How to Make Dog Treats

Last Updated: June 3, 2021 Approved

If you love knowing exactly what ingredients are in your food, why not provide the same courtesy to your dog? When you make your own dog treats you can use the flavors you know your dog loves and feel satisfied that you're providing him with a healthy, delicious treat. Read on for instructions on how to make three kinds of dog treats: classic bone cookies, meaty biscuits and doggy birthday cake.

Ingredients

Classic Bone Cookies

3/4 cup beef or chicken broth
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup powdered milk
1 egg
3 cups whole wheat flour

Meaty Biscuits

12 ounces beef, chicken or pork, finely ground
1 cup wheat germ
2 cups powdered milk

Doggy Birthday Cake

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cups chopped peanuts
1 cup cottage cheese

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Classic Bone Cookies

1
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees fahrenheit.
2
Mix the ingredients. Place the chicken broth, oil, powdered milk, egg, and flour in a large mixing bowl. Use a spoon to stir the ingredients until they are thoroughly mixed.

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3
Knead the dough. Use your hands to knead the dough until it becomes stiff and pliable. Turn it out onto a floured counter or work surface.
4
Roll the dough. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough to the thickness you desire. For larger dogs, keep the dough thick, about ³⁄₄ inch (1.9 cm), and for smaller dogs, roll it thin, about ¹⁄₄ inch (0.6 cm).
5
Cut the dough. Use a bone-shaped cookie cutter to cut the dough into bone shapes. Lay the bones on a greased cookie sheet.
- Once you've cut as many bones as you can, gather the dough scraps and roll them into a ball, then use the rolling pin to flatten the dough again. Cut more dog bone shapes from the dough using the cookie cutter.
- If you don't have a dog bone-shaped cookie cutter, use another fun shape for your dog's treats. Go for a holiday themed cutter, like a tree or a snowflake, or use a classic shape like a star or a circle.
6
Bake the cookies. Place the cookie sheet in the oven and bake the cookies for 50 minutes. Check them periodically to make sure they don't burn.
- If the cookies seem to be turning brown quickly, reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees.
- If the cookies don't seem to be baking fast enough, increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
7
Remove the cookies from the oven. They will be hard and crunchy, just the way dogs like them. Let the cookies cool and store them in an air-tight container.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Meaty Biscuits

1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2
Mix the ingredients. Place the ground meat, wheat germ, and powdered milk in a bowl. Use a spoon to fully incorporate the ingredients until you have a firm meaty dough.
- If the dough seems too loose, add 1/2 cup of flour and mix well.
- If you know your dog likes certain flavors, consider mixing them in. Use chunks of vegetables your dog likes, or add bits of bacon for an extra punch.
3
Press the meat dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. Use your fingers or the back of a spoon to press it flat, making a pancake shape. Flatten it until it's about ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) thick.
4
Cut the meat dough. Use a biscuit cutter or the rim of a glass to cut biscuit shapes from the meat dough. Lay them on a greased baking sheet as you go. If you have scraps of meat dough left over, ball it up, press it flat, and cut out more biscuits.
5
Cook the biscuits. Place the baking sheet in the oven and let the biscuits bake for 15 minutes, or until the edges have turned brown. Check the biscuits often to make sure they don't burn.
6
Remove the biscuits from the oven. Let them cool, then serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for later use.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Doggy Birthday Cake

1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2
Mix the ingredients. Place the flour, baking soda, peanut butter, oil, egg, honey and peanuts in a large mixing bowl. Use a spoon to mix the ingredients until they are fully incorporated.
- If your dog likes vanilla and other sweet flavors, add a teaspoon of vanilla and a teaspoon of sugar to the batter and mix well.
- If your dog likes carrots, add 1/2 cup of shaved carrots to the mix.
3
Pour the batter into a greased cake pan. Use a spoon to scoop the batter into the cake pan, then smooth the surface so the cake cooks evenly.
4
Bake the cake. Place the pan in the oven and bake the cake for 40 minutes, or until the top is lightly brown.
- Check the cake to make sure it's fully cooked by inserting a toothpick into the middle. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is ready. If it comes out coated in batter, bake the cake for another 10 minutes.
- When the cake is done, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool.
5
Ice the cake. When the cake has cooled, invert it onto a plate or doggy dish. Scoop the cottage cheese onto the cake and spread it around with a spoon.
- If your dog doesn't like cottage cheese, you can also ice the cake with cream cheese or mashed bananas.
- Don't ice the cake with regular cake icing, since it might hurt the dog's stomach.
6
Serve the cake. Serve the cake whole and let your dog dig right in, or cut it into slices and save some for later. Refrigerate any leftover cake.

Expert Q&A

Question

What's a recommended portion size for dog treats?

Beatrice Tavakoli
Professional Dog Trainer
Beatrice Tavakoli is a Professional Dog Trainer and the Founder/Owner of TAKA Dog Walk in New Jersey. A lifetime dog lover and enthusiast, Beatrice is committed to providing animals with hands-on service dedicated to daily love, adventure, and socialization. As insured and bonded dog walkers, Beatrice, and her staff provide a multitude of services including doggie social hour, day hikes, training, puppy care, canine special events, in-home pet care, boarding, cat care, and customized dog walks.

Beatrice Tavakoli

Professional Dog Trainer

Expert Answer

You don't have to give the dog an entire large treat. If you break a treat, even an adult dog doesn't know the difference between a tiny little piece of a treat and one big portion of a treat. All they know is, "Oh my God, I'm getting to Oh my God, I'm getting a treat!" A dog is happy with even a small amount of a treat—it can be the size of your pinky nail for all they care! To be extra cautious and to avoid canine obesity, check in with your vet and ask about your dog's calorie allowance.
Question

Is it OK if I put rosemary in the bone cookies?

Community Answer

It's better if you don't. Your dog might be allergic.
Question

Do you have to keep treats in the refrigerator or just air tight container? How long do treats keep?

KaylieHelps

Community Answer

It really depends on the form. If it is a squishy treat, I suggest keeping it cold. If it is a hard treat, keeping it in an airtight container sounds about right.

Warnings

DO NOT put anything on the cake other than frosting. Candles or any other decoration can be very harmful to dogs if they eat them.

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Never make treats with chocolate or other ingredients that are harmful to dogs.

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