Meaty Homemade Dog Treats Recipe

I changed some things with this recipe, but it's a good base. I cut the shortening down to 3 tablespoons, omitted the salt, and used 1 jar of beef baby food instead of the ground pork. Pork allergies are common in dogs and they also don't have a taste for salt like humans do. Instead of the water and dry milk I used 1/2 cup of 1% milk, since that's all I had on hand. Also, don't bother putting them 2 inches apart on the cookie sheets... I pack mine on there, almost touching. They do not expand during baking, they shrink if anything. My Patterdale Terrier went bonkers for these! :)

Dog LOVES these; heck, I ate 3! They're savory, a little cheesy, and quite filling for tiny cookies. I used a half-cup milk instead of the dry milk + water, as someone suggested. Instead of hassling with cooking ground pork, or buying that CRAZY expensive babyfood meat, I used one 3-oz. can of Armour Potted Meat (it's not gonna kill us). Added a handful of grated cheese in with the carrots. Also, I mixed the final batter with my hands, shaped it into balls, rolled gently in flour, and smashed them with a fork like peanut-butter cookies... easier than rolling and cutting if you have limited space. Butter-flavor shortening worked fine, too. I'll make these again.

I replaced the ground pork with a leftover hamburger and enough shredded cheese to make 1 cup of protein-- pulsed with 1/2 the dry ingredients in the food processor and our dog is suddenly very interested in obedience training-- anything to get one of these cookies! Great recipe, thanks!

Both of my furry children love these, and I make them regularly. Here are my tweeks: I use any leftover meat, dicing it. Rather than rolling the dough out and using cookie cutters, I drop small spoonfuls on the cookie sheet and flatten them a bit. I bake them until the edges get brown, and after removing them from the oven and cookie sheet, I leave them out for awhile. This hardens them, which I think is better for my dogs' teeth. Thanks for this recipe!

After reading the other reviews that stated pork is potentially bad for dogs, I omitted the pork. Instead I used a 6 oz. jar of beef/macaroni baby food. Instead of water and a bouillon cube, I used 1/2 cup of low sodium beef broth. I didn't measure out the grated carrot, I just used 1 large one. I also added a bunch of fresh chopped parsley. Finally, instead of the shortening I used about 2 Tbsp. bacon grease. I omitted the salt because I didn't think it was necessary.

I read through the reviews and made some of the changes suggested. And I tweaked it to make it my own, and based on what was on hand. I used beef broth instead of water and bouillon cube, used oil instead of shortening, used 1/2 the carrot and added 1/2 cup grated cheese, and used 2 jars of baby food beef. These cookies were like crack for my dogs. I will be making them again, and again.

This was helpful for me, but since I changed so much I wouldn't really feel right giving it 5 stars as is. I used chicken bullion and leftover chicken scraps which I ran through the food processor, upped the meat and omitted the carrots and salt, added a teeny bit of garlic (evidently dogs like it-- look at your dog food ingredients and you'll probably see it), added some velveeta chunks, and used less fat (the chicken bits were quite fatty). I also made a quick cream cheese icing with just milk and cream cheese and corn starch. I made a big batch of these for Christmas, I usually send out baskets of homemade cookies and brittles and toffees for the humans but basically every extended family member has a dog/s so I thought I'd try this out this year; all the dogs from me and my husband's families (all 12 of them), plus our 3, went nuts for them. In the end I think this recipe is very forgiving. The important parts to remember are whole wheat flour, a significant amount of dry milk (it seems to kind of take the role of sugar in cookies), egg, and some fat. From there you could make these with virtually any meat or add ins, I think. If not making them for a special occasion but just regular treats, be sure to refrigerate them, they do go off quickly.

My dogs (poi, maltese, and labs) really love these biscuits. I usually buy 1/2 lb. of ground beef when it's on sale at the market and fry it up after I've cooked bacon, thus eliminating most or all the shortening. I crumble a beef bouillon cube into the hot mixture after it has cooked and mix well. I cut out hearts and call them my California Hearts. Usually I cut out a pan of mini hearts and 3 pans of the regular size. They are wonderful! I do store them in the fridge. However, one time I found a package in a tote bag after a month and it seemed ok. I really like these.

It's an excellent base and you can change ingredients based on yor dog's needs and likes. We have a small Maltie mix with arthritis. We maintain his weight (gain would be bad) with these snacks. We use a small spice jar for cookie cutter to make mini snack to make dozens of treats. These freeze well, we use some bacon drippings, no salt and chicken or beef baby food and carrots. He dances for snacks. We have made recipe as is then modified ingredients to meet our dog's likes, best recipe ever for dog treats and our vet agrees.

I made these today with the following modifications: for the meat I used 1 jar of chicken w/gravy baby food and 1 jar of chicken w/vegetable... Threw in a teas. peanut butter and T of shredded cheese. No salt no boullion... I also didn't have milk powder so I used milk and less water... I know the recipe is quite different but hey she loved them! :)

I can't help but chuckle when I read that some people actually throw out the dough or, the treats...becuz they cooked them for too long or, "it made too many"! My goodness, I'd keep that dough! It can be refrigerated for another time...or, given to another dog's "Mommy/Daddy"! My lil guy, Rosco, would be SO happy to have a special, healthy HOME MADE treat, he sure wouldn't care if they had a little burnt edge or there were "too many of them"!!! He'd share w/his 2 g.f ..., BeIle & Bella! ?? I also added 3/4 cup of pureed pumpkin & 1/8 cup of Flaxseeds too, for extra fiber & it makes ur pups feel full!!!

Happy Heeler. Thank you

This was pure magic!

Recipe does not say if they shelf stable or need refrigeration. It doesn't give a give a shelf life.Wondering because of the inclusion of meat These are for both an elderly dog and an 8 week old puppy,so both have lower immune systems I still have to rate it ,so I am giving it a 3 star because the ingredients list does otherwise look good.

I can't help but chuckle when I read that some people actually throw out the dough or, the treats...becuz they cooked them for too long or, "it made too many"! My goodness, I'd keep that dough! It can be refrigerated for another time...or, given to another dog's "Mommy/Daddy"! My lil guy, Rosco, would be SO happy to have a special, healthy HOME MADE treat, he sure wouldn't care if they had a little burnt edge or there were "too many of them"!!! He'd share w/his 2 g.f ..., BeIle & Bella! ?? I also added 3/4 cup of pureed pumpkin & 1/8 cup of Flaxseeds too, for extra fiber & it makes ur pups feel full!!!

I don't buy dog cookies anymore..my dog and her 4 legged friends love these cookies. Sometimes I replace carrots with oats. Great recipe!

My pups and neigbors' dogs loved these. Added twice the meat (cooked ground beef), and cut back on shortening due to fat in meat. Plus threw in some cornmeal & wheat germ. I used 1/2 cup of 1% milk for milk powder (had none) & water. Turned out great!! These should be kept in fridge or freezer to avoid spoilage. Next time will try making the oatmeal recipe but substituting peanut butter for grated cheese (or might half the recipe and try both). That recipe also sounds great like a good one.

good recipe. I subbed zuchini for carrot, just cause I had it in the freezer, worked great. Smelled delicious in the oven. My bull mastiff loved em.

this recipe is really helpfull, but since i live in Indonesia and so hard to find a cheap whole wheat flour(mostly i found with expensive import products), can i substitute with all purpose flour?

My dog is crazy about this biscuit. Instead of pork, I used ground beef and my pooch love it!