Natural dog chews are a great way to keep your dog active and engaged. Payton Prtizl, Instagram dog blogger @shams_little_leprechauns, uses Best Bully Sticks chews for a variety of enrichment activities for her dogs Irish and O’Malley.

“For me, mental health in canines and proper enrichment is one of the most important things you should be focusing on with your dogs,” says Payton. “Especially with the dogs that I’m training, they need some form of release during the day and enrichment is an awesome opportunity for that.”

Combine natural, digestible dog chews with ingredients you have at home for fun, affordable treats for all different kinds of chewers. Check out Payton’s recipes below:

For Heavy Chewers:

Reusing empty shin bone

Ingredients:

• empty shin bone
• ¼ cup of canned dog food
• 2 TBS dry kibble
• 2-3 venison jerky treats

Directions:

1. Make sure shin bone is empty, has been lightly rinsed with water, and is dry.
2. In a bowl, mix canned dog food with dry kibble.
3. Cut venison jerky into small cubes and add to bowl.
4. Mix all ingredients together and stuff into shin bone with a spoon.
5. For an added challenge, freeze until solid before feeding to your dog.

6-inch tracheas

Ingredients:

• 6-in tracheas
• ¼ cup cottage cheese
• ¼ cup pumpkin puree
• 3 TBS cooked chicken
• 1 bully stick

Directions:

1. Mix cottage cheese, pumpkin puree, and cooked chicken in a bowl.
2. Place the bully stick inside the empty trachea and do your best to stuff the cheese/pumpkin/chicken mixture into the remaining space of the trachea.
3. For an added challenge, freeze until solid before feeding to your dog.

For Moderate Chewers:

6-inch tracheas

Ingredients:

• 6-in tracheas
• ½ cup sweet potatoes
• ¼ cup cooked white rice
• 3 TBS applesauce
• 1 dried chicken or duck heart

Directions:

1. Boil or microwave sweet potatoes until soft.
2. Remove skin, and mash until smooth.
3. In a bowl, combine cooked sweet potatoes, cooked rice, and applesauce.
4. Cut chicken/duck heart into small cubes and add to bowl.
5. Mix all ingredients together and stuff into the trachea with a spoon.
6. For an added challenge, freeze until solid before feeding to your dog.

DIY stuffed hooves

Ingredients:

• cow hooves
• ¼ cup canned dog food
• 1 TBS peas
• 1 TBS diced carrots
• 1 quick stick

Directions:

1. Mix dog food, peas, and carrots in a bowl.
2. Break quick stick into small pieces and place in empty cow hoof.
3. Fill remaining space in cow hoof with the dog food mixture from your bowl.
4. For an added challenge, freeze until solid before feeding to your dog.

For Light Chewers:

3-inch tracheas

Ingredients:

• 3-in tracheas
• ¼ cup oats
• 1-2 TBS blueberries (fresh or frozen)
• 1 TBS plain greek yogurt
• 2 venison jerky treats

Directions:

1. In a bowl, pour boiling water over oats until they are just barely covered.
2. Let soak until oats have absorbed all the liquid and drain off any access water.
3. Add blueberries and greek yogurt to bowl and mix.
4. Cut venison jerky into small cubes and add to bowl.
5. Mix all ingredients together and stuff into the trachea with a spoon.
6. For an added challenge, freeze until solid before feeding to your dog.

Check out our blog for more health tips, tricks, and stories—including this post about Search and Rescue Dogs.