Healthy Dog Treats

We'll start with the easiest because this list is for stuff you don't even have to cook.

And this is just my list. You may find more things with a little experimentation. Here goes. (Then I'll give you some recipe pages for cooked dog snacks.)

First, we have raw fruits and vegetables. I'm serious. Please, don't assume your dog won't like some of these dog food treats unless you've tried them a few times.

Reminds me of when my kids were little and other parents would say their kids wouldn't eat this fruit or that vegetable - because the parents assumed, they wouldn't, or only tried it once. Nine times out of ten they not only ate that stuff at my house, they asked for more!

Your dog wants whatever you have, so here is your chance to be a good role model and share some healthy dog treats.

Here is what you gain by serving raw fruits and vegetables to your canine companion. First, they are whole foods and totally natural. They don't come in a box so you don't have to read the ingredients (if you gave me a box of Milk Bones I wouldn't let my dogs have them.)

You should have some veggies around the house for humans anyway. You may be amazed what your dog will love after a little exposure to healthy dog treats.

My Funny Dog Treat Story:

My dogs beg. I'm not proud of it, but they do. Several years ago I tossed the end piece of a carrot while I was making carrot juice.

What happened? He ate it and asked for more. Soon, all my dogs were not only eating them, they were lining up whenever they heard the juicer! Now we had a treat we could share!

... My husband use to frequent a family owned burger joint. His dog Moo was usually with him when he pulled up to the drive-through window.

(Here's a picture of our Moo at nine years old running toward his daddy. Isn't he a hunk?)

One day the lady gave Moo a Milk Bone Dog Biscuit. Moo wouldn't take it. Not even from my husband. Finally my husband said, "I'm sorry he won't eat it... if you just had a carrot, he'd scarf it up."

Truly, I don't think she believed him. The next time he went there for food... they had a different treat for the Moo... a hamburger patty! And yes, he ate that with gusto!

Now here is a picture of our oldest, 12 year old Bonz jumping for a carrot. Guess what heads our list of top ten favorite snacks in the fruit/vegetable category:

Carrots
Apples (no seeds please)
Bananas
Broccoli
Sugar Snap Green Beans
Cantaloupe
Watermelon (the green part between skin and fruit)
Blueberries
Strawberries
Cauliflower

Just keep in mind these are treats and not meals. Dogs are meat eaters so fruits and vegetables should not be over 10% of their daily food intake.

Also, I like to put most of their veggies through the food processor and mix it in with their food. Since dogs can't break down the fiber, the food processor does it for them. You can also cut them in very small pieces - giving them even more healthy treats :) Even a few raw nuts are good! Read about Healthy Nuts for Dogs.

If you prefer cooked healthy dog food treats, I have some healthy canine recipes for you. Since canine food allergies often stem from wheat, corn and soy, you will not find them in my recipes. And since all purpose flour can contribute to diabetes in dogs and cake up in the intestines, it too has been omitted.

What if you don't cook much? No problem. These are easy enough for a first time cook. They have a short list of ingredients (between two and five). You can make them without a mixer and plop them on a cookie sheet or make fun designs. Its all up to you.

Try some more homemade dog treats on Out And About With Your Dog. This website has recipes for Peanut Butter Crunchies and Mackerel Dog Treats. These two recipes are healthy dog treats and yummy too!

Let's Bake Some Treats

Canine Cookies

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