My dog, Wrigley, has a penchant for the finer things in life.
He favors carrots over chicken chews, and blueberries instead of Beggin’ Strips. For some reason, he snacks more healthfully than I do.
But the expense of having a dog can top $1,160 in the first year alone; adding fresh treats instead of Milk Bones could drive that number up even more.
While it would be simpler (and cheaper) to pick up a big box of bones, I can’t bring myself to deny him. When he gazes at me with that wrinkled Shar-Pei expression, I cave. So, healthy treats it is.
The great news is I discovered a way to give him what he wants without blowing the budget — homemade dog treats humans can snack on, too!
Here’s how I trimmed my treat spending by preparing tasty dog-friendly snacks you can share with Fido.
3 Recipes That Get Tail Wags (and Thumbs) Up
To make these three treats, I spent just $12.23. Total. For all of them.
I picked up the apples, eggs, yogurt, zucchini, breadcrumbs and Parmesan, though I already had baking soda and peanut butter on hand.
Prices differ by area, but you can use similar tips to save regardless of where you shop.
And now, onto the treats!
Frozen Apple Treats
These are probably the simplest things I’ve ever made.
This recipe yields an entire ice-cube tray of treats and needs only three ingredients: plain yogurt, apples and water.
Just toss the ingredients into a blender, pour the mix into the tray, and freeze until solid.
They’re tasty, too — I enjoy a few at night when I’m craving dessert!
Zucchini Chips
Whenever I snack on potato chips, Wrigley immediately starts salivating.
They aren’t exactly the healthiest option for him (or me), so I found a terrific substitute: zucchini chips!
The recipe suggests panko breadcrumbs, but since wheat ranks among the top five allergy-triggering ingredients for dogs, according to the American Kennel Club, I swapped in gluten-free crumbs just to be safe.
This makes a HUGE batch of tasty chips — and they’re a healthier choice than regular potato chips. Thanks, Wrigley, for nudging me to eat a bit better!
Grain-Free Peanut Butter Doggy Cake
Did I mention Wrigley turns 1 on Feb. 7?
Mark your calendars. There will be cake. And gifts. I’ll probably shed a tear or two.
No celebration is complete without a cake, and this recipe is grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, corn-free, soy-free — basically all the -frees.
There’s (hopefully) no way this cake will upset your dog’s stomach!
Simply mix the components and spoon the batter into a jumbo muffin tin. I opted to make several smaller cakes using a regular muffin tin, and the recipe yielded about four cakes.
After baking, top them with peanut butter, light a candle, and let your pup make a wish!
Bone appe-treat!
Your Turn: What’s your go-to treat to share with your dog?
Alex Reed is a junior writer and engagement specialist at Savinly and a senior at The University of Tampa. He adores Wrigley as much as Wrigley adores carrots.
