Over the years, leading a grain-free lifestyle has become quite popular, and for good reason. This particularly benefits people who are suffering or are dealing with digestive disorders and conditions, even freeing them from potential allergies. Even pets, such as your beloved dogs, can benefit from this diet.
With this food trend becoming big, it comes as no surprise that many companies are jumping on the bandwagon as well. Besides making grain-free food for people, numerous brands and companies out there have also started exploring bringing grain-free dog treats closer to doggie in need.
If you are on the lookout for some recipes to try for your pup, look no further. We give some easy grain-free dog treat recipes for you to make and which your dog is guaranteed to love.
What is Grain-Free Dog Food?
Your dog is an invaluable part of your life, which is why you only want the best for them in just about every aspect, but most especially, for their food and nutrition. When it comes to traditional dog food, different types of grains are usually incorporated into the mixture. These include the likes of corn, rice, wheat, oats, soy, rye, and many others.
The use of grains, particularly whole grains, in your dog’s food may give them the essential nutrients they need every single day. After all, grains are rich with fiber, minerals, and nutrients such as iron, magnesium, and B vitamins, and provide your pups with a much-needed energy boost thanks to the blend of carbohydrates in it
Unfortunately, a grain-centric or even grain-inclusive diet doesn’t work for all types of dogs. Your dog’s vet may even recommend for them to go grain-free instead and this could be for several reasons, including eliminating food-related allergies, bloating, and other digestive or gastrointestinal issues.
Grain-free dog food is simply food that does not contain any type of grain. Instead, these rely on other food sources such as potatoes, beans, peas, and the like as substitutes for grains while still allowing your doggie to get the carbohydrates they need.
Why You Should Consider Giving Grain-Free Treats to Your Dog
There are various reasons why you may want to switch to giving grain-free treats to your dog. While grains certainly bring their fair share of nutrients and benefits, opting for grain-free dog treats and food mainly revolves around your dog’s health, preferences, and overall individuality.
Much Easier to Digest
Grains are some of the best sources of carbohydrates that dogs need to get energy. This is a good thing, right? What you need to know is that grains contain complex proteins that can be difficult to digest, especially for dogs. Don’t get us wrong, though. Dogs’ digestive systems can digest starch and use it to their advantage.
In fact, dogs have pancreatic amylase that helps them process starches into chemicals that their bodies can easily utilize to generate energy.
With this, remember while dogs have this capability, carbohydrates are generally pretty difficult to break down. Some canines even have intolerances toward other compounds in grains like wheat and corn.
Lets Your Dog Avoid Allergic Reactions
Dogs can have food sensitivities, just like humans. As the fur parent, you need to be observant about your pooch’s reactions after eating certain foods. This allows you to act accordingly should you find anything unusual.
Having said this, you need to remember that a lot of grains tend to have complex proteins like gluten, which some dogs are allergic to. Moreover, some canines also have sensitivities to grains like corn.
If you are not sure whether your dog is allergic to certain types of grains, make sure to keep an eye on them when you feed them food that contains such ingredients.
Some of the manifestations of an allergy include diarrhea, red and itchy skin, falling hair, bald patches, inflammation around the paws, and ear infections. Vomiting, gassiness, scratching, and biting are also some of the symptoms.
Taking them to the vet is the best way to address such medical issues. The vet will provide insights on how to manage symptoms and prevent such allergic actions in the future.
Boost Their Health from the Inside Out
The digestive system plays an important role not only in providing energy to your pooch’s body but also in providing vitamins and nutrients to the body, which affects the immune system, production of hormones, and many other bodily functions.
For dogs with food sensitivities related to grains, the elimination of such ingredients from their diets can help them live a healthier and happier life, which can reflect on their appearance. A dog that is eating a diet compatible with its needs is bound to have a healthy coat, skin, and strong teeth.
Healthier and More Focused Ingredients
If your dog will be switching from grain food to grain-free options, you might be wondering if the alternatives will be able to sustain your pooch’s needs. The good news is that replacement ingredients are also very nutritious.
Some of the best alternatives include quinoa, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and chickpeas, which are all excellent sources of carbohydrates. Plus, these have additional vitamins and minerals that grains may not have.
One thing that can make the switch more worth it aside from your dog’s health is that some alternatives have higher omega-3 fatty acids content that can give your pooch a shinier, healthier coat and skin.
Check Out These Grain-Free Dog Treat Recipes
Now that you have an idea about the advantages of switching to grain-free food, you might be wondering if you can make some treats version of this kind. Well, you will be glad to know that there are easy recipes to follow to lovingly make your canine some grain-free dog treats.
These homemade treats can keep in a proper container for around an average of one and a half weeks. Just make sure that you use a sealed, airtight container and you are good to go. Freezing these can make them last for up to a month or so.
Nevertheless, exercise proper caution before giving these to your fur baby to avoid any untoward incidents. A visual inspection would help you find molds, which are tell-tale signs that the treats have gone bad. Now, let’s move on to these three best homemade grain-free treat recipes for your dogs.
Peanut Butter Pumpkin Grain-Free Dog Treats
This recipe is not only grain-free but also organic. You can rest easy knowing that your doggie is getting the healthy and satisfying treats. To make these, you need the following ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups of coconut flour
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup peanut butter, organic
- ½ cup melted coconut oil, cooled
- 1 cup pumpkin, pureed
Instructions:
- Start by preheating the oven up to 350 degrees F to ensure that your oven is hot enough to cook the treats evenly.
- Then, place all the ingredients in one mixing bowl. Make sure that your melted coconut oil has cooled down before mixing in with the others to avoid cooking the eggs upon contact.
- Mix the ingredients and ensure that everything has been combined evenly to avoid clumping and general inconsistent textures.
- Once fully combined, dust a portion of the counter or a cutting board with coconut flour. Gently roll out the dough onto the dusted surface.
- Using a rolling pin, flatten the dough to create a layer that is ¼ to ½ inch in thickness.
- Use a cookie cutter to portion the dough into bite-sized pieces.
- Place the pieces in a pan lined with a baking sheet.
- Finally, place in the oven for 13 to 15 minutes. You will know that it is done once you see a slightly golden-brown color at the edges.
- Make sure to let the treats cool before serving. These can last up to three weeks when stored in a sealed container.
Pumpkin Coconut with Turmeric and Cinnamon Grain-Free Dog Treats
This recipe offers additional nutrients with the help of turmeric and cinnamon. They help ease inflammation and provide an additional yummy taste.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of pumpkin, pureed
- ½ cup peanut butter
- ½ cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
- 4 eggs
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 2/3 coconut flour
Instructions:
- Make sure to preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Combine the pumpkin, peanut butter, eggs, and coconut oil. Mix until you get a smooth consistency. Then, add the teaspoons of turmeric and cinnamon.
- Here’s the tricky part. You need to make sure that you get the right thickness of the dough. To do this, let the mixture rest for 5 to 10 minutes. The longer you let it sit, the thicker it gets.
- Place a piece of parchment paper and roll out the dough on it. Place another sheet over the dough. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough to get it to ¼ thickness.
- Remove the parchment paper on top of the dough. Get your cookie cutters and start making bite-sized pieces. To make the most out of the dough, combine all the scraps and repeat the process.
- Bake the treats for 45 to 55 minutes. The final product should be hard and dry.
- Let the treats cool down before serving and storing. These can last up to a month when sealed in an airtight container.
Sweet Potato, Peanut Butter, and Coconut Grain-Free Treats
These treats are nutrient-packed thanks to their yummy, yet nutritious grain-alternative ingredients. Plus, it only requires five ingredients, but you can add more for its additional taste and nutrition.
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cup coconut flour
- 1 ½ peanut butter or any pure nut butter
- 4 organic eggs
- ½ coconut oil
- 1 cup and 2 tablespoons of sweet potato puree
- Optional: 1/3 shredded carrots and 2 teaspoons dried parsley
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Add all the ingredients to a mixing bowl and combine until the dough forms into a ball.
- Place the dough in between two pieces of parchment paper.
- Roll the dough using a rolling pin. The goal is to create a sheet of dough that is ¼ inch thick.
- Cut the dough using cookie cutters with the shape of your choice.
- Place the pieces onto a baking sheet and place in the oven to bake for 12 to 15 minutes. The final product should be hard cookies.
- Let the cookies cool before serving. Store in an airtight container.
The Takeaway
Grain-free dog treats offer a lot of benefits for your pooch. Now that you know how to make these nutritious and delightful treats, you can always give your fur baby the advantage of having grain-free dog treats and everything it has to offer.
