DIY Delights: Healthy and Cost-Effective 100% Meat Dog Treats

As a positive-reinforcement trainer, I'm dedicated to sourcing high-value treats with a favorable cost-to-quality ratio. Commercial dog treats often contain processed ingredients and preservatives, that can compromise your dog's health. Despite labels claiming "healthiness," many still include fillers and preservatives. To address this, I've delved into DIY projects, creating treats from 100% food-grade meats, offering both a healthier and cost-effective alternative.

Using food-grade meat doesn't have to break the bank; in fact, it can be more economical than purchasing typical dog treats. For instance, the meat used in this post was bought on sale from Whole Foods for about $5/lb, significantly more affordable than certain high-quality treats priced over $5 for a mere 6oz bag, like Merrick beef treats.

What You Need:

- Meat (beef, chicken, or pork)

- Sous Vide

- Dehydrator

- Plastic Freezer Ziplocks

- Vacuum Sealer (Optional)

Step 1:

• Place the meat in a ziplock bag, expelling as much air as possible.
• Optionally, cut the meat into smaller chunks for convenient storage. Consider a vacuum sealer for more effective air removal.
• Pro Tip: Opt for a vacuum sealer over ziplocks for enhanced air removal

Step 2:

• Cook the meat with Sous Vide, aiming for medium-rare. Using the lower end of the cook time maintains a firmer texture. I use these recipes for chicken, beef, and pork.

  Pro Tip: Keep the meat from getting too soft by using the lower end of the cook time.

Step 3:

• Open the ziplock, saving juices for other dog treats. These juices work well with Kongs; soak kibble in them, load it into the Kong, and freeze. Optional: If you don't plan on using the juices later, you can also choose to discard them.

• Pro Tip: Use saved juices for Kong treats; soak kibble, load into the Kong, and freeze.

Step 4:

• Cut the meat into pieces and use the lowest dehydrator setting to achieve your desired level of dryness. Monitor closely during the first round to avoid over drying, as dogs often prefer moist treats.

Congratulations, your treats are ready! Unless fully dehydrated on a hot setting, store them in the freezer. Take out a small amount at a time for defrosting and store in the fridge for a few days of training.

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