Fun Holiday Treats for Your Favourite Hound!

Dec 1

Festive treats for your dog that you can make at home this holiday season.

Don’t leave Fido out from the holiday baking this year! We have put together a great list of fun dog treats you can make for your favourite dogs. Give as a gift, or make some for your own family dog! Poo Worx Okanagan is excited to be able to provide these great recipes for your dog. Want to give them something extra special? Check out our gift certificates for poop scooping services.

Note: Dogs can safely eat peanut butter, but be sure that it doesn’t contain xylitol (a sweetener). Many brands of peanut butter contain no xylitol and so are safe to use in these recipes. You can also get peanut butter made especially for your furry friend.

Note: Always check with your vet first! While all ingredients listed are considered dog safe, every dog has different dietary needs, restrictions and even allergies. Always check with your vet first before starting a new food.

Recipe from Urban Bliss Life
No baking required! These dog treats are super simple to make, requiring only three ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen or pantry.

Ingredients:
1 banana
4 tbsp peanut butter
12 ounces plain or vanilla yogurt.

You will need silicone molds or you can use an ice tray. You can even find cute doggy shapes like bones or paws!

Blend all ingredients together until smooth.

Fill the molds and freeze until solid, about two hours.

Store in an airtight container in the freezer, and now you’ve got a sweet frozen treat on hand for your dog or any other doggy visitors you may have over the holidays.

Chewy Sweet Potato Treats

One ingredient! These homemade dog treats require only one ingredient that is frequently found on holiday tables: the Sweet Potato.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
Wash and peel three Sweet Potatoes, then slice into even long slices about a quarter-inch thick. Optionally, you can toss the slices lightly in olive oil.

If you have a dehydrator you can use it for this recipe, but for those who don’t happen to own one, a home oven at a low temperature can also be used. Bake for three hours, checking regularly to make sure the slices aren’t burning.

Allow to cool on a rack and then store in the fridge for up to two weeks, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Pumpkin Treats with Peanut Butter Drizzle

Recipe from Spaceships and Laser Beams
These treats contain one of our favourite holiday ingredients: Pumpkin!

Ingredients:
¾ cup pumpkin puree
½ cup peanut butter (plus ½ cup more for drizzle)
¼ cup oats
1 egg
2 cups flour (whole wheat, brown rice, all-purpose or almond flour can all be used)

Preheat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Prep a baking sheet by lining it with a piece of parchment. Mix all the ingredients together in a big bowl. Once mixed, roll the dough out between two pieces of parchment paper to ¾ inch thickness.

Using either doggy-shaped cookie cutters or your traditional Christmas shapes, cut out the cookies and place them on the baking sheet. If you don’t have any cookie cutters, no worries! You can get creative and cut free-form shapes out of the dough or use a lid from a container around the house.

Bake for about 10-12 minutes for a chewy cookie, and if your dog prefers a crispier cookie, you can flip the cookies and bake for an extra 6 minutes.

Allow to cool. For that final flourish, microwave the remaining peanut butter and use as a decorative drizzle. Store in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Cinnamon Apple Christmas Treats

Recipe from Dalmation DIY
These treats will have your home smelling cozy and delicious, and will have your dog enjoying the Christmas spirit!

Ingredients:
1 egg
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup low-sodium soup stock
Approximately 1 and 1/2 cups of brown rice flour (or whole wheat), plus extra for rolling
Optional: Sprinkle of cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Mix all liquid ingredients in a bowl, and gradually add the flour until you have a dough.

Roll out the dough and cut it into desired shapes. You can use cookie cutters, cookie stamps, or a knife to cut your own designs!

Bake for approximately 10-15 minutes, but keep an eye on the cookies as they cook, they may take more or less time depending on size.

Store in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

**Leftover Turkey and Sweet Potato Treats**

Recipe from Two Healthy Kitchens
While there are lots of human recipes that involve holiday leftovers, this one takes into consideration the pooch in your place!

You can use leftover sweet potatoes as well as leftover turkey for this recipe, but if it’s more convenient you can also use frozen sweet potato.

1/2 cup cooked sweet potatoes
3/4 cup water
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 cups finely chopped, cooked turkey or chicken
2 cups flour (white or whole wheat flour)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Prep a cookie sheet by lining it with parchment paper. Mix all ingredients together in a big bowl.

You have two easy options for shapes with these cookies: drop cookies, where you simply spoon the dough onto the sheet, or sheet cookies, where you can press the dough into a big rectangle and then slice it into squares with a knife or pizza cutter.

Bake for about 30 minutes until golden brown. Cool and store in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Looking for more great gift ideas?

We have gift certificates for poop scooping services, which is a dream come true for any dog owner. We service all over the Okanagan, and they can use the gift certificate right away or save it for a spring cleaning after the snow melts.
Learn more about our services here
Or book a Gift Certificate here!

Mary Bermudez