Grain-Free Dog Treats (Gluten & Corn-Free)

It’s no secret that several brands of dog food/treats on the market have been recalled over the last few years.

Even as of last year an investigation by the FDA, along with Sunshine Mills and the Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry, found that some pet foods made in April 2020 may have corn with higher than desired levels of aflatoxin…a naturally-occurring mold by-product that can be harmful to pets. Just like humans, if consumed on a regular basis, it can make many pets sick and diseased, (lowering their quality of life).

Most commercial dog foods are filled with chemicals, fillers & highly processed foods. If you read the ingredients on the back of the bag, you’ll find that the first one is most often corn, or some derivative of corn. It is used because it is a cheap filler and lowers the cost of production. Dogs' bodies are not designed to properly process corn by-products and are poorly digested and absorbed in their gut. On top of that, corn is fattening...no wonder so many dogs are obese and suffer from diabetes.

When purchasing treats or dog food, you really have to do your research and know your ingredients. Most dog food brands shouldn’t even be on the grocery store shelves. Don’t think just because your vet recommends a certain brand of food, you’re in the clear. Veterinarians, like medical doctors, learn relatively little about nutrition in school.

For the past 10 years now, since we brought home our Westie, (West Highland Terrier), I’ve learned so much and have had a lot of experience. Because of the low quality food he was eating in the beginning, he started having some major health issues. Every few months, he would have to go to the vet with extreme skin issues, always costing around $300.00 for us every time. His skin would turn so red and irritated and even black all over and he could barely walk. He was really pitiful. The vet would just fill him up with steroids, covering up the problem instead of getting to the root, and send him home. It was a recurring cycle that lasted until I changed his diet. I started researching and looking the world over for a high quality dog food…and I will tell you, it won’t be found at your regular supermarket.

Thankfully a natural pet store opened up next to my health food market. We were so blessed to find a high quality dog food made with whole-food ingredients. Dogs are no different than we are in the fact that for them to thrive and live a good quality of life, what goes in makes all the difference. Because of changing Rascal's food, he is thriving and living much better days…and I believe he will be with us longer because of what we’re NOT putting in his little body.

Just like dog food, you can’t hardly find healthy dog treats either...unless you want to pay a high dollar price. We like to show our 3 furry friends a little extra love by making them homemade dog treats. They go CRAZY for these! If little Rudy, (our picky-eater-rescue-dog) likes them, then they must be good. I make these dog treats with real-food ingredients that I already have on hand for our own recipes...pumpkin, full-fat coconut milk, flaxseed meal, turmeric & cinnamon, (for fighting inflammation) and for a little sweetness.

These treats are so much fun to make, especially with kids...and so much cheaper too. I absolutely love these baking molds that make the cutest little dog biscuits. I’ll let you in on a little secret, we’ve tried them ourselves. Of course, they would taste better sweeter, for a person, but to a dog they are the perfect sweetness. If you have little friends like us, give my dog treat recipe a try sometime and let us know how it goes. You will have some very happy puppies!

Grain-Free Dog Treats (Gluten & Corn-Free)

Author: Christina Eleton

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup almond flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup pumpkin purée
1/4 cup canned full fat coconut milk
1/4 cup unsweetened almond butter
2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Dog Treat Baking Molds

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, stir wet ingredients together until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and stir until a dough forms. Let dough mixture rest for 5 minutes until coconut flour is fully absorbed.
Next, spread dough out with fingers on a piece of parchment paper or rolling pin. If using rolling pin, another piece of parchment paper may need to go on top of the dough to prevent sticking. (I usually just use my hands instead of rolling pin). Press out until dough is 1/4” thick.
Use cookie cutters and baking molds until all the dough is used up. Lay treats on parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until treats are firm to touch. (I usually go the full 30 minutes).
Remove from oven and cool 10 to 15 minutes.
Store in refrigerator for one week or freezer for 2-3 months.

Recipe Notes: Coconut flour brands all absorb differently…if dough is too wet, add a tablespoon more of coconut flour at a time. If dough is too dry, add a little more coconut milk. Canned coconut milk brands differ as well, (some are thicker than others). I use this brand for my recipe and it works out well every time.