How to Make a Dog Charcuterie Board

Let your best friend partake in the ultimate feast with this dog-friendly charcuterie board! Made with fruits, veggies, grains, dairy, and treats!

Everyone loves a good charcuterie board, and that includes doggos! I mean, what could be more exciting for your pup than a “barkuterie” board filled with all of their favorite snacks?

Today, I’m showing you how it’s done. From fresh fruit and dog-friendly oats to peanut butter and a handful of kibble, this is the cutest little rainbow-colored meal for any pup to enjoy.

The assembly method for creating a quality barkuterie board is the same as what you’d follow for a human version. Start by slicing, cutting, and prepping the goodies into individual, bite-sized pieces, and then add them to the board category by category.

Our barkuterie board will include fruit, veggies, dairy, and extras (like kibble and treats)! While this happens to be a vegetarian barkuterie board, we promote dogs eating a range of foods including meat. So, any of those dog friendly options can be incorporated into your board as well!

FRUITS

We’ll start the bark board with a variety of fruit that in this case consists of apple slices, banana slices, and blueberries. These are popular dog-friendly snacks that are good for your pup and won’t harm them. Some more options include raspberries, cantaloupe, watermelon, strawberries, oranges, peaches, pears, and mangoes. (You could even throw in a few Frozen Yogurt Dipped Strawberries!)

I spread the fruit in in heaps throughout the board. The space in between will be filled with layers of other goodies!

VEGGIES

Next up are the veggies! We’re sticking with carrots and dried sweet potatoes. Additional options safe for pups include celery, broccoli, green beans, zucchini, and spinach. You can check out a comprehensive list of dog-safe fruits and veggies on the American Kennel Club website!

DAIRY

Dogs love cheese. Make your pup’s day and include a little less than a handful of some cubed cheddar on the board. Low-fat varieties tend to do best with dog bellies, so additional options include mozzarella, goat cheese, provolone, or even cottage cheese.

Next, include a bit of low-fat greek yogurt for your pup to enjoy! Safe versions are anything plain and low-fat. Make sure the brand used does not contain xylitol or other artificial sweeteners, which can be toxic to dogs.

EXTRAS

Now for the fun part, the extras! This is where we can include a few more fun foods as well as your dog’s favorite made-for-dogs goodies.

• Grains: For grains, this board includes rolled oats! You can also feed them quinoa, brown rice, or sorghum.
• Treats: Treats can be any of your dog’s favorites! I used Greenies and sprinkled in a few pieces of kibble too, but you could throw on these homemade dog biscuits, frozen dog treats, or even some dog-friendly jerky!
• Superfoods: Make it a feast with a few dog superfoods, like dried sprats, green lipped mussels, tripe or even dandelions!
• Mint: Did you know giving your dog mint is a great way to freshen their breath and aid in digestion? Just a couple of leaves do the trick. Use the most common varieties and be sure to avoid giving them the English pennyroyal variety, as it is toxic.

Don’t forget to include a small portion of every dog’s favorite – peanut butter!

Select your extras and add them to the board wherever there is space. Place some extras, like the oats and peanut butter, in separate cups to add to the presentation (gotta get the dog’s approval, you know?)!

Fill in the gaps with any extras or options listed above until your board is full and looks so good that even the humans are tempted to partake!

PORTION SIZES

When it comes to portion sizes, stick with what is relevant to your dog and think about it in terms of the amount they’re normally fed at meal time.

If you have a small dog, you’ll likely only need a quarter or a third of the amount shown in these images. Be sure not to overfeed! Check your dog’s calorie needs per day here.

IS THIS SAFE FOR MY DOG?

All of the goodies listed here are safe for pups to consume (unless they have a specific allergy). If you’re wondering if something could work, be sure to do your research before feeding it to your dog. Many foods sound safe for dogs but are not, like grapes, tomatoes, mushrooms, cherries, and avocado. When in doubt, don’t!

MORE DOG-FRIENDLY SNACKS

Looking for another dog recipe? Try these Pupsicles! These are becoming more and more popular as people learn how easy they are to whip together and how much dogs love ’em! All you need are popsicle molds, yogurt, a banana, peanut butter, and an edible “stick” (like carrot or celery sticks or a stick-shaped dog treat).

Or for an ultra-quick recipe, whip you and your dog up these healthy banana splits! Great for humans and dogs alike.

Or give your dog the ulti-mutt feast by whipping them up this Dog Birthday Cake for their special day! It’s easy to make and has a mashed potato frosting they’ll love.

This post was first published on our human food site, Live Eat Learn!