Best Dehydrated Food For Your Dog

The list of what foods you can dehydrate is as vast as your imagination. We continue our series on dehydration with the best dehydrated food for your dog. Get the most out of your journey into dehydration, especially if you just got one of the best dehydrators under $100.

If you haven’t checked out the other articles in this series:  best foods to dehydrate for snacks and how to store dehydrated food, then make sure to take a look! You will find a lot of great food ideas and recipes you will want to add to your pantry.

When it comes to our beloved family pet, you want the best for them. Dogs always love a good dog biscuit.  When you purchase your own ingredients and make your own dog treats, you know what exactly is in them. You can choose also choose a reputable supplier that will provide meat that is safe for your dog. Even some fruits and vegetables make great dog treats.

The cost to dehydrate your own treats will also be much less than buying store-bought treats. The process is so simple you will wonder why you didn’t do it sooner! There are many meats that you can get very cheaply and sometimes free that are perfect for dog treats. Always keep in mind how many calories your dog should eat in a day. Never over-feed by providing too many treats.

Don’t be surprised if your four-legged friend decides to help you with the process when working on the best dehydrated food for dog treats!

Basics of Dehydrated Food For Dog Treats

1. Start with a clean work area and clean hands.
2. Trim the fat off any meat very well before dehydrating. Excess fat will cause the meat to go rancid faster.
3. Cut the meat as thick or thin as you desire, but remember thicker slices will take longer to dehydrate. Always cut the treats to a size that your dog will be able to handle.
4. Drying times can vary greatly. Temperature, dehydrators, thickness of food, and amount of food on trays are all variations that cause drying time fluctuation. Your dehydrator user manual is a good place to start when looking for cooking times and temperatures. But, the more you make, the more you will come to know when the food is done by the texture, look, and feel.
5. For longer-term storage, it is best to keep dehydrated food in an airtight container stored in the freezer.
6. Don’t be fooled by the smaller size of the dehydrated food. Remember it is concentrated nutrients and your dog will not need a lot to be satisfied!
7. You may choose to heat treat dehydrated meats after they have finished to rid them of any possibility of salmonella and E. Coli. This is achieved by placing them in the oven at 257 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10 minutes.

Using a good quality dehydrator will help you get the job done. Larger dehydrators mean you will be able to dehydrate more foods at once. This comes in handy with the treats that take a very long time to try. We like this Cosori dehydrator as a middle ground size dehydrator.

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Best Dehydrated Food Beef Treats

Any cut of beef will work for a beef dog treat. Use lean cuts to reduce the amount of fat trimming that will need to be done. You can dehydrate plain meat or go with a marinade. It is completely up to you. Here is a simple marinade we found on Rover.

• 1 cup unsweetnened pineapple juice
• ½ cup liquid aminos or low-sodium soy sauce
• ½ cup apple cider vinegar
• Splash of fish sauce
• Pinch of powdered ginger

This marinade is good for beef jerky that both you and your dogs will love. This is enough marinade for about 1 pound of meat. Make more if you are using larger batches of meat.

1. Prepare your meat by trimming any fat. Slice evenly against the grain about 1/8 -1/4 inch thick.
2. If using the marinade, let the meat pieces marinade in Ziplock bag or airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-24 hours.
3. Remove the meat from the marinade and pat dry.
4. Per manufacture instructions dehydrate the meat at 160 degrees Fahrenheit for 4-8 hours. The jerky will be bendable, but complete dry when done.
5. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

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Liver Dog Treats

If you have tried cooking liver in the oven, you may have not liked the smell in your kitchen. However, when dehydrating liver, there is much less of a smell.

Wash and pat dry your liver. Then, cut it into thin strips. Spread evenly on your dehydrator tray for about 10-12 hours. Heat treat in the oven for 10 minutes.

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Lamb Heart Treats

Really the heart of any animal can be used for this recipe. Hearts are packed full of good nutrients. Make sure to thinly slice the heart before spreading on the dehydrator tray. Dehydrate at 160 degrees F for about 8-12 hours. You may want to heat treat in the oven.

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Pig Ears

Commercially prepared pig ears can run a fortune, but if you can get raw pig ears from a local butcher, you can save a lot of money! Do a quick online search and you may find a farm in your area that sells them such as Creston Valleys Fine Meats.

To dehydrate pig ears, all you have to do is stick them in the dehydrator! Place them in the dehydrator per manufacture’s directions for 16-24 hours. Then heat-treat in the oven at 257 degrees for about 10 minutes. Your doggy will love chewing on these pig ear treats!

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Chicken Feet

Chicken feet may sound odd to you, but it is many a dog’s favorite treat. You can ask your local butcher or a local farm for them and you may even be able to get them for free! If you can’t find them there, do an online search in your area and you may be able to buy them by the pound. They can take a long time to dry, so make it worth it by drying a big stack at once or combining it with other meats.

To dehydrate chicken feet, first, rinse them in clean water. If the feet have long or sharp nails, chop them off. At 160 degrees Fahrenheit, they can take up to 4 days to completely dry. You will know they are done when the feet do not bend. These do not need to be heat treated after dehydrating.

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Pig Skin

Your dog will love chewing on pig skin. Plus, it will be a treat that last as while and keeps your dog busy for a while. Pig skin is one of the best foods to dehydrate for dogs because it will last the longest. It is a lot harder to break down than pig ears. Always supervise your dog while they are eating this treat.

Before dehydrating pig skin, make sure to but it into the sizes that you want. It will be practically impossible to make them smaller after dehydrating. Dry in the dehydrator at 160 degrees Fahrenheit for about 24 hours. It is done when it is dry and tough. There may be some grease left, so make sure to dry on a paper towel to soak up any reside.

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Salmon Jerky

This isn’t the cheapest treat and won’t last long, but it is full of good super-food nutrients. So when your dog needs a healthy boost, then bring out these treats.

It is best to freeze the salmon for about 1 hour before dehydrating. This will help your to cut the salmon in strips about 1/8^th inch thick. Evenly spread the salmon on the trays and dehydrate at 160 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-10 hours. You will want to heat treat in the oven at 257 degrees for about 10 minutes.

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Dehydrated Chicken Treats

Chicken and turkey are some of the easiest meats to get and convert into dog treats. Don’t forget to trim off any fat before dehydrating.

Wash and pat dry the chicken before cutting it into thin strips. Spread evenly on the dehydrator tray and dehydrate for about 8-10 hours. Heat treat in the oven at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes to ensure it is safe and bacteria free.

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Canned Dog Food

Did you know you can dehydrate regular canned dog food? You can convert canned dog food into easy on-the-go treats using your dehydrator. Just spoon about ¼ teaspoon dollops on a fruit roll-up tray for your dehydrator. Or put the canned food in a baggy, snip a corner, and squeeze small amounts onto the trays. Dehydrate at 160 degrees for 6-8 hours. These are great to use as training treats or when you are out at the park.

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Non-Meat Best Dehydrated Food For Dog Treats

Your dehydrator is also great at dehydrating fruits and veggies! Dogs will also enjoy these for a little variety in their diet. The best thing is that you and your dog can snack together since these are great foods for humans too!

Sweet Potato Treats

Scrub the sweet potatoes and slice into 1/8 inch to 3/8 inch pieces. A mandoline comes in handy for slicing! Spread slices on the dehydrator and dry per manufacture instructions for 3-12 hours. You can leave them a little chewy or dry them longer for more crunchy and crisp chips. No need to heat treat.

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Banana Chips

To make banana chips, layer the slices evenly on the dehydrator tray. Cook at 135 degrees Fahrenheit for about 8-12 hours depending on desired texture. No need to heat treat fruits or vegetables!

Apple Slices

Apple slices make another quick and easy treat. Slice thinly and spread on trays. Cook at 135 degrees Fahrenheit for about 8 hours or until then have reached your desired texture. When squeezed, no moisture should escape.

If you are looking for more foods to make for your dogs, then check out this book Dinner For Dogs for lots of recipe ideas.

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Top 3 Dehydrators that Make the Best Dehydrated Food

1. Nesco Snackmaster

The Nesco snackmaster is one of the best dehydrators under $100. It has an adjustable thermostat from 95-160 degrees Fahrenheit. It comes with 5 trays, but is expandable. If you expand all the way to 12 possible trays, you should periodically rotate the trays to ensure even drying. You will not get any extra features available on higher end models such as digital thermometer, touch screens, timers, or auto shutoff. However, it will satisfy most of your dehydrating needs.

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2. Cosori

This Cosori dehydrator is a wonderful middle ground option. It is slightly larger than many of the cheaper options, has a more features, and it won’t break the bank. The digital control panel allows you to adjust the temperature from 95 to 165 degrees Fahrenheit.  It also has a built in timer in 30-minute intervals all the way up to 48 hours with automatic shutoff. To get you started, this machine also comes with 50 recipes including fruit leather and salmon jerky. It comes with 6 stainless steel drying trays that are 12 x13 inches. It also comes with a mesh screen for smaller items and a fruit roll sheet.

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3. Excalibur 3926TB

If you are willing the spend a little more money, the Excalibur is a great option. The Excalibur is larger than other options with 9 trays and 15 square feet of drying space. This makes it a great option for creating large batches of the dog treats that take a long time to dehydrate. You can easily adjust the thermostat from 105 degrees to 165 degrees Fahrenheit. As a great convenience feature there is a drying guide right on the machine with suggested drying temperatures so that you are not left scrambling trying to figure out the temperature you want. We love the hands-off feature of this dehydrator with a 26-hour timer. Now you can set the timer and walk away. It will shut off automatically when the time is up!

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Wrap Up

Your dehydrator is more versatile than ever! Now you will not only will you be dehydrating food for your family, but your beloved pets too! With these best dehydrated food for dogs, your pet will be in heaven. But, your wallet will still be happy! These treats are full of nutrients and nothing unexpected.

If you are not sure how long your dehydrated food will last, make sure to check out the article on how long does dehydrated food last and how to store dehydrated food.

Happy dog treating!