Wheat Flour Alternatives:

Why does the type of flour matter when baking a certain recipe?  It’s because there are different amounts of gluten-forming proteins in each type of flour make it more suitable for specific uses by contributing to texture, density, moisture, ability to rise, etc. 

All-purpose flour is one of the most commonly used flours and it is made from hard and soft wheat.  Corn, wheat & soy can be harder for some dogs to digest.  Furthermore, many flours contain gluten which some dog's digestive systems do not tolerate well.  So although your dogs can eat products with these types of flour, it’s recommended to use healthy alternatives.

You can buy white or brown rice flour at a health food store like Whole Foods. White rice flour is great for baking because it doesn’t have a strong flavor. Brown rice flour has bran which adds additional nutrients and fiber to food. These flours should be substituted ¼ cup for every 1 cup of wheat flour your recipe calls for. 

Other gluten free & easily digestible flours include: Potato starch flour (great thickening agent), Amaranth flour (sweet, spicy & nutty flavor), Oat bran (great source for soluble fiber), & Teff flour (sweet flavor with a good source of calcium, protein and iron).  There are also gluten-free flour mixtures available at your local health food store.  These are usually equivalent substitutes, cup for cup.

You may also want to add a gluten substitute like “pre-gel” starch when you use gluten free flour.  Use 1 tsp for every cup of gluten-free flour or mix.  This will help your baked goods from crumbling or falling apart.

For more information, read this article on alternative flours.