Homemade Dog Treats Recipes

From picky-eaters to healthful hounds, wholesome homemade dog treats bursting with flavor, are hard for any dog to turn down. Try these homemade dog treat recipes for your four-legged best friend!

Super Simple Yum Drops for Dogs

Homemade dog treats by: Kristi Simmons, TX
Portions: 15+          Prep: 10 mins          Cook: 8 mins

Easy homemade dog treats cooked in the microwave, perfect homemade pet treats for busy people that are short on time, but still want their four-legged family members to enjoy natural, healthy, wholesome snacks. Simple to prep, easy to cook, conveniently store in the fridge for all your pup’s good dog moments.

Ingredients:

  • 3 Jars baby food meat or veggies
  • 1 1/2 Cups wheat germ or cream of wheat

Instructions:

  1. Mix ingredients together well.
  2. Drop by spoonfuls on a wax paper-covered plate.
  3. Seal with wax paper over the top.
  4. Cook on high in the microwave for 5-8 minutes
  5. Remove from oven and check that treats are formed and firm.
  6. Store in refrigerator.
  7. Serve as a snack.
  8. Find similar treats online.

Fried Rice Treats

Homemade dog treats by: Eunice Peters, KS

Portions: 6+          Prep: 10 mins          Cook: 15 mins

Even picky palates won’t say no to these homemade dog treats. Tried and approved by Eunice’s very own picky-eater, Buster, who she met on Petfinder.com, this meat and rice recipe is paws-down guaranteed to make your pup happy. Try this recipe, and feed your best friend the freshest-baked, homemade pet treats.

Ingredients:

  • 2-3 cups cut-up chunks of any meat of your choice (Pork & Chicken are recommended)
  • 2 cups cold, cooked rice (day old, stored in the refrigerator)
  • 3 Eggs
  • 3 Tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 Tbsp sunflower oil or safflower oil (for Vitamin E)
  • 1 Tbsp dried or fresh parsley
  • Optional: Juice carrots and other assorted veggies, add 1-2 Tbsp before each serving that way the nutrients remain intact and are fresh.
  • Optional: Dog vitamins, pounded & crushed into powder can also be added to this homemade dog treat recipe.

Instructions:

  1. Heat wok or large pan at medium heat.
  2. Add oil until hot.
  3. Beat eggs lightly in a bowl and set aside.
  4. Add the meat. Cook until almost done (a little pink in middle).
  5. Add cold cooked rice. Stir frequently to avoid food sticking to the pan.
  6. When rice is warm, add the eggs. Again, stir frequently, until almost cooked.
  7. Add soy sauce, parsley. Stir frequently until dry and somewhat crispy.
  8. Should take up to 15 min to cook the entire dish.
  9. Serve 1 cup chilled, twice a day, in your dog’s bowl with fresh juiced vegetables and vitamins.

Pea “Mutt” Butter & Pumpkin “Pup” Cakes

Homemade dog treats by: Gina Moultrie, NV

Portions: 25+     Prep: 10 mins     Cook: 35-40 mins

There’s no better way to celebrate your four-legged pack than with a pup cake of their own. Sabine and Dana, who Gina met on Petfinder, give this great homemade dog treat recipe with pumpkin and peanut butter all-paws up, and your pups will too.

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/2 cups water
  • 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
  • 1 egg (slightly beaten)
  • 1/2 Tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup peanut butter (chunky)
  • 3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup oats
  • 1 Tbsp baking powder
  • 1/2 Tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 Tsp cinnamon

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a medium bowl mix water, pumpkin, egg, vanilla, and peanut butter thoroughly.
  3. In a large bowl combine flour, oats, baking powder, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
  4. Mix wet and dry ingredients together and stir well.
  5. Spoon into a greased mini muffin pan, making sure to fill each cup completely and piled high.
  6. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until firm (but not too brown).
  7. Cool completely and store in an open container or paper bag in the refrigerator.
  8. Makes 30 mini pup cakes.

Doggone Birthday Cake

Homemade dog treats by: Jennifer Latshaw, PA

Portions: 1       Prep: 10 mins       Cook: 60-70 mins

Homemade dog treat recipes, like this easy cake version, lets your best friend celebrate birthdays just like everyone else in the family. Deliciously moreish, home-baked perfection, that’s quick to prep and then does all the work for you to make every birthday a great one to remember.

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 Tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 cup softened margarine
  • 1/4 cup corn oil
  • 1 jar (3.5 oz) baby food, strained beef or chicken
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 bacon strips fried and crumbled or use dog beef jerky
  • *Optional: plain yogurt for icing or cottage cheese

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  2. Grease and flour an 8-inch round pan.
  3. Cream butter until smooth.
  4. Add corn oil, baby food, eggs, and carrots and mix until smooth.
  5. Gradually add flour and baking powder, continue to mix until smooth.
  6. Add bacon (or beef jerky) and fold into batter.
  7. Pour batter into greased round cake pan.
  8. Bake time: 60 -70 minutes (cake should bounce back when done).
  9. Allow cake to cool, then top with plain yogurt or cottage cheese.
  10. Refrigerate any remaining portions.

Super Simple Yum Drops for Cats

Homemade dog treats by: Kristi Simmons, TX

Portions: 15+          Prep: 10 mins          Cook: 8 mins

Ingredients:

  • 3 Jars baby food meat or veggies
  • 1 1/2 Cups wheat germ or cream of wheat
  • Small amount of tuna juice

Instructions:

  1. Mix ingredients together well.
  2. Drop 1/4 spoonfuls on a wax paper-covered plate.
  3. Seal with wax paper over the top.
  4. Cook on high in the microwave for 5-8 minutes
  5. Remove from oven and check that treats are formed and firm.
  6. Store in refrigerator.
  7. Serve as a snack.
  8. Find similar tuna treats online.

Treats for Small & Furry Friends

Homemade dog treats by: Shelby Butler, AL

Portions: 15+          Prep: 5 mins          Cook: 0 mins

Ingredients:

  • 1 Small carrot per pet in the home
  • Pet treats (these may be different depending on how many pets there are)
  • Water
  • Pet food

Instructions:

  1. Hollow out each carrot.
  2. Roll the carrot in water.
  3. Roll the carrot in the pet food.
  4. Stuff a few treats in the hollow.
  5. If sunflower seeds are used in the hollow, shelled sunflower seeds are the safest.
  6. Give to your pet as a healthy treat.

While some homemade cat treats call for baby food, please be sure to check the label carefully as these items can sometimes contain onion or garlic powder. There have been cases where cats developed onion toxicosis after eating baby food.

Avoid giving dogs and cats garlic and garlic powder, as garlic is an onion species and can cause a reaction. Finally, while making treats should be a pleasure to bake and reward your family pets, they do not replace regular meals.

Treats should not constitute more than 10% of your pet's daily food intake. Learn more about dog nutrition and cat nutrition from experts.

Cheese Balls

Submitted by Kellyann Conway of Florida

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
  • 1 cup cottage cheese
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 / 3 cup chopped nuts

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. In a bowl, mix the cheddar cheese and cottage cheese, then add the vegetable oil and Worcestershire sauce.
  3. Very slowly, mix in the flour. Mix until you see that the dough can easily be molded.
  4. Divide the dough into bite-sized balls about the size of a marble, then roll the balls in the chopped nuts. Arrange the balls on a cookie tray.
  5. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the cheese balls are golden brown.
  6. Make sure they are completely cool before giving them to your pooch and store any leftovers in a covered container in the fridge.

Liver Snaps

Submitted by Kellyann Conway of Florida

Ingredients: 

  • 1 pound chicken livers
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 1 egg

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Put the chicken livers in a blender and liquefy them.
  3. Add the egg and blend for another minute.
  4. Pour the mixture into a bowl.
  5. Add the flour and cornmeal and mix well.
  6. Spray a cookie sheet with some non-stick cooking spray and pour the mixture onto it.
  7. Using the tip of a butter knife, lightly score the surface in a square pattern to make it easier to cut after baking.

Bake for 15 minutes. Cut into small squares while still warm. For safe storage, put them in a resealable container and keep them in the freezer.

Shredded Roast Chicken with Stuffing

Submitted by Cary Moran of Pennsylvania

Ingredients:

  • (1) 5 to 8 pound oven roaster chicken
  • 1 sweet potato, cooked and mashed
  • 1 cup oatmeal
  • 6-8 eggshells, boiled, dried, and crushed (to provide bone meal)
  • 1 cup cooked spinach
  • 1 tablespoon rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt (not table salt)
  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley
  • 1 cup water
  • (1) 12 ounce can low sodium chicken broth or vegetarian vegetable broth
  • 4 tablespoons of unbleached flour

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  2. Rinse the chicken and pat dry.
  3. To make stuffing: In a bowl, combine mashed sweet potato, oatmeal, dried eggshell, and spinach. Combine rosemary, sea salt, and parsley and rub on the chicken. Stuff chicken.
  4. Place chicken in a shallow roasting pan with one cup of water and one cup of either low sodium chicken broth or vegetarian vegetable broth, saving four ounces to make a gravy.
  5. Cover with aluminum foil and cook for 1 hour.
  6. Remove foil and begin basting every 10 to 15 minutes.
  7. Using a cooking thermometer inserted at the thickest part of the chicken, cook until the internal temperature reaches 180 degrees and juices run clear.
  8. Let chicken stand for 10 minutes and whisk remaining juices with flour to make a gravy.
  9. Scoop out the stuffing and set it aside.
  10. Once the chicken cools to a comfortable handling temperature, remove the chicken from the bones and shred it.
  11. Mix shredded chicken, stuffing, and gravy and refrigerate in an airtight container.
  12. Use it as a topping for dry food, or temporarily as a food replacement.

“Peamutt” Butter and Pumpkin “Pupcakes”

Submitted by Gina Moultrie of Nevada

Ingredients:

  • 2-½ cups water
  • ½ cup canned pumpkin
  • 1 egg (slightly beaten)
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup peanut butter (chunky)
  • 3-½ cups whole wheat flour
  • ½ cup oats
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a medium bowl, thoroughly mix water, pumpkin, egg, vanilla, and peanut butter.
  3. In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, baking powder, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
  4. Mix wet and dry ingredients together and stir well.
  5. Spoon into a greased mini-muffin pan, making sure each cup is filled completely and piled high.
  6. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until firm (but not too brown).
  7. Cool completely and store in an open container or paper bag in the refrigerator. Makes 30 mini pupcakes.

PB and Cheese Biscuits

Submitted by Kellyann Conway of Florida

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons peanut butter
  • 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese (organic, natural, or sugar-free are best for your pup)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 tablespoon of water

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a bowl, mix the flour and milk until lumpy, then add the peanut butter and water.
  3. Mix in the parmesan cheese and then add the egg white. The mixture should have the consistency of pancake batter.
  4. Add the baking powder.
  5. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray and spoon the batter onto it in approximately two-inch blobs.
  6. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown. Let them cool and serve ’em up!

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