Pet owners looking to guarantee their dogs' safety and have control over their diet may find homemade dehydrated meals to be an advantageous choice. Who said that we cannot cook dehydrated food at home without having to buy compacted food dehydrated packs?
It is significantly cheaper than traditional dog food brands. Even lets you prepare different meals and snacks for your dog. Now I would like to dive into the 5 dehydrated dog foods you could prepare easily with help of the effective dehydrator.
Dehydrated Chicken Strips
Opting dehydrated chicken strips is a fantastic way to offer your dog a raw food option. With chicken being rich in protein and easily dehydrated at home, using a meat dehydrator allows you to make crunchy chicken strips for your pet to relish. Free up a little time and slice the boneless chicken breast into thin strips, dehydrate it then freeze for later use.
- Why It’s Great: High protein productive food and very suitable for preparation.
- How to Make: Cut the chicken thin, then dehydrate for 8-10 hours at 160F.
DIY kings and queens, this is also a good idea to make dog snacks at home because diy dehydrated duck necks are also possible!
Dehydrated Sweet Potato Chews
Sweet potatoes are loaded with fiber and vitamins which makes them perfect for dogs. Here are the non-stick silicone dehydrator sheets that you can put in the bottom of the trays; cut sweet potatoes to thin round or long strips and lay them on the mats.
- Why It’s Great: It has its fair share of vitamins; they enhance your digestion.
- How to Make: Peel sweet potatoes and cut them into thin slices and dehydrate at 135 ° F for 10- 12 hours.
Dehydrated Beef Liver
Beef liver is a calcium and iron treasure trove for dogs and contains vitamins A, D and E. This treat can be prepared with the help of a meat dehydrator and can be used for training purposes or as daily additional feeding.
- Why It’s Great: Compact, nutrient rich, great for training purposes.
- How to Make: Dice liver then dried at 160°F for 8 hours.
Dehydrated Apple Slices
When it comes to a healthy, low calorie snack then the piece of apple dehydrated at home is perfect.
Not only are they easy to make, but the only other nutrients that I get from them is vitamin A and fiber. It is important to first deseed the fruits because the seeds are poisonous to dogs when consumed.
- Why It’s Great: Just as important, or even more so than the first point, Innovative food is low in calorie content, while at the same time packing vitamins.
- How to Make: Peel, core and cut apples to about 1/8 inch thickness; dry at 60°C for 6–8 hours.
The apples will not stick to the trays, and this will be possible by using silicone mats while dehydrating.
Dehydrated Turkey Jerky
Turkey jerky is another great protein snack that I like to make in my kitchen. It is a good recipe for dogs that may have issues with chicken or beef protein sources. It is very easy to prepare these long lasting treats that are full of flavor when you use your dehydrator.
- Why It’s Great: Protein level is high, and it is good for stomach sensitivity.
- How to Make: Delicate cut in thin sliced turkey breast meat, dehydrate it at 160 ° F for 8-10 hours.
Advantages of Homemade Dehydrated Dog Food
- Control Over Ingredients: You have the ability to manage the ingredients used in your cooking and ensure that no artificial substances or preservatives are included.
- Cost-Effective: Making your own dog food over time compared to purchasing ready-made products for dogs.
- Customizable: Organize your dogs’ meals to fit nutritive value and possibly preference.
Must-have Equipment to Make Dehydrated Dog Food at Home
However, the ease of dehydrating dog food requires having several items in place. A few important requirements are. An ideal meat dehydrator will assist you to dehydrate a variety of meats and vegetables in a very efficient manner, whereas silicone mats, including the recommended non-stick silicone dehydrator sheets make it easy to clean up the mess.
Conclusion
Dehydrating your own dog food can be enjoyable and satisfying when determining the diet to help your pet lead a healthy life. If you have a meat dehydrator and silicone mats then making these types of foods is very simple and fun. In addition to this, it is relatively cheap and flexible, which means that your dog will only consume the best food.