Homemade Dog Biscuit Recipes: Safer for Your Dogs

I remember the first night the news announced the pet food recall. I jumped up and got online quickly to make sure the food I feed my pets was not on the list. Thank goodness it wasn't. But that doesn't mean that I don't still worry about it. I'm still feeding them the same food, but I am watching my pets very closely for any abnormal behavior at all. I'm sure many pet owners are doing the same. But I did decide I could do one thing for my dogs and that is to make them some dog biscuits myself. That way, I know what is going into the ingredients and if anything is tainted, it will make me sick, too. Most of the ingredients for these homemade dog biscuits are items already in my kitchen.

A few years ago, my sister had given me a dog biscuit set. I've used it a couple of times, then put it up and forgot about it. Now, I've pulled it out again. The company's name is "You Bake 'Em Dog Biscuits" with P.C. Edge's "World-Famous Recipes". It came with three cookie cutters: a fire hydrant, a bone and of course a cat. It also included a mini-book with tips on caring for your dog and several recipes. Making them is simple and quick, so I thought I'd share a few of the recipes.

Dog Treat Special (10 bark rating)

1 lb. raw beef liver, sliced
3 cups water
1 cup self-rising cornmeal mix or rice flour
1/4 cup quick cooking oatmeal
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. canola oil
1 egg, beaten

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Boil liver in 3 cups of water until it's no longer pink. Remove the liver and set aside boiled water. Place 1/4 cup of the reserved water and the liver in a food processor and puree.

In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal mix, oatmeal, wheat and all-purpose flours, garlic powder, and brown sugar. Add oil, egg, liver puree and 1/4 cup of reserved liver water. Mix well.

On wax paper, roll out the dough to 1/2-inch thickness for large treats and 1/4-inch thickness for small biscuits. Using the hydrant cookie cutter, press out biscuits and place them on a greased cookie sheet or parchment paper. Bake for 10 minutes, flip, and bake for 10 more minutes.

Turn the oven off and return the treats to the cooling oven. Let sit for 21/2 hours to make treats extra crunchy. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to two weeks. Freeze for longer storage. This recipe makes 3 to 5 dozen healthy dog treats.

Note: Crunchy treats help clean teeth and freshen a dog's breath.
Hint: All dog treats remain fresh for a longer period if they are stored in a vacuum-sealed container.

The above recipe is one of my dogs' favorites. They always seem to have bad breath and I guess it's the garlic that helps to eliminate that.

Next, is a recipe for those puppies! I'm sure you'll find this one just as easy to make.

Baby Food Puppy Biscuits (9 Bark Rating)

1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 1/4 cups rice flour
1/2 cup quick cooking oatmeal
1/2 cup Brewers yeast (found in health food stores)
1/2 up wheat germ
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 eggs, beaten or egg substitute
2 small jars baby food (beef, chicken, or vegetable)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp. water
2 tsp. honey

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Combine the wheat and rice flours, oatmeal, yeast, wheat germ, and garlic powder. Add the beaten eggs, baby food, olive oil, water, and honey and mix with your hands.

Roll the dough out to 1/4-inch thickness and cut out biscuits. If the dough is sticky, add rice flour a teaspoon or two at a time until dough reaches the desired consistency. Place biscuits on greased cookie sheet or parchment paper and bake for 15 minutes. Turn the oven off and return the biscuits to the oven for several hours. Makes 3 to 5 dozen healthy biscuits. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container.

Note: The Brewers yeast provides a nutty flavor without the nuts.

Now, I've only shown you two recipes, but there are several in the mini-book. Like I said, most of the ingredients are items you already have in your kitchen. I may even become brave enough to leave the recipe book behind and venture out on my own to see what concoctions I can come up with. If I am successful, like P.C. Edge's, I will come back and share my wonderful recipes! If I fail, which is very likely, I'll just continue to use the very reliable P.C. Edge's recipes! So good luck in the doggie kitchen for now!

Resources: The National Dog Biscuit Baking Company: You Bake 'Em Dog Biscuits with P.C. Edge's World-Famous Recipes; by Running Press in Philadelphia and London

Running Press Book Publishers
125 South Twenty-second Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103-4399