Loading blog content, please wait...
By Nashville Indiana Title Company
A Homemade Dog Treat Recipe Straight from Brown County Humane Society The folks at Brown County Humane Society know their way around a dog treat. When y...
The folks at Brown County Humane Society know their way around a dog treat. When you're caring for pups waiting for their forever homes, you learn pretty quickly what makes a tail wag—and what ends up ignored in the corner of a kennel.
This recipe comes from their kitchen, and it's become a favorite among Nashville dog owners who want to skip the store-bought stuff and make something wholesome at home. The best part? You probably have most of these ingredients in your pantry right now.
Here's what the Humane Society uses:
That's it. No preservatives, no mystery ingredients, no unpronounceable additives.
Mix the peanut butter and eggs together first until they're well combined. Add the flour gradually, stirring until you get a stiff dough. If it feels too dry, add a splash of water. Too sticky? A little more flour.
Roll the dough out to about a quarter-inch thickness on a floured surface. This is where it gets fun—use cookie cutters to make shapes, or just cut them into simple squares. Dogs don't care if their treats look like bones or fire hydrants. They care that they taste good.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. You want them golden brown and firm. Let them cool completely before storing them in an airtight container. They'll keep for a couple of weeks at room temperature, or you can freeze them for longer storage.
Walk down Van Buren Street on any given afternoon and you'll see dogs everywhere. Nashville has always been welcoming to four-legged visitors—most shops keep water bowls by their doors, and plenty of restaurants with patios are happy to have well-behaved pups join their owners.
Making treats at home means you control exactly what goes into them. If your dog has a sensitive stomach (not uncommon, especially with rescue pups adjusting to new environments), you can adjust the recipe. Some folks swap in pumpkin puree for extra fiber. Others add a tablespoon of honey for dogs with a serious sweet tooth.
The Humane Society started sharing this recipe because they wanted adopters to have an easy way to bond with their new family members. There's something about standing in your kitchen, rolling out dough, knowing you're making something special for your dog. It's a small act of love that dogs seem to recognize.
Once you've mastered the basic recipe, you can experiment:
For pups who love cheese: Replace half the peanut butter with shredded cheddar. Dogs go absolutely nuts for these.
For senior dogs: Add a tablespoon of coconut oil. It's easier on older digestive systems and gives their coats a nice shine.
For training treats: Roll the dough thinner and cut tiny pieces. You want treats small enough that your dog can eat a bunch during a training session without filling up.
For summer: After baking, spread a thin layer of plain Greek yogurt on top and freeze them. Perfect for hot Brown County afternoons when your pup needs to cool down after a walk on the Salt Creek Trail.
Peanut butter needs a close look before you use it. Some brands contain xylitol, an artificial sweetener that's perfectly safe for humans but extremely dangerous for dogs. Check the ingredient list and choose a brand where peanuts are the main (ideally only) ingredient. Natural peanut butter from the grocery store works great.
The whole wheat flour provides fiber and makes the treats sturdy enough to hold their shape. If your dog has grain sensitivities, oat flour or even chickpea flour works as a substitute. The texture will be slightly different, but dogs don't seem to mind.
Eggs bind everything together and add protein. Use whatever you have—there's no need for anything fancy here.
The Humane Society does remarkable work finding homes for dogs and cats in our community. They're always looking for volunteers, donations, and foster families. If you make a batch of these treats and find yourself with extras, they'd probably appreciate a drop-off.
You can find them on State Road 46, not far from downtown Nashville. Stop by sometime. Even if you're not ready to adopt, visiting the animals brightens everyone's day—yours and theirs.
Brown County is a special place for dogs. Miles of trails through the state park, creeks to splash in, friendly neighbors who always want to say hello. Adding homemade treats to your routine is one more way to celebrate the life you're building here together.
The recipe takes maybe thirty minutes from start to finish. Your dog will think you're a genius. And every time you reach for that container of homemade treats, you'll know exactly what's in them—because you made them yourself, in your own Brown County kitchen.