I love to cook, and with a tiny toy poodle and a cheeky chubby beagle who is the complete opposite of a picky eater, I feel like Giada De Laurentiis every time I step into the kitchen. When it comes to dog treats my requirements are pretty simple. They need to be relatively healthy, tasty, inexpensive, and most importantly, easy to make and store for your foufou puppies. I have a full time job, so if my four-legged pals think I’m going to slave in the kitchen to make snacks every day, they can think again.
Fortunately, when it comes to making snacks for canines, it gets a lot easier. As long as you’ve got a good oven or better yet, a dehydrator that you can simply set and leave, you can make a wide range of treats that’ll keep your pup happy. These treats will be simple ones. I got some calming soft chews for dogs for one of my dogs with anxiety, and I will try to remake them with peanut butter flavor without the calming effects of CBD.
Liu Jingqi is a one man operation. Liu makes everything by hand and 100 percent of the proceeds go towards his number one passion: rescuing stray dogs in Beijing. It all started with one adopted husky back in 2010. Since then his passion just snowballed. He opened up his home to two, then four, then up to 16 dogs at one time. After numerous neighbor complaints, Liu purchased a 60-acre plot of land in the suburbs of Beijing and devoted it to rescuing stray dogs. He adoringly calls them his kids. To him, they’re all fur babies.
“I must have been a stray dog in my past life,” Liu jokes. “The life of a stray is too heartbreaking for me to ignore. They drink dirty water from the sewers, eat leftovers out of the garbage, sleep on the side of the road. When they get hurt all they can do is lick their wounds.”
His devotion to rescuing strays led to the creation of a small dog treat business to help pay for the cost of providing homes for so many fur babies. Dry dog food contains preservatives that, overtime, will lead to health issues for pets. Liu decided to start creating his own food for his rescued friends that are fresh and contain no preservatives. With the help of his circle of friends, Liu’s doggy treats have become a popular choice for dog rescuers to give as gifts to their doggy obsessed friends and for their own fur babies.
To make dog treats at home a trusty dehydrator will do 90 percent of the job for you. Any vegetable or meat that dogs can eat raw can be dehydrated for treats. Liu recommends chicken breasts, beef, liver, and sweet potatoes for first timers. They’re his best sellers, and a favorite amongst his four-legged customers.
Selecting a Dehydrator
There are typically two types of home use dehydrators on the market that you can purchase from Taobao or JD.com for as little as RMB 80. Stacking trays have a greater capacity, while shelves make it easier to check for doneness. When searching for a dehydrator that’ll suit your needs, consider the quantity and type of foods that you’ll most likely use it for. If you’ll be preparing a variety of treats and would need to check on them often, then a tray would be the most convenient. But if you’re cooking for a large dog (or dogs) who’ll require a lot of the same treats, then a stacking model will cut your cooking time down.
Sweet Potato Slices
Ingredients
Sweet potato
Method
When it comes to using a dehydrator the thing to keep in mind is that the thicker the slice, the longer the cooking time. Slice your sweet potato about 1/8 inch thick.
Lay them out flat on your dehydrator sheets.
Set the timer for 3 hours.
Depending on the thickness of your slices and your dehydrator the cooking time varies. That’s why it’s important to start out with frequent checks the first time you make your doggy treats.
To see if they’re done, twist and flex your sweet potato slices around the middle (the thickest section). If they’re bendy, they’re ready.
When in doubt follow these tips from the pro:
If you’re making meaty treats, boneless, skinless chicken breasts are a safe bet. If you find them to be a bit difficult to slice, a few hours in the freezer will stiffen them up a bit but not turn them into frozen blocks.
To check if your meaty treats are ready, slice one open in the middle at the thickest part. The middle should be dry and the same color throughout.
This article appeared in the beijingkids October 2019 Best Friends Fur-ever issue