Cookies can be a perfect snack for dogs, however, industrial ones usually contain preservatives and artificial aromas, which are not recommended for the health of these animals. For this reason, here we encourage you to make your own cookies. In this way, you will enjoy cooking for your dog and watching him devour these awards, since we are sure he will love them.
We share with you 5 recipes of totally homemade, healthy dog biscuits for all tastes, ages and conditions. You will find diabetic dog biscuits, grain-free, flour less and puppy biscuits for dogs. Don’t miss them and discover how to make dog biscuits!
How to make dog biscuits?
Making biscuits for dogs is very simple, you just have to take into account a series of guidelines to make snacks that your furry friend can digest without problems. These recommendations are as follows:
- He prefers whole wheat flour. In those dog biscuit recipes that require flour, opt for the whole-grain version because it is easier for them to digest. If you cannot get whole wheat flour, then use the flour you have at home but reducing its quantity and increasing the amount of fruit or meat so that the dough is equally compact.
- Use non-dairy or lactose-free milk. Although not all dogs are lactose intolerant, the truth is that most tend to develop this intolerance when they reach adulthood. If you know that your dog is not intolerant because he has been drinking milk since he was a child and has not presented any type of negative reaction, then you can use cow’s milk. Now, if you have never given your dog milk, it is most likely that he is intolerant and, therefore, it is best to opt for lactose-free milk or dairy milk.
- Use quality fruit and meat. The cookies will be better if the ingredients are of quality and fresh, but if you only have frozen meat you can also use it by letting it thaw beforehand.
- Adapt the recipes to your dog’s needs. For example, if you know that your dog is allergic to apple, substitute another fruit that you know he accepts without problems. The amount will be the same as long as it has a similar consistency. You can substitute apple for pear, carrot for zucchini, meat for fish, etc.
- To make grain-free dog biscuits, these foods can be substituted for potato or sweet potato, both cooked and mashed.
Now that you know how to make dog biscuits, let’s look at some quick and easy recipes.
Carrot and oatmeal dog biscuits
Oatmeal is an easy food to get and very beneficial for dogs. It provides B vitamins, helps to regenerate the intestinal mucosa, and improves digestion thanks to the amount of fiber it contains, is good for skin health, being ideal for dogs with dermatitis problems, and favors the coat, giving it softness and shine. A very simple way to include oatmeal in the dog’s diet is by mixing a tablespoon of flakes with a natural unsweetened yogurt, it is an excellent breakfast that also provides probiotics. Likewise, through oatmeal cookies for dogs it is also possible to give the animal all these benefits.
Carrot is also a very good food for the dog because it mainly provides beta carotene. To make this recipe for carrot oatmeal dog biscuits you will need:
- 1 eggs
- 25 ml olive oil
- 20 ml of honey
- 150 g of rolled oats
- 1 carrot
- 100 ml of water
- 50 g of whole wheat flour (can be oatmeal)
Once the ingredients are obtained, you just have to follow these simple steps:
- Beat the egg with the honey, oil and water. It is advisable to use organic honey, as pure as possible, and extra virgin olive oil because dogs digest them better.
- Peel the carrot and cut it into cubes or grate it and add it to the dough.
- Add the flour and integrate it into the dough. You can use oatmeal or any type of whole wheat flour that you have at home. And if you don’t have it, remove this ingredient and use 200 grams of rolled oats. Another totally valid option is to grind 50 grams of rolled oats to get homemade flour.
- Add the rolled oats and continue mixing. Preheat the oven to 180ºC. It is a somewhat pasty mass, but if you consider that it lacks liquid you can pour a little more water.
- Form the cookies with a spoon by placing them on a tray lined with grease proof paper.
- Bake the cookies for 10-15 minutes.
They are crisp and golden, you will have to wait for them to cool when they are ready before giving them to your dog.
Apple Dog Biscuits
The apple is one of the best fruits for dogs because it provides hydration, vitamins, carbohydrates and minerals. In addition, it is diuretic and digestive and can be recommended for both diarrhea and constipation. How is it possible? Very simple, because provided with skin, which is where most of the fiber is, it helps to harden the stool, while without skin it favors softer stools.
Of course, for the animal to benefit from all the properties mentioned, it is best to offer raw apple to the dog. Now, through these healthy dog biscuits you can also provide extra vitamins and minerals. In addition, they constitute a much healthier snack.
The necessary ingredients are:
- 1 egg
- 1 apple
- 25 ml olive oil
- 150 g whole wheat flour
Remember that you can substitute the apple for pear. When you have everything ready, the steps you must follow to make these homemade dog biscuits are as follows:
- Beat the egg with the olive oil.
- Peel the apple and cut it into small cubes or grate it and add it to the mixture.
- Add the flour little by little. The result should be a compact and manageable dough that does not stick to your hands. Depending on the size of the apple and the egg, you may need more liquid or more flour. If you need more liquid, add water little by little.
- Roll out the dough with a rolling pin. If you’ve added the cubed apple, the thickness of the rolled out dough should be exactly the same as the cubes. If you have grated it, then you can make the cookies thinner if you want.
- Cut the cookies into the shape you want and place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake the cookies for 10-15 minutes at 180ºC, with the oven already hot.
If you don’t have rice flour, you can use rolled oats, oatmeal, whole wheat flour … The amount is the same in any case.
Flour less dog biscuits
If you do not have flour or you prefer not to use this ingredient to make homemade biscuits for your dog, we propose a recipe made with chicken liver and potato. Chicken liver is highly beneficial for dogs because it provides high-quality protein, vitamins, water, and minerals. In addition, it is an ingredient suitable for puppies and diabetic dogs, what more could you ask for?
Potatoes are an excellent source of carbohydrates and are also suitable for dogs, even diabetics. For this reason, these are ideal diabetic dog biscuits as a snack or treat. However, this food can be substituted for pumpkin or sweet potato.
The ingredients needed to make these flour less dog biscuits are:
- 3 chicken livers
- 1 medium potato (about 100 grams)
- 1 egg
- 20 ml of olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of unsweetened plain yogurt
Once all the ingredients have been obtained, the steps to follow are these:
- Cook the chicken livers in boiling water until cooked or semi-cooked. Pass them under cold water and mash them.
- Cook the potato without skin in boiling water, drain it, pass it under cold water and mash it as well. You can mash it with the livers if you want to save time.
- Beat the egg with the oil and natural yogurt.
- Add the potato and the mashed livers and mix well.
- If you have a silicone mold, fill the holes with the mixture to form the cookies. If you do not have such a mold, then you will have to form the cookies giving it the shape you want and placing them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake the cookies at 180ºC, with the oven already hot, for 15 minutes.
It is important to note that these cookies are not so crunchy due to the absence of flour, so they are ideal for puppies and elderly dogs with chewing difficulties.
Dog biscuits with rice flour
The truth is that any of the mentioned dog biscuit recipes can be made with rice flour. However, we are going to see another simple recipe with different ingredients.
- 1 cup of rice flour
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 tablespoon unsalted peanut butter
Pumpkin is also an excellent food for dogs, ideal to combat constipation, which provides vitamins, antioxidants, minerals and carbohydrates. For its part, peanut butter provides omega 3 fatty acids and antioxidants, so that, occasionally, it can be beneficial for dogs. For more details, do not miss the article in which we explain the Benefits of peanuts for dogs.
If you don’t have pumpkin, you can substitute this ingredient for mashed banana and make delicious banana cookies for dogs. When you have everything you need, follow these steps:
- Mix the pumpkin puree with the peanut butter.
- Add the rice flour little by little and integrate it. The result should be a compact and easy to handle dough. If it’s too dry, pour in a little water.
- Roll out the dough with a rolling pin and shape the cookies to your liking. Preheat the oven to 180ºC.
- Place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 15-20 minutes, the time needed for them to turn golden brown.
Microwave dog biscuits
You don’t have an oven but you still want to prepare delicious cookies for your dog? We have the perfect recipe! In this video we show you how to prepare some chicken biscuits for dogs made in the microwave, they will enchant you for their exquisite flavor and it won’t take you long to make them.
The ingredients are as follows:
- 1 chicken breast cooked and chopped (can be substituted for white fish)
- 2 eggs
- rice flour or any other whole grain (sufficient quantity)
Cookies as a treat for dogs
The recipes for dog biscuits that we have shared are ideal to give as a healthy treat or snack, since they are much healthier than industrial treats. Now, it is important to note that it is not appropriate to offer cookies every day. In case you need to treat the dog with food on a daily basis, it is much better to opt for pieces of meat, fish or fruit. Likewise, keep in mind that caresses and words of encouragement are also very pleasant rewards and well accepted by these animals. Positive reinforcement isn’t just limited to food.
