Must love dogs.

Maybe it’s because I don’t have children of my own, or maybe I am just overly obsessed with my Pug – either way, I believe my 4 legged baby is as much a part of my family as I am. Although Winston will eat anything he can get his paws on, I like to make sure it is healthy and beneficial for him.

A large section of my pantry is dedicated to Winston’s treats and I find no shame in that! Reading the ingredients on dog treats is enough to make the most sane person, crazy. Things that are healthy for human consumption, are not always safe for your little bestie.

What did I do… searched every deep dark corner of the internet for a treat recipe with healthy and simple ingredients that I can pronounce and Pug will love and made a few tweaks. I make a big batch of them at a time and fill the Treat Jar with them and feel 100% confident giving him a little snack when he’s a good boy.

Below is the recipe that I use. Let me know if you have any other good ones that you’ve tested out and think I should try.

PS – these also make a great holiday gift if your friends have dog children like mine do.

What you will need:

♥  1 cup whole wheat flour (you can use whole wheat or a gluten free option like sorghum, oat or garbanzo bean flour instead)

♥1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

♥ 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce or mashed up bananas

♥ 1/4 cup vegetable, chicken or beef stock

♥ If you want to be extra like I do, 1 bone shaped cookie cutter

What you will need to do:

♥ Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

♥ Combine flour, peanut butter and apple sauce / mashed banana in a large mixing bowl. Ass stock and stir until well combined. (the dough should be pretty thick) Using your hands, press the dough into a ball and place on a flat surface.  (you may want to sprinkle a little flour down before)  Roll out evenly with a rolling pin until dough is about 1/4 inch thick. Use your cookie cutter to cut the dough into desired shape and transfer to an ungresed baking sheet

♥ Bake for 17-18 minutes or until treats reach a golden brown color. Store in an airtight container

PPS – You can keep these in a airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 weeks. If you make big batches, you can actually freeze these for 4-6 months. In the summer months, you can take them right from the freezer to help cool your pup down.

XOXO.

B.