Do You Feed Your Dog Too Many Treats?

Do You Feed Your Dog Too Many Treats?

Personally, I have fed my beagle too many treats in the past. I didn’t even realize I was doing it until he went to his yearly veterinarian visit and I was told that he had to lose at least 10 pounds. For a beagle, this is a lot of weight to lose, especially when he has a ravenous appetite.

Everyone in the family had to cooperate with my beagle’s diet or he would never lose weight. We threw out the dog biscuits and purchased low-calorie dog food developed for dog weight loss. My dog didn’t notice the change of dog food and gobbled it down without a problem. He just did not understand why he was not getting more. I used to fill his dog bowl without measuring his food and when I put him on a diet, he only got two cups of dog food per day. I fed him one cup in the morning and one cup at night.

I began making homemade dog treats and feeding them to Hunter only when he worked either for them, doing a trick or for good behavior. I broke the treats into very small pieces, just enough to let my beagle get a taste. I made dehydrated dog treats out of liver, beef and hamburger. Try making some of my homemade dehydrated dog treats for your dog. Although making dog treats is extra work, dogs love them and you do not have to worry about pet treats recalls.

My beagle’s diet was a huge success and he even got his waistline back! On his next veterinarian appointment, Hunter had lost 12 pounds and he looked great.

Homemade Dehydrated Dog Treats

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Buying dog treats at the pet store these days is so expensive.  One small bag of liver treats or chicken jerky can cost up to $12.00.  This is so outrageous.  It’s much cheaper to buy your own ingredients for dog treats or use leftovers from your own meals. 

Here are a few of the homemade dog treats I make for my dog.  I usually use a dehydrator but these can be baked in a low temperature oven, as well.  My dog is a very picky eater and sometimes refuses store bought treats but he never refuses the homemade treats.  The dehydrated dog treats are perfect as rewards for training.

Dehydrated Chicken Liver, Gizzards, and Hearts

This is one of my dog’s favorites.  I even break up a few pieces and add it to his kibble and he gobbles it up.

I buy over a pound of chicken  livers, gizzards, and hearts for a couple of dollars.  Just place all the chicken parts on the dehydrator trays and dehydrate overnight.  These fill a gallon baggie and last much longer than store bought dog treats for a fraction of the cost.  An added benefit is that they are completely healthy with no added preservatives, coloring, or flavors.  Store them in the freezer and just take out a few when you’re ready.

Dehydrated beef live also makes a tasty treat. Just place the slabs of liver on the dehydrator tray and let it run for about 24 hours. My dog goes crazy over these. I score the liver with a knife, making diagonal cuts about 1/4 of the way through the liver before dehydrating. This helps break the liver into bite size pieces when its dry.

Dehydrated Ground Meats and Applesauce

Mix together two pounds of raw ground beef (the cheapest kind is fine) with about one cup of no sugar added applesauce.  The applesauce holds the meat together when it is dehydrated.  Add pureed butternut squash, sweet potatoes, or pumpkin to the mix for added flavor.  Spoon the beef mixture onto the plastic trays that fit onto the dehydrator trays.  If you don’t have any solid plastic inserts, you can use parchment paper on the dehydrator trays.  It works just as well.

Dehydrate the mixture overnight.  This beef mixture fills two gallon baggies.  I take these to agility classes and just break off pieces as I need them.  These homemade dog treats also store perfectly in the freezer.

Save some money and give your dog healthy treats by making dehydrated dog treats.  Be creative with the ingredients.  I’ve used my own leftovers, grinding or shredding the meat.  Some suggestions:  pot roast, fish, chicken, pork, or any leftover meat.

I also dehydrate whole fish, such as:  sardines, mackerel, pieces of tilapia, and even fresh fish that I caught myself.  My dog also enjoys whole frozen fish as a treat.

Hope this gives you some ideas to get started making your own healthy, inexpensive, dehydrated dog treats.