Dogs get the rough end of the deal when living in a home where baking occurs.  They can smell it but not enjoy it.  Well, maybe they get a little bite if you are open to sneaking in human food here and there.  My dogs are at my heels when I am baking.  So I thought it was time to try baking some dedicated furbaby treats for my cookie monsters.

There is really nothing to it for whipping up some doggy diet approved treats; a little of this, a little of that, roll it out and bake.  But wow do the pups feel like champions when they get an entire cookie straight from a cooling rack! Or the jar, in the case of my spirited beagle mix…

You do want to take care to use aluminum free baking soda and avoid things like chocolate. And if your dog has any food allergies to avoid those ingredients.  My dogs love peanut butter so I decided to do a peanut butter and oatmeal based cookie for this first time.  You could easily mix it up and melt carob chips to drizzle on top of half of them… or maybe it is just my dogs that are that picky to get bored of a single type of treat?

Now I am thinking about all kinds of homemade dog treat ideas.  My dogs love these treats that are really just dehydrated sweet potatoes, how easy would that be to make with a food dehydrator!  We have been cutting processed foods out of our own diets and when you think about it those dog treats where the majority of ingredients are unpronounceable are likely not very good for them.

Peanut Butter Puppers
adapted from The Fun Times Guide

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup non-fat milk
• 1 egg
• 1 cup peanut butter ( I like Skippy Natural)
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 cups oat flour (use your food processor or blender  to turn oatmeal into a coarse flour)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder (Rumford is aluminum free or make it up yourself)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix the peanut butter, egg, and milk together with a whisk (or in a mixer), then add flour and baking powder to make a stiff dough.  You’ll want the dough fairly stiff; adjust quantity of flour if needed.  You may have to use your hands to work in the last of the flour.
3. Roll out or press with your hands on well-floured surface (I use left over oat flour) to about ¼-inch thick.  Cut with a cookie cutter (for little dogs or for small treats use mini cookie cutters) or into squares with a knife and place on cookie sheet.
4. Bake for about 20 minutes, then turn and bake another 10-15 minutes or until done.  Cool completely and store in an airtight container or zip top bag.  You can also freeze them.

Enjoy!