Treat the special pooch in your life to a delicious and healthy homemade treat with our new Lamb & Herb Jerky Dehydrator Dog Treat recipe. It’s easy to make, you’ll know exactly what is in it and you can give your dog a homemade treat that you can feel confident in. … [read more]
Five Things To Know When Making Your Dog’s Food From Scratch
So, you are considering switching your dog from store-bought dog food to a homemade diet?
If you are a novice at making dog food from scratch, it may seem like there is an overwhelming amount of information to learn. However, you can start off with some basic nutritional guidelines for dogs and continue to learn as you go.
The advantages of homemade dog food are well worth the effort. The following tips on feeding, variety, supplements, and foods to avoid will arm you with some basics.
Keep in mind that with a little research, your beloved, four-legged family member will be reaping the health benefits of healthy, home-cooked meals.
Herbs with knife on wood table
Free Printable Valentine’s Day Card Making Kit for Dog Lovers
Recently, a dear friend mailed me a card.
An actual greeting card. With a stamp. Delivered by the friendly Canadian mail moose. The gesture was so sweet and unexpected, I could barely contain my smile as opened it. So few people send snail mail these days. Why write a letter when you can dash off an email? Who buys a card when you can text people halfway around the world and have them receive it instantaneously? My heart soared with the care and thought that went into the card – and I knew I wanted to send one back.
When I was a kid, I used to spend hours folding cards from construction paper and decorating them.
There was no occasion too small to be celebrated with one of my handmade masterpieces. I once gave a babysitter a card as a thank you for bringing me a glass of milk, so apparently, I’ve always been a little extra. I’m not entirely sure how I went from being that kid who made a million cards to the adult who hates going to the post office like poison, but here we are. One of my goals for 2018 is to connect with people in my life in a more real way, so I’m undertaking a project: card making. I think there’s something so very special about handmade cards.
The only trouble? My cards still look like an 8-year-old made them in a rush while someone was in the kitchen getting them a glass of milk. I knew I needed some help, so I teamed up with Brittany from Spencer the Goldendoodle. Brittany is a seasoned card maker, excellent designer and all around rockstar.
Our idea was simple: she would design a super cute card, I would turn that design into a free printable card making kit and we’d share those printables with you!
I am so excited to share our first set of DIY Valentine’s Day Card.
… Free Printable “Hairy Potter” Planner Stickers & Die Cuts
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Six months ago, my friend AJ came up with this absolutely ridiculous plan: I’d move to Toronto and we’d open a combination farm, animal rescue and pottery studio.
*le sigh* The idea was flawed on so many levels, including but not limited to her distaste for work that makes her sweaty, the fact that she has never MADE pottery and that locating on a whim to partake in her shenanigans is not something I was doing. AJ wanted to call it “Pottery Barn”, which was sadly already the name of a well-known home goods brand. It took some convincing that this was a one-way ticket to litigation, but she eventually renamed this scheme Hairy Potters, which meant it was now a farm, animal rescue pottery shop with a Harry Potter theme because apparently, WHY NOT?
Spoiler alert: Hairy Potters in not currently in any kind of plans to actually open.
However, AJ’s enthusiasm for the concept did inspire these Harry Potter stickers for dog lovers, so I guess that’s something? We are hardcore, ride or die Harry Potter fans in this house. I read all the books. Often at midnight, on the day they were released. I own multiple versions of the books, like the illustrated Harry Potter versions and the companion books, like Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and the tales of Beetle the Bard.
Felix listens to the Harry Potter audiobooks all the time to help relieve his sound anxiety and help us all relax. (The UK version read by Stephen Fry, not the US version. Stephan’s voice is like velvet.) I belong to a planner group ENTIRELY DEVOTED to Harry Potter. We even play for a house cup. So yeah. We’re fans. Crazy fans.
… 2018 Reading Challenge for Dog Lovers + Free Printable Reading Stickers
It’s raining. I’m cold. I’m a bit cranky. A good book, a cup of hot tea and a warm dog for my lap is everything I want right now.
When I was a kid, I’d spend hours curled into one of those old wicker hanging chairs on our deck. No matter the season, that’s where you’d find me, snuggled up with a book (and a blanket, if it was freezing.) I was a voracious reader devouring stories as fast as the library would lend me more.
Somewhere along the line, life got busy. I grew up and got preoccupied. While my love of a good story never waned, my commitment to finding the time explore new books, pick ones to read and actually sit down to read them withered. After all, Netflix has like 10 000 ways to spend an afternoon, I have a busy job and an even busier side hustle, two active dogs who want to go on adventures and just a lot going on, in general.
I want to read MORE in 2018 and I want to read more books about dogs.
For the new year, I’ve treated myself to a few special things to make reading as cozy and inviting as possible. I’ve filled my Amazon wishlist with books I’d like to check out and I’ve designed these OMG really super adorable reading stickers (I might be biased though?) so I can schedule the time in my planner. (And I like you guys, so they’re available as a free download at the end of the post!).
To help keep me on track, I’m considering joining in the Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge. The prompts are super open to interpretation and there aren’t a MILLION of them like some reading challenges. (Fact: if your reading challenge has 112 prompts, I’mma fail real hard at completing it.) So if you’re looking for a gentle, easy, attainable reading challenge, this is the one. And if like me, you love a book with a dog in it, I’ve got some suggestions.
{Free Printable} Happy Howlidays Watercolour Planner Stickers for Dog Lovers
I’m having a bit of trouble getting into the Holiday spirit this year.
There’s a lot of reasons why and I’m not going to bore you with them because they mostly sound like I’m whining. Since I’m struggling to find my holly jolly attitude and acting a little more like the Grinch than I care for, I’ve been going out of my way to do things I know will make me feel festive.
Now that Remembrance Day and American Thanksgiving have passed and been celebrated in their own right, I have no problem going FULL CHRISTMAS in my home and in my planner.
This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, Kol’s Notes will receive a small commission, but your order will not cost you anything extra.
I haven’t had this much fun designing a free printable sticker set in a long time. The clip art, which was purchased from NaliaArt and Pipz Design on Etsy paired with the Christmas Watercolor set and the Winter Watercolor set from Design Bundles, is PERFECT. I’m a little in awe of how so many different artist’s work came together so easily. Some sets take hours or days until I’m happy with them. These watercolor dog stickers are my own personal Christmas miracle because the whole set only took a couple hours to make.
I’m going to use the boxes in my planner, but I think I’ll take a couple of the larger die cut stickers and make them into planner clips.
Stay tuned for a quick and easy video tutorial coming soon. I love having custom planner clips, but I’m also a little lazy, so I like them to be AS EASY as possible.
New to printing your own planner stickers? Here’s what you need:
- A colour printer – mine is a Canon PIXMA because I love how vibrant the colours come out.
- Full Page Printable Labels like these Avery Shipping Labels
- A Silhouette Craft Cutter, a tool like a Gyrocut or good ol’ fashioned scissors
Simply print on label paper and cut out! Can’t wait until label paper arrives? No problem! You can print these on regular copy paper and paste them into your planner with a glue stick.
Download your free printable watercolor Christmas stickers now
by clicking on the image below and saving the file.
How do you get in the Christmas spirit? Do you have any tips for me??
DIY Dog Paw & Grooming Wipes
The rainy season has arrived in Vancouver.
Settle in, folks. I’m going to whine and moan about being cold and wet for about the next six months. As much as a BC summer fills my heart with joy, a BC winter makes me want to weep. It’s not just me who hates it, both my dogs hate the rain as well.
It is really hard to have a clean, fresh smelling dog friendly home during wet dog season.
Seriously! They’re always wet! How do you eliminate that damp, vaguely earthly, yeast-driven smell when it seems like your dogs just never get dry!? You aren’t supposed to bath your dog daily, as it can dry out their skin, make them itchy and create a problem with hot spots. Blow drying them (while necessary sometimes) isn’t ideal either. It dries out my scalp, it definitely dries out my dogs. So how do you keep wet dog smell and mud at bay?
Help eliminate winter mud and wet dog smell with DIY Paw & Grooming Wipes.
This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase on Amazon, we will earn a small commission and be incredibly grateful for your help in supporting this site.
They’re like baby wipes, only natural and totally dog safe, so even if your dog licks their paws after you use them, it’s not going to expose them to scary chemicals or make them sick. They’re also super simple to make using just a few ingredients.
- 1 1/2 cups of distilled water
I ain’t foolin’, folks. If you use tap water for this purpose, you open yourself up to the batch being spoiled by bacteria before you get to use them all.
. - 1/2 tbsp. your fav, natural dog shampoo
I’m using the Coconut shampoo from Lucy’s because all natural, made in the USA and it smells like happiness.
. - 1 tbsp. Hydrogen Peroxide (3% first aid grade)
This may not seem like a lot, but hydrogen peroxide packs a big punch. It’s both an anti-fungal and an anti-bacterial, which are huge culprits for causing dog smell. Its pretty diluted in this recipe, but over use can dry out the skin, which is why we’re adding coconut oil to replenish moisture.
. - 1 tbsp. liquid coconut oil
In addition to adding moisture back to your dog’s paws and skin at a time of year when dry skin is a real problem, it also works as a great barrier, coating the fur to reduce moisture penetration.
. - Thin, disposable kitchen cleaning cloths
So I know a TON of people create their own paw wipes using paper towel and that is awesome. For me, I like to be able to make up a fairly good sized batch and then use them over a couple weeks. The trouble is, every single time I’ve done that with paper towel, the paper towel fell apart before I could use all the wipes. I also find that paper towel was breaking down while I was wiping paws and little balls of paper were getting stuck between Felix’s toes. The kitchen towels are thin enough that they work like paper towel, but hold up so much better. (Think the tecture of a Lysol wipe but without the bleachy chemicals.)
. - Air Tight Storage Container
When it comes to how to store your wipes, you’ve got OPTIONS. You can absolutely order a pop up wipes dispenser like this one from OXO if that is something that speaks to you, but this can also be done in a simple plasticcontainer from the dollar store (we ain’t fancy) or a decorative cookie jar with a seal (in case you ARE fancy). I will say that I absolutely adore the travel wipes containers from OXO because it’s easy to keep just a few wipes tucked in my bag for mud emergencies.
How to make your own dog paw wipes:
In a bowl or jar, gently mix together distilled water, shampoo, hydrogen peroxide and liquid coconut oil. Open cloths and cut into individual wipes in a size that works for your dog’s paws. Place cloths in your storage container and pour liquid over. Shake gently to disperse liquid, then wait 30 minutes for liquid to be fully absorbed.
Store in an airtight container (otherwise they’ll dry out), checking periodically to ensure they haven’t been contaminated and spoiled. Use as needed to wipe muddy paws and wet, yucky fur.
Not the DIY type? No prob. Why wreck it yourself, when you can buy it?
How do you combat wet dog smell and muddy paws? Share your tips in the comments.
Why the CleverPet Hub is the MVP of our Dog Puzzle Collection
This post is sponsored by CleverPet. Kol’s Notes only shares products that we believe in. All opinions are 100% our own.
When CleverPet contacted us to see if we would be interested in reviewing their treat-dispensing dog puzzle, I jumped at the chance.
I mean who wouldn’t? It’s an electronic puzzle for dogs that is designed to get more challenging as your dog learns, so my first thought was how incredibly perfect this is for my sassy-as-heck smarty-pants puggle. We’re talking about a dog who recently solved a level 3 Nina Ottosan dog puzzle in less than 3 minutes. (Nina, he’s onto your system. Pull out the bone, push or spin the covering, BAM! Treats. It may be time to change it up.)
The CleverPet Hub is unlike anything I’ve seen on the market. It actually reminds me of the glory days of my nerdy youth and that old handheld electronic game Simon (which much to my delight, you can still find on Amazon and is currently on it’s way to Casa de Kolchak.) Unlike Simon, which is a concentration game designed by computer programmers, the CleverPet was actually designed by cognitive scientists. This dog treat dispensing puzzle is what happens when a bunch of uber-smart dog nerds get in a room and ask “what if there was an educational toy for dogs?” More than fun game, better than a way to make a pet work for their meals, the CleverPet Hub is actually meant to stimulate your pet’s mind, sharpen their problem solving skills and keep their brain active. The more they play the game and the better they get at solving the puzzles, the harder the challenges get, so it’s like a new experience all the time.
I was confident when the CleverPet Hub landed in our lobby that Kol was going to rock it like a hurricane. I never expected that this would be something Felix loved as well.
He’s been low key obsessed since Day 1 when he actually shoved Kol out of the way to claim the kibbles as his own.
They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. I don’t know who “they” are, but if life with Felix has taught me anything, they might be right. He is a delightfully stubborn monster. Tricks, puzzles and games have never been his thing. Sure, he enjoys a nice, simple treat toy that basically throws snacks at him, but if he has to work for it? He’s never needed a tasty morsel enough to make it worth it. I suspect he’s lazy. And yet, much to my delight, from the moment the CleverPet Hub was plugged in, Felix has been low-key obsessed. He plays every day. When he hears Kol playing, he runs over and, more often than not, commandeers the hub for himself.
Even then, I expected the novelty to wear off. I mean, you love anything that hard and some of the sparkle has to wear off over time, right? Nope. The CleverPet arrived in mid-June and here we are, in mid-October and Felix still plays it almost every. single. day. Kolchak plays it 4 – 5 times a week. I spent a fair bit of time traveling this summer. One trip in particular had Felix away from home for over a week. When we finally got home, he walked in, went straight to the living room and sat down to play puzzle. One night last week, I woke up to the rattle of kibble. It was Felix, in the living room, just getting in a little quality CleverPet time. Felix has zero chill when it comes to this puzzle.
Midnight puzzlin’
The elephant in the room. That price though.
Guys. GUYS. I know. I’m going to confess something that the brand probably wouldn’t love. (CleverPet, I’m SORRY.) When I agreed to review the CleverPet Hub, I did so thinking I would like it, but not really knowing if it was even possible to love it enough that I could actually recommend you guys spend several hundred of your hard earned dollars on it. It’s a luxury item and there is no getting around that. If CleverPet hadn’t sent us one to try, I may never have ordered one. I’ve been following CleverPet for years, ever since their Kickstarter campaign. I’ve watched videos of dogs playing it dozens of time and thought wistfully about what a really cool idea it was. I love my dogs, but 349 is a lot of dollars. I’m going to be honest with you about the pros and the cons of this Hub. If you’re going to spend this kind of money on something, you need to be pretty darn confident your dog is going to LOVE it.
Cons
- As mentioned above, the price. It’s a lot.
- The Hub is designed to be played by a single dog. Both of mine are playing it. This means, even if Felix could be playing Challenge 5, Kol’s still on 3. I have to roll it back sometimes to keep both dogs playing. For me, this is the single biggest challenge of the hub. I can’t justify buying another one, but I also see how sharing it is holding both my dogs back.
- I really dislike the cord. The CleverPet plugs into the wall and there’s nowhere I can put it that the wiring doesn’t make me crazy. I wish it had some sort of rechargeable battery that I could plug in at night. This would also allow me to move it room to room easily, as usually, my spoiled monsters only play it if it’s in the room we’re hanging out in.
- It requires Wi/Fi. I struggled with this because one of the things I love about it is the app. However, we recently had an internet outage and Felix was hella mad that his puzzle didn’t work during it.
- If your dog is prone to putting on weight, you’ll want to monitor usage CLOSELY. Sure, it only dispenses a few treats or kibbles per “win”, but those calories can add up QUICK, particularly if you’re still feeding them regular meals.
- At first, you may want to supervise your dog while playing to ensure they “get it” and they aren’t getting frustrated. From the get go, Felix wanted to puzzle it out himself and Kol needed to be “taught” and given permission to play. I have a lot of thoughts about why this is that I’ll share in a future post.
Pros
- I LOVE being able to fill it up and leave it. The canister holds several days of treats easily, which means this puzzle doesn’t need my constant attention. When I’m writing (or, uh truth bomb, binging on Netflix) I don’t want to stop every 5 minutes to refill a treat toy. The CleverPet Hub has solved this.
- The challenges get harder as your dog gets better at solving them, so it grows with your pet’s smarts.
- It’s super tough. You guys, I dropped it. I’ve dropped a mug ON it. Kol tries to pummel it sometimes. Felix has eagle talons for nails that I was SURE was going to scratch the heck out of it. There isn’t a mark on the CleverPet Hub. It’s magic.
- Felix adores it. For me, this single point is reason enough. It’s worth it because a dog that usually doesn’t work at challenges keeps coming back for more. It’s amazing and awesome to watch.
- The App. CleverPet comes with a smart phone app that lets you monitor your pets progress, roll back to previous challenges, set hours your dogs are allowed to play and gives you access to their SUPER attentive and really helpful support team.
- It’s taught me SO MUCH about how my dogs learn. There’s enough here that I’ll be writing a whole stand alone post about it, but Kolchak and Felix attack this puzzle in totally different ways which has helped me better understand how their brains process new info and better equipped me to help them learn new skills.
- It’s a sleek design. They’ve avoided making it “dog-ish”, so it isn’t covered in paw prints or anything kitschy. It’s white, clean and sleek. It won’t look out of place in your living room.
Learn more about the CleverPet Hub on their website or check ’em out on Facebook.
The CleverPet Hub is WORTH $349. Actually, it’s worth more than that to me.
I’m a dollars and cents girl. I’ll always be a big advocate for making purchases like this based on return on investment, not emotional pull. My dogs are spoiled and I know it, but I also like to keep my crazy dog lady at a manageable level whenever possible. So let’s look at the numbers.
The average traditional dog puzzle sets me back around $50 and Kol will play it about a dozen times before he loses interest or can solve it in less time than it takes me to set it up. After that, I may pull it out a few times a year, but I can’t do it too often or he loses interest again. Let’s say we use it 12 times right when we get it and then once a month for a year. The average dog puzzle would cost us $2.17 per use.
On the flip side, my dogs play with the CleverPet every day and I don’t foresee them stopping anytime soon. There is enough novel content to keep them busy for quite some time and CleverPet is always working on releasing new challenges to keep pets busy. If my dogs play it 5-7 days a week, which is exactly how much they’re playing it right now? After a year, the cost would be $0.95 – $1.35 per use. Yes, the initial buy in cost is high, but watching how my dogs are still just as interested today, four months later, with DAILY use, as they were the day we got it means that over time, the CleverPet has the potential to be a much better deal.
It’s know not enough for me to say “Trust me. It’s worth it; go buy one.”
It didn’t convince me when I read other reviews. Even the CleverPet engagement guarantee didn’t fully convince me (though, I think it’s really, really awesome to see the company stand behind the Hub like that.) That’s why I am so excited about my partnership with CleverPet and grateful that they’ve been patiently waiting four months for this review so I could be SURE my dogs would use the Hub long term. Now, I can confidently show you how much it is enriching the life of my dogs. I can show you how my dogs keep coming back to it time and time again. I can share how much I’ve learned about the different ways Kolchak and Felix learn based on how they tackle learning new CleverPet challenges. I can explore with you all the ways my senior monster, Felix, has changed and grown since using the CleverPet consistently. I honestly have so much to say and share about this tech that I can’t contain it in this post. I’m here for the long haul.
I’m committed to seeing this experiment through and continuing to share our CleverPet journey with you for as long as my dogs are still interested, so you can decide for yourself if it’s worth it for your dog.
So, if you have questions, ask ’em. I promise to share what I can, so you know whether or not this awesome interactive puzzle is right for YOUR dog.
Fall Flavors You Can Share With Your Dog That Aren’t Pumpkin Spice
It’s that season. You know the one I mean. Not Autumn. Pumpkin Spice Season.
Everyone who has every tried to sell you anything is going to spend the next 6 weeks of so slapping some PSL on it and calling it “seasonal”. I don’t want to rock the boat or make enemies here, but here goes:
There is more to fall than pumpkin spice.
And if you happen to be a dog lover? Pumpkin spice can be dangerous for your dog. One of the main ingredients in pumpkin spice, nutmeg, is incredibly toxic to dogs, the worst effects being tremors, seizures, convulsions or death. I cringe every single time I see a dog treat recipe for “Pumpkin Spice” because even if that recipe only has cinnamon? What if people miss that and use a pre-made pumpkin spice mix or think they can share a human PSL treats with their dog? It doesn’t take a ton of nutmeg to be hazardous (as little as 2 tsp. in humans). The risk just ins’t worth it to me. Say no to doggy Pumpkin Spice.
So in the spirit of sharing some seasonal snacks with your pet that won’t make them sick, we’re talking about our favourite fall flavors you can share with your dog.
Apples – Apples are one of the stars of fall. If you live anywhere in orchard country, you can find any number of local apple strains that are crisp, delicious and totally dog friendly. Always wash apples carefully to remove any chemicals or pesticides on the skin and cut out the core and any seeds, then share this fresh, flavourful fruit with your dog. Serve them fresh or check out our apple dog treat recipes.
Beets – These rich, earthly flavoured vegetables are absolutely dog friendly and they are freshest and at their best in the Fall. Fun story, the first time I fed my dogs beets, I forgot to tell the Daddy. He took them for a walk and was so worried he took them to the vet because their poop was red. WHOOPS! My bad. I love beets, hot or cold, and now that my dogs recognize the smell, they beg for a taste of their own. I love making this dog-friendly roast beet, quinoa and goat cheese salad and sneaking the dogs bites off my plate.
Cranberries – These tart, bite sized berries are full of antioxidants for pets and their people. You might have a hard time convincing your dog to eat them plain, but they make a tasty addition to other flavours like sweet potato and turkey. Try incorporating the bright flavours of cranberry into your dog’s diet with our Thumbprint cookies or Thanksgiving Jerky Treats.
Squash – While all the world is shouting their pumpkin-based love affair from the rooftops, I’m a secret admirer of the other members of the squash family. Butternut squash is my favourite and a staple at Casa de Kolchak. Anywhere you use pumpkin, you can use squash. (Just steer clear of kabocha squash and decorative gourds which have some anecdotal evidence to suggest they may not be fully dog safe.) Try our Autumn Gold squash dog treat recipe or this baked apple and squash dish that you and your dogs can share.
Pears – I love a pear. Juicy, fresh and so flavourful, pears are one of my favourite things to eat in the fall, so it’s only natural that my dogs enjoy them too. Just like with apples, you want to wash them well and remove the core and all the pips. Try them anywhere you would usually use apple, in a coconut dog treat or (my fav) on top of dog-friendly pancakes.
Sweet Potato – Oh sweet potato, how much do I love thee? Let the count the ways. I love sweet potato roasted and mashed and in baked goods and in soups. I love the warmth and richness it brings to fall food. It’s also a darn staple of the dog treat works and there are SO MANY WAYS you can use sweet potato in dog treats.
Broccoli and Cauliflower – OK, so these are two separate things, but I’m listing them together because they are both dog friendly and pair PERFECTLY with one of my dog’s main obsessions: cheese. No need to do anything fancy, I just steam these babies, sprinkle a little shredded cheese on top and watch the dogs (and humans) go wild.
If you’ve read all this and you’re still all #TeamPSL, well, you do you, boo. I think you’re missing out on SO MANY awesome, dog friendly Fall flavours. You can make delicious dog treat recipes with pumpkin, but they aren’t by far the only dog friendly fall flavour.
Not interested in homemade treats? Check out these tasty fall treats you can buy for your pooch:
What is your favourite fall fruit or vegetable? Is it dog friendly and what do you make with it?
BBQ Dog Chew Dehydrator Dog Treats
In the summer the last thing I want to do is turn on the oven to bake dog treats.
It’s just been way to hot at Casa de Kolchak to turn on the oven and let’s be honest? When it’s nice outside, I’d rather be off enjoying life with my dogs than cooped up in the kitchen making homemade dog treats. The good news is, there’s another way! Dehydrator dog treats are perfect to make in the hot weather.
Just because it’s hot out doesn’t mean this monster stops demanding homemade dog treats.
Dehydrator dog treats are my summer go to recipe.
Because a dehydrator works by circulating warm, but not roasty hot air, the machine doesn’t generate a ton of heat, plus I have power on my deck, so I can plug that suck in outside and avoid running it indoors altogether.
Usually, when I make dog treats in the dehydrator I don’t worry to much about pre-cooking the meat. Yes, not cooking it through can leave behind traces of bacteria, like salmonella, but since my dogs are raw fed (and I believe the canine system is much better equipped to handle these bacteria than our human systems are), this slight risk doesn’t cause me a lot of concern. In the summer however, when the heat and especially the humidity are high, it takes me longer than usual to dry out our treats and I feel better knowing the meat was cooked through prior to drying it.
I still don’t want to turn on the oven though and thus, BBQ DIY Dog Chews were created.
Chances are the BBQ becomes the food prep MVP of your home during the summer. Most people I know use it several times a week and so, it was the easiest most logical choice for our latest dog treat recipe, which is super easy and drives my dogs absolutely WILD.
Since it’s already on, there’s no extra pan or tray to clean up. It won’t heat up the house and WHO DOESN’T LOVE BBQ?!
BBQ Dog Chew Dehydrator Dog Treat Recipe
The Stuff (aka Ingredients)
- 3 lbs. Lean Pork Loin (You can substitute chicken, beef, fish or another lean protein, if you prefer)
- Optional Marinade:
- 3/4 c minced Sage or Parsley
- 1 cup real Maple Syrup (not the flavoured sugar/corn syrup alternatives)
- 1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1/4 cup Soy Sauce
How We Do It (Instructions)
If desired, stir together Maple Syrup, Apple Cider Vinegar, Soy Sauce and Sage or Parsley.
Slice Pork Loin into generous 1/4" - 3/8" medallions. Place pork slices in a Ziploc bag or covered dish and place in the fridge to marinate over night.
Heat the BBQ to medium heat. (Ideally, you can cook your own dinner, then toss these on while the BBQ cools down!) Place pork medallions on the grill and cook 2 - 4 minutes per side, until pork is cooked through.
Remove pork from BBQ and place in the dehydrator. Turn to 165F or the "meat" setting. Dry for 8 - 12 hours until chews are firm and non-pliable. Store in a sealed container in a cool, dry place. Do not refrigerate or freeze, as the moisture will rehydrate chews and cause them to spoil faster.
Fully dried treats, if properly stored, will keep fir up to three months, though you'll probably run out of them long before that!
Not a pork fan? We gotchoo covered. Check out all of our great dehydrator dog treat recipes here or help your pooch cool down with a homemade frozen dog treat.
What is your go to homemade dog treat to make when the weather is warm?
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