Having six dogs, we go through a lot of dogs treats. When we had dogs that needed to be crated, we really used a lot, since the dogs received a treat every time they went in the crate. A long time ago when we only had two dogs, I bought fancy organic treats - sweet potato treats, non-wheat treats, pure free range chicken treats, etc. Then as we started adopting more dogs and using more treats, we just couldn't afford to buy them. I bought a cookbook that had dog food and dog treat recipes in it and started making my own after I realized that dog treats are not anything special - they are just blander, salt free versions of treats that you might make for yourself! I have made apple oat treats and cheese treats, but peanut butter treats are my go-to because we almost always have peanut butter in the house. However, since some veterinarians do not recommend giving peanut butter to dogs, I thought that I would share this recipe for pumpkin oat treats.
Pumpkin Oat Dog Treats
1. Combine 2 cups of flour, 1 cup of rolled oats, 1 cup of pumpkin, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.
2. Add 1/2 cup of water and stir until a thick dough forms. It will be very thick and stiff. You can add a little more water if it is too dry and crumbly.
3. Spread some flour onto a flat surface and knead the dough several times with your hands to make it more pliable.
4. Then use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into small squares. I used to use a bone shaped cookie cutter to make cute treats, but then realized that I was wasting a lot of time and my dogs did not care what they looked like. So now they get simple squares - bonus - the squares fit better in the mason jars for storage.
5. Combine the edge scraps back into a ball and roll out again until you use up all of the dough. Place them on a cookie sheet. They do not typically stick to my tray, so I do not use parchment paper.
6. I baked these at 350 F for 45 minutes and they were hard, but not crunchy. The pumpkin makes them puff up just a smidge and keeps them softer than the peanut butter treats I make.
7. Let them cool, then call your dog over to test one. Store in an air tight container. This recipe makes enough to fill a quart size mason jar plus a good handfull. You may have to put a label on them so that your partner knows they are for the dogs, not for dessert!
I shared this post on Living Well, Spending Less for Thrifty Thursday.