Homemade and Heartfelt: Recipes for Tail Wagging Treats

With fall around the corner, many of us may find ourselves spending extra time in the kitchen preparing delicious baked goods for our families. And there’s no reason our pups should miss out on the fun.

Lucky for them, the recipe team from tails.com has shared five tasty recipes that are quick and easy to make and totally dog-friendly. Purrfect for spoiling our furry friends! 

Cracking Carrot Cake that your dog will love

Cracking Carrot Cake 

Deliciously crunchy, packed with nutrients, and dog-friendly – we’re talking about everyone’s favorite orange vegetable, the humble carrot. Carrots are the perfect treat for your dog because they’re low calorie and full of fiber. Top tip: if your dog is teething, pop one in the fridge or freezer for an hour to help soothe their gums!

And if you fancy taking things to the next level, we’ve got you covered with our carrot cake recipe for dogs. Full of super simple ingredients (just oat flour, egg, and carrot), it’s a quick and easy recipe that you can make in the microwave in just a few minutes.

We topped ours with xylitol-free peanut butter and one of our Duck Biscuits – you could also use dairy-free yogurt and some grated coconut.

Servings: 1 cake

What you’ll need

• 200g (1 cup) oat flour (or whizz up whole oats in a blender until finely ground)

• 1 egg

• 20ml (4 teaspoons) water

• 1 small carrot

• Pinch of cinnamon

• Coconut oil for greasing

• Xylitol-free peanut butter (optional)

• Grated coconut (optional)

• Tails Duck Biscuits (optional)

Method

1. Grate your carrot into a bowl, then mix in your egg, oat flour, water, and cinnamon. 

2. Once it’s mixed together, use the coconut oil to grease a microwave safe mug or small bowl.

3. Add your mixture and microwave for around 2.5 minutes on a medium heat or until firm.

4. Allow to cool and then add your dog’s favorite toppings!

Carob Kisses

Carob Kisses 

As chocolate is a big no-no for our dogs – it’s toxic – we’ve come up with the perfect alternative recipe to try instead. These Carob Kisses might look and taste like chocolate – but they’re actually made with carob powder, a cocoa alternative that’s 100% dog-friendly!

This super simple recipe is one both you and your dog can enjoy together, and we think they look pretty cute. Just mix together carob powder and peanut butter with some oats and you’re good to go.

Servings: 8 – 10 truffles

What you’ll need

• 60g (½ cup) xylitol-free peanut butter

• 25g (⅓ cup) carob powder, plus some for dusting

• 2 tbsp rolled oats, or oat flour

Method

1. Using a food processor, blend the oats until finely ground.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the peanut butter, carob powder, and the oats until combined.

3. Mold the mixture into small balls.

4. Roll each ball in the remaining carob powder until lightly coated.

5. The Carob Kisses can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 6 months (as if they’ll last that long).

Dog-friendly Jammies

Dog-friendly Jammie Dodgers

For those of us with a British bent, there’s nothing more welcoming and nostalgic than a Jammie Dodger. Gooey red jam sandwiched between two perfect biscuit rounds with a sprinkling of sugar, they’re the perfect treat to have with a nice hot cuppa. 

Now your pup can enjoy his own dog-friendly version! We’ve used fresh strawberries here instead of the jam – the high sugar content in jam isn’t good for dogs – and a pinch of cinnamon for a little spice. This recipe is super simple and pretty much the perfect treat for your dog this weekend. 

Servings: 4 – 5 biscuits

What you’ll need

• 90g (⅜ cup) rolled oats

• 1 egg

• 1 – 2 strawberries

• Pinch of cinnamon

• A little water if needed

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 320°.

2. Combine the oats, egg, and cinnamon into a mixing bowl and mix well.

3. The mixture is ready once it’s at a sticky consistency – add a little water if it seems too dry.

4. Cut the strawberries into slices so that they look like little hearts.

5. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

6. Mold the mixture into round biscuit shapes and flatten them onto the baking paper.

7. Place a strawberry slice in the center of each biscuit.

8. Bake for 20 minutes.

9. Once the biscuits have cooled, store them in an airtight container for up to 7 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Spinach and Bacon Biscuits

Spinach and Bacon Biscuits 

We’re keeping this recipe simple for a totally dog-friendly spin on the classic green eggs and ham. It’s quick, it’s easy, and it’s sure to get tails wagging.

First up: spinach. It’s Popeye’s favourite – and one of ours – so we’ve made this superfood the star of the show. A great source of Vitamins A, B, C, and K, spinach also contains minerals like calcium, iron, and magnesium. 

Adding some lean bacon to the mix means these biscuits feel like a real treat. They are great for training (we call these types of treats ‘high-value rewards’ as dogs will work extra hard to get them) and perfect for popping in the freezer.

Serving: 8 – 10 biscuits

What you’ll need

• 50g (¼ cup) cooked spinach (frozen is fine)

• 50g (2 slices) lean bacon, diced

• 135g (⅔ cup) rice flour (coconut or wholemeal flour also work well)

• 1 egg

• Mixing bowl

• Baking tray

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 350°.

2. Add all the ingredients to a bowl and mix well.

3. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

4. With damp hands, roll the dough into balls and flatten into biscuit shapes.

5. Place the biscuits onto the baking tray and bake for around 20 minutes.

6. Once cool, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Orchard Fruit Flapjacks

Orchard Fruit Flapjacks 

That look on their faces when it’s treat time? Just wait until they’ve tried Sean’s Orchard Fruit Flapjacks from The Happy Dog Cookbook – a collection of 24 healthy, nutritious, and tasty recipes, featuring family food expert and dog lover Annabel Karmel. 

This is one of our absolute faves – a fruity take on the traditional flapjack that’s howlingly good for humans and hounds alike. These flapjacks are the ultimate treat to take on long walks, a delicious and slow-release energy hit that your dog will work hard for. There’s a zingy bit of ginger too, which can help sensitive tummies.

Ingredients:

• 200g (1 cup) rolled oats

• 1 apple, cored and grated

• 20 ripe blackberries

• 1½  tbsp honey

• 3 tbsp sunflower oil

• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon

• 1 tbsp ground ginger

• 1 egg, beaten

Equipment:

• An 8” square baking pan

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350° and line the baking pan with non-stick parchment paper.

2. Place all of the ingredients in a saucepan and stir over a low heat for 3 minutes to melt the honey and combine everything well.

3. Tip the mixture into the prepared baking pan. Smooth roughly level, then press the oats down firmly with the back of the spoon or a spatula.

4. Bake the flapjacks in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until a light golden brown. Leave to cool, then remove from the tin and cut into bite-sized chunks.

5. Serve sparingly as a high-reward treat.

6. Store the flapjacks in an airtight container for up to a week, but if you taste one for yourself, chances are they won’t last that long.

These recipes and more can be found at Tails.com