Quick & Simple Dog Treats

After loosing my best friend & pup Jenny early this summer, it took a while to feel ready to add a new furry friend to the mix. We went on vacation during the middle of October, and when we got back we felt ready. We scoped out the local shelters and fell in love with a beautiful terrier/hound mutt. At not even 3 months, we wanted some treats that would be healthier & not full of grain/filler. So we decided to go back to a few of the treats Jenny liked. These 1-ingredient recipes are so simple, and your dog will just love them.

Hot Dog Training Treats

Cut up 1 pack of hot dogs into bite-sized pieces. This may vary depending on the age and size of your dog. Jenny was a min pin, and we would slice the hot dogs on half lengthwise them chop them into half moons. For the puppy we split the hot dogs in quarters lengthwise, leaving us with about pea-sized pieces after chopping up the quarters.

After you've cut up your hot dogs, spread them out in a single layer and bake at 375 for 30-45 minutes. They will be dark in color, but not burnt. Store in the refrigerator, and they will last a while.

Now I know the healthiness of hot dogs may be questionable, but there are some good ones out there. And even the "bad" ones are still all meat/protein.

Sweet Potato Jerky Dog Chews

Slice up sweet potatoes, with your pieces about 1/4 inch thick. Choose a size as you see fitting to your dog (I usually cut them on half or thirds lengthwise, and for the puppy we have been cutting these pieces in half to shorten them up).

Bake at the lowest temp your oven will go for about 3-4 hours. You want the pieces dry, buy not burnt. They will be pretty hard/solid, but also have some chew. I usually flip them 1/2 - 3/4 of the way through.

Sweet potatoes are a great, healthy snack for dogs and humans. This jerky can be cut down into bite-sized treats, but I like to use it as a chew or rawhide replacement.

What are your favorite dog treats to make at home? What about ones specifically aimed at growing puppies?