It’s not only humans who suffer sensitivity to various food items; dogs too may be allergic to gluten, wheat, lactose or preservatives. Choose to feed your pet only natural dog treats, and you will be promoting healthy teeth and eyes, skin, shiny coats and happy bodies. By opting to make your own dehydrated snacks, you will be ensuring that your dog is fed nothing that includes hidden salts, sugars or colouring.
Many people think that making your pet’s snacks from scratch at home is going to take ages and use a lot of ingredients. Nothing could be further from the truth if you invest in a dehydrator appliance. Sone of the easiest treats are made in my countertop machine, and these are the ones that my dogs enjoy the most.
So instead of the gourmet dog treat recipes that seem to be all over the internet for using a dehydrator, here are a few of my personal favourites natural dog treats for both taste factor and keeping the cost down.
Chicken Jerky
This has to be one of the easiest recipes, to begin with. Take a skinless chicken breast and slice it into thin pieces. Lay onto the trays and dehydrate for 3 to 12 hours, depending on the thickness of your slices. Cut into a piece to check to see if it’s cooked. The centre meat should be dry and moisture-free.
Liver dog treats
Slice liver into lengthwise pieces, using any type, beef, lamb or chicken liver. Dehydrate as for the chicken jerky recipe above until the liver inside is the same colour throughout. Missy loves them
Pepperoni type sticks
These have to be my dog’s favourite choice and one of the easiest to make. Use un-spiced, low-fat turkey or chicken sausages. Opt for the thin ones and layout onto the dehydrator trays, keeping them apart. Dry for between 6 and 12 hours until they have no moisture in the centre and are flexible.
Chunky tuna dog snacks
There is no need to slice with this recipe. Open a can of tuna and break it into chunks before placing it in the appliance. Make sure it’s thoroughly dried out, about 6 to 10 hours.
Try some fruity treats.
Who would have thought that your pooch would enjoy a piece of fruit? Think of all the benefits of added vitamins, high levels of fibre and health values. Begin by slicing the fruits and placing them in the dehydrator until all moisture is removed.
- Apple – loads of vitamin C and antioxidants
- Pineapple – contains a protein to aid a dog’s digestion
- Banana – rich in vitamin C and potassium
- Mango – rich in vitamin A to help eyesight, as well as Vitamin C, and fibre
- Kiwi – Good source of vitamin C and potassium
Part of the fun of creating your own doggie snacks is trying out different foods that your pet will enjoy as a tasty treat. So long as you are aware of exactly what your dog can eat, you can try many varied items in your dehydrator.
Here at Finchley Dog Walker, we love playing around with our food dehydrator to make healthy snacks for myself and the dogs. Even at Christmas with leftovers
Related articles include A beginners Guide to Homemade dog treats and Homemade dog chews