Sweet Potato Grain Free Dog Treats for Dogs with Allergies
When you have a dog with allergies, like we do, finding treats for them can be really difficult. Our dog Sami is allergic to pretty much everything: oats, barley, eggs, fish... even "grain free" foods and treats typically have something in them that she can't have. I've been wanting to make some homemade treats for our pooches, but I put it off and off and off. This week, I finally set time aside. I almost regret it, because Teddy literally laid by the island all day and whined when I didn't give her any more.
Disclaimer: You should always speak to your veterinarian before feeding your dog new foods. However, these ingredients in small amounts are generally fine for dogs. Always use caution and remember that it's easy to overfeed. Think small!
Grain Free Dog Treats
I researched different homemade dog treats to finally settle on this concoction. With practically every one I found, there was at least one thing Sami couldn't eat due to allergies. So, I took my favorite dog-friendly ingredients and came up with this sweet potato/coconut flour based treat.
Because Sami is allergic to grains, I chose coconut flour (which I have actually never cooked with before).Apples are great for dogs, and cinnamon is ok too - so for moisture I decided to go with unsweetened applesauce. It's important to choose unsweetened applesauce because sugar does ugly things to your pet's digestive system... and there's already natural sugars in this recipe, so it's important not to add more. Sweet potato is frequently found in limited ingredient dog foods. It's very high in fiber, which can help firm up loose stools. It's also high in vitamins B6 and C, as well as manganese. However, it can be a bit of a shock to your dog's system if you feed it in high quantities, which is why I suggest sticking to just one of these treats per day. The banana was added as binder. You can sub 2-3 eggs, instead, but Sami is allergic to eggs so I had to leave them out. Carrots are fantastic, as are these other foods, treats for dogs, so I knew I'd include them in my dog treat recipe. They're Teddy's favorite snack, actually. 
[yumprint-recipe id='22']I'm really happy the dogs love these grain free treats so much, and I feel really good feeding them to Sami because I know they won't trigger any of her allergies. I invite you to try these for yourself and let me know how your dogs love them - allergic or not - they're packed full of great foods.
P.S. I totally ate part of one (since there's nothing in there but human foods), and I was actually kind of impressed.P.P.S. To make these even *more* dog-like, you could sub low sodium chicken broth for water. I may do that next time!P.P.P.S. I would have loved to get photos of sweet Sami enjoying these treats, but she's almost 15, and pretty much completely blind. I value my fingers a lot more than photos of her eating these treats.
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