Bark or Treat: Homemade Dog Treat Recipes

Hi, Human Friends and Furry friends! I hope you are having a very festive Fall season and gearing up for an epic Halloween! For this month's blog, I wanted to make some homemade dog treats for Koda and Piper to enjoy with classic fall ingredients. Of course, with making homemade treats I wanted to make sure my ingredients were safe and healthy.

As a bonus, and since I'm pregnant, I have been wanting to test out how frozen treats will work for mental stimulation and keeping the pups occupied when I have a newborn. My plan is to pre-prepare some elements so that I can whip up some solid fun for the dogs while I'm learning how to be a human mom. I fully embrace the fact that not only will there be a lot of change for me coming up, but that this will be a whole new era for the pups. I want them to know that I still love them and would do absolutely anything for them and if I'm at all distracted, they know they are still loved.

Okay, you've heard enough about my worries about becoming a human mom and maintaining my position as the favorite hooman with my dogs, so let's jump into the recipes below! I've got three delightful Fall-themed treat recipes that your pups will love.

Apple Peanut Butter Smoothies (4 servings)

- Apple (peeled, cored, and diced)

- Peanut Butter (2 big heaping spoonfuls)

- Plain Yogurt (1 - 6 oz container)

- Dash of Cinnamon (seriously, don’t put in more than a teaspoon)

Instructions

1. Dice the apple into small, bite-sized pieces (need to be small enough for a Toppl or Kong).

2. In a separate bowl, mix 1/4 cup of peanut butter with 1/4 cup of yogurt until smooth.

3. Pour the mixture into a West Paw Toppl or Kong (make sure you've got the end pieces!).

4. Add in the diced apples.

5. Freeze until is solid (20 minutes or overnight).

6. Present your pup with these delicious apple peanut butter crunchies, perfect for a fall-themed snack.

Pumpkin Peanut Butter Pupsicles (3 servings)

- Pumpkin Puree ( 6 oz can)

- Peanut Butter ( 2 heaping spoonfuls)

- Plain Yogurt (1 - 6 oz container)

- Bonus (add mini carrots to make it look like spooky little hands sticking out and to add a crunch)

Instructions

1.     Mix together pumpkin puree, peanut butter, and plain yogurt in a bowl

2.     Fill your Kong or West Paw Toppl with this delicious mixture

3.     Freeze (a few hours to overnight recommended)

• I tested out 30 minutes of freezing and I can double the engagement time if frozen overnight

4.     Serve to your dog for a heckin’ good time!

Fall Puppy Chimken Chili (made just over 4 servings for my dogs – feeding will vary by dog size)

- Chicken Broth (1.5 cups)

- Sweet Potato (1)

- Chicken (cooked and shredded - I used 2 chicken breasts)

- Shredded Cheese (to taste)

- Egg (1 egg beaten)

- Diced or Shredded Carrot (to taste)

Instructions

1. In a pot, bring chicken broth to a low / simmer.

2. Add diced sweet potato and cook until it's soft (approx. 15-20 minutes).

3. Stir in cooked and shredded chicken and a beaten egg (about 5 minutes).

4. Continue to simmer until the mixture thickens and resembles a chili-like consistency.

5. Once it cools down, portion out the fall puppy chili into your dog's food dish.

6. Garnish with chopped carrot and shredded cheese for added crunch and nutrition.

These fall dog-friendly recipes were winners with Koda and Piper! The Apple Peanut Butter Smoothies kept them pre-occupied for more than 30 minutes and the overnight frozen Pumpkin Peanut Butter Pupsicles engaged them for almost an hour. With these high energy hunting dogs – that is a huge win for me!  Our Fall Puppy Chimken Chili turned out to be a fan favorite for Koda’s 10th birthday dinner and the pups even got some leftovers in their next meal! Overall, they were happy and, more importantly, their tummies were happy the next morning (can I get an amen!).

Thank you so much for popping over to the blog to check out these fun and festive fall dog-friendly recipes! Test out these treats with your pup(s) and make sure to tag us on Instagram with photos of your dog enjoying their delicious treat. Stay tuned for more dog-friendly tips and recipes in the future.

Disclaimer: While these ingredients work well with my dogs, please use your best discretion and check with your vet prior to changing your dog’s food or diet.