FOR all dog owners out there it is safe to say that your pooch has most likely helped you through the coronavirus pandemic.

They’ve been there for the endless amount of Zoom calls, they’ve given you a reason to leave the house, and they are the best listeners.

Homemade dog treats might not be as convenient as popping into the pet store, but there are way more options when you opt for homemade.

You can avoid any allergens, make them as healthy as you want, and cater to your dog's specific needs. Here is a recipe guide from Tails.com

Bradford Telegraph and Argus:

Peanut Butter Cookies

This recipe is so simple with only 3 ingredients that your dog will love.

Peanut butter to give them a protein boost (make sure to use xylitol free peanut butter as normal peanut butter is toxic to dogs), bananas that are a good source of magnesium and vitamins and flour to make the cookies stick together.

Ingredients:

  • 1 peeled banana
  • 100 grams of natural xylitol free peanut butter
  • 2 cups of wholemeal flour

Method:

  • Use a little boiling water to melt down the peanut butter
  • Mix all of the ingredients together until it becomes a big ball of batter
  • Roll out the batter (Use a little extra flour when rolling out the batter so that it doesn’t stick)
  • Cut the batter into fun shapes that are easy for dogs to eat
  • Bake the cookies in the oven at 220°C for 15 mins
  • Get the cookies out of the oven and place them onto a cool plate Let the cookies cool for 15 mins and serve!

Tip: You can drizzle a little melted coconut oil over the top and pop in the fridge for a healthy frosting.

If you love this recipe, try something different and add an apple, a carrot or even a little bit of ginger instead of a banana.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus:

Chicken and Apple Pupsicles

No matter what the British summer throws at us, one thing we can all agree on is the joy of an ice lolly.

Whether in the park or the garden, they’re a refreshing and tasty treat and a great way to keep cool in the summer months. And who says our dogs can’t enjoy one, too?

This recipe is perfect for a cooling summer treat for your pooch.

Plus, this recipe is good for your dogs teeth too. How? Well, the recipe uses dental sticks as the lolly stick!

Ingredients:

  • 100ml low salt chicken stock
  • 1 dental stick
  • ¼ of an apple (no pips as they can be toxic for dogs)

Method:

  • Mix up your stock and leave it to cool
  • Chop up the apple into small pieces
  • Pop the apple pieces into a small plastic cup, ramekin or ice-lolly mould
  • Pour over the chicken stock
  • Using sellotape, create four barriers over the top of your dish – this will hold the dental stick in place
  • Freeze overnight, or until frozen
  • When it’s ready to eat, run the sides of the pot under warm water to loosen the lolly and remove the tape
  • Use the dental stick to grab the lolly – time to enjoy!Bradford Telegraph and Argus:

A Very Berry Smoothie

Weekends call for sleeping in and the laziest meal of the week – brunch. And there’s no reason we can’t share our love of brunch with our dogs.

Ingredients:

  • 10g (2tsp) of oats
  • A dozen or so blueberries (or swap for strawberries)
  • 1 teaspoon of low or lactose-free yoghurt (it’s also good with goat’s milk) 100ml of cold water

Method:

Super simple – pop all your ingredients into a blender and whizz until smooth!

And if you’re feeling fancy, top the smoothie with a berry.

Top tips:

Try freezing the berries first – a perfect treat for a hot summer’s day

Pour the mix into a tupperware and freeze it for easy dog-friendly ice cream

Toast the oats first for added crunch

Try adding a teaspoon of honey

Bradford Telegraph and Argus:

Pup Pancakes

Another great weekend brunch that can be enjoyed by all the family. This quick and simple dog-friendly recipe creates seriously tasty Pup Pancakes!

Ingredients:

2 bananas

2 eggs

30g of coconut flour

A pinch of ground cinnamon

Oil for frying (we used coconut)

Your dog’s favourite toppings: we used blueberries and peanut butter (xylitol-free)

Equipment:

A large mixing bowl

Spoon to mix and add to pan

Non-stick frying pan

Spatula Ready, set, bake!

  • Cut or tear your bananas into smaller chunks and add to the mixing bowl, then mash until smooth
  • Add the eggs and combine with the bananas until well-blended
  • Add the coconut flour and the ground cinnamon, and mix well
  • Add a little water if needed if your batter is a bit dry
  • Heat a non-stick pan on a medium heat and melt the coconut oil in the pan
  • Once the oil is melted and evenly spread, add a spoonful of your mixture to the pan
  • Cook for 2-3 mins (or until golden brown) then give it a flip!
  • Once the pancake is cooked through, transfer to a plate and repeat with the rest of your mixture
  • Add your dog’s favourite toppings – we used a little xylitol-free peanut butter and blueberries
  • Let your dog tuck into one pancake at a time and pop the rest in the fridge or freezer for another day These pup pancakes are both gluten-free and grain-free, perfect for dogs (or humans!) who may have wheat allergies

Bradford Telegraph and Argus:

Beetroot and Cheese Bone Biscuits

Waggy tails ahoy, these beetroot and cheese bone biscuits are packed full of vitamins and minerals that can help your pooches immune system and digestion.

The gorgeous pink cookie dough is perfect for little ones to have fun making, especially if you use bone-shaped cutters to make the biscuits. We suggest baking these in batches as they're so easy to make, they freeze well, and they’re just the thing for a lovely long dog walk.

Ingredients:

  • 150g cooked beetroot,
  • sliced 275g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 200g dairy-free margarine
  • 200g dairy-free Cheddar-style cheese, grated

Equipment: A bone-shaped cookie cutter (optional, but adds more fun)

Method:

  • Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan)/gas 4 and line two baking trays with non-stick baking paper.
  • Put the beetroot into a food processor and whiz until smooth. Add all the remaining ingredients and process until combined.
  • Dust the work surface with a little flour. Knead the mixture until you have a workable dough. Roll out the dough to 1½cm thick and cut out shapes using the cookie cutter.
  • Place the dough shapes on the prepared baking trays and bake for 1 hour, or until lightly golden. Leave to cool on a wire rack.
  • Store the biscuits in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus:

Chicken & Apple Balls

This recipe is simple and yummy.

If you’ve got a picky pooch, you’ll know just how hard it can be to get them to eat the right things. So this recipe delivers on good proteins with delicious chicken, and gives them a touch of sweet apple at the same time.

These bite-sized treats only take 30 mins from start to finish and you’ll need a food processor to get them to the right consistency. Paws at the ready? Then let us begin.

Ingredients:

  • 600g skinless chicken thigh fillets, roughly chopped
  • 1 small eating apple, peeled and grated
  • ½ red pepper, diced
  • 1 medium carrot, peeled and grated
  • 20g dairy-free Parmesan-style cheese, grated
  • 2 tsp chopped fresh sage

Method:

  • Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan)/gas 7 and line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper.
  • Put the chicken thighs into a food processor and whiz until finely chopped. Squeeze out any excess water from the apple and add to the processor along with all the remaining ingredients. Whiz again until the mixture comes together.
  • Shape the mixture into 30 small balls, each approximately 4cm in diameter. Place them on the prepared baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove the tray from the oven and allow the balls to cool a little.
  • Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus:

Guilt-Free Breakfast Bakes

These guilt-free breakfast bakes are healthy, nutritious, and droolingly delicious. Much better than bacon, these wholesome treats have added turmeric and black pepper, beneficial for ageing dogs or those with stiff joints.

Ingredients:

  • 10 free-range eggs
  • 4 tbsp chopped ham
  • 50g spinach, coarsely chopped
  • Handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper

Equipment:

  • 2 x 12-hole muffin tins
  • Non-stick cooking spray (optional)

Method:

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan)/gas 6 and grease the muffin tins with cooking spray. (If you are using silicone muffin moulds, they don’t need to be greased.)
  • Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl, then add the remaining ingredients and stir together well.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared muffin tins. Make sure to only fill them three-quarters full, as the eggs will expand during cooking.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes until golden and risen, then allow them to cool in the tins.
  • Depending on your dog’s size, serve 1-2 to small dogs as a meal replacement; large and giant breeds might welcome a meal of 5-6 at a time.
  • Store the bakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus:

Apple, Cranberry & Peanut Butter Oat Cookies

These apple, cranberry & peanut butter oat cookies are made with antioxidant-rich cranberries and irresistible peanut butter and are sure to be a hit with your pooch!

Ingredients:

  • 165g coconut flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 40g porridge oats
  • 25g desiccated coconut
  • 40g dried cranberries, chopped
  • 40g dried apple, chopped into small pieces
  • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 4 heaped tbsp xylitol-free peanut butter
  • 3 eggs, beaten

Equipment: Bone-shaped cookie cutters (optional)

Method:

  • Preheat the oven to 140°C (fan)/gas 3 and line two baking trays with non-stick baking paper.
  • Put the flour, oats, coconut, cranberries, apple and cinnamon into a food processor and whiz until finely chopped. Add the peanut butter, eggs and 6 tablespoons or water and whiz again until mixture comes together into a dough.
  • Dust a work surface with a little coconut flour. Lightly knead the dough until workable, then roll out to 1½ cm thick.
  • Cut out shapes using doggy cookie cutters to make bones or paws, and lay them on the prepared baking trays. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until lightly browned.
  • Transfer to a wire rack to cool before treating your tail-wagging sidekick.
  • Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus:

Refreshing Watermelon Dog Treats

When it is hot your pooch can get a bit hot under the collar, but luckily this simple treat can help keep your dog cool.

The recipe is simple, follow these easy steps:

  • Blend 6-8 slices of watermelon – remember to remove the pips and skin!
  • Grab an ice cube tray
  • Pop in a couple of treats to each cube
  • Pour in the blended watermelon
  • Freeze for +6hrs until set

Dog-Friendly Savoury Egg Muffin Bites

These make a delicious savoury treat for our doggies, packed with fibre from the sweet potato and high in protein they are sure to go down a treat.

Ingredients:

  • 150g grated sweet potato (usually around 1 medium sweet potato)
  • 30g grated cheddar cheese
  • 3 tbsp diced ham
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 tsp chopped parsley

Method:

  • Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
  • Lightly grease a 12 cup small muffin tin.
  • Mix grated sweet potato, cheese and ham together.
  • In a separate bowl break eggs and beat with a fork, add in chopped parsley
  • Add the cheese, potato, and ham to the egg mix Pour the mixture evenly into each muffin cup.
  • Bake for 10-15 minutes, until eggs are set and not too wobbly.
  • Allow to cool for 10 mins before removing from the tray to cool completely on a wire rack. Let your pooch tuck in straight away or keep in the fridge.

Even healthy homemade dog treats shouldn’t be given willy-nilly. Treats shouldn’t exceed 10 per cent of an animal’s daily caloric intake.