Homemade Dog Treats: 10 Recipes That Take Under 15 Minutes
10 quick and easy homemade dog treat recipes, from peanut butter banana bites to tuna training treats. Perfect for puppies and dogs with sensitive sto
Homemade Dog Treats: 10 Recipes That Take Under 15 Minutes
Making treats at home sounds like a weekend project, but it usually takes me less time than a trip to the pet store. I started doing this because Alice has sensitive skin and food allergies, so controlling every ingredient became a necessity. If you are dealing with similar issues, I wrote about managing dog allergies and sensitive skin recently. Now that we have Dodo, the mini chowdoodle puppy who thinks everything is edible, having a steady supply of high-value training treats is just survival.
Store-bought treats are fine in a pinch, but the ingredient lists are often long and full of preservatives. When you make them yourself, you know exactly what your dog is eating. Plus, it is significantly cheaper.
Here are ten recipes I make constantly. None of them require special equipment, and they all come together in under fifteen minutes of active prep time.
1. Peanut Butter Banana Bites
These are the easiest treats to make when you have bananas going brown on the counter. I use them for stuffing Kongs or just as a quick reward during our daily walks.
Ingredients:
- 1 ripe banana
- 1/2 cup natural peanut butter (xylitol-free)
- 1 cup oat flour
Instructions: Mash the banana in a bowl and stir in the peanut butter until smooth. Add the oat flour gradually until you get a dough that holds together. Roll into small balls and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes.
Dodo goes absolutely feral for these. I have to keep them in the back of the fridge or she will sit by the door and whine. They have a soft texture, which makes them great for puppies who are still figuring out their teeth.
2. Frozen Yogurt Drops
Alice loves these after a long walk in the summer. They melt fast, so they are strictly an outdoor or kitchen floor treat.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup plain, unsweetened Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup blueberries or mashed strawberries
Instructions: Blend the yogurt and berries together. Spoon the mixture into a silicone mold or just drop small dollops onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze for at least two hours. Store them in an airtight container in the freezer.
The probiotics in the yogurt are great for Alice's digestion. I usually make a batch on Sunday and keep them on hand for hot afternoons.
3. Sweet Potato Chews
Store-bought sweet potato chews are surprisingly expensive. Making them at home is just slicing and waiting.
Ingredients:
- 1 large sweet potato
Instructions: Preheat your oven to 250°F. Wash the sweet potato and slice it lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick strips. Place the strips on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 3 hours, flipping halfway through, until they are dry and chewy.
Alice prefers these over any commercial chew. They are gentle on her stomach and keep her occupied for a good ten minutes. I usually leave the skin on for extra fiber, just make sure to scrub the potato well before slicing.
4. Pumpkin Biscuits
I keep canned pumpkin in the pantry year-round for digestion issues, but it also makes a great biscuit base.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup canned pure pumpkin (not pie filling)
- 1/4 cup peanut butter
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
Instructions: Mix the pumpkin and peanut butter together. Stir in the flour until a stiff dough forms. Roll it out to about 1/4-inch thickness and cut into shapes. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes until hard.
These have a great crunch. If you want them to last longer, you can leave them in the turned-off oven as it cools down to dry them out completely.
5. Apple Carrot Muffins
These are slightly more involved but still very quick. I make mini muffins so they are the right size for Dodo.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup grated apple (core and seeds removed)
- 1/2 cup grated carrot
- 1 egg
- 1 cup oat flour
Instructions: Mix the grated apple, carrot, and egg in a bowl. Fold in the oat flour. Spoon the batter into a greased mini muffin tin, filling each cup about halfway. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes. Let them cool completely before serving.
I like to pack a few of these when we go to the park. They feel like a high-value reward but are mostly just fruit and vegetables.
6. Tuna Training Treats
These smell terrible while they bake, which means the dogs think they are the greatest thing on earth. They are my go-to for recall training.
Ingredients:
- 1 can of tuna in water (undrained)
- 1 egg
- 1 cup flour (oat or whole wheat)
Instructions: Mash the tuna and its water with the egg. Stir in the flour until you have a thick paste. Spread the mixture evenly onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, about 1/4-inch thick. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes. Use a pizza cutter to slice it into tiny squares while it is still warm.
Dodo learned her name in two days using these. The smell is highly motivating, especially when we are outside with a lot of distractions. We use them heavily in our puppy recall training.
7. Blueberry Oat Balls
A good option when you want a treat that doesn't leave grease on your hands during a walk.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
Instructions: Pulse the oats in a blender until they resemble coarse flour. Mix in the applesauce and blueberries, mashing the berries slightly as you stir. Roll into small balls and bake at 350°F for 12-15 minutes.
These are very clean to handle. I keep a handful in my pocket during our morning walks and they never crumble or make a mess.
8. Chicken Jerky Strips
Commercial chicken jerky has had so many recalls over the years that I prefer to just make it myself.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
Instructions: Slice the chicken breast as thin as possible. It helps to freeze the meat for about 30 minutes before slicing. Lay the strips on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Bake at 200°F for 2 hours until completely dry and brittle.
Alice has a sensitive stomach, but plain dehydrated chicken never bothers her. I store these in the fridge just to be safe, though they usually don't last long enough to spoil.
9. Watermelon Popsicles
This is barely a recipe, but it is a staple in our house from June through August.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups seedless watermelon chunks
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions: Blend the watermelon and water until smooth. Pour the liquid into ice cube trays or silicone molds and freeze until solid.
Dodo likes to bat these around the patio before eating them. It makes a mess, but it keeps her busy while I am watering the plants.
10. Cheese Training Cubes
When we are working on something difficult, like ignoring squirrels, I bring out the cheese.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup oat flour
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions: Mix the cheese, egg, and water. Add the oat flour and stir until combined. Press the dough into a small baking dish lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes. Let it cool and cut into very small cubes.
Store these in the fridge. They are high-value and very rich, so I only use a few at a time. Dodo will do backflips for a single cube.
Making your own treats gives you complete control over what your dogs are eating. You can adjust the sizes for a puppy like Dodo or swap ingredients to accommodate an older dog like Alice. Most of these freeze well, so I usually make a double batch on a Sunday and pull from the freezer all month.
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