The best snacks for dogs 

Do you want to reward your dog but don’t know when or how to do this? Discover the best snacks for dogs and reward your pet appropriately.

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In the same way that we can make healthy and delicious snacks at home, our pets can also enjoy nibbles prepared by us. Apart from being completely natural, these recipes contain ingredients that have properties to support the dental health of our canine friends.  

When and how do you reward your dog?

The perfect time to reward your pet is when they complete an action that we have asked them to do. It could be giving you their paw, not going to the toilet in the house or not barking on the terrace. When it has obeyed an order, you should not leave it too long before rewarding the dog, otherwise it will not relate the order with the action it has just carried out.

Unlike industrial foods, the snacks we propose do not contain preservatives or artificial aromas.



What things should you keep in mind before cooking the snacks?

Like people, each dog has different tastes and needs. So before looking for recipes for new snacks for our pets to enjoy, it would be useful to note the following recommendations:


· Use wholemeal or cereal flour. It will help to improve your dog’s digestion and nervous system.

· Dogs prefer lactose-free milk. It is a fact that not all dogs are lactose-intolerant, but they tend to develop this problem with age. If your dog has never had cow’s milk, it will probably be intolerant, so the best options are lactose-free milk or vegetable drinks.

· Choose quality ingredients. Snacks will be tastier if they are made from fresh produce.

· Pay attention to your dog’s allergies. If your dog is allergic to chicken, it is best to substitute this for veal or pork. If it cannot eat cereals, you can use boiled mashed potato in their place.


4 natural dog snack recipes

Leftover meat nibbles

This recipe is perfect for those occasions when you have miscalculated the quantities of a meal and you have some food left over.




Ingredients

  • Leftover cooked meat
  • 200 g wholemeal or cereal flour
  • One egg
  • Pinch of salt
  • ½ cup of hot water


Instructions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 ºC and mix all the ingredients in a bowl with the water until they form a manageable dough.

2. Divide into equal parts and flatten each portion with a rolling pin to achieve a shape similar to that of a pizza base.

3. Then, put them into the oven for 15-20 minutes, depending on thickness. Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.


Home-made ice cream for dogs

This is, without a doubt, the recommended snack for hot summer days. As well as refreshing your dog, it will also enjoy a treat. There are some ingredients, such as chocolate, that we always relate with this type of recipe. This food is very harmful to your pet, so you should not offer it to them. However, there are some very good alternatives, such as no-salt peanut butter, or sugar-free plant-based yogurts. You will need an ice cube tray.


Ingredients

  • No-salt peanut butter
  • 1 banana


Instructions

1. Mash the banana and add a layer of this to each compartment of the ice cube tray.

2. Spread a layer of peanut butter over the banana and put the tray into the freezer. Wait for it to solidify and, it’s ready!


Microwave stock biscuits

Even the laziest of us can take part in making healthy snacks for their pets. It won’t take longer than 10 minutes to cook these and the results are spectacular.



Ingredients

  • 500 g wholemeal flour
  • 1 egg
  • ½ low-salt beef or chicken stock


Instructions

1. Mix the flour and egg in a bowl. Then gradually add the stock while stirring continuously to avoid clumps forming.

2. You should end up with a firm dough with which to create balls which will then be flattened into the desired shapes.

3. Place the snacks into the microwave on high power for around 10 minutes and Bon appétit!


Oven baked sweet potato strips

We could call these crudités for dogs. Sweet potatoes help to balance excess insulin and they contain vitamin E, potassium, iron and fibre. Experts recommend them above everything for dogs that suffer from arthritis and diabetes.



Ingredients

  • 1 sweet potato
  • Olive oil
  • Cinnamon


Instructions

1. Wash and peel the sweet potato (peeling is optional). Then, cut into chip shapes: decide on their thickness depending on the size of your dog.

2. Place the snacks in a pre-heated oven at 120ºC for 2 hours.


If the strips are stored in a hermetically-sealed container, their texture and flavour will last for up to 2 weeks.


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