Dehydrated Dog Treats
Easy, Healthy, All Natural

How long will your dehydrated dog treats last? Well let's just say they will last longer than 2 -3 weeks. I keep our girls treats in a sealed bag or jar for well over a month....if they last that long!

Many of the commercial dog treats out there on the market are labeled "completely natural." But typically there is at least one ingredient in the mix that isn't natural and could cause an allergic reaction in your dog. That's where you need to know your stuff. I will post information on this in the future.

For example, Wheat and Corn are natural grains, but they can also cause health problems or allergic reactions in some dogs. Things like, itching, hot spots, digestive disorders etc.

I personally had never had a dog with any types of allergies, until our recent rescue, Nikki. Come to find out she has an allergy to Corn, so I have pulled her off of the dog food that contained Corn and now she is eating a Liver and rice diet and things have cleared up.

What About Poultry You Ask?
We have seen many times over the years all the concerns and fears of added hormones and antibiotics found in our own food and in the foods and treats we give to our dogs. One way to get around those issues is to use free-range chicken or turkey that has been fed a natural poultry diet.

Why not try making these Chicken Jerky Treats for your puppy:
Dehydrated Chicken Dog Treats- "Jerky Style"

How Long Does It Take To Dehydrate?

When making dehydrated dog treats, typically I find it takes anywhere from 6 - 8 hours for a regular batch (4 trays) to finish. Also, if you're someone who has trouble with smells, (it all depends on what your drying), you might want to put the dehydrator outside when it's in use.

Many times I set the dehydrator outside before I go to bed and plug it in on a timer. Then when I get up I check to make sure everything is crunchy (by snapping one apart) and dry then I can empty it into the girls treat jar. And believe me, my girls are right there waiting to do their quality control check sooo I must give them one of course!

If on your first try you find that the biscuits aren't quite crunchy enough, just put them back in for a while longer. Don't worry you'll get the hang of it very quickly. I have this little file labeled "Dog Treats" in my recipe box with notes, so the next time I go to dehydrate a dog treat item, I know what to do. I love notes! :)

Easy Food Dehydrating!

Check it out!!!

I recently found this site by Susan who is the queen of dehydrating!

In fact, her whole site is packed full of information on dehydrating "people food" AND homemade dog treats!

Check out Susan's "Easy Food Dehydrating" site, I love it!....Thanks Susan, I've been using a number of your tips and suggestions....dang! I think I'm becoming that 40's homemade mom! :) it's kinda fun

~ ~Tips n Suggestions~ ~

Size Matters: When your making dehydrated dog treats, keep in mind the size of the dog. If your making them for small dogs or toy breeds, remember they have itsy bitsy mouths and tiny little teeth and need a smaller size and less crunchier dog treat, where as a Golden Retriever or Weimaraner can take on the larger more crunchier sizes of dog treats -- you can check this by breaking a few dog treats in your hand to see how hard they are.

Practice makes perfect so just adjust your dehydration process as you go. Hey, if the first batch you make is too hard for your dog, don't throw them away! Give them to a fellow dog lover who has a big dog that can handle them!

Never know, you just might have the beginning of a home based dog treat business in the making here!

Don't laugh, it's very possible to build a home based business around your passion for dogs. I have check out how: click here


What Type of Dehydrator Should You Buy?

That pretty much depends on you. Are you looking to make this a business or is it just for your personal use. There are many different types of dehydrators on the market, some are really fancy and are made for commercial use (large volumes) such as the "Excalibur".

A gal I know who makes loads and loads of dehydrated dog treats for a dog rescues and local dog shelters uses the mac daddy,"Excalibur". Then there are the home dehydrators which is what I have, that have the capability to let you add more trays if you need to.

I use the additional trays when I'm making home made dog treats for Special Occasions like:

• Christmas Gifts
• A New Puppy In The House
• A Dogs Birthday
• Anniversary Of Adopting A New Dog

Yup, gifts. . . dog owners just love these dehydrated dog treat gifts! I always include the recipe for them and send them to this site for more recipes ideas.

Oh and let me mention something else, home dehydrators are not specifically made just for dog treats, you can even use them to make natural snacks for the entire family.

I use it to make beef jerky for our camping trips. LOL As a matter of fact this is what I'm doing right now as I write this, making beef jerky for our camping trip. Yummm

Yummy Recipes to try:

Dehydrated Sweet Potato Dog Treats

Dehydrated Chicken Dog Treats - "Jerky Style"

OR if your not ready to dehydrate, why not try making

Peanut Butter Banana Carob Treats.

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