Are Quaker oats healthy for dogs

By Isabella Storyclaire

last updated September 16, 2024

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Homemade Dog Treats with Rolled Oats

These homemade dog treats with rolled oats are made with applesauce, dried apples, and peanut butter.

Your pup is going to gobble these all-natural dog treats up! And you wont mind if they have one (or two) because you know exactly what is in them. In fact, they arent just delicious, they are nutritious for your dog too.

FYI This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The Best Things About These Oatmeal Treats for Dogs

There are so many things to love about these DIY dog treats. I like how easy they are to make. If you have ever made cookies, then you can make these!

I also like how they only use completely whole ingredients. I chose only the best ones that will nourish your dog. No empty calories here! Im so excited about how nutritious they are that Im going to share details about the health benefits before we get to the recipe.

Making oatmeal dog treats is one of the best things you can make for your dogs. You can control exactly how much of each ingredient you use and not have to worry about whats in them.

I might be biased, but these are some of the best homemade dog treats I have ever made. They smelled so good as I baked them that I had to remind myself they are for the dogs!

The easy dog treats recipe is just a little further below. First, heres more about the ingredients and why I chose to use them.

Benefits of Rolled Oats

Did you know that rolled oats have lots of healthy nutrients? Thats why oatmeal treats for dogs are so good for them!

The most obvious benefit is that oatmeal is an alternative to wheat for dogs that are sensitive or gluten intolerant.

Beyond that, it also has vitamin B which helps your pet maintain a healthy coat. Its also a good source of omega-6 fatty acids that helps keep a dogs skin strong and healthy.

The soluble fiber in rolled oats helps dogs regulate their blood glucose levels. It also helps your pup of they are having irregular bowel movements that fiber will keep them regular for sure!

Benefits of Apples

Not only do apples add essential nutrients, but they add a wonderful flavor as well. Dogs love apples! Just dont let them eat the core and seeds.

There are even more health benefits of apples for dogs! First, the vitamins are good for them. They are high in vitamins A and C which will help your dog maintain healthy eyesight and boost their immune system.

Just like the rolled oats, apples have dietary fiber. This helps their digestive system function properly.

One surprising benefit of apples its good for your dogs oral health! It actually freshens their breath and cleans their teeth.

Apple Oatmeal Dog Treats Recipe Ingredients

The entire list of ingredients and the step-by-step directions are in the printable recipe card, at the bottom of this post. First, I want to share some extra info about the ingredients I used in these cookie dog treats.

Heres a list of what you need. If you want to make organic dog treats, make sure you buy all organic ingredients.

Rolled oats Rolled oats will have the most benefits. Use any type of oats except instant or steel-cut oats.
Dried apples Use either dried or dehydrated apples since they are the same thing. You can even use fresh ones just make sure to chop them up really small.
Unsweetened applesauce Dogs do not benefit from added sugars. In fact, it could make them more at risk for obesity. Always use unsweetened ingredients in dog treats.
Eggs The eggs will bind the dough, and give a tiny boost of protein to the treats.
Peanut butter If your pet has a peanut allergy, use a different type of nut butter or sunflower butter instead. Always use nut butter with no sugar added. Do not use peanut butter that contains xylitol because it is toxic to dogs.

Ingredients to make dog treats with rolled oats and applesauce.

Ingredient Notes

When you make this easy dog treats recipe, here are a few more notes to keep in mind.

You can substitute fresh apples for dried ones. Chop them into very small pieces before you add them to the batter. The type of apple isnt as important dogs love all kinds of apples. The most important thing is that you make the apple pieces small enough to mix into the batter really well.

Are old fashioned oats the same as rolled oats? Yes they are!

Are Quaker oats rolled oats? Quaker makes old-fashioned, steel-cut, quick-cook, and instant oats. Only the old-fashioned ones are considered rolled oats.

You can use quick-cooking oats instead of rolled oats. But note the treats will be softer and moister.

Do not use instant or steel-cut oats for this recipe.

Do not use peanut butter that contains xylitol, a sweetener that is toxic to dogs.

Difference Between Dried and Dehydrated Apples

You can use either dried or dehydrated apples in this recipe.

Dried and dehydrated apples are basically the same thing. They have been through a process to remove water.

Serving Size

How many homemade dog treats should you give your dog at once? That depends on what else they ate that day.

Dogs shouldnt overeat too many carbs even healthy ones from oats and apples. For this reason, I suggest only giving your spoiled hound one treat per day.

Look at those whippet shaped oatmeal dog treats!

Equipment Needed

You probably have most of the kitchen items you need to make homemade dog treats with rolled oats. You can use any regular cookie cutters but dog-shaped ones give these treats a fun look.

How to Store Baked Oatmeal Dog Treats

Store the baked dog treats in an airtight container. A dog treat jar is a good idea so they are not mistaken for human treats. Here are some cute ones on Amazon:

Can humans eat these oatmeal cookies for dogs?

They sure can! Everything in the crunchy dog treats is safe for human consumption. Although people probably wont like them. I suggest making Apple Oatmeal Cookies for people.

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Great Homemade Dog Treat Recipes

Want to make more treats for your dog? Check these out:

Not in the mood for making homemade dog treats? Check out my favorite dog treats on Amazon.

Apple Oatmeal Dog Treats

Crunchy baked homemade dog treats with rolled oats, applesauce, apples, and peanut butter.

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes Cook Time 20 minutes minutes Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Ingredients

1 cups Freeze-dried apples
2 Eggs
cup Unsweetened applesauce
cup Natural smooth peanut butter
4 cups Rolled oats

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Chop the freeze-dried apples into -inch pieces.
In a medium bowl, mix together the eggs, applesauce, and peanut butter. Use a hand mixer or a large spoon for this step.
Add the rolled oats and apple pieces and stir to combine well.
Turn the dough out onto a smooth surface.
Using your hands, squeeze and combine the ingredients until you have a flat, smooth dough.
Flatten the dough evenly with your hands or a rolling pin to about to inch thickness.
Using a cookie cutter, cut out the dog treats and place them on a greased baking sheet or use parchment paper or silicone mat to cover the baking sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.
Place the treats on a wire rack to cool once baked.

Notes

Store in an airtight container.Other types of freeze-dried fruit may be substituted for the apples.Use natural, unsweetened peanut butter. Do not use peanut butter with xylitol because it is toxic to dogs.

Nutrition

Are Oats Good for Dogs? Heres What the Science Says

Is there amore hearty way to start your morning than a bowl of oats? Rich, filling and packed with energytheyrea powerful fuel to get you through the rest of your day. But its not justour own breakfast bowl where youll find oats.

Increasingly youfind a healthy serving of oats in many commercial dog food recipes. On par with flaxseed for dogs, it's loved by pet parents as a complex grain that's gluten-free.

But are oats good for dogs?Is itsafe for your dog to eat them daily? And if so, are there any benefits of oats for dogs?

To find out, we searched through academic journals and researchstudies, examining the science behind oats for dogs. Well explore what benefits you can expect, and how you should prepare oats for dogs in the healthiest way possible.

Can dogs eat oats?

In short: Yes. Dogs can and likely should eat oats as part of their diet. Contrary to a popular view that dogs are strict carnivores,they are actually more omnivorous in their wild diet than many think.

Between their ancestral diet and their evolution alongside humansover the past 30,000 years,dogs caneat a wider range of foods than strict carnivores like cats.

But just because dogs can eat oats doesnt mean they necessarily should. To understand that, wedove into the research.

We found that oats are a phenomenal source of fiber, fatty acids, vitamins and overall nutrition.

So why are oats good for dogs? Here are5 key benefits:

Benefit #1: Better skin health

Weve all heard of omega-3s. Especially if you subscribe to Yumwoof's blog! Theyre the wonder ingredient found in oily fish. Its said they boost memory and general health in dogs and people.

What about omega-6s?

Linoleic acid is one type of omega-6 fatty acid in oats. Taken regularly, linoleic acid produces a luxurious, healthy coat and skin. Researchers supplemented a dogs diet with zinc and linoleic acid in one study. The results showed that dogs receiving linoleic acid saw significantly glossier coats. There was also less water loss through the skinimproving overall hydration [*].

When eaten in the right amounts daily, linoleic acid helps maintain the skin barrier, promotes wound healing and soothes inflammation [*].

Oats also contain B vitamins, which play a critical role in producing healthy skin cells [*]. Without a turnover of skin cells, wounds and rashes are far more likely.

Benefit #2: Lower cholesterol levels

Cholesterol is a vital part of your dog's body, helping produce horomones, vitamin D and substances involved in food digestion.But when it's consumed into too high amounts, itcan clog arteries which in turn reduces blood flow to the heart. That means less oxygen, less energy andpoor cardiac performance.

When looking at cholesterol,keep in mind it's a complex topic andnot always caused bya dogs diet. Metabolic and genetic health conditions can all contribute to high cholesterol levels.No matter what the cause, though, includingoatsin a dog's diet may bea viable solution to reducing cholesterol.

Oats are rich in beta-glucan, a fiber associated with improvedheart health. Not just that, beta-glucans are anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, immune system promoting and completely safe to eat[*].

They seem to be a superfood all around, but its their effect on cholesterol thatscatching theattention of scientists.

Oats have previously been shown to reduce cholesterol levels inhumans [*]. Now, another study in dogs observed similar findings. After eating oats for four weeks, dogs saw their cholesterol drop by 5% and LDL-cholesterol by 10% compared to a rice-based diet [*].

Its a remarkable result! And just one more reason oatshave been proven to be good for dogs.

Benefit #3: Aids digestions

One of the most common reasons we eat oats is a single ingredient: fiber. Fiber isa part of foodthat cannot be digested.

Sounds pointless? After all, the point of food is nutrition.

Thats true. However, fiber helps aid and support the digestive system. It feeds the helpfulbacteria living in your dogs gut. In turn, they take the fiber and convert it into short chain fatty acidsassociated with an improved healthspan.

Fiber also adds bulk toyour dog'sstoolto provide further digestive support.

Oats are extremely high in fiber. Every cooked cup contains over 4 grams offiber [*]. Research into oats for dogs digestion is limited.However, a study published in the Journal of Animal Science examined the use offiber in dogs. Oats, in particular, maximize fermentationhelping the microorganismwithout sacrificing any nutrient digestibility [*].

That means calmer stomachs with less constipation.

Benefit #4: Boosts immune system

Beta-glucans arent just beneficial for cholesterol. They alsohave provenimmune-enhancing properties. An analysis of beta-glucans in four speciesdogs, mice, piglets, and chicksfound different types of beta-glucans displayed different properties associated with better health [*].

One property was to upregulate the immune response. Levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2) were raised in response to beta-glucans. IL-2 promotes the growth, proliferation and differentiation of white blood cells. It forms the backbone of white blood cell production and is therefore critical to a healthy functioning immune system.

Taken together, oats can boost your immune system and help your heart with every spoonful.

Benefit #5: Phenomenal nutrient profile

Oats are rightfully considered a key staple food. While we have already talked about linoleic acid, fiberand beta-glucans, thats just the tip of the iceberg. Oats have an incredibly high nutritional value.

Inside youll find protein (up to 15%), complex carbs, fats and dietaryfiber (up to 8.5%). Alongside these macronutrients, there is a complex mix of vitamins, minerals and other beneficial compounds [*].

These vitamins and minerals include calcium, iron, magnesium, copper, thiamine, riboflavin and niacin. All of these components are essential to canine healthand add to how oats are good for dogs.

How to prepare oats for dogs?

According to the American Kennel Club, you can feed dogs up to one tablespoon (15 grams) of cooked oats for every 20 pounds (9 kg) of body weight.

But if youre just starting: go slow. Sprinkle a little into their normal diet and see how they react. Excessive oat intake can lead to diarrhea, vomiting and/or bloating. These issues arerare, though, and more likelyyour dog wont be able to get enough oats!

Keep in mind that oats ontheir ownare not nutritionally complete and balanced for dogs according to AAFCO standards.

They area high carb foodthat should be a relatively small part of your dog's diet. Yumwoof believes dogs should consume a low carb diet, keeping net carbs below 25% to avoid diabetes and other health issues.

Youshould not just feed a dog oats in any amountthey needs to be included in your dog'sfood at the right level to achieve an AAFCO complete and balanced diet.

The easiest way to feed your dog the right amount of oats is to find a dog food that already contains it as an ingredient. That way you don't have touse complicated software to balance your dog's diet.Here's a low carb dog food with cooked oatswe recommend.