Diabetic Dog Treat Recipe

Diabetic Dog Treat Recipe


A Word on Diabetes in Old Dogs


  1. Increase in appetite.
  2. Excessive thirst and increased water intake.
  3. Increase in the frequency of urination.
  4. Weight loss.

If your older dog shows these four symptoms, be sure to take the dog to the vet for a checkup without delay. You can find more information on diabetes in old dogs here.

Diabetic Dog Treats

As mentioned in this post, dogs with diabetes can and should be given treats, as long as the ingredients used are safe and healthy for diabetic dogs.

This post introduces you to a simple recipe that uses food items that are beneficial to diabetic dogs. Let’s take a look…

Health Benefits of Ingredients

This diabetic dog treat recipe uses ingredients such as:

Barley Flakes

Barley is a whole grain that has a lot of health benefits, both for people and dogs.

It is rich in magnesium, a mineral that acts as a co-factor for, amongst others, enzymes that are involved in the body’s use of glucose and insulin secretion. Studies have found that magnesium-rich whole grains (such as barley) can help reduce risk of type II diabetes in people.

Barley also benefits diabetic dogs due to its rich fiber source – it contains more than 4 times the soluble fiber of oats.

Soluble fiber is not only a valuable source of nutrients for the beneficial gut bacteria, but it can also help reduce spikes in blood sugar, so it can help regulate blood sugar level – good news for diabetic dogs!

There are also other health benefits of barley, especially for older dogs, as barley is packed with the mineral selenium, which is a powerful antioxidant.

Hemp Hearts

Hemp hearts are the seeds from the plant Cannabis sativa.

Wait a minute! Cannabis? Isn’t that marijuana? Will my dog get “high” if he eats hemp?

Although hemp and marijuana are from the same species of the plant Cannabis sativa, they are different chemically. Marijuana contains 10% of THC (the psychoactive substance that makes people “high”), whereas hemp seeds contain only trace amounts (0.3%) of THC.

So, no, your dog will not get “high” eating hemp hearts.

What your dog will get from hemp hearts is high-quality complete protein, minerals (iron, magnesium, calcium), and essential fatty acids (Omega-3s and Omega-6s). As well, hemp hearts provide your dog with fiber (both soluble and insoluble), which, like barley, can be beneficial to diabetic dogs.


Cranberries have also been found to reduce the risk of diabetes due to their high fiber and low sugar content. They are also antioxidant-rich, and are good for controlling urinary tract infections.

As you can see below, the diabetic dog treat recipe introduce here has all the goodies that can benefit dogs with diabetes!

Diabetic Dog Treat Recipe with Barley and Hemp


  • 1 1/2 cups barley flakes
  • 1/4 cup organic hemp flour
  • 1/4 cup hemp hearts
  • 1 tablespoon dried cranberries, finely chopped
  • 10-12 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
  • 2 tablespoons organic hemp oil
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder


  1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Combine all ingredients and mix well.
  3. Knead the dough a few times until you have a dough ball.
  4. Put the dough between 2 sheets of saran wrap and roll out to about 1/4″ thick.
  5. Use cookie cutters to cut out desired shapes and put cut-out biscuits onto the baking sheet.
  6. Put the baking sheet with cut-out biscuits in a cold oven, and turn oven to 350°F (180°C).
  7. When oven reaches 350°F, turn it down to 250°F (120°C) and leave the cookies to bake for about 45 minutes.
  8. Turn oven off and let the cookies cool completely.
  9. Store cookies in an airtight container.


  • If you don’t have barley flakes, rolled oats can be used (but oats contain less fiber than barley.)
  • All ovens are different, so after baking for about 45 minutes, check to see if they are nice and golden in color (but not burnt!). You may need to bake longer (or shorter).