5 Benefits of Homemade Treats for Dogs (and Other Pets)
Pet owners love spoiling our pets, giving them a little something ‘special’ from time to time to show them how much we love them. There are many different options for treats easily available at your local retail outlet, but are you familiar with the benefits of homemade treats for dogs (and other pets)? If not, you need to read this…
Confession: We share our hearts and our homes with 4 furry family members, and they are all SPOILED!
Don’t get me wrong, our dogs are well trained, and our cats aren’t destroying our house by scratching the furniture… there’s a difference between spoiled and misbehaved.
But they aren’t hurting for anything.
From the most comfortable orthopedic dog beds that we could find (after doing thorough research) to baskets of dog and cat toys placed strategically around the house.
There is no denying the fact that they are well-loved!
When it comes to treats, we always have a variety of different flavours and options on hand.
However, they all have one thing in common. All of our pets’ favourite treats are homemade. Not only do they love them, we love them too! Why?
If you find yourself torn between buying commercial treats or making your own at home, this is for you…
Check Out These 5 Benefits of Homemade Treats for Dogs (and Other Pets):
#1 – Save Money
High-quality pet treats aren’t cheap! However, you don’t want to cheap out on lower-quality options.
Making your own pet treats is a great way of saving money.
I did a little ‘shopping’ to show you exactly what I mean…
A 11.6 oz bag of Sweet Potato Chews at our local pet store runs, on average, $15 CAD. They have one ingredient, sweet potatoes.
Sweet potatoes here are approximately $1.50/lb.
If you are willing to take the time to dehydrate the sweet potatoes, making your own homemade sweet potato chews, that’s a significant savings!
#2 – Healthier Ingredients, No ‘Fillers’
Have you ever read the ingredients list on a package of your pet’s treats and found yourself stumbling through words that you couldn’t pronounce?
If so, you’re not alone!
While there are some brands that do a great job of delivering high-quality ingredients, there are many that leave much to be desired.
Why pay for a treat packed with fillers when you can make a healthier option at home?
You can also limit preservatives, fats and other chemicals that may be found in the commercial varieties.
Related: ‘6 Dog Dental Care Tips Every Owner Should Know‘
#3 – Customize Treats for Your Pet’s Needs
No two pets are the same and neither are their nutritional or health needs!
Whether you’re trying to work around a food allergy or intolerance or looking to benefit from the nutritional benefits of a specific ingredient, you can customize your homemade treats for your pet!
For example, we make a lot of treats using pumpkin since it helps to improve digestive health.
My girl Daviana has been diagnosed with IBD, making pumpkin a GREAT option for her!
As for our boy Indiana, pumpkin has been associated with many health benefits for him too including promoting a shiny, healthy coat and boosting his immune system.
What’s not to love?
Your pet’s treats should never be considered a replacement for a balanced diet, but they can be used to help encourage better health!
#4 – Homemade Treats Are Safer
One of the biggest risks associated with purchasing commercial treats is the possibility of a recall.
We have all seen those scary social media posts, sharing that a specific brand of pet treat or food has caused serious illness or death in someone’s beloved pets.
Often, these concerns don’t come to light until a family somewhere has paid the ultimate price.
While some are promptly pulled off the shelves, news briefs making the recall known, other companies deny the allegations or work to cover up these issues in order to avoid any financial loss on their part.
The best example that comes to mind is the big FDA investigation into jerky dog treats imported from China and sold across Canada, the US, Germany, Switzerland, the UK and Singapore, among other countries.
In an article from the FDA, they revealed that they received 5,200 complains associated with these treats between 2007 and 2015, including more than 1,100 associated fatalities.
Throughout those years, however, the treats were still available on store shelves.
In fact, many of those same treats are still available for purchase today… As a pet owner, does that make you nervous? I know I am!
Related: ‘Easy and Effective Ways to Entertain Your Dog at Home‘
Rather than taking chances or worrying about which brands can be trusted, you can eliminate the risk with one simple decision – Make your dog treats at home!
You control every ingredient that goes into your treats, making homemade treats the safer option.
For Recall Information in Canada, visit the Government of Canada – Recalls & Safety Alerts website.
If you live in the United States, the American Veterinary Medical Association maintains an up-to-date list on their website.
#5 – It’s Fun!
The best reason to make homemade dog treats for dogs, cats and any other pets in your home?
It’s a fun activity for you and your whole family! Even the dogs, in some situations…
There are plenty of people who bake or cook for the joy of it, creating elaborate dishes, pastries, and cakes for their families.
Why not do the same for the pets in your household?
I spend more time baking for my dogs than I do for my husband and I… Although, I’m sure he would love it if that changed!
Save a few fun recipes that you want to try and make a day out of it.
Baking is a great form of self care!
Looking for suggestions to get you started?
With such a wide variety of recipes, there is sure to be something for every pup.
Have you ever tried your hand making homemade treats for dogs (or other pets)? If so, what are your favourite recipes?
the main pro for me is complete control over ingredients. I do want to know exactly what they eat especially in times of allergy
Definitely! Our girl Dav has some pretty bad reactions to the foods that she is allergic to. With homemade treats, I know beyond a doubt that they are completely safe for her.
I have often wondered how easy it would be to make treats for my cat! I try not to give him store bought ones because they make him gain a bunch of weight if given with any consistency. It would be fantastic to make healthier ones I could give him often myself.
Stay tuned! I have one cat treat recipe coming up for sure, as well as another that I’m experimenting with and will share if it works! lol
I agree that homemade treats for pets are so much healthier! Some treats are also very simple to prepare!
They really are! The peanut butter banana ones that I have linked to are super simple!
I’ve never made our own dog treats. I think it would be pretty fun to try. Our German Shepard is fond of just about all human food! I’ve read of people using juicer pulp to make dog treats! I think that might be a fun way to go. A healthy dose of veggies for the pup and a reduction of food waste!
I have a friend that used to do that regularly. You just have to watch which veggies you are using as some are quite fibrous and can be a little harder for dogs to digest. When you use the juicer pulp, it’s like that but concentrated lol
Homemade everything is always much better. It is a great way to make sure there is no rubbish in what they are eating.
Exactly! We recognize that homemade options are better for us and our pets are no different.
As a big DIY-er *and* treat maker for myself, I could TOTALLY see myself making homemade treats for my pets when I eventually get some in the future! You also make a good point about recalls. They’re scary to think about in general, but especially when you’ve got a brand new pet who may not be strong enough to fight off whatever has gone wrong in what you have fed it, which is just terrifying to think about. I like to get super creative too; I’d definitely make holiday-specific treats just for the fun of it ? Now I’m super excited and I probably won’t get pets for years, haha!
I was always nervous about recalls but I feel like the whole jerky treat recall really drove the point home. We still occasionally spoil our pets with store-bought treats, but we’re really selective of which ones we bring home now. If I don’t know and trust the brand, it’s not happening.
I’m really convinced that homemade everything is better, to be honest! Especially food.
I am a firm believer in this as well in most cases!
I’m going to send this link to my sister, she has a dog and a cat and she would love this post!
Rosie
Thank you for sharing it!
I use to make homemade dog food for a while now. I didn’t know the benefits up until now. LOL. Thanks for enlightening me. Now I know what I am doing.
It’s a great option to make sure that your dog is getting a safe and healthy treat (or food in general).
I don’t have a dog, but I make home treats for my rabbit all the time! I agree with you, it saves me a lot of money to use things I already have around the house instead of buying something from the pet store. How often do you make them?
It depends on what’s going on in our lives. I make a lot more this time of year, as the camping season is winding down. I’m home more and baking for the pets is a great way to destress!
This is very helpful. There are also natural dog food and treats that are similar with home made treats that you can buy when you don’t have the time to make one.
Yes, there are some great brands out there for those who take the time to do their research. We feed an organic, limited ingredient dog food that we purchase!
Homemade dog treats don’t contain the same amount of preservatives, fats and chemicals that regular store-bought treats contain. This is simply because homemade dog treats don’t have to sit in bags on store shelves for weeks at a time, so homemade treats can contain the freshest and most natural ingredients available.
Exactly! It’s a great way to prioritize good nutrition for our dogs.