homemade dog treats

A few weeks ago I was honored (and slightly terrified) to be the guest speaker at the first meeting of the year for the Grand River Imaging and Photographic Society (GRIPS). I am a bit of an introvert, and the idea of speaking to a group of more than two people gave me nightmare flashbacks to Grade 6 speeches. But, sometimes it is good to push yourself out of your comfort zone, and clearly my confidence needs a boost when it comes to public speaking. In the end, I think it went pretty well — there was a turnout of 82 people! And it’s true what people say: when you start talking about something you love, the nerves fall away and it’s a fun experience.

However, I did have a backup plan in case the whole thing was an epic fail. I went armed with homemade dog treats (I am not above bribery)! Since my presentation was about pet photography, and tips to help people get the best photos of their pets, I thought that handing out treats would entice people to get out there and start practicing.

I baked these treats myself, using this recipe for peanut butter dog biscuits I found on Pinterest — I’ve included the recipe at the bottom of this post, along with a few notes.

It was at this point that I realized I don’t own a rolling pin (I’m not a big baker)! I improvised and used a long glass storage container we had on hand.

Peanut Butter Dog Biscuits

I cup flour
1/4 cup oats
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 T baking powder
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup milk
1 T olive oil
1 T applesauce

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add wet ingredients and mix until well combined. Knead into a well incorporated ball. Roll out dough to 1/2-inch thick. Using cookie cutter, cut out treats and place on an unlined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Store in an airtight container.

I used a larger-size cookie cutter for my cookies, so I had to make more batches. My yield was about 15 cookies per batch, but using a smaller cookie cutter you would get the usual 24 or so. Many comments on this recipe suggest incorporating pumpkin puree, which I would do next time — I think it would taste better (not that my dog really cares … I won’t get into all the gross things she eats!)  and you could eliminate the milk. Also, for dogs with wheat allergies, you can substitute brown rice flour for the regular flour.

I was sent one photo of a dog enjoying his treat and I heard from others that the cookies were a hit! Chloe, my regular treat tester who ate all the misshapen ones, also gave her paws up.

Enjoy!