Healthy homemade gelatin gummies are a go-to dog treat at our place. Today we’re adding some extra yum and boosting the health factor by making Dogsnob gravy gummy dog treats. Delish! This is an easy and adaptable recipe idea for including some of your favourite supplements in homemade dog treats. I’ll include tips for customising the gummies with different ingredients and quantities to suit.
Sampling Dogsnob's Gravy Topper
Disclosure: A free product sample of Dogsnob gravy was provided for Humphrey on a no-obligation basis. Content in this post is based upon an honest representation of my personal user experience and blog dog Humphrey’s taste testing judgement, as always.
Blog Dog Taste Testing Duty
The team at Dogsnob recently sent Humphrey a free sample of their 5-in-1 Vitamin Steak and Salmon Superfood Gravy. Thanks for the gift! This gravy is one of their ready-to-serve food topper supplements, but I couldn’t resist playing with it to create some dog treats. But first, quality control. Humphrey, our kitchen guard dog and chief taste tester, gave the gravy sample a thorough assessment.
Humphrey was really interested in the smell. He hesitated briefly after the first lick, and then happily lapped the spoon clean. Perhaps the initial texture or taste was unexpected? I wasn’t brave enough to taste it for myself. Haha! In any case, he has been circling the test kitchen like a shark since then and loves both versions of these gummies. He also tried to open the bottle while we were taking pictures. Rascal.
Different Dog Diets and Supplements
We don’t advocate for any particular type of food or supplement here on the blog. As I’ve shared in the past, like in our behind the scenes post on feeding, every dog is different, and their needs change over time with age, activity, and health status. It’s especially important to be conscious of combinations or contradictions if your dog has special issues or is taking medications or other supplements. Not sure where to start? Talk with your trusted vet or your dog’s nutritionist about what might be beneficial for your pampered pup. The treats in this post, and many others on our blog, can be made with different supplements to customise your own special blend.
When using a supplement in a treat, always keep the recommended dosages in mind relative to your pup, treat size, and servings. In this post, I’ll be showing the Dogsnob used in two different but simple gummy making methods. The process has also been adapted to minimise heat exposure of the Dogsnob to help preserve the properties of any ingredients in the supplement that might degrade with heat. Modified gummy mixtures or chilled treats are handy options for sensitive ingredients. We like to minimise the heat exposure where feasible for supplements and other potentially sensitive ingredients, like maintaining the probiotic content in yogurt or kefir gummies.
Gummy Greatness
I started making gelatin gummy dog treats many years ago when we were supplementing senior Oli’s diet. I’ve experimented with making gummies from scratch, but usually turn to high-quality gelatin for quick and easy gummies. Gelatin and bone broth are favourites in our furfamily, and we usually have some sort of gummy treat in the fridge.
Gummies are easy to adjust for ingredients, portion size, and preparation temperatures, all of which makes them a good candidate for mixing with supplements. They’re also simple to make, store, handle, and serve. Is a summer roadie (or winter escape) on your agenda? Gummies should be kept chilled, but packing a few gummies in the cooler is an easy alternative to bagging up bottles for trips.
Dogsnob Gravy Gummy Dog Treat Recipe
Gelatin Gummy Dog Treats Supplemented with Dogsnob Gravy
This recipe is an adaptation from our simple stock gelatin gummy dog treats, combining the prepared gelatin mixture with a supplemental boost of Dogsnob qravy. The pictured gummies were made in moulds as individual shaped treats, but gummies can also be made as set-and-slice treats. The process is the same for either method. An example is pictured in our simple stock gummy dog treat post.
Treat Ingredients:
- 1 cup less 2 tbsp unsalted unseasoned stock or alternative dog-friendly liquid
- 3 tbsp quality powdered gelatin
- 2 tbsp Dogsnob Superfood Gravy (optional but included in liquid calculations) or other nutritional supplement(s).
Making the Treats:
- Measure cold broth into a small pan.
- Sprinkle the surface with gelatin powder.
- Let sit for approximately five minutes for the gelatin powder to fully bloom.
- On the stove, gently stir the mixture over low heat until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Take care not to shortcut with high temperatures or overheat. Heat can reduce the setting strength of gelatin.
- Remove from heat.
- Optional: Allow the liquid to cool down slightly before mixing in the Dogsnob (or alternative supplement). As noted above, this reduces the heat exposure to help preserve the beneficial properties of any ingredients in the supplement that might degrade.
- Pour (or spoon) the prepared gelatin mixture into a glass pan (cut and slice) or silicone moulds (shapes).
- Chill to set.
Layered Dogsnob Gravy Gummy Dog Treats
Alternative Preparation as Layered Gummy Dog Treats
Like playing with pretty treats? I know the feeling. An all-in-one mixture is the easiest way to make gummies, but I also like making layered treats. They’re cute and don’t require a lot of extra effort. It’s also an easy option for combining different gummy recipes or flavours. With a supplemented treat, layering could also be used to moderate the content between different sized moulds. In this example, I’m doing it just for fun and for looks. These treats show the difference between the plain stock layer and the darker Dogsnob supplemented layer.
Layering Gelatin Mixtures for Gummy Treats
When layering gelatin, the gelatin base can be made in one batch and split, or prepared separately depending on your flavours, volumes, and ingredients. If you’re splitting, the base needs to be kept warm enough not to gel before layering. You can see these techniques in detail in other posts, like our Pumpkin Spice Latte Gummy Treats (moulded) or Green and Gold St. Patrick’s Day Treats (pour and slice).
For the pictured treats, I used a single base mixture. I modified the recipe and instructions above, and split the base mixture roughly 1/3 and 2/3. I added the Dogsnob to the first layer poured, which becomes the darker top layer of the finished moulded treat.
Layered gummies are easy to make, benefit from careful timing. New layers are added when the preceding layer has set to a gentle touch. You want the layer set enough so that the liquids don’t mix, but add the next before it has fully set and cured in order to adhere the layers. Just like making layered jelly for humans. Too soon and they will melt into each other. Too late and the layers might not hold together. Don’t worry though, the dogs won’t judge! It all tastes the same in the end, even if you miss the mark on looks.
Gummy Dog Treat Making Tips and Tricks
- See our comprehensive post on making and storing homemade gelatin gummy dog treats for additional information about making gummy treats including helpful gummy making tips, troubleshooting, and safe treat storage.
- These treats should be kept refrigerated and can be frozen for longer storage, although freezing can affect consistency.
Recipe and Ingredient Tips and Tricks
- I use homemade stock for making dog treats. My go-to stock is simple poaching liquid from prepping homemade dog food. Tasty and free! You can read more in our FAQ on stock for homemade dog treats. If you’d prefer a less rich gummy, you can dilute the stock with water, especially with a scented and flavourful add-in like the Dogsnob. My boys would probably even like them with plain water!
- Before using a supplement in treats, consider whether there are any potential issues with quality or safety. As noted above, I like to keep the quantities small and limit heat exposure, where possible. Be mindful of content and total serving amounts.
- Experimenting with supplements or other add-ins? Mixing water-soluble liquids is pretty easy when it comes to gummy making. Our pet chef intro on making gelatin gummy dog treats has tips for including ingredients that don’t dissolve, like some powders. If your supplement is oily, give it a pass for gummy making. Not sure? Feeling the texture (oiliness and thickness) with my fingertips for a quick sense and then test mixing a small amount with water were checks I did with the Dogsnob before using it in a recipe.
Hungry for more tasty treats? There are all sorts of homemade dog treat ideas in our blog archives. You can use the category and tag labels to find other recipes that might be of interest or use our internal search tools to find something specific. Remember, treats (bought or homemade) are for spoiling your pup in moderation. We share ideas from treats that we’ve made ourselves for our pets, but different animals have different preferences (likes/dislikes), just like people. Some pets may have special dietary requirements and/or food allergies/intolerances. If you are ever in doubt or have questions about what’s suitable for your pet, have a chat with your trusted vet.
