5 Surprising and Healthy Dog Treats Hiding at Home

There has to be an alternative to store-bought organic dog treats.

This was exactly what I was thinking when I was buying another bag of organic treats for my dog. After my fifth bag, I was starting to feel the strain that these expensive treats were putting on my budget. But I wasn’t about to switch over to cheaper, junk food equivalents of dog treats. Driven by both my budget limit and my unwavering commitment to give my dog-only healthy food, I did my research and found out that there are lots of dog-tasty and human-budget friendly treats right in my own home. Here are five of these natural and homemade dog treats that my baby absolutely loves!

1. Apples and Bananas

A weird combination but for some reason, some dogs just love apples and bananas! For smaller breeds, it is better to slice the bananas and cut the apples into small cubes for them to be able to chew them properly. Larger breeds might find it more fun to eat whole apples or bananas on their own. However, apple seeds contain cyanide and can spell trouble for your dog over time. So make sure to remove the core of apples before feeding them to your dog.

Most fruits are enjoyed by dogs. However, there are some fruits that they should stay away from. These are avocados (which cause vomiting and diarrhea), persimmons (can be responsible for intestinal obstruction and enteritis) and grapes, raisins, and currants (all of which have an unknown toxin that can be harmful to the kidneys). If you let your large breeds eat fruit whole, take care that they don’t get access to the large pits which can cause intestinal blockage. Some fruits with large pits are peaches, mangoes, and plums.

2. Carrots

Dogs love fresh carrots! It isn’t known if it’s the natural sweetness of the vegetable or that delightful crunch, but a dog with fresh carrot is a happy canine. For smaller breeds, you can feed them baby carrots or slice a larger carrot into smaller, bite-size pieces. Another plus about carrots is that they serve as natural and healthy teeth cleaners!

Other vegetables you can give them are pumpkins (good source of fiber and beta carotene), sweet potatoes (for fiber, vitamin B6, vitamin C, beta carotene and manganese), and green beans (fiber, vitamin K, vitamin C, and manganese; these are also great to fill your dog up when he’s on a diet).

3. Oatmeal treats

Oatmeal is a great source of soluble fiber for both humans and dogs. While it is best for older dogs that may already be having problems with their digestion, when made into homemade treats these oatmeal concoctions are enjoyed by dogs of all ages and breeds. Check out this recipe for an easy to make apple sauce oatmeal treat that you can use in your next training session.

Remember to never make these homemade treats with sugar or artificial flavoring and to always cook oatmeal before feeding it to your dog.

4. Yogurt

Great for calcium and protein, yogurt is a canine favorite. Even better is that these can be combined with other foods good for dogs to make a tasty treat! One great way to do this is to blend together a mashed banana, some honey, and some peanut butter then freeze in an ice cube tray. Give these little popsicles to your dog on a particularly hot day.

Remember to choose natural yogurt or non-fat yogurt without any artificial sweeteners or fat substitutes.

5. Cheese

Milk and dairy products in large amounts are definitely bad for dogs. However, dogs do love cheese! So on a day when they are being particularly good, sweet, or if you just want to spoil them, slice up some cheese in tiny cubes and shower them with love by giving them a couple.

Other natural foods that are good for your dog’s health can be found in this article by Modern Dog. Stay away from the foods in this list by Pet Education that have been proven to be harmful and even fatal for your dog. Now that you’re armed with this valuable, healthful food list for your canine family member, after a long session of training, give your dog some tender loving care complete with praises, a rub down, and one of these healthy treats he or she will definitely love.

Renee Bedford is a mom, wife and animal lover. She enjoys spending quality time with her family whether playing outside or making dog treats! Besides being a committed mother and dog owner, she also works for the Christmas Tree Market, where they sell an array of classic and unique artificial Christmas trees.