Ginger is an excellent ingredient to add into your dog's diet. Just be sure you add it in moderation. Too much ginger can be toxic to your pet, so it's best to include it in small treats, like these or add it to your pet's food sparingly. As with any other homemade recipes, be sure to check with your veterinarian or a canine nutritionist if you have any questions.
When your stomach is upset, what do you reach for? A bottle of ginger ale and some saltine crackers? There's a reason that ginger ale is often recommended to settle an upset stomach – because it's made with ginger!
Ginger is a natural anti-inflammatory, and is recommended by many holistic veterinarians for conditions including:
- Heartworm
- Arthritis
- Nausea
- Bloat
- Certain cancers
As I mentioned, it's important to speak with a trained canine nutritionist before adding new ingredients to your pet's diet. If your dog is taking medication or has a history of health concerns, it may not be safe to add ginger to his diet.
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Grain-Free Apple Ginger Dog Treat Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup white rice flour
- 2/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup finely chopped apples
- 1 tsp. ground ginger or 1/2 tsp. fresh ginger
- 1 tbsp. coconut oil
Directions
Preheat your oven to 350°.
Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir until they form a dry dough. The dough may be a little crumbly, but that's okay. It reminded me of the consistency of play dough.
I found it easier to mix the dough with my hands as it began to stiffen up. When you're finished mixing, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Either with your hands or with a spoon, make small balls of dough and press them on the parchment paper until they are about 1/4″ thick. If you'd rather cut your apple ginger dog treats into cute shapes, just the roll the dough out on a floured surface and cut the treats out with cookie cutters.
As I mention in my video guide, you don't need to space the treats far apart on the parchment paper because there is no rising agent in the mixture. Bake the treats in your 350° oven for about 20-25 minutes. You'll notice that they turn a nice golden brown color when they're done.
You'll notice that the treats are crunchy on the outside, but soft on the inside. They're easy to break into smaller pieces if you'd like to use them for training or frequent rewards throughout the day.
You can store leftover treats in an airtight container on the counter for about 10 days. You can also freeze the dough or the baked treats in an airtight container to store for 2-3 months.
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