Eesha Kulkarni

Who doesn’t love pampering their pooches and spoiling them silly? When you adopt a dog, you not only acquire a furry best friend but also a family member you’re expected to nurture and love till the end. Caring for your fur babies is undoubtedly expensive, especially with irresistible pet stuff including dog sunscreens, dog subscription boxes, toys and dog treats available in the pet market.

However, there’s one doggo essential that doesn’t need to cost a lot of dough—dog treats! Homemade dog treats are not only a bang for your buck but also way healthier than super processed store-bought snacks with obscure ingredients. From birthday treats to summer nibbles, these delicious, homemade all-natural recipes for dog treats are sure to earn you brownie points with your precious pupper.

Easy Three-Ingredient Ladoos

Our pooches deserve to be spoiled and the best way to do that is to feed them these homemade sweet ladoos. With Diwali right around the corner, this recipe would be an awesome way to include your pup in the celebrations and allow them to enjoy festive dishes.

Ingredients

• Virgin Coconut Oil
• Sweet Potatoes
• Desiccated Coconut or Coconut Powder

Method

1. Heat a few tablespoons of coconut oil and add in boiled and mashed sweet potatoes to it.
2. Roast the mixture properly and add a cup of coconut powder to soak in all the sweet moisture.
3. Once the mixture turns dough-like, let it cool and roll into small balls or ladoos and voila!

Two-Ingredient Frozen Treats

This refreshing and fruity treat will be gobbled down by your dogs in no time. All you need is watermelon and bananas and you’re good to go!

Ingredients

• Watermelon
• Banana

Method

1. Chop a juicy watermelon and extract two cups of the flesh.
2. In a blender, blitz this together with one banana until it looks like a smoothie.
3. Pour this mixture in fun bone-shaped treat moulds or an ice tray and allow them to freeze overnight or for a couple of hours. This treat would be perfect to keep your dog hydrated and revitalised throughout the hot summer months.

Tofu Tikkies

If your dog craves a fancy, human-like treat once in a while, this tofu and chickpea tikki is here to your rescue. Treat your dog like a king with this indulgent snack. Trust us, it’s so easy to whip up!

Ingredients

• Tofu
• Boiled Or Canned Chickpeas (unsalted)
• Boiled Potatoes
• Pinch Of Jeera
• Virgin Coconut Oil

Method

1. Mix together boiled potatoes, a couple tablespoons of boiled chickpeas, some tofu and a pinch of salt in a blender.
2. Blitz it all together and mould the doughy mixture into flat balls or tikkies.
3. Roast the balls in a few splashes of coconut oil and cook till they turn golden brown, and that’s it—gourmet restaurant-style tikkies for your fur-babies to break the food monotony.

Pumpkin Biscuits

These five-ingredient pumpkin dog cookies are perfect to complement the autumn-y nip in the air and ring in the winter season. If you think about it, these fall-themed biscuits are the pumpkin spiced lattes of the dog world. So, the next time you cuddle up with your dog to watch your yearly Gilmore Girls rerun, make sure you feed your dogs these.

Ingredients

• Peanut Butter
• Eggs
• Whole Wheat Flour
• Pumpkin
• Cinnamon

Method

1. Add 2 tablespoons of peanut butter to 2 eggs in a bowl.
2. Add 2 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour, half a cup of cooked pumpkin puree, and 1/2 tsp cinnamon to this mix and whisk together properly.
3. Once combined, lay small balls of the cookie dough on a parchment paper-lined baking tray and bake for 30 minutes at 180 degrees celsius. And that’s it, you’re done.

Blueberry Frozen Treats

These delicious and cooling blueberry and yoghurt dog treats are super easy to make and perfect for any time of the year. This dessert-like snack will definitely win you your dog’s affection and some extra cuddles.

Ingredients

• Plain Greek Yoghurt
• Blueberries
• Banana

Method

1. Blend together 3/4 cup of plain greek yoghurt, 3/4 cup blueberries and half a ripe banana.
2. Pour this mixture into fun-shaped moulds or an ice tray and freeze for a couple of hours. This dog-friendly fro-yo will have your pups “mleming” with pleasure for eternity.