Homemade Dog Treats Recipe

I like to make homemade dog treats for my dog.  He absolutely loves them and I have been out for a while so he's been stuck with the store purchased ones for a while.  Tonight I got busy in the kitchen and made a double batch of dog biscuits.  

We had a very special motivation today. . .My son got a new rescued puppy for Christmas and since she is only 8 weeks old he will be working on house training her.  And if you've ever had a puppy in your house you know it works really well to reward them every time they do their business where they are suppose to.

Here is Taylor's new pup.  Isn't she just the cutest thing???

Taylor took the pup to visit some friends today, but our 5 year old Maltese/Lhasa Apso mix who we also rescued almost 2 years ago was here and he stood on his hind legs dancing around the kitchen because he likes these soooo much!

Click for a printable version of this recipe

Ingredients: 

1 cup canned pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie mix - confirm before using)

1 tsp cinnamon

1 Tbsp. parsley

1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

1 cup cold water

1/2 cup vegetable or olive oil

5 cups flour

2 1/2 cups old fashioned oatmeal

1/2 cup powdered milk

1 egg

Directions:

1.  Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. 

2.  Refrigerate dough for approximately an hour to firm dough up.  I never have the patience for this part, so I just use some extra flour and continue.

3.  Separate dough into manageable sized balls.  I separate mine into about 3 - 4 equally sized balls.

4.  Tear off two pieces of waxed paper approximately the size of a rectangular cookie sheet.  This will help contain most of the flour and provide with hardly any messy cleanup

5.  Sprinkle some flour onto one piece of waxed paper, place 1 of the dough balls on top of flour and sprinkle top of dough with more flour.  Place 2nd piece of waxed paper on top of dough.  

6.  Using a rolling pin, roll the ball of dough out until it is about 1/4 inch in thickness.  If you don't have a rolling pin, just use smaller portions of dough and flatten with the palm of your hand until it is consistently about 1/4 inch thick.

7.  Using a small cookie cutter (I found a dog bone shaped one at Target for about $1.00 this fall) cut out pieces of the dough.  If you don't have any cookie cutters, you can either just use the rim of a small juice glass or use a butter knife to cut dough into squares (just run knife both horizontally and vertically through the dough at approximately 1 1/2 - 2 inch strips)

8.  Place dough on a cookie sheet.  These do not rise or spread, so you can place them very close together for baking.

9.  Bake at 350 degrees in a preheated oven for about 20 minutes.

These do NOT contain any preservatives, so I recommend storing only a small portion in your refrigerator in an airtight plastic storage container or zippered plastic storage bag and storing the balance of them in the freezer.  You can remove a small amount (about a week's portion) to thaw in the refrigerator when you are ready for more.

These make very nice gifts at the holidays or just because, and since this recipe makes up so many treats, you might consider bagging some up for your friend's or neighbor's 4 legged friends too!

Note:  Cinnamon is good for your dog's heart since it improves circulation and lowers cholesterol levels.  It also has anti-inflammatory properties which helps relieve pain in the dog's joints.  Cinnamon also helps regulate blood sugar so if your dog is diabetic this is the perfect treat for him or her.

Pumpkin pureé aids in your pet's digestion.  It is loaded with antioxidants and vitamins C and E which helps to reduce cataracts and heart issues.  It is also great for weight management since pumpkin acts as a healthy filler.  Parsley also aids in digestion and as an added bonus will help freshen your pet's breath.  It is high in vitamins A and C.