What are Dehydrated Dog Treats?
Making treats for your dog can be fun but also time-consuming. However, dehydrated dog treats just involve slicing up the meat, fruit or vegetables and putting them into the dehydrator and leaving them for a certain length of time.
Note- Please make sure that anything you dehydrate is suitable for your dog. Some fruit and vegetables can be poisonous to your dog.
In case you didn’t know when you dehydrate something you are removing the water from it in order to preserve and store it. You have probably seen dehydrator fruit snacks in the supermarket or beef jerky snacks.
We will be sharing the pros and cons of making your own treats, some delicious dog treat recipes and also reviewing 3 dehytrators
#1. The Rosewill Countertop Portable Electric Machine Food Dehydrator
#2. Magic Mill Food Dehydrator Machine
#3. OSTBA Food Dehydrator Machine Adjustable Temperature Control Food Dryer Dehydrator
Pet Jerky Machine
Benefits of Dehydrated Dog Treats
When you dehydrate meat you are getting all the nutritional benefits of raw meat, but you are removing any dangerous pathogens often found in raw meat.
Dehydrated treats are also much easier to store than raw treats and last a lot longer if stored correctly.
Pros and Cons of Making Your Own Dehydrated Dog Treats
Cost
The cost of making your own treats is much less than bought treats. Once you have covered the cost of the dehydrator you will be saving money for years to come.
For example, 350g of beef cost me 3 euro, whereas 100g of bought dehydrated treats cost around 4.50 euro.
Obviously not included in the costing of making the beef treats is my time and also the electricity to power a dehydrator.
If you want to work out how much it costs to run your dehydrator then this website will help you work that out.
Ingredient Source
When you are purchasing your own ingredients, especially meat, you know exactly where it has come from. You can trace the source of the meat and know that it's a reputable supplier and safe for your dog.
Convenience
The whole process is actually really simple, just slice and pop in the dehydrator. Of course, buying a pack of treats is always going to be easier for most people.
Ease of Use
What I love about dehydrated treats is that there is very little washing up! Compared to baking cookies or muffins for your dog, there is nothing much to wash up. Just the knife and then the trays of the dehydrator, which are really easy and quick to wash.
Also, the dehydrator has a timer and turns itself off when it is done, so you can put them on overnight and wake up to very happy dogs.
How Long Does It Take to Make Dehydrated Dog Treats?
When you look for an answer to this online it's always quite a vague answer. A lot of it depends on how thick you slice things, so listed timings online can range from 5-30 hours.
The general rule of thumb is that for crunchier treats leave them in the dehydrator for longer.
For each of the recipes below I have included my exact timings to help you get started.
Can You Make Dehydrated Dog Treats In The Oven?
It is possible to make treats in the oven, although I didn't try that myself. The process is very much the same, just use a baking tray lined with grease proof paper to place the meat or veg on.
Keep the oven as low as possible. Some people also recommend that you leave the oven door open slightly.
You then need to keep turning them every half hour until they are dry.
Dehydrated Dog Treat Recipes
1. Dehydrated Beef Dog Treats
• Slice the lean beef 1/8th of an inch thick
• Cut into thin treat size strips
• Place on the dehydrator tray with a small gap between each slice
• Turn on to 70 degrees and set the timer for 6 hours.
After 6 hours they were bendy but didn’t snap in half. I wanted them to be chewy so they would last longer.
I did try them for 12 hours initially and they were too brittle and the dogs ate them in seconds.
Note – you can always test them after 5, 6, 7, etc hours and see whether you are happy with them and take them out.
2. Dehydrated Sweet Potato Dog Treats Recipe
• Wash and pat dry
• Slice thinly, just under 1/8th inch.
• Place on the dehydrator tray with a small gap between each slice
• Turn on to 70 degrees and set the timer for 5 hours.
