If you make your own doggy treats already or if you have never ventured out into home cooking for your pet, this is a great time to start. The whole family can get involved and kids can even help with decorating and actually mixing and making the homemade Halloween treats.

One of the major benefits of making your own doggy treats is that you can control what ingredients are used to make the cookies. Many of the commercially available dog treats contain almost no nutritional value plus they are full of additives, preservatives and chemicals. Even though dog treats should not form the bulk of your dog's diet, why add these unnecessary chemicals to your dog's diet in the first place?

There are lots of free doggy treat recipes on the internet and in dog health books and magazines, however it is always a great idea to make your own that are designed with your pooch in mind. The basic recipe for Halloween treats will be the same as any other dog treat, however you can change the cookie cutter shapes or even add a few extra "treats" to the biscuits to make them festive for the season.

Basic Recipe

The basic ingredients that are often used in homemade dog treats include:

Original (not quick cooking) rolled oats

Whole wheat oat, brown rice or rye flour

chicken or beef broth (low sodium or homemade is best)

eggs

Powdered milk

Flavoring (cooked meats, canned fish, bacon, cheese etc)

The ratio that you add the ingredients will make a difference with regards to the type of cookie, biscuit or treat you are trying to make. There are hard, baked treats that are like the commercially available Milkbone treats, or there are also softer treats that are more like cookies from your local bakery. Either option is fine, just keep in mind that with no preservatives these homemade treats will only last a day or two left out or kept at room temperature. Ideally they need to be frozen or kept in a sealed container in the fridge for no more than five days to ensure freshness.

Softer cookies with more meaty or fresh ingredients need to be stored more carefully and should not be kept at room temperature after they have been baked. The chance of bacteria developing in the soft cookies is higher and much faster than in the harder, fully dried cookies.

Peanut Butter Dog Cookies

This seems to be a favorite of most dogs. Be careful to avoid using peanut butter with any artificial sweeteners and use natural peanut butter if at all possible. This will prevent adding extra sugar to the treats, although there is only a minimal amount in each treat.

There are a number of varieties of peanut butter dog cookies, treats or biscuits on the internet, finding one that is simple and uncomplicated to make isn't hard. One recipe provided by Three Dog Bakery Cookbook follows:

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 cup natural peanut butter

1 cup skim milk

Simply mix the wet ingredients (peanut butter and milk) in one bowl and the whole wheat flower and baking powder in another. Slowly add the wet to the dry, mixing well. Once well mixed, turn out the dough onto a floured surface and kneel until smooth. Using a rolling pin or your hand flatten out to about ¼ of an inch thick. Cut out using cookie cutters and bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until the tops of the cookies are lightly brown. They will be slightly soft in the middle. To fully dry the cookies shut the oven off and crack the door open an inch or two, then leave the cookies in the oven to continue to slowly cool and dry.

Store these tasty dog treats in an airtight container before bringing them out for trick or treating dogs on your doorstep.

Meaty Halloween Cookies

Starting from a basic recipe you can make your own flavorful meaty treats for your dog or for other dogs. A bacony flavored recipe follows:

8 slices very crisp, cooked bacon

5 eggs, well beaten

3 tablespoons bacon fat

1 cup warm water

1/2 cup non-fat dry milk powder

2 1/2 cup whole wheat, brown rice, rye or oat flour

2 cup wheat germ

1/2 cup cornmeal

The dough will be fairly moist and can either be dropped by the spoonful onto a cookie tray and baked, or a bit more flour can be added and the dough rolled and cut out. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes then shut off the oven and leave the cookies in the oven to cool. Remove when cool and store in a sealed container in the fridge or the freezer.

Variations on this recipe can include changing the bacon to canned salmon, cut up boiled chicken, grilled or cooked beef or almost any other kind of meat as long as it is pre-cooked. Some people also substitute grated cheese for the non-fat dry milk powder, however some dogs have digestive problems with dairy products. If you are concerned, just leave the milk powder or cheese out, it won't affect the overall recipe.

Be cautious in using flavorings and seasonings in dog biscuits and treats, particularly salt, onion or garlic powder. Sodium is not necessary in your dog's diet, plus they will already get some in their food or in the small amount of human food that is typically included in their diet. Garlic and onions, either in the natural form or powder can cause serious health reactions in some dogs and can lead to anemia and health issues. It is always best to just leave them out.

Homemade Halloween Doggy Baskets

If you have a friend, coworker or family member that has a dog, why not give a Halloween holiday doggy treat basket. This is a great way to surprise the owner, plus you don't have to spend a fortune in buying expensive doggy treats. Having a few pre-wrapped trick or treat bags for dogs from the neighborhood that are out with their owners on Halloween is also a really nice touch to add to your candies and baked goods you are planning on handing out on Halloween night.