Fido's Cheese Nuggets

Give your pup something worth drooling over. These homemade dog biscuits are packed with cheese, oatmeal, cornmeal, and wheat germ for a crunchy treat that’s way better than anything off a store shelf.

The dough comes together by pouring hot water over oatmeal and margarine to soften them, then mixing in powdered milk, grated cheese, and egg before building up with cornmeal, wheat germ, and whole wheat flour. You want a very stiff dough here. If it’s too soft, the biscuits won’t dry out properly and they’ll go stale fast.

Baking low and slow, then leaving them in the turned-off oven to dry out completely, is what gives these treats their satisfying crunch. Dogs need something that resists their jaws a bit, and that extended drying time creates a rock-hard biscuit that helps clean teeth too.

Kitchen Tips

• Roll the dough to a full ½ inch thick. Thinner biscuits will over-dry and become brittle enough to splinter.
• Use a bone-shaped cookie cutter for the classic look, but any shape works.
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 weeks, or freeze for up to 3 months.
• Skip the salt entirely if your dog is on a sodium-restricted diet. The cheese provides plenty of flavor.

Variations

• Replace the cheese with peanut butter (xylitol-free only) for a different flavor dogs love.
• Add finely grated carrots or pumpkin puree for extra nutrition.
• Use chicken or beef broth in place of water for a meatier-smelling biscuit.