Homemade Dog Treats For Dog Rescue

House of Love ARF. Isn't that a wonderful name for a dog rescue group? Founded in 2012, this organization helps to rehabilitate abused dogs and cats and retrain them if necessary for a better home situation than they came from.

To help accomplish her mission, founder Ruth Bednar sells homemade dog treats for a fundraising idea. We are glad to have her as a member in our Facebook group, Homemade Dog Treats.

Some of the treats made by the House of Love, ARF:

Homemade dog treats for dog rescue

The all natural dog treats in the photo include:

• Sweet potato chews
• Peanut butter hearts
• Peanut butter banana parsley hard dog biscuits
• Peanut butter banana soft dog treats

What does ARF stand for? You will have to visit the rescue through the link above to find out!

Small dog treats

Do you have a Yorkie? Or a Chihuahua? Those cuties need their own small dog treats because the regular size treats are almost their size!

Take a look at these colorful little treats for dogs made by the dog treat business Maggie Says Yum Homemade Dog Treats:

Small dog treats

This type of detailed decorating takes patience...and this bakery has it.

Each little dog treat is just the perfect size for a little dog. These make perfect Easter dog treats or to celebrate a dog birthday in the spring, especially the little flower designs.

Each flower is decorated with Fido's Frosting brand Royal Icing for Dogs dog treat icing.

Go click Maggie's link, like it on Facebook, and place an order for your little furkids now!

Gluten Free Dog Treats Recipe

Gluten free dog treats are very popular! We offer another of the easy dog treat recipes that our bakers in the Facebook group Homemade Dog Treats are excited about. This gluten free and wheat free dog treat recipe is offered by Cristina's Dog Treats based in Tillamook, Oregon.

This photo shows Nanqu, the dog bakery's expert taste tester, presiding over a basket of just-baked Cheesy Pawz. These turn out as soft dog treats.

Gluten free dog treats

Cheesy Pawz

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup tapioca
• 1 cup grated cheese
• 1 tablespoon flax seed meal
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 cups garbanzo bean flour

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
• Grate cheese (can be done in a food processor)
• Mix the water and the flax seed together.
• Mix in the cheese
• Let the mixture sit for a little bit
• Mix in the tapioca flour
• Slowly add in the garbanzo bean flour
• Knead into a dough
• Roll out 1/4 inch thick
• Cut with cookie cutters into desired shapes
• Bake for 15 minutes
• Yields 16 dog biscuits as seen in the photo

Cristina (and Nanqu) note: Tillamook Smoked Cheddar Cheese provides a pleasing aroma and flavor. Working with cheese while it is cold makes it easier to create a nice consistency.

They also want you to know that arrowroot can be used for tapioca flour. Potato flour can be substituted, but it may make the dog treats a little bit sticky.

By the way, Nanqu says he would love for you to visit him on Facebook. 

Soft Dog Treats

Do you have an older dog or a dog who can't crunch? These soft dog treats are the perfect solution.

You can whip up this simple dog treat recipe in about 30 minutes. Just looking at the photo - don't you want to try one right now? 

These Honey and Cinnamon Squares were baked by Viv Clements from the UK.

Soft dog treats

What you need:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 egg

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
• Mix the ingredients together to form a dough
• Roll out the dough but not too thin
• Cut into squares with a square cookie cutter
• Bake for 15 minutes

All we ask is that you please let your dog have most of them. (The bakers in the Facebook group Homemade Dog Treats have admitted to baking these for themselves...)

Fruit Dog Biscuits

Make homemade fruit dog biscuits and your kitchen will smell fresh and inviting!

This recipe is for those dogs that enjoy citrus flavors. These fruit dog treats were baked by Cristina's Dog Treats, a dog bakery based in Tillamook, Oregon.

Fruit dog biscuits from Cristina's Dog Treats

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup oatmeal 
• 2 cups flour or rice
• 1 orange zested and juiced
• 1 lemon zested and juiced

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
• Zest the orange and the lemon
• Microwave for 10 seconds to help release the juice
• Mix all the ingredients together to form a dough
• Knead the dough and roll out
• Cut shapes as desired
• Bake in oven for 15 minutes

The recipe asks you to "zest". Just what does that mean?

As Cristina explains, "You take the fruit peels and scrape the very top. Do not use any of the white part of the peel." The white part, or "pith", tastes bitter which is why you do not want to include any in the dough!

There is a baking tool called a zester made just for this very instruction and makes it easy. Move the zester all across the peel in a horizontal direction.

Join the Facebook group "Homemade Dog Treats" and learn about baking for your pooch! 

Valentines Cupcakes For Dogs

Get ready for Valentine's Day doggie style and make Valentines cupcakes for dogs!

Use this easy dog treat recipe to make red velvet cupcakes to celebrate Valentine's Day with your fur-baby!

Watch The Frosting Guy make these all natural dog treats step-by-step. The natural ingredient annato is used to create the red color in the cupcakes.

To finish off the Valentine cake, frost with Fido's Frosting. The dog cupcakes will look just like the red velvet cakes on sale at the grocery store...except they will be healthier because there is no added sugar or fat! Don't dogs live well these days!

The entire recipe including ingredients and written directions can be found at this link for Valentine treats at the website DogCakeWorld.com. While you are there, check out the other dog cake recipes!

If you would like to see more videos, TheFrostingGuy channel on YouTube offers videos with easy step-by-step instructions on how to make and decorate dog treats.

All Natural Fudge For Dogs

Chocolate for dogs for Valentine's Day?

Sure looks like chocolate fudge from the photo. In fact, Christina Chase, the baker, said that she took some samples into her office and a co-worker tasted a treat and remarked that it was too chocolatey!

Christina said that as long as her dogs enjoyed it, that was all that mattered. (They asked for more.)

All natural carob "fudge" for dogs

Of course these homemade dog treats are not made using real chocolate. Chocolate's chemical structure is toxic to dogs and it should not be given to them in any amounts. Carob is used by doggie chefs to create the look of chocolate. Some people also find that ti them, it tastes similar to chocolate....or better.

Now your dog is not going to turn down one of these tasty morsels because it doesn't taste like chocolate. But sometimes you have to please the human dog owners first. One lady told me she will not let her dog eat anything that she doesn't like herself. 

Carob is an all natural product - it is a legume that grows on a carob tree. Some people think it tastes similar to chocolate. It does not have the 

dog-toxic caffeine properties of chocolate.

All Natural Doggie Fudge
(Recipe by "Andea", adapted from "Jeanne Marie Martin")

What you need:

• 1 cup natural peanut butter
• 1 cup honey
• 1 cup carob powder
• 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Greased baking pan (e.g. brownie pan)

Directions:

• Stir the peanut butter and honey in a saucepan over medium heat until softened.
• Remove the mixture from the heat.
• Add in the remaining ingredients and mix together well.
• Press the mixture into the greased baking pan. 
• Let it cool. 
• Cut into small squares.
• Decorate with red quinoa for a Valentine's touch

Unique Dog Birthday Cake

Celebrate your dog's February birthday with a unique dog birthday cake.

If you want something different that will stand out from the usual round or square cakes, or the usual dog bone shaped cakes, give your pooch a fire hydrant shaped dog cake!

This gorgeous cake was made by My Doggy Delights based in Hollywood, Florida.

Unique Dog Birthday Cake

The fire hydrant cake pan is available from K9Cakery.com. It also makes a great cake for humans - of any age - who either wants to be a firefighter or is one already. Perfect for a fireman birthday party!

We have heard from customers that they have used this cake pan for grooms' cakes as well as birthday cakes.

The cake pan is made from "space age" plastic and can be used in the oven or microwave.

More Valentine Treats For Dogs

Valentine treats for dogs that look better than the ones you can find for your own friends? LOL. These apple cinnamon mini donuts and heart shaped dog cookies fit the bill!

Julie's Dog Treats created these tasty, mouth-watering creations. She showed off the photo to the Facebook group Homemade Dog Treats and everyone was asking for a bite! (Yes, the humans...)

Valentine treats for dogs

The brown donuts are decorated with carob dog treat icing from K9Cakery's

Fido's Frosting. The pink donuts and treats are decorated using Fido's Frosting brand Royal Icing for Dogs. Powdered beets were used to create the gorgeous pink color. 

Valentines Treats For Dogs

Looking for inspiration for Valentines treats for dogs? Take a look at these beautiful and creative homemade dog treats. Some are decorated with dog treat frosting. Jennifer Coble was busy baking these for her dog and his doggy friends:

Valentine Treats for Dogs

From top left to right:

1) Coconut hearts with Fido's Frosting carob flavor

2) Oatmeal blueberry "kisses"

3) Oatmeal peanut butter dog treats with Fido's Frosting peanut butter flavor

4) Oatmeal blueberry snowflakes decorated with Fido's Frosting - no color added to look like snow!

5) Sweet breath lips

6) Oatmeal blueberry dog treats - the I's are decorated with carob Fido's Frosting, the hearts are decorated with peanut butter flavored Fido's Frosting, and the U's are decorated with regular Fido's Frosting.

7) Coconut hearts with carob Fido's Frosting for decoration

8) Oatmeal cranberry muffins for dogs

You do not have to be a professional baker. Go whip up a batch of Valentine cookies for your dog now! As you can see in the photo above, there are many wonderful cookie cutter options to use for this holiday.

If you would like some help or ideas for making dog treats, please join us in the Facebook group "Homemade Dog Treats".