healthy homemade dog training treats
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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Kate earned her BA in English from Cornell University. After graduating, her passion for animals led her back to school to become a Licensed Veterinary Technician in the state of New York. She has been writing about dogs professionally since high school and has won several awards from the Dog Writers' Association of America. Kate is obsessed with training and showing her dogs, and is currently owned by two Belgian Tervuren and one Pembroke Welsh Corgi.
Latest posts by Kate Basedow, LVT
(see all)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!
