## Why prepare homemade snacks

Commercial dog snacks are often filled with:
- **Added sugars** (even if the label doesn't explicitly say so).
- **Chemical preservatives**.
- **Colorants**.
- **Questionable quality fats**.
- **Refined grains**.

Additionally, they **cost a lot**: €5-15 for small packages.

**Homemade snacks**:
- **Ingredients you control**.
- **Very low cost** (€1-3 for servings that last weeks).
- **Long shelf life** (in the fridge or freezer).
- **Your dog loves them** (fresher, tastier).

Here are the 10 most loved recipes.

## Recipe 1: oatmeal and peanut butter biscuits

**Ingredients**:
- 200 g oatmeal flour.
- 100 g peanut butter (without sugar, without xylitol).
- 1 egg.
- 100 ml water.
- 1 ripe banana, mashed.

**Preparation**:
1. Mix all the ingredients.
2. Roll out the dough on parchment paper.
3. Cut into small squares (1 cm).
4. Bake at 180°C for 20 minutes.
5. Let cool.

**Storage**: airtight jar at room temperature, 1-2 weeks.

**Important**: **never use peanut butter with xylitol** (a lethal sweetener for dogs).

## Recipe 2: dried chicken

**Ingredients**:
- 2 lean chicken breasts.

**Preparation**:
1. Slice the chicken into thin strips (2-3 mm).
2. Place on a rack.
3. Bake at 90°C for 3-4 hours (fan oven, door slightly open).
4. The chicken should be completely dry.

**Storage**: airtight jar, 2-3 weeks in the fridge.

**Suitable for**: all dogs. Very few calories, high in protein.

## Recipe 3: yogurt and fruit cubes

**Ingredients**:
- 500 g plain low-fat yogurt (without sugars).
- 1 mashed banana.
- A few blueberries.

**Preparation**:
1. Mix yogurt and fruit.
2. Pour into ice cube trays.
3. Freeze for 4-6 hours.

**Storage**: freezer, 1-2 months.

**Suitable for**: summer, cats with temperature issues.

**Caution**: cats with lactose intolerance may experience diarrhea. Moderate dosage.

## Recipe 4: pumpkin and cinnamon biscuits

**Ingredients**:
- 250 g cooked pumpkin pulp.
- 150 g whole wheat flour.
- 1 egg.
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon (a little - too much is toxic).
- 50 g oats.

**Preparation**:
1. Mix everything together.
2. Form balls and flatten them.
3. Bake at 180°C for 25 minutes.

**Storage**: 1 week in the fridge or freezer.

**Benefit**: pumpkin is great for digestion.

## Recipe 5: dried liver

**Ingredients**:
- 300 g chicken or beef liver.

**Preparation**:
1. Wash the liver.
2. Cut into strips.
3. Bake at 90°C for 3-4 hours.
4. Break into small pieces.

**Storage**: 1 month in a jar, 3 months in the freezer.

**Suitable for**: great training treats (super tasty).

**Caution**: small amount per day (maximum 5-10% of calories). Excess liver = excess vitamin A.

## Recipe 6: canned salmon

**Ingredients**:
- 1 can of salmon (in water, not brine).
- 150 g rice flour.
- 1 egg.

**Preparation**:
1. Mash the salmon.
2. Mix with flour and egg.
3. Form balls.
4. Bake at 180°C for 15 minutes.

**Storage**: 1 week in the fridge.

**Benefit**: rich in omega-3.

## Recipe 7: dried carrots

**Ingredients**:
- 4 large carrots.

**Preparation**:
1. Cut the carrots into thin slices.
2. Bake at 90°C for 2-3 hours.
3. Dry completely.

**Storage**: 2 months in a jar.

**Benefit**: cleans teeth thanks to their crunchiness, very few calories, rich in beta-carotene.

## Recipe 8: summer broth cubes

**Ingredients**:
- 500 ml chicken broth (without salt).

**Preparation**:
1. Prepare chicken broth by boiling lean meat in water.
2. Let cool.
3. Pour into ice cube trays.
4. Freeze.

**Use**: hydration snack in summer.

## Recipe 9: fish and sweet potato biscuits

**Ingredients**:
- 1 cooked and mashed sweet potato.
- 1 can of tuna in water.
- 150 g rice flour.

**Preparation**:
1. Mix everything together.
2. Form small balls.
3. Bake at 180°C for 20 minutes.

**Storage**: 1 week in the fridge.

## Recipe 10: homemade ice cream

**Ingredients**:
- 200 g plain low-fat yogurt.
- 1 ripe banana.
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter.

**Preparation**:
1. Blend everything.
2. Pour into molds.
3. Freeze.

**Suitable for**: summer, special treats.

## The golden rules

**Never**:
- Salt.
- Sugar (including xylitol).
- Chocolate.
- Raisins.
- Onion, garlic.
- Avocado.
- Caffeine.
- Alcohol.
- Macadamia nuts.

**Always**:
- Fresh ingredients.
- Proper cooking (no uncontrolled raw meat).
- Moderate quantities (snacks = 10% of daily calories).
- Correct storage.

## Compared costs

**Commercial snacks**:
- €5-15 for a small package.
- €30-60 a month.

**Homemade snacks**:
- €5-10 for ingredients for 1-2 months.
- Savings of €25-50 a month.

**Annual savings**: €300-600.

## The truth

Homemade snacks are:
- **Healthier** (controlled ingredients).
- **More economical**.
- **More enjoyed** by dogs.
- **Fresher**.

And preparing snacks is a **caring moment** for your dog. Invest an hour a week: it brings affection, health, and savings.

Start with recipe 1 (oatmeal biscuits): it's the simplest. All dogs love it. You’ll see your friend’s eyes light up.