Homemade Dog and Cat Treats

I've collected these pet treat recipes over a period of the past 20 years, have tried them all, and cats and dogs have liked them all. Of course, we've been owned by a few that would eat just about anything, so that may not be the best judge of them being wholesome. A couple recipes were "tweaked" by me for our fussy little Pomeranian, and if I knew the source, I noted it on the recipe. When sitting in vet's offices, we often traded recipes with other pet owners, and I have no idea where those recipes originated.

On several recipes, I substituted the use of lard with olive oil, but left bacon fat or grease when it was called for. I know from long experience that bacon is a favorite of most cats and dogs alike, and often times, made the difference as to whether or not the pet would accept the treat. They are smart little things and cannot be easily fooled.

Gingham Dog and Calico Cat Biscuits:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 Tbsp. wheat germ
• 1/4 cup bran flakes
• 1/4 cup soy flour
• 1 Tbsp. molasses (unsulphered)
• 2 Tbsp. oil or fat
• 1 Tbsp. kelp or 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. sage
• 1/2 tsp. bone meal
• 1/3 cup milk or water

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together.

Knead and shape into crescents, rounds, or sticks for dogs. For cats, roll out and cut into narrow strips or ribbons.

Bake 25-30 minutes in a moderate oven (350 degrees F) until lightly toasted. Watch the narrow strips as they tend to get done sooner than the others. If the biscuits are not hard enough, leave them in the oven with the heat turned off for an hour or as long as desired.

Dog and Cat Biscuits:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 2/3 cup water
• 6 Tbsp. oil

Directions:

Mix all together. Cut into shapes and bake at 350 degrees F for 35 to 40 minutes.

Aunt Bianca's Dog/Cat Biscuits:

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup powdered skim milk
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 egg, beaten
• Flavoring: meat drippings, broth, or water from canned tuna (enough to make a stiff dough)

Directions:

Combine flour, powdered milk, and garlic powder in a medium sized bowl.

Add beaten egg and flavoring; mix well with hands. Dough should be very stiff. If necessary add more flavoring.

On a well-floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut with shaped cookie cutters of your choice.

Place biscuits on cookie sheets and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.

Doggie and Kitty Vitamin Crisps:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup cooked greens, chopped in a blender (spinach, kale, turnip greens, Swiss chard, etc.). You can substitute chopped carrots.
• 2 Tbsp. oil or bacon fat
• 1 Tbsp. alfalfa meal
• 2 Tbsp. brewers yeast
• 3/4 tsp. bone meal

Directions:

Mix ingredients together.

Add enough milk, stock, or water to make a firm dough.

Roll out flat on a cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees F until barely brown.

Doggie and Kitty Oatmeal Crisps:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
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• 1/4 cup soy bean flour
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 4 Tbsp. lard, bacon fat, or oil mixed with 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 tsp. bone meal

Directions:

Mix flours, add liquid.

Mix well.

Roll out on cookie sheet and bake until golden brown at 350 degrees F.

Kitty Cheese Snaps or Dog Bones:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup each grated cheddar and Parmesan cheese
• 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 cup unsifted whole-wheat flour
• 1/2 cup unsifted all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder
• 2 tsp. garlic salt
• 1/2 cup water
• cooking spray

Directions:

In large bowl, mix cheeses with oil.

Stir in flours, milk powder, and garlic salt until blended.

Add water; knead in bowl until stiff yet pliable dough forms.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly grease 1 or 2 baking sheets with cooking spray.

On lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness and cut out treats with cookie cutter. (For kitty snaps, use 1/2 inch triangular or round cookie cutter; for dog bones, use 3 1/2 inch cutter in the shape of a bone.) Gather scraps, re-roll dough and cut out into more shapes.

Bake kitty snaps 15-18 minutes, turning once, until lightly golden.

Bake dog bones 38-40 minutes, turning once, until golden. Let cool on wire rack.

Makes 650 kitty snaps or 24 dog bones.

Recipe from McCall's/November 1997 Issue

By Pookarina from Boca Raton, FL