Dehydrated dog treats

muddypaws

I know this has been discussed before, but I managed to pick up a second hand barely used dehydrator last week, and so want to make dog treats. Any tips for what works best?

odckdo

Sweet potato is the only one I make. (Half price in my local Lidl atm). Very nutritional.

tk123

I've done...
- sweet potato
- apple
- carrot
- banana - expected it to dry out but just shrunk and was soft - dogs liked it anyways
- green beans
- chicken
- heart
- liver
- mince 'patties' (sometimes plain, sometimes with say cooked sweet potato and some other mushed up veg mixed in) - flatten it out between two pieces of cling film/ lunch bag, peel off one side of the plastic and lay it down on the tray then peel off the other side - i got mesh trays on eBay for this but I think the oven ones in Dealz would work as well
- mince 'strips' - same mix as above but piped out from a lunch bag with the corner cut off

aonb

I used to make chicken strips when we had a dehydrator in the States. Cut a piece of chicken breast into a 'goujon' sizes shape. Dogs would sell their souls for them.
Let us know how you get on with it.
Do ALL dogs like sweet potato 'jerky' I wonder?

tk123

aonb wrote: »

Do ALL dogs like sweet potato 'jerky' I wonder?

I've only ever had one in the park turn their nose up at it lol

muddypaws

I knew you would have ideas TK

odckdo

tk123 wrote: »

I've done...
- sweet potato
- apple
- carrot
- banana - expected it to dry out but just shrunk and was soft - dogs liked it anyways
- green beans
- chicken
- heart
- liver
- mince 'patties' (sometimes plain, sometimes with say cooked sweet potato and some other mushed up veg mixed in) - flatten it out between two pieces of cling film/ lunch bag, peel off one side of the plastic and lay it down on the tray then peel off the other side - i got mesh trays on eBay for this but I think the oven ones in Dealz would work as well
- mince 'strips' - same mix as above but piped out from a lunch bag with the corner cut off

I have tried other fruit and veg aswell but I still prefer to give apple, carrot, etc raw.

I never tried the meat versions as I always thought they would work out more expensive than say the Rocco Chings on Zooplus.

tk123, when you do meat versions where do you get your meat from?

tk123

odckdo wrote: »

I have tried other fruit and veg aswell but I still prefer to give apple, carrot, etc raw.

I never tried the meat versions as I always thought they would work out more expensive than say the Rocco Chings on Zooplus.

tk123, when you do meat versions where do you get your meat from?

Oh I'm guessing you didn't know the chings are sourced in China?

For the meat either super market or some from their raw supplies.

I bought some dogs first dried meat treats at the weekend and they were extremely greasy. I had layers of kitchen paper soaking it up but it really put me off using them. After that I've decided to start making my own again

odckdo

tk123 wrote: »

Oh I'm guessing you didn't know the chings are sourced in China?

For the meat either super market or some from their raw supplies.

I bought some dogs first dried meat treats at the weekend and they were extremely greasy. I had layers of kitchen paper soaking it up but it really put me off using them. After that I've decided to start making my own again

Ah OK - I was hoping there was a cheaper way of dehydrating meat at home.

I did know about the Rocco Chings meat coming from China but they are made by Gmbh - a Zooplus company. Gmbh told me about their quality checks. Gmbh also make loads of stuff for Zooplus. I use a dry food made by Gmbh.

So I am hoping the Rocco Chings are OK.

tk123

odckdo wrote: »

Ah OK - I was hoping there was a cheaper way of dehydrating meat at home.

I did know about the Rocco Chings meat coming from China but they are made by Gmbh - a Zooplus company. Gmbh told me about their quality checks. Gmbh also make loads of stuff for Zooplus. I use a dry food made by Gmbh.

So I am hoping the Rocco Chings are OK.

I loved the chings! Well buying them - the dogs are the ones that loved them lol!! Do you think they're ok then? Dealz have meat treats as well - I mailed the company asking where the meat was sourced at they never replied!

muddypaws

My K9 Cakery in Cavan do great home made dog treats, including jerky. They're on FB. I sponsored a fun dog show and she made prizes for me, chicken liver chews, the dogs all went mad for them.

odckdo

tk123 wrote: »

I loved the chings! Well buying them - the dogs are the ones that loved them lol!! Do you think they're ok then? Dealz have meat treats as well - I mailed the company asking where the meat was sourced at they never replied!

My lot love them aswell!

I use Gmbh's dry and wet food called Greenwoods. When I emailed them about the parts of meat used in the wet food they replied listing everything for each of the 4 flavours. So they are OK about giving out that information so I trust them in a way.

As a comparison I emailed Barking Heads asking the percentage of brown rice and oats in their dry food (as it is not detailed in the ingredients listing) and they didn't reply. Whereas a similar email to Gmbh about Greenwoods dry food and Gmbh came back with all the percentages.

Those Ching treats have been on ZooPlus for years - loads of good reviews.

tk123

odckdo wrote: »

So they are OK about giving out that information so I trust them in a way.

Agree with this 100%! Right I'll get some chings then with my next zooplus order - only got one today lol! :pac: