What dog doesn’t love treats? Whether it’s a reward for a job well done or simply a small way to say I love you, every dog likes to be rewarded. But finding the right treat takes time – there are after all so many different varieties to choose from and let’s face it – they can be expensive. The key to a good treat is good ingredients and personalised care, particularly if you have a young or old dog or a dog with a special allergy.

There is also another option to consider when thinking about dog treats – make your own! Yes it can be time a little more time consuming, but there can be a lot of advantages to consider.

1. You have complete control over the ingredients. This means that you can create highly nutritious and tasty treats that your dog will need and love. Unlike buying ordinary treats, you won’t run the risk of buying a packet and finding out that your dog doesn’t like them.
2. Catering to special needs. This is ideal if your dog has a sensitive stomach or a known allergy you can avoid – after all you know your dog's preferences best.
3. You control stock levels. You can make as many or as little as you need, and thus, you can avoid waste and save a lot of money.

To help you get started, we wanted to share some quick do it yourself recipes that you can make at home.

The Doggie Trail Mix

You will not actually have to spend anything for this because you will just pull out whatever nutritious, tasty leftovers are available in your home. These include unseasoned meat as well as most fruits and vegetables. Cut them into bite-size pieces, drizzle a little cooking oil and allow to dry in a dehydrator or oven.

The Doggie Salad Cookie

Ingredients are the same with the trail mix, but the difference is that you will turn the treats into a cookie. Using basic cookie recipe with flour and baking powder, you can create interesting shapes such as chewing bones, stars or hearts.

Refreshing Yoghurt and Peanut Butter Treats

This is a frozen treat that will help your dog cool down after a strenuous activity. All you need to do is mix and pour melted peanut butter and vanilla yoghurt together into small cupcake moulds. Store them in the freezer until they're ready for serving.

So which of these homemade treats do you think your dogs will love? Which ones are you excited to make? Whatever you choose, keep in mind that these are just treats. And when it comes to their meals, you need to make sure you're giving them high quality products that are approved by dogs and veterinarians alike.

If you have any homemade treats of your own to share, post them below.