The festive season is all about sharing joy with the ones we love — and that absolutely includes our pets! Whether you have a tail-wagging pup, a food-motivated feline, or both, making your own Christmas-themed treats is a delightful way to bring them into the holiday fun.
Baking homemade pet treats is not only simple and rewarding, it’s also a great way to choose wholesome ingredients you trust. Plus, it’s a wonderfully festive activity: queue the Christmas music, get the family involved, and enjoy a bit of creative chaos in the kitchen while your pets supervise (and maybe even offer some enthusiastic taste-testing!).
We’ve prepared easy, pet-friendly Christmas treat recipes for both dogs and cats, along with an image to inspire your culinary creations. Whether you’re baking cute little stars, trees, fish shapes, or classic bones, homemade goodies make the season feel extra special. They also make thoughtful gifts for the other pet lovers in your life.
And if DIY isn’t your thing — no problem! Your local Just For Pets independent pet store has a huge range of ready-made Christmas treats for dogs and cats, perfect for fuss-free festive spoiling.
So preheat that oven (or skip straight to the treat aisle!) and get ready to make this Christmas deliciously memorable for your four-legged family. Your pets will be waiting eagerly for their festive snacks, however they’re made.
Wishing you and your furry companions a joyful, treat-filled Christmas from the team at Just For Pets.
Dog:
Ingredients
1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
1 ½ cups oat flour (made from rolled oats)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup molasses
3/4 cup applesauce
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp coconut oil
OPTIONAL: carob chips for gingerbread eyes and buttons
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180ºC
Sift the flours and mix to combine with baking powder and spices in a bowl
Add the molasses and applesauce and mix to combine
Add the egg, vanilla, and coconut oil and mix to combine, adding more flour if necessary
Roll out gingerbread and cut into gingerbread men or your choice of shapes
Bake at 180ºC for 20-25 minutes or until just starting to get golden around the edges for a soft cookie, or until crunchy for longer shelf life
Cat:
Ingredients
250 grams of chicken cooked and shredded
120 ml of chicken broth
130 grams of wheat flour
150 grams of cornmeal
1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180ºC.
Add all the ingredients to a bowl and mix until well combined
Roll out the dough and cut into shapes of your choice
Bake at 180ºC for 20 minutes or until slightly golden
Store in the fridge for up to a week
