4 ingredient homemade dog treats
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~ These simple Homemade Dog Treats are the doggyversion of that classic comfort food, chicken and biscuits! Theyre also the perfect way to use up leftover chicken that might otherwise go to waste. With just 4 ingredients, theyreultra quick and easy, and they store beautifully in the freezer for weeks! ~
This Recipe Is: Ready in 30 Minutes or Less Freezable Make Ahead
Our Finny is a seriously pampered pooch with a pretty (ahem ) doggone good life. Hes got a doggy door so he can head out to sun himself on the deck whenever he pleases. He sleeps cuddled next to me, under the covers, every night. And you know hes my favorite running buddy.
Its good to be him.
Homemade dog treats, though? Really?
As though I have a whole bunch of extra time on my hands for that little indulgence, right?!?
But actually, I do! These dog treats take just moments to mix together, and with only four ingredients (because were not counting that freebie water!), theyre a total breeze!
Theyre like home-stylechicken and biscuits,in a pup-friendly, treat form!
What makes these dog treatstotally THK-terrific, though, is the make-ahead, ready-and-waiting-when-you-are tip on how these treats help you use up chicken that would otherwise go to waste:
Stockpile (and Freeze) Your Bits of Leftover Chicken
As I mentioned in our postforFrozen Dog Treats, here at THK, we have a lot of recipes that start with a rotisserie chicken (such a simple shortcut!). But, when Im working with a rotisserie chicken, I really hate not using up every morselof the bird including the little bits of meat stuck to the bones, and the cartilage and connective tissue that most peopledont eat. It often adds uptomore than a cup of chicken I wouldnt otherwise use! These homemade dog treats are the perfect way to put those extra little bits to great use!Im so happy to feel like not one bit of the animal went to waste that I used all I could.
So, instead of preparing chicken just to make this dog treat recipe (now, that really would be a pampered pooch!), I stockpile leftover bits of chicken any time we have some from our own (human) meals. I measure it out and keep it in labeled zipper bags in the freezer.
When I have enough chicken,I can whip up a batch of these homemade dog treats. And Finn is a happy, happy boy!
Chicken You Dont Want to Use
When youre chopping or shredding leftover chicken, be careful that you dont include any bones. And go easy on including too much fat, particularly the fatty skin. I actuallydont recommend including the skin at all, if the chicken has been roasted with a lot of spices or salt thats still clinging to it.
Similarly, if youre using leftover chicken meat from arecipe (rather than using up a rotisserie chicken), and the meat is heavily sauced or deeply flavored from cooking spices or marinades, you should probably skip that, as well. To avoid upsetting your pups tummy, its best to keep things simple.
But What About Cute Shapes?
I see so many darling recipes for homemade dog treats that have been lovingly shaped into things like hearts or doggy bones. But it all just seems like a lot of fuss simplytomake people happy. Im pretty much 100% certain that Finn loves these treats just as much in a plain-old round shape, as he would if Id spent loads of extra time making them into bones or hearts.
Theyre basically just simple drop biscuits you plop onto a baking sheet as easy as easy gets!
And all that time I saved?
Hey its a few more minutes he and I can spend out running, or just cuddling on the couch. Hed vote for that any day!
Trust me skipping the cookie cutterskeeps these homemade dog biscuits lightning-fast and easy-peasy! And your dog wont even notice (or care). Dogs dont judge! They just gobble these down and ask for more!
Which is exactly why Im off to make another batch right now
Ingredients
- 2 cups chopped, cooked chicken (see note)
- 2 cups whole wheat flour or white whole wheat flour
- 1 (5.3-ounce) container nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients, stirring until thoroughly incorporated. Batter will be very thick and sticky.
- Drop batter by level tablespoons onto parchment-lined baking sheets. (Because these dog biscuits spread very little during baking, I crowd them together more than typical cookies, and get all of them onto 2 baking sheets.) Using the back of a spoon, flatten the dog treats slightly.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes, until lightly golden brown.
- Cool completely on wire racks. Store in refrigerator or (for longer storage) in zippered freezer bags in freezer (thaw before serving).
Notes
Chicken: As discussed in the post, this recipe is an opportunity to use up leftover chicken, and we often utilize the bits of unused rotisserie chicken that we have left after making other recipes. Any cooked, chopped chicken will work for this recipe, but be very careful not to include any bones. Also, don't use too much of the fatty chicken skin, particularly if the skin has spicy seasonings or a lot of salt on it. Once you've finely chopped your leftover chicken for this recipe, you can pre-measure it and store it in a labeled, zippered freezer bag in your freezer until you have time to make this dog treat recipe.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 48 servingsServing Size: 1 treatAmount Per Serving:Calories: 33Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 7mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 2gNutrition information should be considered an estimate only, and may vary depending on your choice of ingredients or preparation. No guarantees are made regarding allergies or dietary needs. Always consult a physician or dietician for specific advice and questions.
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4 Ingredient High Quality Homemade Puppy/Dog Training Treats
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To save money, and to feed our girls a more healthy treat, I set out to make my own homemade dog training treats.
Yesterday (March 23rd) was National Puppy Day! This day was established by Colleen Paige in 2006.
National Puppy Day is a special day to celebrate the magic and unconditional love that puppies bring to our lives. But more importantly, its a day to help save orphaned puppies across the globe and educate the public about the horrors of puppy mills.
Colleen Page, www.nationalpuppyday.com
My husband and I recently welcomed a new puppy into our home! We have a 3 1/2 year old Bernese Mountain dog named, Snugglepumpkin (Snugs for short), and we felt it was time for her to have a sister. Orla was born on January 9, 2019, and she came home with us on March 1, 2019.
If you are here, Im sure you know how fun AND difficult it can be to train a new puppy. Everything is a brand new experience for them, and they are continually learning!
When 1 1/2 year old Snugs came home with us, it took us about 4 months to fully train her. Unsurprisingly, we are still in the process of training Orla. Thankfully, she has potty training down!
Buying training treats all the time can be very expensive, and many of the ingredients used in the treats are not very wholesome, healthy, or natural. In an effort to save money, and to feed our girls a more healthy treat, I set out to make my own homemade dog treats.
I found this recipe from McCann Dog Training, and my dogs LOVE it! They really gravitate to the smell of the treats, and they LOVE the taste! These are a high quality treat for our dogs, and they are quick and easy to make.
Ingredients
Flour
Flour is used as a binder in the treats. As long as you use a flour that is not inflammatory for your dog, it can be perfectly fine to feed to your dog.
When I made this recipe for my dogs, I used all purpose flour. Some dogs may have allergies to different kinds of flours. So, monitor your dog when giving them treats made with flour. Suitable flour options for your dog may include:
- Whole-grain
- Oat
- All-purpose
Tuna
Tuna is a high-protein ingredient used in this recipe, and it works well as a training tool for dogs because it has a highly pungent smell! The smell of these treats attracts dogs attentions, and it can help direct your dog to take certain actions when training.
Using a low-sodium tuna packed in water is a healthier choice for your dog because they are not ingesting all the salt in traditionally packed canned tuna. If the tuna is packed in only olive oil, I would feel comfortable giving it to my dog. Otherwise, I would avoid using tuna packed in different oils as they can be inflammatory to dogs.
Cheese
In addition to tuna, cheese is a good source of protein, and it is also smelly. The stankier the cheese, the more the dog will be attracted to the cheese. I like to use sharp cheddar in my treats (that I grate myself), but feel free to use any cheese your dog likes.
Grab and Go Training Packets
Ken from McCann Dog Training provides a very helpful tip for using these treats. He recommends packaging these treats in individual portions in your fridge. So, when you are ready to work on training your dog, the correct portion for your dog is all ready to go! It makes the treats very convenient and easy to work with.
My dogs love these treats, and Im happy I have found a less expensive and healthier treat for our furry family members.
Let me know if you try them, and let me know if your dogs love them! Happy training!
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4 Ingredient Homemade Dog Treats
Save money and feed your dogs with these high quality homemade treats for your dogs! They are quick and easy to make with only 4 ingredients you probably already have on hand. Great to use as rewards while training your dogs.
Keyword Dog Food, Dog Treats Prep Time 15 minutes minutes Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes Author Clean Fingers Laynie- 1 cup Flour *
- 1/2 cup Cheese, grated **
- 5 oz Tuna, canned
- 1 large Egg
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grate cheese, and add all ingredients into a medium sized bowl.
Mix well until a dough forms. (I like to use my hands and really knead the dough together).
Coat 8 x 8, oven-safe, baking dish with cooking spray. Press mixture into an even layer into baking dish.
Bake for 20 minutes, and remove the mixture from pan onto a cutting board.
Cut mixture with a chefs knife, or pizza cutter, into small pieces (about the size of a thumbnail).
Return cut treats to baking dish and bake at reduced temperature of 275 degrees for an additional 40-60 minutes. Check dog treats at 40 minutes, and every 5 minutes thereafter, until treats are dried and golden brown. The treats will continue to dry out as they cool.
Let treats cool and give to your furry friends!
UPDATE: Since the recipe was originally posted, it has become Clean Fingers Laynies number one post! So, I shared another recipe for 3 ingredient, Homemade Gluten-Free Dog Treats. To see how Snugs and Orla are doing, and to find the recipe, click here!
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All information and tools presented and written within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am NOT a doctor, nutritionist or registered dietitian. Please check with your veterinarian about any concerns regarding your pets nutrition. CleanFingersLaynie is not responsible for any adverse effects from following the advice provided.
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