Just wondering if you can Dehydrate liver and if so, how? I can borrow a dehydrater but have never used one before:)

Does anyone have any other ideas for dog treats using a dehydrater???

Using your idea as a spring board I decided to try just that. I was able to buy sliced beef liver from the butcher last night and came home and threw it into the dehydrator.

I let it dehydrate overnight and this morning I cut it into tiny smorsels and put it back in the dehydrator to finish.

My newest foster is way PICKY. He takes everything, throws it to the floor, sniffs it and decides if its okay to eat. He gobbled the liver up like there was no tomorrow.

The texture is probably going to be rather hard and leathery but it seems to be a hit with my guys...

I'll letcha know what it looks like tonight when I go home and check it out......

Well, I froze a package of liver and cut it into bite size pieces and started to dehydrate them this morning. After 5 hours I checked and gave Lucas a try... so far he loves them. I'm not sure how long I will leave them, I think I read some where 24 hours????
In total how long did you do yours?


I was thinking that I should have sprinkled some garlic on them and maybe not have cut them small right away.

I figure that this will be oh so much healthier and cheaper! Is there anything we could do with a dehydrator for our dogs???
:smile

Mine were in overnight and were still not completely dried this morning. I put in whole sliced slabs- about 1/2 inch thick. This morning I cut them into smaller sizes and returned the chunks to the dehydrator to finish. (some were so small they fell through! OOPS!)

The dogs did love them... Good idea about the garlic.

I agree, what a good way to get decent to eat treats that are healthy and allergen free!

Thanks for getting me thinking... What about other meats or liver from other things?

My bf was sad that I ruined the liver- apparently he likes it and I never cook it for him... (oh well!)

I do not have a dehydrator but make dried liver for Ella in the oven at a very low temperature. I let it cook partially and then chop it up into thin slices (easier than doing it when raw). Once dehydrated it is easy to break it into small bits. I use this as a treat for training.

I must admit- I liked your idea but I couldn't bring it on myself to use the oven in the summer. Especially since our air conditioner just broke... The dehydrator idea just made sense.

Ella'smom- what is the texture of your liver treats? Just wondering if its different since the oven actually cooks the liver a little more....

Thanks!

The dehydrator idea is very good- just that I do not have one so went this way:) I cook it on very low heat (minimal) so it does not burn but slowly dries up. They are crunchy and can be broken into small bits. If you slice them really thin, they come out just like the store ones.

The thinner slicing is a great idea... I was just too lazy and picking it up sliced from the butcher was way easier!

Just curious, how much to do you pay/lb?

I only buy a bit at a time- about 2-3 slices from the grocery store- so spend less than CAD$3- and it makes me enough training treats for about 10 days. If you are using a dehydrator I guess you can make a much bigger lot- I make small amounts so I do not have freeze it. Sorry DH does the groceries (I cook!) so can't remember a /lb price.