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Dogs and cats both love treats, and you can make delicious homemade treats for your furry companion anytime you want. If you’re training a dog or working with a dog that likes to bark at everything it sees during your daily walk, treats can help you train your pup and make him relax a bit.
My dog listens with all of her might when I’m holding a treat in my hand.
And when they’re homemade treats, they just seem a little extra special and thoughtful. The go-to treats that I make my cat and dog (you’ll need to adjust your shapes and sizes) include:
1. Easy Chicken Treats
Dogs and cats both have a love for chicken, and you can make delicious treats using your bread machine or by hand. You’ll need just a few ingredients to get started, such as:
- 1 1/3 cup wheat flour
- 2/3 cup chicken broth
- 1/3 cup cornmeal
- 2 cups shredded, cooked chicken
- 1 tsp butter
You’ll want to preheat your oven to 350 degrees before getting started. Feel free to swap out the wheat flour for another flour, but I chose wheat flour because it’s readily available in most stores. You’ll want to follow these steps to get started:
- Mix the butter, chicken and broth together
- Add in your flour and cornmeal
- Knead together until a thick consistency is formed
Once you’re happy with your dough (add more cornmeal or flour as needed), you’ll want to roll out your dough to a thickness of one-fourth inch. If you have a small cat, cut the dough into rather small pieces that will easily be chewed by the cat. You can make one-inch or larger cuts for dogs.
- Cut into slices and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.
- Remove and allow to cool.
2. Cheesy Treats
Cheese is delicious for humans, and dogs and cats love it, too. You’ll want to stick to your basic cheddar cheese when making animal treats to avoid any harmful additives or ingredients that may upset your pup.
I don’t recommend making this treat daily for your animals, but once in a blue moon when you want to spoil them will suffice.
You’ll need to gather just a few ingredients to get started:
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/3 cup cornmeal
- 1/3 cup plain yogurt
- Parmesan cheese
There’s no fancy baking needed with this recipe, it’s a pretty simple roll, cut and bake treat – good for busy pet parents. To get started, you’ll want to preheat your oven to 350F once again before:
- Combining the yogurt and cheddar in a medium bowl
- Adding in your cornmeal and flour
- Mixing until thoroughly combined
If you notice that the dough is too thick or dry, feel free to add in a small amount of water as necessary to achieve the consistency you prefer. Continue to knead your dough into a ball before rolling it out to a 1/4″ thickness.
Once done, cut into pieces ideal for your pet and place on a greased cookie sheet.
I like to sprinkle on a little parmesan cheese at this time, but it’s completely up to you here.
You’ll be baking these cheesy treats for 20 minutes or so.
Always allow to cool before serving to your pup or cat.
3. Peanut Butter Oatmeal Treats
If it’s National Cook for Your Pet Day, it’s time to break out your baking sheet and make something delightful for your pet to enjoy. Peanut butter oatmeal treats are a fan favorite among dogs, but cats seem to like them, too.
These treats smell really good when baking, and they include just a small amount of ingredients to get started:
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1/4 cup peanut butter
- 1-1/4 cups water
Before we get started, set your oven to 350F and put your water into the microwave to heat it up. You’ll want to add all of your dry ingredients into a medium bowl followed by your peanut butter and the hot water.
- Knead the dough well, adding more flour if the consistency is too sticky.
- Roll out to 1/4″ and cut into small squares before baking on a lightly greased cookie sheet for 40 minutes.
- I let these cool overnight before serving.
That’s it. Pretty simple, right? The next time you’re admiring your pet, make them a treat to show them just how much love you have for them. They’ll appreciate the gesture.
Joe Hughes, known by most as the Village Baker, is an expert in home-style cooking techniques, with a primary interest in baking. He runs the very popular website, Village Bakery, which provides the latest home-style cooking news, techniques, tricks, and recipes. You can email him at Joe@Village-Bakery.com.
