It seems like charcuterie boards are all the rage. Scroll through food videos on TikTok and you’ll likely see countless videos of meat and cheese boards, veggie boards, butter boards, frosting boards, and the list goes on. So, it got me thinking: What about a board filled with dog treats for special occasions … like dog birthday parties, Gotcha Day celebrations, and dog-filled holiday gatherings? Turns out, Barkuterie boards are a thing!
The Benefits of a Barkuterie Board
During holiday celebrations and get-togethers, it can be tempting for you – and others – to share table scraps with your pup. Many times, those table scraps include ingredients that aren’t good for our dogs (i.e. onion, various spices, sugar, fatty meats, butter, etc.). Creating a barkuterie board filled with dog-approved snacks let’s you include your furry family member in the food action while also avoiding a potential belly ache.
What to Include in Your Barkuterie Board
Just like a charcuterie board for people, the key is variety. Consider mixing in a variety of protein sources, flavors, textures, and colors. Some ideas:
- Single Ingredient Store-Bought Treats
- Freeze-dried minnows
- Freeze-dried salmon
- Cod crisps
- Freeze-dried beef liver
- Chicken jerky
- Beef jerky
- Sweet potato chews
- Homemade Biscuits
- Dog-Approved Veggies
- Carrots
- Green beans
- Broccoli
- Cucumber
- Dog-Approved Fruits
- Blueberries
- Strawberries
- Bananas
- Apples
- Misc
- Hard-boiled egg
- Bites of plain, boiled chicken
- Kibble
- Dippable Spread
- Peanut butter
- Pure pumpkin puree
- Greek yogurt
- Wet dog food
Check out our article on Yes/No foods for dogs HERE.
How to Assemble Your Barkuterie Board
Let me start by saying: Your dog doesn’t care what the board looks like. If they smell their favorite snack on the board, they’ll just be excited to get a bite! So, there is really no reason to go crazy over how the board looks. However, if you’re putting this together for a special event and want it to look nice for photos, here are some assembly tips:
- Add structure. In my video above, you’ll see I started by placing freeze-dried minnow treats down the center of my board in a wave pattern. I then used that curvy line as a guide when placing my next set of treats.
- Add bowls. Whether you’re adding something sticky – like peanut butter – or something that can defrost and get messy – like frozen snacks – there is a place for small bowls/ramekins. Once you create a little structure, spread these small bowls onto your board. Make sure they aren’t too close to the edges.
- Fill gaps. Use smaller foods – like blueberries, strawberries, or even kibble – to fill in any empty gaps.
- Spread color. Create balance by spreading out your colorful items.
- Get creative. For a special addition, bust out some dog-shaped cookie cutters and shape your cucumbers into little bones. Adding a slice of cheddar cheese to your board? Use letter-shaped cookie cutters and stamp out your pup’s name for a personalized touch.
