Food dehydrator and dog treats

[GennyB]

By request I am starting this thread. I mentioned in another thread that I dehydrate salmon for my dogs. they love it! Our local grocery store usually puts it on sale a few times a year so I buy a big old slab and slice it about 1/4" thick and pop it in. When they are done I cut them in smaller pieces and I am very popular on that day. I also dry fruits like bananas, strawberries peaches and for both people and dogs.
You just don't know what is in store bought treats and more and more are being recalled. So if you have something you dry up for your dogs, post it here.
Of course the dehydrator has to come out for hubby once in a while because he loves jerky of any flavor, beef, turkey, bison, you name it. Besides that is why it was purchased in the first place.
Oh. I almost forgot, I do sweet potatoes also. I sprinkle then with cinnamon because there is supposed to be health benefits and it makes the dogs smell good.

 

[BrittanyG]

I love this idea!! I keep telling my grandmother to stop buying the treats from Wal-Mart and she keeps saying the dogs like them! So I tell her it's the same as people like McDonalds..it doesnt mean its good for you!!! I'm going to tell her about this and hopefully she listens

 

[Ingrid H]

Are dehydrators for making jerky different than ones for fruit and veggies? Do they run at different temperatures or something? I'd like to get one for jerky but don't want to buy the wrong kind.

 

[GennyB]

Are dehydrators for making jerky different than ones for fruit and veggies? Do they run at different temperatures or something? I'd like to get one for jerky but don't want to buy the wrong kind.

I found mine at a garage sale. Brand new in the box and never used for $5. I think the key is one that you can change the temp. Different foods require different temps. I am certainly no expert on this, but that seems to be the difference in the recipe book that came in the box.
You are in blueberry country aren't you? I dehydrate them also and mix a few in my dogs food as well as munch on them myself. They are great to have around for mixing into pancakes or muffins and they last longer that fresh ones. This past Christmas I mixed them into some chocolate with nuts and they were a big hit!

 

[JanS]

Thanks for starting this Genny!

About how long do you keep the salmon in? It doesn't need refrigeration after it's dehydrated, does it?

 

[GennyB]

Thanks for starting this Genny!

About how long do you keep the salmon in? It doesn't need refrigeration after it's dehydrated, does it?

Your are welcome. I am saying this from memory, but I think I do it for about 8 hours at 145 degrees. As far as refrigeration goes, everything I have read says to refrigerate them, so I do. I know I have seen them in the stores and they are not. They must add something to them to preserve them. Which is what I am try to avoid. When I make them, I divide them up in usable size packages and freeze them.

 

[Luvmydoberman]

Great thread! I am planning to start using mine to make unseasoned jerky for the dogs. I also have an extruder of sorts that makes a jerky out of ground meat. Just pushes out strips onto the trays and away we go.

 

[MyBuddy]

Oh, I'm glad you started this too! So 8 hours, huh? Wow, it sure has to go for a long time. The one's I've seen (at garage sales too!! ) look like you can get a lot done though in those 8 hours, right? How much do you think you've done at one time? Have you always done one item at a time, like all salmon, all sweet potato etc. Do you do it by the clock or can you tell when its done?

I'll tell ya, one of the reasons I've passed them by is that I've seen so many! It makes me wonder why no one uses it. Some that I've seen are brand new.

 

[JanS]

I'll tell ya, one of the reasons I've passed them by is that I've seen so many! It makes me wonder why no one uses it. Some that I've seen are brand new.

I think it's probably because they take a while to dehydrate stuff, but people don't know what they're missing. They aren't that expensive new (probably $40 or $50), but if you see a new one at a garage sale that has the book and all included grab it up and give it a try!

 

[MicheleM]

I have a dehydrater and use everything thing. My husband is a hunter and I dehydrate the organ meats from elk and moose as well as some of the meat. Great bait in a show ring as well as daily treats. Have to try Salmon!

 

[Asteria]

I'm on my phone so ill have to come back to post the link but i found a site showing you how to use an oven at home to make jerkey. It worked well. I was impressed

 

[Ingrid H]

I found mine at a garage sale. Brand new in the box and never used for $5. I think the key is one that you can change the temp. Different foods require different temps. I am certainly no expert on this, but that seems to be the difference in the recipe book that came in the box.
You are in blueberry country aren't you? I dehydrate them also and mix a few in my dogs food as well as munch on them myself. They are great to have around for mixing into pancakes or muffins and they last longer that fresh ones. This past Christmas I mixed them into some chocolate with nuts and they were a big hit!

I've got to get to some of those garage sales! I am in blueberry country and you got me thinking that dehydrated blueberries might be way better for muffins and pancakes. Back when I raked blueberries, there was a guy who had a coyote/dog mix that loved eating blueberries right off the vines. Hans likes to eat blueberries that way too but nothing like that coydog!

 

[MicheleM]

My dogs love blueberries!!! Dehydrators are not that expensive. I think I paid 40 dollars for mine.

 

[BrittanyG]

I think I'm just gonna borrow my grandmother's...she's not using it since noone got any deer this season

 

[MicheleM]

I think I'm going to try chicken if I'm home this weekend

 

[Marinegeekswife]

I think it's probably because they take a while to dehydrate stuff, but people don't know what they're missing. They aren't that expensive new (probably $40 or $50), but if you see a new one at a garage sale that has the book and all included grab it up and give it a try!

You can get them pretty cheap at places like Bass Pro or Walmart. We use our for making deer jerky.

 

[DocReverto]

I just found the new solution for dog treats. Thank you! I might buy one on Amazon tonight.

 

[MicheleM]

They are really great! Haven't used it for a few months. CRD, great bait for the show ring! That's why I started doing it. I want to try Salmon and Yams for sure!

 

[DocReverto]

They are really great! Haven't used it for a few months. CRD, great bait for the show ring! That's why I started doing it. I want to try Salmon and Yams for sure!

Does the food still retain most of its smell? I have been using peppered beef in the ring just because of how bad it smells, but giving a more nutrional dried food would be ideal as long as he is still just as interested.

 

[GennyB]

Does the food still retain most of its smell? I have been using peppered beef in the ring just because of how bad it smells, but giving a more nutrional dried food would be ideal as long as he is still just as interested.

Ya know I think it does retain the smell. A dogs sense of smell is so much stronger than ours. Drake is picky, very picky. I think he can smell the chemicals in processed treats you can buy at the store. Thank God, Greta will eat anything or I would be out a lot of money on treats. I am really glad that I started making my own treats because I know what is in them. Yes you can run into tainted human food, but it is rare because the standards are so much higher.

I think I'm going to try chicken if I'm home this weekend

Chicken is a great idea! Why didn't I think of that?