We all know how disgusting and unhealthy raw-hide treats are for our pets. But no doubt at some point you have given them to your pets-I did!! Oscar would sit for hours gnawing on them or rush off to bury them in the garden for another days entertainment. I didn’t know exactly how dangerous they were until I did a little research, and I was horrified!
Here are some homemade, easy and healthy options for your furry loves to snack and chew on…
Homemade sweet potato chews:
These are the perfect veggie alternative to raw-hide and they are so easy to make.
Ingredients
2 sweet potatoes (I used the orange variety)
Directions
Pre-heat your oven to 120 degrees. Slice the sweet potatoes lengthways about 2cm thick. Place them on a baking tray and bake for 3 hours. Turn the slices over half way through baking time. Once done let them cool on a rack. You can refrigerate in an airtight container or freeze them so you always have a treat on hand.
If you have a food dehydrator, you simply slice the sweet potatoes. Place them on the dehydrator racks-don’t overlap the pieces. Turn it on and leave for 14-24 hours.
Another great alternative for your furry love is homemade chicken or beef biltong sticks.
Chicken biltong:
Ingredients
500g boneless and skinless chicken breast
1/2 cup olive oil
Dog friendly seasoning (parsley, rosemary, sage)
Directions
Slice the chicken into strips about 3cm thick (slicing with the grain will make the biltong chewier)
Coat the strips in the olive oil and seasoning and place the strips on the food dehydrator trays, spacing them evenly and making sure they don’t touch.
Leave the chicken pieces for 24 hours. Check the pieces regularly to see how dry they are. Time will vary depending on the type of dehydrator you have. The biltong is done when the chicken strips are completely dried out. You can store the biltong strips in an airtight container and freeze them.
If you do not have a food dehydrator, you can try this beef biltong recipe using your oven.
Beef Biltong:
Ingredients
500g very lean beef
Dog friendly herbs (sage, rosemary, thyme)
String
Cooling rack
Directions
Slice the beef (with the grain), about 3-4cm thick and about 10cm long. Season the meat strips with the dog friendly herbs you have chosen. Using a piece of string, tie 3 strips together at one end and then tightly plait the strips and tie the bottom ends together. Do this for all the strips. Use the convection setting on your oven and pre-heat to 60 degrees. If your oven is not a convection oven then pre-heat to 70 degrees and leave the door open a little. Place the twisted meat onto the wire rack and bake for 4-5 hours. Then turn your oven to its lowest temperature and bake for another 3-5 hours. Check on the treats regularly. The treats are done when they have shrunk to about half their original size and are dark in colour and hard. Untie the string and let your furry love enjoy his treat. Store them in an airtight container and freeze for convenience.
Apple chip chews:
Ingredients
Apples (as many as you want)
Lemon juice (optional)
Cinnamon (optional)
Directions
Begin by removing the core from your apples. Slice them about 2cm thick so they look like donuts. Place the slices in a bowl and squirt with lemon juice and sprinkle with cinnamon if you wish. Mix well. Place the apple slices on the food dehydrator trays. Make sure they do not touch. Leave them for 10-14 hours. Check the treats regularly and remove the ones that are done. Give them a gentle squeeze to check the moisture content. For a softer chew, most moisture must evaporate but leave a little. For a crunchier chip leave them until they are dry and brittle. Store them in an air tight container and you can freeze these too. PS these are great human snacks too 😉
Oscar loves these raw-hide alternatives and I feel comfortable knowing that I have made an effort to give him the healthiest chew option available!
Thank you for reading.
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