Strawberry Banana Dog Treat Recipe

Amy Tokic
by Amy Tokic
Want to make your dog berry happy? Bake up a batch of Strawberry Banana Dog Treats!


I know I’ve been all over the berries the past few weeks, but I want to take advantage of the berry bounty while the picking is good! And if you’re like me, you’ll want to make a batch of my Strawberry Banana Dog Treats. I did a little something extra with these cookies – I was feeling creative, so I decided to decorate them with dog-friendly icing (touched with a pink hue). With or without the icing, your dog will think these treats are berry delicious!


Can Dogs Eat Strawberries?


You bet they can! In fact, along with blueberries, strawberries are some pretty fantabulous nutritional boosts for your doggo. Just like blueberries, strawberries are full of antioxidants. Antioxidants are good for your dog because they neutralize the effects of chronic inflammation your dog may suffer. Antioxidants are great for any dog but especially for dogs who may suffer from any type of chronic inflammatory condition.


Strawberries also are full of Vitamin C and they’re high in fiber. Why is that good? Well, Vitamin C is great for helping strengthen your dog’s immune system and fiber is what keeps things moving through your dog’s digestive system. Good fiber will help your dog absorb the nutrients he’s supposed to from the food he eats, and that means he’s healthier overall. Plus, good fiber will ensure that his colon is clean and his poop is perfectly scoopable becuase it’ll be just the right consistency. As an added bonus, strawberries have an enzyme in them that will help keep your dog’s teeth whiter. Strawberries can be a lot of sugar, though, even good sugar, so that’s why including them in recipes where they are balanced with other ingredients.


Speaking of other ingredients…


Why do dogs go bananas for bananas?


Aside from the fact that dogs find them delectible, banansa are full of dietary fiber, potassium, Vitamins B6 and C and magnesium. Consider them sort of a super food, if you will. They can help a doggo’s upset tummy (think of the BRAT diet for humans: Bananas, Rice, Applesauce and Toast) and they can even give a dog some low-calorie energy boosting if you’ve got an older pup who’s starting to feel his age. Lots of dog pawrents freeze banana slices and toss to their pups so they can avoid salty or fatty treats and dogs think they’re being spoiled rotten when they do!


Peanut Butter Is Health Food?


You bet it is. Sort of, at least! It’s loaded with protein, healthy fats and Niacin. The importance of protein is key. It’s what your dog needs for healthy muscles and a healthy immune system.


More, peanut butter has tons of fats. But not the “Does this peanut butter make my butt look fat?” fats. No, the healthy fats that your dog needs for a well-balanced skin and a shiny, maintained coat. They also help keep his brain nice and agile, which is important when you’re guarding the house from falling leaves!


Just make sure when buying and including peanut butter, you don’t buy any or give any with xylitol to your dog! Xylitol can be lethal for your dog.


Don’t forget Niacin, which breaks sugars and fats down and turns them into energy. It’s also good for your dog’s gut, and good gut health is key to good overall health.


So not only are these treats yummy, they’re almost like a health food. We said, almost, so do be sure that you still remember these are TREATS and give accordingly!


Strawberry Banana Dog Treat Recipe

Makes 30-40 cookies


Ingredients:


2 cups whole wheat flour


¼ cup wheat germ


¼ cup corn meal


¼ oat flour


1/2 cup of peanut butter


1 tablespoon coconut oil


1 banana


1 cup strawberries


Directions:


  1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a blender or food processor, add banana and strawberries, and puree until smooth. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, combine flours, wheat germ and corn meal.
  4. Add coconut oil and peanut butter to dry mix and stir well.
  5. Add fruit puree and combine into dough. Use your hands to knead the dough – it should be moist but not sticky. Add water is dough it too dry, or flour is too moist.
  6. Place dough onto a flour dusted surface. Roll or press dough out to about ¼-inch thickness. Use a cookie cutter to cut out cookies and place on cookie sheets.
  7. Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes.
  8. Take cookies out of oven and let cool on cooling racks. Store in air tight container in refrigerator or freezer.


This time around, I got to break out my special Paw It Forward cookie cutter! If you want one of your own, you can buy it for $5 via their online store.

Amy Tokic
Amy Tokic

Amy Tokic, Editor of PetGuide.com, is a passionate animal lover and proud pet parent of Oscar, a Shih Tzu/Chihuahua cross, and Zed, a Japanese Chin. Her love of animals began in kindergarten, when she brought her stuffed dog Snoopy into class with her every day. Now, she writes about her adventures in pet ownership and tirelessly researches products, news and health related issues she can share with other animal enthusiasts. In her free time, Amy loves perusing used book and record stores, obsessing over the latest pet products available and chasing squirrels with wild abandon (a habit attributed to spending too much time with her pooches).

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