats at all costs since the recalls and illness reports. Knowing that your dogs are consuming treats that are made from ingredients fit for human consumption offers a certain peace of mind. 

I have recently experimented with making my own dog cookie treats. I have come across two recipes so far that my dogs love (not that they are picky!). Blogs that deal in the topics of pets and baking can be a great resource to find yummy dog treat recipes. The first was Pumpkin Peanut Butter Dog Treats and they made great stocking stuffers at Christmas. The second is Peanut Butter Bacon Dog Treats which I just spent some time whipping up on this very rainy day. Both recipes have natural, healthy human grade ingredients and little to no added refined sugar which can always be tweaked to your liking or replaced with a more natural sweetener such as honey.

Give them a try. I think you will love them and your dog will love you even more for them. Just remember to check with your vet if your dog is prone to allergies and always give treats in moderation.