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We all know that our dogs LOVE the chewy taste of sticks and dried meats – but unfortunately some of those treats contain ingredients that aren’t good for our dogs. Instead, consider making your own healthy dog food in a dehydrator or oven. You’ll save money and know exactly what ingredients you’re feeding your dog. Best of all: many dehydrated dog food recipes call for just one ingredient!
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What foods can I dehydrate my dog with?
With only a few Exceptionyou can dehydrate your dog’s fruits and vegetables – although meats are by far the most common treatment for dehydrated dogs.
You can dehydrate all types of meat, from steak and chicken to ground beef and turkey. You’ll want to remove all fat from meats before dehydrating. Organ meats like liver and gizzard are also healthy, inexpensive treats your dog will love.
Can I make dry food in the oven?
Yes, you can make dehydrated dog treats and chews in your oven by baking on the lowest setting, about 180 degrees F.
While you can dehydrate just using cookie sheets and half-plate pans, it will be helpful (and speed up the process) if you also use grill rack over a quarter of the pan to allow air to circulate from below to treat as they dehydrate.
What type of dehydrator do I need to make dog food?
You can use any type of dehydrator – with or without a temperature dial. I use Presto 06300 Dehydro electric food dehydrator which I like because it’s compact to store (and it’s pretty cheap compared to some dehydrators).
I also have a set non-stick mesh screen which you don’t need to chew and the strips are larger but are great for small dishes, shredded chicken like the recipe below and small fish like anchovies.
How long does it take to treat dehydration?
The amount of time you’ll need to run the dehydrator (or bake it slowly in the oven) depends on several factors:
- moisture in the air while you’re dehydrated
- the temperature your dehydrator runs at
- the thickness of the meat, fruit or vegetable
- water content of meat, fruit or vegetable
- the crunch you want these dishes to have. I dehydrate my snacks so they’re dry and easy to carry in my dog bag, rather than letting them settle down for long periods of time. I don’t need to dry them as long as I store them for weeks. If you want food prices to stay stable, you need to dry them completely. This can mean 4-8 hours for thinly sliced steak or even 24 hours for dried sardines.
How do I know when processing is done?
If you see any steam when you close the water treatment bag, it hasn’t dried enough.
If you see condensation immediately, you can return the food to the dehydrator or oven – but if you see condensation after for dishes that are not refrigerated, you will need to discard them.
Is it safe to cook meat in a dehydrator? How do you ensure that junk food is safe for your dog to eat?
Yes, it is very safe to process meat and chews in your dehydrator although you may want to add an extra step if you don’t know the temperature at which your dehydrator runs. (Some have an adjustable temperature; some are set to a fixed temperature.)
If you’re dehydrating meat and chewing it, you’ll want to pasteurize the meat for long-term safe storage without refrigeration. If your dehydrator has a temperature control on it and you can dehydrate, at least for a while, above 165 degrees F, you don’t need this step; Also, if you’re dehydrating the cake in the oven, you won’t need to do this step.
You can Sterilize meat in your oven by cooking it on low heat before or after dehydration. To do this, simply pop them in the oven for a few minutes. Most meats will need to be cooked for 10-20 minutes at 160-170 degrees F to kill any residual bacteria. USDA has a handy chart of safe minimum internal temperature for different meats.
How do you store dehydrated dog food?
If you’ve dehydrated your snacks to the point of complete dryness, they’ll be stable for their shelf life. Follow National Center for Home Food Preservation, after the food has cooled completely, “Store dry foods in clean, dry home canning jars, plastic containers in the freezer with tight-fitting lids, or in a plastic freezer bag. Vacuum packaging is also a good option.”
If, like me, you dehydrate snacks to the point where they’re convenient to use in a dog walker or treat bag but haven’t dried completely, you’ll want to leave your snacks with you for a day. or two days, store the rest in the refrigerator.
One-ingredient Dehydrated Dog Treatment Formula
Dehydrated stick meat
Our dogs LOVE these treats. All you need is a thinly sliced steak (I used the bottom round, pre-sliced). You can use these sticks as chews, break them into small pieces for a training treat, or use them as a “handle” in the game. Frozen ice cream for dogs. If you can find some “last chance” meats on sale, this is a great way to create scrumptious dishes on a budget.
First, cut off all the fat. Next, use a sharp knife or a pair of kitchen scissors to cut the meat into slices about 1 inch wide. Cut with seeds for better chewing.
Line up the strips on a dehydrator tray or baking rack, making sure none of them touch each other.
Then start dehydrating! It took about four hours for the batches to dehydrate to the point where they could bend without breaking.
If I want shelf-stable storage, I’ll dry them for another hour or two, but this level is perfect for training and walking the dog – and these only last for a few days. Our dogs love them!
Treatment and training of dehydrated chickens and dogs
It’s no surprise that shredded chicken is a high value treat for our dogs and a great training treat – but it can be a messy treat! By dehydrating shredded chicken, you’ll have handy, small treats that are perfect for your bag – and delicious for your dog!
Start by shredding the boiled chicken – or use a canned, low-sodium canned chicken. With either option, you’ll want to first get as much liquid out of the chicken as possible using a paper towel or dish towel, patting to absorb the moisture.
Spread shredded chicken on top Non-stick mesh mat:
… And plug in the dehydrator! After about four hours (depending on your dehydrator, size of debris and humidity conditions), it’s done!
If you want to give your dog a chew to enjoy, it’s also very easy to do Chicken Jerky for your dog use a dehydrator or an oven!
Sardines are dehydrated
Sardines are very popular dogs and a very valuable food for them. However, the size of sardines requires more drying time than other types of treatment, so be prepared for extra time – and extra smell! You might want to relocate the dehydrator to a porch for this one!
Sardines bought and soaked in water to drain. (I always save this water and freeze it for later use in other dog care recipes. Just replace the flavored water with the water found in the recipe.) Pat the sardines as dry as possible, then spread them out on the dehydrator tray.
I usually dry my sardines in about eight hours. This is dry enough to carry in my dog walk bag and flexible enough that I can break sardines in half as a snack on the go. If you want the sardines to be stable, you may need to dehydrate them for at least 24 hours.
A great great value treat!
Add your dog’s dehydrating recipe
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