diy healthy dog training treats

How to Make Irresistible Dog Training Treats 10 Recipes by Trainers

Personally, Im a lazy chef. I barely cook for myself. But I have some tricks up my sleeve from years of training dogs on what kinds of treats work best for different training methods.

If youre tired of spending money buying fancy dog treats and youre wondering how to make dog training treats, Ive got you covered.

Making dog treats at home is easy. To help you out, I asked my creative dog trainer friends who pitched in on this article and gave me their favorite recipes.

How do you make good dog training treats?

The best dog training treat for YOUR dog is a treat that:

• Your dog loves
• Is bite-sized or easy to break into little pieces
• Is not too messy

Small or breakable treats are usually the best fit for training treats because you dont want to wait around while your dog chews a gigantic remote control sized biscuit. Sometimes you want something that is already in tiny units and other times you may prefer a larger treat that is easy to break up.

In my opinion, how messy a dog treat is negotiable. Personally, I dont like my dog treats to ooze all over my hands. Or end up slobbered all over my pant leg. And if a treat is going in my pocket, it better be bone dry!

But the most important thing about a training treat is that your dog thinks it is absolutely delicious.

What do professional dog trainers use for treats?

As youll see by the range of different treats below, the exact treats that professional trainers use vary widely. It all depends on the preferences of the trainer and their dog(s).

Many trainers have a favorite brand of dog treats or use high-value food items such as hotdogs, cheese sticks, chicken, or even cheese balls. As long as the treat is something the dog thinks is a worthy reward, is safe for dogs to eat, and is easy to give, youre good to go!

My current dogs are pretty easy to please and will work for almost anything, but go absolutely crazy for meats. Chicken and beef are go-tos for shows, and sometimes some cooked liver.

What treats to use when training dogs?

The most important thing is finding a treat your dog LOVES. After all, you want it to be a reward to motivate him to learn something new!

Depending on what kind of dog training method youre teaching, a different treat might be a better fit.

In the moment treats

For treats that I keep on hand to reward in the moment, not during a planned training session, I like something dry that can stay in my pocket for a while. Then when my dog obeys my leave it cue as he starts to sniff a dead squirrel on our walk, I can reward him for a great choice!

I often have some of those mini Milkbones in my pocket, and also like the Zukes training treats (soft but dry) and Orijen freeze-dried treats (these can sometimes be crumbly though).

Clicker training treats

For clicker training, where I need to give rewards quickly, I like something that is already in tiny pieces or that I can quickly break up ahead of time. That minimizes the delay between each click and my dog getting his reward.

Zukes training treats, or the tuna training treats in the recipes listed below are perfect for clicker training.

Agility training treats

For other things, like heeling or agility training, I like having a single large treat that I can break pieces off of as I go. The big chunk fits easily in my hand and I dont have to worry about dropping tiny treats.

Cooked meats, such as beef or chicken, or cheese sticks are my favorites for agility training. Also, a slice of Natural Balance dog food rolls which are are soft and easy to break but not too mushy work very well.

10 homemade dog training treat recipes

Here are some tasty treats that you can try with your dog! Many of these sound good enough to be people snacks too!

1. Lexies Biscuits

Ingredients

2 cups flour

1 cup peanut butter

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup milk

Instructions

• Mix ingredients together
• Roll out to desired thickness and use a cookie cutter for cutouts
• Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes (small cutouts) or 15 minutes (large cutouts)

2. Tuna Treats by McCannDogs

This one has several nominations and sounds pretty tasty! You will need a silicone baking sheet that has little pyramid divots in the bottom (or a silicone baking mold of your choice) for perfectly sized little training treats, or can just cook the whole mixture flat in a pan and then cut to the desired size.

Ingredients

1 can tuna with water

1 egg

1 cup flour

Optional: cup grated cheese

Instructions

• Mix well by hand or in a food processor
• Flip a silicone baking sheet upside down and spread the tuna mixture with a spatula
• Bake at 350 degrees for 15min
• Flip, gather, and enjoy!

3. River, Surfer Dude, Lucy, and Twizys Favorite Beef Treats

Ingredients

Top or bottom round roast

Optional: garlic powder or parsley flakes for seasoning

Instructions

• Cut into 1 thick slabs
• Season with garlic powder and/or parsley flakes if desired
• Roast in oven
• Air dry slabs in fridge
• Cut into cubes or thin strips
• Freeze in snack bags to store

4. Debs Stew Meat

Is stew meat on sale at your grocery store? Time for some really delicious training treats.

Ingredients

Stew meat

Instructions

• Cut into chunks or strips
• Boil thoroughly
• Dry on paper towels
• Store wrapped in paper towels (will stay good up to 2 weeks if stored this way)

5. Tuna/Salmon Brownies

These are recommended for beginner nose work and scent work dogs who havent started working with actual odors yet, but can be used for anything!

Ingredients

2 cans tuna or salmon in water

2 eggs

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 and 1/2 cup unbleached flour, can add more if needed to make a stiff batter

Instructions

• Mix ingredients together well
• Press onto cookie sheet to about 1/4 thickness
• Bake at 250 degrees for 30 minutes to golden brown
• Cool and cut into treats sized for your dog.

6. Meat Brownies

Freeze extra and thaw as needed over a couple of months!

Ingredients

3 to 3 and 1/2 pounds liver, beef, or chicken

1 cup whole wheat flour

4.25 ounces minced garlic

2 cups white flour

1/2 cup cornmeal

1 medium shaker can of grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

• Cover cookie sheet with foil, coat with cooking spray, and sprinkle with cornmeal, then set aside
• Process meat and garlic in a food processor or blender until it looks like milk chocolate
• Pour into a large mixing bowl and blend in the rest of the ingredients
• Spread evenly onto a cookie sheet (the mixture will be thick) and sprinkle with cornmeal
• Bake at 350 degrees for 30 min or until pink is gone
• Turn off oven and let cool inside
• Cut into treats sized for your dog

7. Sardine Brownies

Ingredients

3 eggs

1 can sardines packed in olive oil

1 sleeve graham crackers

Instructions

• Mix ingredients in a blender until liquid
• Pour onto cookie sheet
• Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 20 min or until it looks rubbery and is brown on top
• Let cool and cut into treats sized for your dog

8. Wileys Roadrunner Bites

These dehydrated chicken hearts are sure to melt your dogs heart! As a plus, they are non-greasy and can go in your pockets.

Ingredients

Chicken hearts

A small amount of garlic

Instructions

• Simmer hearts with garlic
• Cut hearts into halves or quarters, depending on size
• Dry in the microwave until firm but not crunchy hard

9. The CoKo Tervs Freeze-Dried Liver

Ingredients

Beef or chicken liver

Instructions

• Boil 30 minutes or so
• Drain (can save cooking water to put over dogs food)
• Cut up in small pieces
• Place on cookie sheets with parchment paper and freeze for a minimum of two weeks UNCOVERED
• Take one out after that time and let defrost on the counter if no moisture, you are good to go!

10. Dehydrated Goodies

If you have a dehydrator at home, you are only limited by your imagination. Just slice thin and let the dehydrator work its magic!

Here are some things you can dehydrate for your dog:

• Chicken
• Beef
• Liver
• Liverwurst
• Sweet potatoes

No time to cook?

Need some training treats NOW but dont have time to cook your own? Here are a couple of go-tos that might fit the bill (and some are even healthy):

• Sliced up hotdogs (can microwave the slices to dry them out)
• Baby carrots
• Cheese sticks
• Deli meat (not ideal in large quantities due to how salty these meats can be)
• Frozen mini meatballs
• Snap peas

Get cooking!

As you can see, it can be really easy to make your own homemade dog training treats! You can choose ingredients that your dog likes and have a little fun making them too.

Got a recipe you think other dog owners would enjoy? Feel free to share it with us!

Happy training!

Homemade Dog Training Treats: 10 Healthy Recipes to Try

Dog treats are not just delicious snacks you can give to your pooch in between his meals. When given correctly, dog treats can also be used to help modify your dogs behaviour or as rewards during training sessions. In this Waldos Friends article, we share 10 healthy dog treat recipes you can make using human food. This article delves into:

How many treats should you give your dog?

Limit your dogs treats to only 10% of his daily caloric intake. Talk to your veterinarian to find out how much you can give to your pet depending on his age, his weight, and his daily activities. Also, ask for ingredient recommendations based on what your dog likes to eat, as well as existing health problems your dog might have.

What ingredients can you use for dog treats?

Some commercially sold dog treats include ingredientsartificial colouring, flavouring, additives, meat by-products,salt, andsugarto name a fewthat cause more harm than good to your pet. Protect your canines health by purchasing treats from trusted sources (go for those that only use all-natural and nutritious ingredients), or better yet, find time to create your dogs treats! That way, you can guarantee its freshness and nutritional content.

Before baking treats made from items found in your kitchen, go through our Can Dogs Eat category to make sure your pooch can consume these ingredients. Heres a quick rundown of fruits and vegetables your dog can eat:

• Apples
• Asparagus
• Bananas
• Bell peppers
• Blueberries
• Broccoli
• Brussel sprouts
• Cabbage
• Cantaloupe
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Celery
• Corn
• Cucumber

• Kiwi
• Lettuce
• Mango
• Orange
• Sweet potatoes
• Pear
• Peas
• Pineapple
• Raspberries
• Spinach
• Strawberries
• Tomatoes
• Watermelon
• Zucchini

Remember that these fresh produce ingredients must be properly washed, peeled, chopped into bite-sized pieces, or even cooked before being served to your pet. The hard, inedible portions such as seeds, leaves, or stems must also be removed. Take note of the prescribed portions for each ingredient. Some should be served in limited quantities compared to others. You can search for any of these foods here to get a detailed idea about how to include each of them in your dogs diet.

As with all new food being integrated into your pets diet, start off with a small amount to see how your dog will react to it. Your dog may suffer from food allergies or intolerances, which may be triggered by new ingredients. WebMD states that common dog allergens include beef, chicken, dairy, egg, fish, lamb, pork, rabbit, soy, and wheat. If your dog is allergic to a certain ingredient, he may manifest symptoms such as itchy skin, vomiting, or diarrhea. Hyperactivity, weight loss, lack of energy, and even aggression may also develop. To be on the safe side, do not introduce multiple novel ingredients to him at the same time.

Homemade dog training treats you can try:

1 Pumpkin Peanut Butter Training Treats

Userealbutter.com shares a recipe using whole wheat flour, eggs, pumpkin pure, and peanut butter. These are combined with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. The mixture turns into dough, which can be formed into shapes, squares, or strips. Depending on your preferred baking time, they can turn into soft or hard treats.

2 Liver Dog Training Treats

According to House That Barks, 3 pounds of thinly sliced liver is all you need to create tasty treats for your pooch. Youll need to place these in trays then let them cook in a dehydrator for 4 to 6 hours.

3 Peanut Butter, Banana, and Oats Training Treats

Grab a ripe banana, unsalted peanut butter, old-fashioned oats, and hot water to make this recipe by Key to My Lime. After grinding the oats, mashing the banana, combining all the ingredients, and baking the cutout pieces in the oven, youll end up with homemade dog training treats your dog wont be able to resist!

4 Homemade Training Treats for Allergic Dogs

Kols Notes suggests using 1 pound of lean ground meat (or your dogs favourite canned dog food) and water to create allergen-free training treats for your dog. These can either be cooked in a dehydrator or oven. Easy peasy!

5 Carrot Dog Biscuits

Elephantastic Vegan shares a recipe that her veggie-loving dog cannot get enough of. When mixed together and baked for 15 minutes, carrot pure, whole wheat flour, oat flour, all-purpose flour, and cinnamon powder will turn into crispy dog treats!

6 Turkey Bars

Another hypoallergenic option, this training treat recipe from DogVills uses three ingredients: ground turkey, oatmeal, and egg. Combine these in a bowl and pat into a greased loaf pan. After baking it for 30 to 35 minutes, let it cool completely before serving the thick strips to your pooch.

7 Dried Banana Dog Treats

The Crazy Dog Mom recommends slicing bananas into small bite-sized rounds, brushing them with lemon juice (to prevent browning), then baking them for 1 hours to turn them into crunchy treats!

8 Healthy Homemade Dog Treats

Take your pick from sweet potatoes or zucchinis when following this recipe by My Life Cookbook. Cut the vegetable into -inch-thick strips and pop them in the dehydrator for about 2 to 4 hours, depending on the texture you want.

9 5 Ingredient Grain-Free Dog Treats

Use all-natural nut butter, coconut flour, organic eggs, coconut oil, and sweet potato or pumpkin pure to recreate this baked dog treat from Lexis Clean Kitchen. You can even add shredded carrots and dried parsley to the mix!

10 Cheesy Chicken Dog Treats

As long as your dog isnt allergic to cheese and chicken, you can try baking Wiggleworthys dog treats. Make sure to have all these ingredients at hand: whole wheat flour, finely grated cheddar cheese, unsweetened applesauce, shredded cooked chicken, chicken bone broth, and ground flax seed.

In conclusion

Making homemade dog training treats is an inexpensive way to provide your pooch with fresh and nutritious nibbles. Since these treats are made without preservatives, serve them to your dog as soon as possible. Its advisable to feed them to your dog within a week, or store them in the refrigerator or freezer to prolong their shelf life. Remember that soft treats do not last as long as fully baked or dehydrated treats.

Expand your pet parenting knowledge with more dog-related reads from our blog. Find out what reverse sneezing is or how to help an anxious dog. You can even get gift ideas for fellow dog lovers!