Dog lovers will tell you that little furry friends are the closest thing to nirvana. It’s not without reason that they are man’s best friend and when they are young, they are a sight to behold and hold. And because they are such fantastic little creatures, there’s a national puppy day set aside every year on March 23rd just for you to celebrate them and show them some exclusive love. The National Puppy Day also brings awareness to the need for care of orphaned puppies in shelters across the country.
Easy Dog Treat Recipes
While you could get the puppies their favorite pellets from the pet shop, what’s the fun in that? Making them a home-made meal means you know what exactly you want in their food, and you can tweak it to include their favorite ingredient.
A home-made meal is perfect for the puppy who the vet put on a special diet. It’s also a great time to experiment and flex your creativity for National Puppy Day.
Fruits Dog Treat Recipe1
Your dog will love this treat.
Ingredients
- 2 cups freeze dried apples
- 1 cup freeze dried mango
- 3 cups of freeze dried blueberries
Method
- Mix the fruits in a large bowl. Serve the dog this yummy treat.
Yogurt and Berries Dog Treats2
Ingredients
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- ½ cup freeze dried strawberries
- ½ cup freeze dried blueberries
Method
- Scatter your strawberries and blueberries in the dog treat mold or ice cube tray
- Pour the yogurt on the strawberries and blueberries, ensuring they are even and smooth on the top.
- Tap on top to ensure there are no air bubbles and the mixture is evenly distributed.
- Freeze the berries and yogurt for a minimum of 5 hours or overnight.
- To remove, tap on the counter to loosen, then turn out.
- If they are stuck and won’t come out, run the mold under warm water to help the treats release, then turn out.
- Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Rice and Peas Home-made Dogfood3
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups brown rice
- One tablespoon olive oil
- 3 pounds ground turkey
- 3 cups baby spinach, chopped
- ½ cup dried carrots
- 1 cup dried zucchini
- 1/2 cup freeze dried peas
Method
- Put the rice in a large saucepan of 3 cups water and add the rice.
- Bring to a simmer and let it cook rice according to package instructions. When it’s ready, turn off the heat and set it aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large stockpot and turn the heat on medium.
- Add ground turkey and cook for 5 minutes or browned. Ensure to crumble the turkey as it cooks.
- Throw the spinach, carrots, zucchini, peas, and brown rice until the spinach has wilted and the mixture is heated through. This should take 5 minutes.
- Let cool completely before serving.
Frozen Dog Popsicles4
This an easy-to-make puppy treats recipe and can be made on the morning of the National Puppy Day without a hustle.
Ingredients
- 4 cups of water
- 1 cup freeze dried mango
- One tablespoon molasses dissolved in the water (optional)
Method
- Mix all ingredients in a bowl and stir.
- Pour in containers of your choosing depending on what size of popsicles you want.
- Freeze. Once frozen, remove and feed your dog a popsicle at a time
Left-over Rice and Frozen Vegetables Dog Food5
Ingredients
- 1 kg ground beef (chicken, turkey, or fresh fish would also work)
- ½ kg of freeze dried mix vegetables (peas, onions, green beans, carrot, and celery)
- 1 cup freeze dried mango
- 2 cups leftover cooked rice or oats
- 1.5 cups bone broth
- 2 tablespoon coconut oil
Topping
- ¼ cup plain yogurt optional for serving
Method
- Cook ground meat in a large pot
- Drain off the cooking grease and discard
- Return the cooked meat to the pot.
- Next, add the vegetables, fruit, and coconut oil.
- Add bone broth and oats. Combine everything properly.
- Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes until the broth is absorbed and the oats are soft.
- Remove your dog food from the heat and let the mixture cool.
- This meal is measured to go for one feed, set aside the portion to feed the puppy immediately, and freeze the rest in large quantities enough for one meal.
Frozen Banana Bites6
Ingredients
- 1 cup freeze dried banana
- 1½ cups watermelon
- 1 cup freeze dried pineapple
Method
- Dehydrate the freeze dried pineapple by adding to 2 cups of water.
- Puree the watermelon and pineapples and set them aside.
- Place silicone mold onto a cookie sheet and place one banana slice in each well.
- Top each banana slice with two tablespoons of watermelon puree and then a layer of pineapple puree.
- Put the mold into the freezer and freeze for 4 hours.
- Once frozen, store the pops in a more compact container like a plastic bag.
These puppy treats recipes will leave your pups happy on National Puppy Day. One of the best ways to celebrate is by making them a home-made meal – just like you would do for your friends. It can be a little tradition for you and your family to celebrate your pets on their special day.
Don’t forget to buy our freeze dried products for these recipes to be a success.
References
- https://www.rover.com/blog/dehydrated-fruit-treats-for-dogs-are-the-ultimate-vitamin-delivery-system/
- https://www.biggerbolderbaking.com/yogurt-berry-dog-treats/
- https://damndelicious.net/2015/04/27/diy-homemade-dog-food/
- https://www.dogtipper.com/recipes/2018/06/fidos-frozen-fruit-pupsicle-recipe.html
- https://southern-bytes.com/homemade-dog-food-on-the-stove/
- https://www.rover.com/blog/frozen-banana-bites-dog-treat/