We all know that dogs love a treat now and then (or maybe 30 per day), but too many treats on the market today are overprocessed and contain preservatives and other ingredients that just aren’t great for our furry friends. Making your own homemade, organic dog treats can be a great way to provide them with a yummy snack and some extra nutrition.
There are many dog treat recipes available on the internet, and we even have a few in one of our previous blog posts. When creating homemade dog treats, it’s best to stick with organic ingredients, and the following five ingredients can be great options for your dog.
Whole-Wheat Flour – White flour has been processed to a point where most of its nutrients and fiber are removed. Whole-wheat flour is a healthier choice for dogs (and humans).
While this can be a healthy choice for your dog, some dogs have issues with gluten. If your dog is gluten-sensitive or gluten-intolerant, simply substitute a grain-free flour of your choice, such as coconut flour or bean flour.
Pumpkin – Unsweetened pumpkin can be a great ingredient for dog treats. Pumpkin is high in fiber and is what’s known as a prebiotic. This is a substance that helps promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the stomach. It also helps to prevent the growth of harmful types of bacteria.
If you have a furry friend that often has issues with diarrhea, using unsweetened pumpkin in your organic dog treats may help. Just make sure the pumpkin is plain, with no sugar, salt or spices. Of course, if your dog is having stomach issues, it’s always best to consult with your veterinarian to determine the best course of treatment.
Apples – Apples also provide extra fiber and contain many vitamins. With apples, however, it is essential that you core the apple and carefully remove all of the seeds. Apple seeds contain cyanide, so be sure all those seeds are gone before you add them to a recipe.
Unsweetened Peanut Butter – Peanut Butter has long been a favorite with the canine set, and it’s an excellent choice to consider for your homemade dog treats. Just be sure that you opt for a raw organic brand with no added sugars or added sweeteners, as sweeteners are toxic for dogs.
Organic Baby Food – Pureed baby foods, such as carrots or sweet potatoes, can be a good option. These ingredients add some sweetness and usually are healthy for dogs. If you do use pureed baby foods, look carefully at the labels and ensure that they don’t contain onion or any other foods that dogs should avoid, such as the following ingredients.
Ingredients To Avoid
While our human treats usually contain sugar and salt, these two items often can be left out of your organic dog treats. A pinch of salt might accentuate the flavor of your treats, but sugar isn’t needed. Artificial colors and flavors also should be avoided as well as all sugar substitutes. Most importantly, sugar substitutes, such as xylitol can be extremely dangerous for dogs and even cause rapid liver failure.
Additionally, dogs cannot eat onions, garlic, avocadoes, grapes or raisins. While it’s unlikely that you’d think about adding onions, you might think about adding avocadoes for protein or raisins for flavor. However, avocadoes contain persin, which can be toxic for dogs and grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure.
Again, while you might not add onions, never give garlic or onions to your dog in any form – raw, cooked, dried or powdered. Onions and garlic can cause anemia in dogs and, in larger amounts, it can cause vomiting and breathing issues.
Our Organic Dog Treats
Obviously, you can’t be baking organic dog treats every day (although with social distancing and quarantining maybe you can), so if you would like some yummy, healthy organic dog treats, head into Naked Dog Bistro, Laguna Beach’s exclusive dog bakery and boutique.
All of our treats are made using the finest ingredients, organic whenever possible. Our treats also are grain-free and gluten-free with no artificial colors or flavors. We freshly bake an assorted of organic dog treats daily at our bakery.
The selection changes every day, but often includes delectable items such as doggie French fries, dog sushi, dog donuts and much more. If you are celebrating a special canine occasion, we can custom-bake cakes and cupcakes for your pooch and their furry friends.
We also sell our own line of CBD dog treats, which we bake in-house. We also formulate our CBD in-house derived from high-CBD, low-THC hemp. These treats contain only trace amounts of THC, which means the treats are non-psychoactive.
CBD treats can be a good choice for dogs suffering from many health conditions. CBD has been shown to alleviate separation anxiety, allergies, arthritis and joint pain. It also may be helpful for dogs suffering from seizures or dogs undergoing treatment for serious health issues, such as cancer. In addition to our CBD dog treats, we also carry our own line of CBD oil for dogs.
Baking your own organic dog treats can be a lot of fun, but if you are pressed for time or aren’t a person who enjoys baking, come on down to our local dog bakery and treat your dog to some amazing homemade dog treats. For those who don’t live near Laguna Beach, we can ship our CBD dog treats directly to your home, as well as our homemade dog jerky treats.
