What dog does not love treats??! Your furry friend is going to love these Homemade Soft Dog Treats! This simple recipe uses healthy ingredients that you have complete control over. No worrying about harmful additives or questionable ingredients you don’t understand with store-bought treats. As a dog owner and lover, I know the importance of providing healthy, delicious treats to our beloved pups. By making your dog treats, you can feel good about giving them something healthy with no additives.
Our Great Dane puppy, Magnus, loves these softer treats. I created this recipe as I wanted a soft treat for him. With his puppy teeth, it was difficult for him to chew the harder, crunchy treats. And because he had a hard time, there would always be a mess of crumbs on the floor. He makes little mess with these soft treats. Any crumbs he is happy to clean up! Like it never happened!
These homemade treats are good for older dogs or puppy teeth, and they are the perfect training treat. You can make them any size. They break easily into smaller pieces without crumbling, which is why they are great for training. I will make mine in different shapes and sizes so that I have a variety for when I give Magnus his treats.
Making your own dog treats is also a great way to save money. It’s cheaper to make on your own than buying at the grocery store or pet shop.
Ingredients for Homemade Soft Dog Treats
The best part about this simple recipe is that it uses ingredients I always have on hand:
- Sweet Potato – cooked – 1 medium sweet potato should yield about 1 cup.
- Natural Peanut Butter – no added sugar
- Egg
- Quick oats
- Whole wheat flour
How to Make Homemade Soft Dog Treats
Start by cooking the sweet potato. You can do this by using three methods: (1) bake at 400 degrees F for about 30-40 minutes; (2) pierce the sweet potato and microwave for about 4 minutes on high; (3) peel and cube, boil in a saucepan covered with water for about 10 minutes- Note* if using this method, you will need to add additional flour as the sweet potatoes will absorb more moisture and the dough will be too sticky to work with.
Line a baking or cookie sheet with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Once sweet potato is cooked and cooled slightly, mash with a fork.
In a large bowl, combine the cooked sweet potato, egg, and peanut butter.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the quick oats and the flour.
Add the sweet potato mixture to the oat and flour bowl. Mix until combined. The dough will be a bit sticky.
Roll the dough.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to about 1/2 inch thick.
Using any shaped cookie cutter, cut your treats out and place on the prepared baking sheet. If you do not have a cookie cutter, use a pizza cutter, knife, or glass to cut out any shape you like! – Here I used a small canning jar.
The best part about these treats is that your fur baby does not care what they look like, only that they taste good! Imperfections or miss-shapes don’t matter!
In batches, bake for 20 minutes, flipping after 10 minutes. Or until slightly golden brown.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 2-3 minutes. Then transfer to a cooling rack. Ensure these treats are thoroughly cool before giving to your pup.
Storage
Once your dog cookies have cooled completely, store in an airtight container. You can store these dog treats for 3-5 days on the shelf. For longer shelf-life, store in the refrigerator for 5-7 days or freeze for up to 1 month. While one batch does not last long in our house, I will make double or triple batches and store in the freezer so that I always have some on hand.
FAQ’s
What peanut butter should I use to make these dog treats?
When choosing peanut butter, it is best to use unsweetened and one that has no xylitol. Xylitol can be toxic to dogs. Creamy peanut butter is better to work with in this recipe.
What if I do not have sweet potatoes?
While I always believe fresh is best, you can easily substitute the cooked sweet potato with canned pumpkin puree.
Can I make these dog treats thicker?
Yes! Just adjust the baking time. When I need to give Magnus pills, I will make them about 1 inch thick and bake about 30 minutes. The treats are thick and soft enough to stuff a pill into. Magnus gobbles them up like a champ!
Please note – always consult your veterinarian if your dog has any specific dietary restrictions or allergies. And always monitor your dog closely when introducing new treats to ensure there are no adverse reactions.
Stay tuned for more simple dog treat recipes!! In the meantime below are some other dog recipes you might enjoy:
Homemade Instant Pot Dog Food With Chicken
Quick Homemade Instant Pot Beef Dog Food
Ingredients
- 1 cup sweet potato, cooked and mashed
- 3/4 cup quick oats
- 1/2 cup peanut butter unsweetened
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
Instructions
- preheat oven to 350℉.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine quick oats and flour.
- In a large bowl, combine sweet potato, peanut butter and egg.
- Add oat and flour mixture to the sweet potato mixture.
- Roll out dough to about 1/2 inch thick. Use cookie cutter, round glass, pizza cutter and knife wot make shapes.
- Bake 10 minutes, flip and bake 10 more minutes.
