Pets
Related: About this forumA few tips on making homemade jerky for your dog so you can avoid the jerky treats from China
Last edited Sat Oct 26, 2013, 01:54 AM - Edit history (1)
I posted this info in response to the Deaths of almost 600 pets tied to jerky treats thread in the Latest Breaking News forum, but I thought I should also post it here. We all love our pets and we want their treats to be healthy and safe!
I bought a food dehydrator and I make chicken jerky for my dog all the time. The chicken has to be fully cooked before dehydrating it to avoid any salmonella problems. I roast boneless, skinless chicken breasts until the internal temp is at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Then I slice them and dehydrate for a few hours. I do it once a month and freeze the treats in a vacuum-sealed bag. Each week, I take some out of the freezer and store in an air-tight container. My dog goes crazy for the stuff!
My dog also loves dehydrated sweet potatoes! Peel and slice a sweet potato, then drop the slices in boiling water for about 2-3 minutes. You don't want them mushy, just slightly tender. Take them out of the pot and drop them in ice water to stop the cooking. Dry them and put them in the dehydrator. (NOTE: I've heard that if you don't boil them first, they turn black a couple of days after dehydrating. I honestly don't know if that's true or not - I got that info from a pet forum. Several people insisted they turn black if they aren't cooked before dehydration. Since they all seemed to know a lot about dehydrating food, I took their word for it.)
If anyone's interested, I bought the Nesco FD-75PR 700-Watt Food Dehydrator and I love it! (On edit: I just noticed that Amazon says it's a 600 watt model, but the FD-75PR is 700 watts. I own it, so I'm sure. Here's the link to the manufacturer's page so you can see the full specs, features and accessories: Nesco FD-75PR Snackmaster® Pro Food Dehydrator)
Nesco also makes a "Pet Treat Maker" which is just a food dehydrator with pet-safe seasoning packets for jerky and treat recipes. I don't use the seasoning packets (my dog has a sensitive stomach) and the manual with the pet treat recipes can be downloaded from their website. The standard dehydrator comes with jerky seasoning packets (not the pet-safe seasonings) and the manual has a few pet treat recipes, but the instructions and recipes are for fruits, veggies, meats, herbs, etc. For me, it made more sense to buy the standard dehydrator and download the Pet Treat Maker manual for the recipes.
Any fruits, veggies or meat can be dehydrated, so you can make all your dog's favorites! The "Pet Treat Maker" manual includes many recipes for dogs and cats ... and a few for birds, horses, bunnies and gerbils!
If your dog is anything like mine, he'll sit by the dehydrator for hours, patiently waiting for his treats to be done.
KC
(1,995 posts)glad you posted this because I've been
thinking about buying one to use for dog treats like sweet potato.
Great idea about the chicken too!
When you take the out of the freezer you
store those in the refrigerator?
BattyDem
(11,075 posts)Many people don't even bother to freeze them. They just keep them in an airtight container or a vacuum sealed bag in the refrigerator and take them out as needed. My dog doesn't like them cold, so I just put them in an airtight container and leave it in a cool place. I usually take about a week's worth of treats out of the freezer at a time, so I'm not sure how long they'll keep in the airtight container, but I know it's at least 2 weeks. If you Google "homemade chicken jerky treats" you'll find links to a lot of pet sites and you'll get answers to any dehydrating question you may have. So many people are making their own treats these days.
I put that dehydrator on my wish list so I'll be ordering it soon. It doesn't look too big either which is what I like. Or is that picture deceiving? lol
BattyDem
(11,075 posts)It's about 13 inches wide (round) and 10.5 inches high. It fits on the counter, it's not heavy and it can be easily stored.
I just noticed that the Amazon page says it's a 600-watt dehydrator. That model (FD-75PR) is actually 700 watts. I own it, so I know - LOL! Not sure why Amazon has it listed as 600 watts - it must be a mistake.
Here's the link to the manufacturer's page so you can see the full specs, features and accessories:
Nesco FD-75PR Snackmaster® Pro Food Dehydrator
Also, if you're interested ...
A review of the FD-75PR and a video, which says "review" but is actually just an unboxing and explanation of what it comes with. At least it will give you a better idea of the size.
about the right size for the space I have or don't have is more like it lol
Thank you for the information, that really
helps!
Fridays Child
(23,998 posts)The brand wasn't on the list but I didn't want to take any chances.
For now, I'm sticking to floor ham for my pup. You can't be too safe. Besides, as long as floor ham doesn't look like raisins, grapes, or chocolate, floor ham days are the best days. Just ask any dog!
P.S. You are very nice to your pup!
BattyDem
(11,075 posts)I make his jerky and dog biscuits. Everything's homemade ... even his meals. He has food allergies and no matter what kind of dog food I got, he would get itchy or break out in a rash. Doing it myself is a bit more work, but I have total control over the ingredients, which has made a huge difference with his allergies. He eats better than I do, LOL!
Fridays Child
(23,998 posts)I'm sure you would feed me much better than I feed myself.
I'm probably not great at guarding stuff but I'm loyal, good with simple commands, and I never poop on the rug.
Oh, I have my own health plan, too.
BattyDem
(11,075 posts)Several friends and family members have said, "I wish I was Ozzy! How do I get the job?" The funniest comment came from the vet, who said ... "When I die, I want to come back as your dog!"
TorchTheWitch
(11,065 posts)Or make toast without the fire department having to come over. Where I used to live I actually did have the fire department called to my place because of my defective toaster that decided not to pop the toast out and burnt it to a bitty crisp that filled the kitchen with smoke that a neighbor or passer by must have noticed and thought my apartment was on fire. God, was that ever embarrassing! Especially because I think it must be required of all fire department personnel where I live that they all be young, hunky and gorgeous. And there I was answering the door to an impressive number of young, hunky, gorgeous fire dudes with severe bed head and this dried up neon green crap all over my chin that was supposed to dry up zits.
I stay away from any packaged dog treats except the Newman's Own New Zealand Ranch doggie cookies, but they're a bit pricey, so I can't get them often at all. My dog seems to like treats that are real people food rather than any kind of dog treat anyway, and I'm one of those people that whenever I eat I have Eyes Bigger than My Stomach Syndrome... I rarely actually finish eating anything, so Yoshi gets to have some little part of my meals. He LOVES oatmeal, but he always manages to get some glopped on the very top of his nose that he doesn't realize is there, so I have to wipe it off with a finger that he licks clean. And licking every single molecule of flavor out of the empty peanut butter jars is just the most special treat EVER... he'll lay down on his binkie with it and lick, lick, lick for hours. Then he has to keep the jar for a few days just to play with it since plastic bottles or jars are even more fun than a roll of toilet paper or a cardboard box although he loves to destroy a cardboard box that's big enough for me to stick my foot in and skate around on the carpet while he rips and tears at it until nothing is left but gooey bits that I have to pick up off the carpet all over the house. Who knew you can zoooom so far across the living room with cardboard box shoes on??? I wish I had known about this highly entertaining game when I was a kid.
BattyDem
(11,075 posts)Sounds like you two have a lot of fun together!
Ozzy is on a homemade diet, so all he gets is people food. It's helped a lot with his allergies and I like knowing exactly what he's eating. He LOVES peanut butter! Never thought of giving him the empty jar to lick. I'll have to try that.
KC
(1,995 posts)of it either and I just threw out an empty jar today
I will do that next time though but I'm sure he will need a bath after getting his nose down in the jar. lol. I can just see it now!
BattyDem
(11,075 posts)Ozzy has a habit of wiping his face on the rug, the furniture or a blanket. I would have to watch him closely to see when he finishes with the jar. Otherwise, my whole house will be covered in peanut butter, LOL!
TorchTheWitch
(11,065 posts)I got the idea after seeing some funny pics on the intertubes of dogs noming their peanut butter jars...
?w=450&h=600
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LeJeZaTwnLg/UG9FEf_7ntI/AAAAAAAAIxM/eFb6A9DQo3s/s320/dogs+021.JPG
Good idea though to buy a size jar that they can't get their snout or whole head stuck in though. Yoshi licks his by only putting his lower jaw and tongue in the jar rather than stuffing his whole snout in. Dogs have scary long tongues when they're going for those last few peanut butter molecules at the bottom of the jar but there are those silly dogs that shove their whole head in.
Phentex
(16,334 posts)How cute!
BattyDem
(11,075 posts)These are so cute!! That second pic ... his entire head is in the jar!
TorchTheWitch
(11,065 posts)just doing the google search for images with the keywords "dogs peanut butter jar". Some of the most hilarious ones I couldn't post here because they had some weird direct link that wouldn't work when I pasted them here or the photos were way too huge. I think I spent a couple of hours scrolling through them and laughing my butt off.
By the way, if you look closely at that one I posted here at the bottom of the jar you can see the dog's tongue slurping away... he doesn't even care that his whole darn head is in the jar!
BattyDem
(11,075 posts)That's what makes it so funny! His whole head is in the jar and there's probably peanut butter on the side of his face, maybe even close to his eyes ... and he doesn't care at all! It's pure, peanut butter bliss!
calimary
(81,419 posts)FABULOUS!!! ROFL!!!
That is too funny! That would make some funny videos!
sinkingfeeling
(51,469 posts)a slow oven until they're chewy.
BattyDem
(11,075 posts)It takes a bit longer, but at least you don't have to buy a dehydrator.
CitizenLeft
(2,791 posts)I used this basic recipe I got from a cooking site, and doubled it:
1 sweet potato (baked)
1/2 cup apple sauce
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
Mix, knead, shape (or roll out and use a cookie cutter - I shaped ) bake at 350 for 45 mins - hour.
It was the 1st time I tried it. They loved it!
BattyDem
(11,075 posts)I think Ozzy will love them! Thanks!!
CitizenLeft
(2,791 posts)Phentex
(16,334 posts)I'll try them some time. I don't give my old bear too many treats and I don't think he's ever had jerky (I've never bought any). I have a neighbor who makes treats for him sometimes, but these with sweet potato sound healthy too.
Thanks!
CitizenLeft
(2,791 posts)you're most welcome!
TexasBushwhacker
(20,209 posts)I made the cottage cheese and oatmeal treats for my pup. She liked them so much she would snatch them from my fingers and run off with them.
BattyDem
(11,075 posts)I'm always searching for new homemade treats. I think Ozzy would like a lot of those recipes. Maybe I'll make several different kinds and give Christmas "treat bags" to all the dogs I know.
Thanks again!
BattyDem
(11,075 posts)He knew what was coming and he patiently waited for hours until it was done.
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TorchTheWitch
(11,065 posts)And I bet he stayed frozen in that position till they were done juuuuust in case it all got up and ran away when he wasn't paying attention.
BattyDem
(11,075 posts)He won't play, he barely moves and he dozes off a little bit ... but as soon as I open the dehydrator, he's wide awake and ready for jerky!