Tasty Training Treats

Store bought treats can be expensive! Save money making your own high value treats, while also knowing every ingredient involved in the process.

As a certified trainer, you can imagine that I go through my fair share of dog treats each week during our training sessions. Training treats are important, because they're a great tool that gives your dog the incentive to listen and focus. While there are many great treat options out there, I decided that I wanted to make my own. Here's a great recipe I've found to make cost effective treats at home that all of my furry clients love!

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Ingredients

Flour

Dog treats made with flour can provide your pet with vitamins, nutrients, and fiber to support their digestive system. Almond, brown rice, buckwheat, chickpea, coconut, quinoa, sorghum, white (all purpose), and whole wheat flour are all safe for your dog.

When selecting a flour for homemade dog treats, talk to your veterinarian. They can assess your dog’s health and provide information about common allergens for particular dog breeds.

Cheese

Cheese can carry some benefits for your dog, especially if they are extra motivated by treats. Cheese contains protein, calcium, vitamin A, essential fatty acids, and B-complex vitamins. These are all beneficial to your dog’s health, as long as they're not eating too much of it. You should use cheeses with low or reduced fat content (mozzarella and cheddar are good options), and you should avoid feeding them large amounts, as most cheeses are high in fat. Cheese doesn't make the best treat option for every pet, so as always, consult your veterinarian.

Tuna

Not only is tuna a high-protein ingredient, it also works well because of how strong it smells. The smellier the treat, the more motivated your dog can be to get one! There are some important things to note about using tuna in training treats: you need to use low-sodium tuna, and it needs to be packed in water. You can also substitute 5oz of salmon if you're concerned about mercury levels. As always, consult your veterinarian regarding the ingredients of your homemade treats.

Egg

Eggs are packed with protein, essential amino and fatty acids, vitamins including A and B12, as well as folate, iron, selenium, and riboflavin, which can all provide many health benefits for your dog. These benefits can help improve their skin and coat, as well as give them stronger teeth and bones. When I started using this recipe, eggs were much cheaper. So if you're looking for a more cost effective option, a safe substitute for one egg is half of a banana.

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Recipe

Tasty Training Treats

These treats are cost effective and easy to make! They work well as a high-value option for motivating your dog during your training sessions.

Prep Time - 15 minutes Cook Time - 1 hour Total Time - 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings 4 cups

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of flour *

• 1 cup of cheddar cheese

• 10oz tuna, canned (or 10oz of canned salmon)

• 2 large eggs

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Add all of the ingredients into a medium sized bowl.

3. Mix well until a dough consistency forms.

4. Coat a large pizza pan with a light coat of cooking spray. Press mixture into an even layer on pan. You can also use an oven safe, silicone mold that is already treat sized.

5. Bake for 20 minutes.

6. If using a pizza pan, remove from oven. Cut the mixture with a pizza cutter into small, treat sized pieces. If using a silicone mold, you can leave in the oven for the remaining baking time (while checking often). Reduce the temperature to 275 degrees.

7. Return cut treats to pizza pan and bake at reduced temperature of 275 degrees for an additional 40-60 minutes. Check dog treats at 40 minutes, and every 5 minutes after, until treats are dried and golden brown. .

8. Let treats cool, and then they're ready to use for training!

Notes *Allergies are possible for some dogs to different types of flour. Monitor your dog when giving them treats made with flour. Treats are perishable. Refrigerate for up to one week, or freeze for up to one month!

This post is for informational purposes only. I am not a veterinarian or nutritionist. Please check with your veterinarian about your pet's nutrition. Social Petworking is not responsible for any adverse effects from following the recipe provide