Make Your Own Jerky for Dogs

An easy way to make treats and a great dental aid for your dog (and some cats too) is to cut strips of beef or turkey meat and dry them into jerky. Use the cheap cuts of meat, like skirt steak etc., as they are often tastier.

Make sure you cut the strip "with" the grain of the meat and not across. This gives a better 'chew'. A width of about 2 cm. (1 inch) and a thickness of about 1/2 cm. (1/4 inch) is usually best as it dries quicker.

Lay the strips onto a tray and use a low heat setting (250 degrees F) for as long as it takes to remove the moisture from the meat. When I make jerky for us humans I salt it down overnight first, but I prefer not to add extra salt to the dog's diet.

Jerky stores really well in a screw top jar, and I have yet to find a pooch that won't do hand stands for a piece! Remember though that even though it shrinks, a few pieces rehydrated will equal 3 times more so don't overfeed your puppy. Cheers!

By Vicki Keong from Queensland, Australia