Just like humans, dogs can suffer from food allergies – which can make feeding them a little tricky. Dogs can be allergic to almost anything, but some of the most common irritants include: corn, soy, wheat, dairy, egg, chicken, beef, pork, rabbit and fish.
Making your own dog treats is a great way to ensure your dog doesn’t accidentally consume anything they’re allergic to. We’ve collated five of the best recipes for you to test out on your own pooch.
Dried sweet potato dog chews
Dogs love their chews, but so many of them contain wheat and corn in the coating. Luckily, this recipe won’t cause any upset tummies, as it contains nothing but sweet potato! Most pooches can’t seem to get enough of sweet potato, which is handy since it’s a rather healthy option.
You’ll need to cook the potato for four hours in total in order to make these chews, but they take almost no effort to create at all. Once they’re done you can choose to store them in the fridge or freezer – they can even be eaten frozen. Perfect for a hot summer’s day!
Grain-free dog treats
These tasty snacks are made using gram/chickpea flour, making them ideal for dogs on a grain-free diet. Often using in Asian cooking, gram flour is inexpensive and high in protein. Peanut butter, another ingredient used in this recipe, is also full of protein, as well as healthy fats.
It won’t take long to make these dog treats, and you should yield around 20 biscuits. Feel free to cut them into whatever shape you like! The author’s adorable Corgi puppy seemed pretty fond of the heart shape.
Gluten-free pumpkin cherry biscuits
If it’s gluten your pooch must avoid then try this recipe. You can even choose to leave out the oats by replacing them with extra brown rice flour – handy if your dog is allergic to oats as well. Remember to use dried cherries and not whole ones, as the seeds and stems are toxic to dogs.
Again, these are quick and easy to create, but be sure to refrigerate your biscuits to stop them from going mouldy.
Gluten, dairy and egg-free dog treats
Unfortunately, if your dog is allergic to one food item, there’s a good chance they’re allergic to several. Sometimes it can be almost impossible to find treats that they can eat. This recipe is free from a lot of allergens and it contains both peanut butter and peanut oil, which as we previously mentioned is great for your dog.
They only take 30 minutes to make and, if you cut them small enough, they can make great training reward treats.
Gluten and dairy-free frozen sweet potato dog treats
Hot, sticky summers can be uncomfortable for dogs – they’re always looking for ways to cool themselves down. These frozen treats just might help! Unlike most of the other recipes on this list, they may smell and taste a little unappealing to humans, but your dog will adore them.
The recipe itself is pretty simple – all you need is a sweet potato, chicken broth and turmeric (evidence suggests this spice is very good for dogs). You’ll also need a silicone ice cube tray of some kind to freeze the mixture in.
Just because your dog has an allergy or two doesn’t mean they can’t enjoy treats ever again. Your dog is sure to love at least one of the above. Don’t forget that in most cases it’s easy to substitute one ingredient for another, so you can adapt these recipes to your dog’s needs.
