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Since we might as well be walking on the sun here at Casa de Kolchak, baking dog treats is out of the question.
It’s too darn hot. Most of our time is spent on the deck, sitting still and trying not to overheat. The idea of turning on the oven and raising the temperature in here is laughable. Luckily making dehydrator dog treats is a great way to make your dog a homemade chew that they will love, plus it’s SUPER easy.
Even if you don’t have a countertop dehydrator, you can dehydrate fish chews in the oven at a super low temperature and they’ll still turn out great.
I’m pretty sure my dogs would eat pieces of dehydrated white fish no matter WHAT I flavour it like, but I like to marinate the fish in a tasty concoction, just to kick the flavour up a notch and make my treats a little fancy. Wrap up a handful of these healthy, homemade dog treats in a cellophane bag or in a jar and you’ve got a really nice gift for dog loving friends and neighbours that makes it look like your slaved over gourmet treats, when in reality these take 5 minutes to prep, then you can forget about them until they’re done.
Do you want to make DIY Dehydrated Fish Chews for your dog?
Let’s do it.
Homemade Dehydrated Fish Chew Dog Treats
Make these low-fat, healthy dehydrated dog chews that your pooch will love with white fish and fresh herbs.
Ingredients
Fish Chews
- 1 lb. of fresh or frozen/defrosted white fish pieces - You can use Tilapia, Sole, Haddock, Cod, Pollock etc. I use what ever is on sale.
OPTIONAL: Ginger Cilantro Marinade
- 1 tbsp. greek yogurt
- 1/2 c. water
- 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh ginger
- 1/4 c. finely chopped fresh cilantro
OPTIONAL: Mango Parsley Marinade
- 1/2 c.mango pureé
- 1/4 c. finely chopped parsley
OPTIONAL: Anchovy Marinade
- 1/4 c. anchovy paste
- 1/4 c. water
- 1/4 c. chopped parsley
OPTIONAL: Yogurt Dill Marinade
- 1/4 c. greek yogurt
- 1/4 c. water
- 1/4 c. chopped fresh dill
- 1/2 c. unsweetened pineapple juice
- 1/4 c. finely chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- If desired, trim the whitefish into bite-sized pieces. (Kol's Note: The fish will shrink by about 50% as it dehydrates, so cut your whitefish pieces larger than the size of chew you want to end up with.)
- If you are marinading your chews, choose your marinade flavour and whisk the ingredients together. Place your fish pieces in a bowl or zip-top bag, pour the marinade over them and toss the fish to coat well.
- Place in the fridge and marinate for as long as you like. (I prefer to make the marinade the night before and let it sit all night.)
- Layout fish pieces on your dehydrator trays and turn on. Allow your fish chews to dehydrate for 6 - 10 hours. (Actual drying time will depend on the moisture in the fish and the humidity in your area.)
- Fish chews are done when they are firm, no longer flexible, and break cleanly in half.
- Once fully dried, preheat your oven to 275F. Lay your fish chews out on a baking sheet. Allow the oven to come all the way to temperature, then bake the chews for 10 minutes to kill off any harmful bacteria.
- Allow treats to cool completely before storing or packaging.
Notes
Store in an airtight container in a cool dark place for up to three weeks or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Melissa
Monday 11th of December 2023
Do they need flavour with marinade as they are for dogs?
Jodi
Sunday 17th of December 2023
Totally up to you and the quality of the fish you use. I find that low cost white fish - like tilapia doesn't have much natural flavour - and that flavour can decrease as it dries. My dogs always like the extra kick, but I'm sure lots of dogs might like plain just as much :)
Carol Cook
Wednesday 19th of January 2022
This looks great! I have some fresh tuna fish. Can I use that?
Jodi & Kolchak
Sunday 23rd of January 2022
As long as you flash cook them in the oven after to kill off any potentially harmful bacteria, yes, absolutely fresh tuna will work (and I bet your dog will love it!)
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Terra
Wednesday 5th of December 2018
I'm wondering which of your amazing treats are the most chewy? I have a 12 pound chihuahua mix who can wreck treats, even for larger dogs, so I prefer something that doesn't break apart easily- keeps her occupied for a few minutes at least. She adores sweet potatoes and peanut butter and meat, period. I spend up to $40 a month on treats sometimes and I cannot believe that I never thought, "okay! These are all dehydrated! I could get a machine and it would pay for itself in one go!"
So I am emBARKING on my new treat making adventure, and asking for the chewiest options!
Thanks so much!
Felix
Thursday 6th of December 2018
Hi Terra,
Thanks so much for asking! If you're looking for a dehydrated treat that last a little longer, I would do something with a red meat - like a beef or a bison - or even a pork. Really, alything you can buy in roasts and slice it quite thick. It will take significantly longer to dry through, but the added thickness will make it a more chewable chew.
Good luck!