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Dog Treats by Donna:
Healthy Pet Treats

Dog Treats by Donna ~ DIY Chicken and Liver Pet Jerky

Jenna is slicing raw chicken to make jerky for her and her mom's dogsDonna's daughter, Jenna, preparing chicken for their dogs' jerky treats!

Are you fed up with mass-market pet jerky and treats that contain stuff you can't even pronounce?

Donna, and her daughter Jenna, came to our rescue with these easy-to-make treats made from real liver and chicken.

The best thing about this treat is that it's not imported.

It's not full of God-knows-what, it's got no preservatives, no added color, or fillers.

It has ONE (as in '1') ingredient—You gotta love '1'.

It's Far Easier to Slice Raw Meat with a Good Sharp Knife!

First and foremost:

Use a sharp knife for the slicing of the meats. A really sharp knife!

"My daughter Jenna does this for me because I have a reputation for being dangerous around myself with sharp objects!" Donna joked.

Cutluxe Chef Knife – Razor Sharp Kitchen Knife Forged from High Carbon German Steel – Ergonomic Handle & Full Tang Design – Artisan Series10%
Cutluxe Chef Knife – Razor Sharp Kitchen Knife Forged from High Carbon German Steel – Ergonomic Handle & Full Tang Design – Artisan Series
$52.99

Begin by Using a Good Sharp Knife!

Check out this great chef's knife with a full tang that means the handle and blade "are one" so they can't come apart when we're slicin' and a dicin'.

I know these Cutluxe Chef knives may be a little expensive, but they do last pretty much a lifetime when you maintain their cutting edges.

*As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases with no price increase to you. Read disclosure here.

Jenna is carefully slicing chicken for pet jerkyJenna Carefully Slices The Chicken

Use Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast

"I use boneless, skinless chicken breast. Trim off any excess fat. Fat leaves grease stains on your carpet," says Donna, with a wink.

"Once you have the fat trimmed off, you can give them jerky on the couch, if you want," she added with a smile.

"If we measured our affection toward others
by how many nicknames we bestow upon them,
our pets would be the most loved."

— Carrie Brownstein

"If we measured our affection
toward others by how many
nicknames we bestow upon
them, our pets would
be the most loved."

— Carrie Brownstein

Slice Chicken into 1/4" Thick Slices

Remember to slice the chicken as thin as possible. Try to get your chicken about 1/4" thick—but no worries if it ends up a bit thicker than that—it will still dry well.

"I've got lazy and bought chicken tenders and simply flopped 'em on the trays. They just take a little longer to dry," Donna said.


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Learn how to Make Your Own Dog Food

SPONSORED BY
MAKE NUTRITIOUS DOG FOOD

How to Make
Your Own Dog Food!

Learn how to Make Your Own Dog Food

Get your hands on
this eBook today.
Be prepared for lots
of wagging tails
and plenty of face lickings.
Read how to make
NUTRITIOUS dog food here.


Spray Your Trays, Lay Down the Chicken Slices

Spray the trays with non-stick cooking spray, then lay the slices of chicken on them - about half an inch to an inch apart.

There is NO set time as far as drying because it depends on your brand of dehydrator, the thickness of your chicken slices, and the ambient air temperature... but figure on at least 48 hours.

Sliced raw chicken on a pre-sprayed dehydrator traySliced Raw Chicken on a pre-sprayed tray

Molley and Kylee Awaiting their Dog Treats by Donna!

Two dogs, Molley and Kylee, ask their owner: Is the jerky done yet?

"Molley and Kylee love our dog treats!"
— Donna K. and Jenna

"Molley and Kylee
love our
dog treats!"
— Donna K. and Jenna

How to Tell when the Chicken is "Done"

This is how you can tell if the chicken is done: remove a piece from the tray and bend it quickly. If it snaps in half—it's done.

If it bends all the way without breaking, it's not ready, so put it back on the dehydrator and check again—every 12 to 18 hours.

Moisture causes the chicken to bend instead of breaking—this happens with any jerky making.

Excess moisture is also what causes jerky to go bad—so a good rule of thumb is: "If in doubt—put it back on the dehydrator."

Fully dehydrated Chicken - dog jerky treats

Check for a Nice Roasted Chicken Smell

When the chicken pieces break apart, it's done! It also should have a nice roasted chicken aroma. "In rare (very rare) cases it CAN GO BAD.

Example: There were a couple of times when I forgot to turn the machine on right away—and once when I made the jerky out in my shed in the winter—it just didn't cook fast enough.

You'll know right away if it's not good," she said. Donna added: "If you're at all like me, you check your chicken when you open it (by giving it a sniff!) and you can tell instantly if the chicken is bad.

So, if you pull out your tray(s) of dehydrated chicken and if it stinks—toss it out. Again, this is a rare occurrence and, in my case, it was always my fault. Since our pets are family, we don't want to take any chances. If in doubt, throw it out."

Dog Treats by Donna
Check out Donna's LIVER jerky dog treats HERE

Dog Treats by Donna
Check out Donna's
LIVER jerky dog treats HERE

Change it Up - Use Beef Liver!

Last, but not least, there are options if you choose. Sometimes I use beef liver. The great thing about beef liver is that you don't have to slice it! And for Donna, that's a good (safe) thing!

Read all about Donna's Liver Jerky Dog Treats.

If you don't have time to make your own treats, take a look at Dog Treats by Donna on her Etsy store and buy 'em ready-made!

Thanks for stopping by to learn all about how Donna and her daughter, Jenna, make their homemade "Dog Treats by Donna" Chicken Jerky Dog Treats.

If you want to try your hand at making 'wet' dog food, then please check out my "Make Your Own Dog Food" page and read why we started making our own dog food for our adopted dog.

Our vet says her eyes are bright, her coat is sleek... but best of all? She's a happy dog who eagerly looks forward to her Chicken Chow every day and guess what? Her poop is firm, and doesn't stink. Can't beat that.

What's Your Dog's Favorite Homemade Food?

Is your dog drooling to have its photo featured showing us how much he/she enjoys your homemade doggie meals? Do you have a great recipe? Share it!

Your recipe will be posted "auto-magically" and you'll have your very own recipe and webpage featuring your dog's favorite food!