As a follow-up to last month’s Game Day Peanut Butter Dog Biscuits featuring a recipe from Petco, I’m excited to bring you another homemade treat idea for your pup! This one was inspired by one of my own favorite game day snacks… the beloved bread pretzel. ❤️

You know how a trip to the movie theater just isn’t the same without popcorn or candy? Well, for me a trip to the stadium just isn’t the same without a warm & doughy bread pretzel. So, I thought it would be fun to create a “one for you and one for me” sort of project featuring pretzel snacks for pets AND pet parents that can be enjoyed on game day… or any day, really!

Let’s start with the pet parents…

Since neither my husband or I had ever made our own bread pretzels before, we decided to go with a mix from a box to make things a little easier. You still have to let the dough rise, form the pretzels, dip them in a boiling water/baking soda mixture, then bake them – so the process is a bit involved, but it’s still doable in about an hour and worth the extra effort, IMHO at least. ;) Here’s how ours turned out:

To make it extra festive for a game day party, I dressed up this pretzel platter with some printable paper details, which you can download for free below. Here’s a closer look at the talk bubbles:

As a sidenote, these printables coordinate with the TAILgate Party Collection that I created for Petco earlier this year (which is also available for free download). Since that set is already pretty extensive, I decided to create a black and white chalkboard-style version of some of the pieces this time, which should be easy to incorporate into your own favorite game day palette... which I’m guessing matches your favorite team. ;)

And now onto the pet-friendly version of the game day pretzels…

Did you know that oats, eggs, and apples are all considered healthy for your dog, too? Assuming, of course that they don’t have allergies to any of these foods, which is always important to consider before making homemade treats. This recipe has all of those ingredients + whole wheat flour, which can also be substituted for a gluten free flour if you prefer.

OATMEAL & APPLESAUCE PRETZEL DOG TREATS

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Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 eggs, beaten

Instructions:

1. Prep a baking sheet with parchment paper and reheat oven to 350ª. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Beat eggs in a small prep bowl. Next, mix the flour, oats, applesauce, and half of the beaten egg mixture together in a large mixing bowl. Stir until well combined.

3. Using around 2 tablespoons of dough at a time, roll the dough into a tube that’s approximately 10-12” long. (You can adjust the sizing a bit based on the size of your dog.)

4. Shape the tube into an upside-down U, cross the ends, twist them once, then fold them upward to form a pretzel. Pinch any excess dough off the ends to ensure that they align with the rest of the pretzel. Here’s a visual reference:

Place the dough pretzels on your prepared baking tray, then brush them with the remaining egg mixture.

Pop the pretzels in the oven and bake for around 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. (You want them to be nice and crunchy!) Remove the finished pretzels from the oven and let them cool completely before serving to your pup.

*These treats can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.*

Don’t forget to treat YOURSELF, too! Whether you’re serving homemade bread pretzels or another favorite game day snack, my free printables will make it a cinch to serve them in style! Just click the links below to download:

• Game Day Talk Bubbles
• Checkered Paper
• 5×7 “Hungry for a Win” Sign
• 4×6 “Good Dog Concession Stand” Signs

P.S. For even more creative game day ideas with your pet, don’t miss the Pet-Friendly TAILgate that I designed for Petco earlier this year!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post created in collaboration with Petco. As always, all designs, opinions, and ideas are my own. Thank you for supporting the companies that make it possible for me to keep the creative content coming your way!