Last week I shared with you that I’ve decided to start making Bentley’s (our black lab) treats. I’ve been experimenting here and there with different foods. Paying attention to how his body reacts to them, how does HE react to them. My boy is a bit way spoiled, so he’s not loving everything I’ve made, but the ones he approves of I share, because chances are your pup will too! Bentley went crazy for these crunchy homemade apple chip dog treats! So much so I’ve been making them about twice a week and they’re just as easy to do as the sweet potato chews! Here’s how…
When I make mine I only use 1 organic apple at a time. I like to give it to them as fresh as possible, although I’m sure they’d last for about 2 weeks in an airtight container. First I take off all the sides of the apple, being careful not to get too close to the core. Apple seeds have cyanide in them, so while I don’t think one or two would effect a dog very much, repeatedly eating them could do some damage. Better to be safe than sorry, ya know?
Laying the apple sides down on the flat side, I use a very sharp knife and sliced them as thin as possible. If you have a mandolin slicer you could totally use it for this, making the apple slices paper thin! Once I had my thin slices cut, I laid them onto a cookie cooling rack and placed the rack on top of a baking sheet. Set my oven to the lowest setting about 175, I slid the backing sheet with the rack into the oven and let the apples dehydrate for about 5-6 hours.
When they come out, let them cool completely and then store them in an airtight container with the rest of your pup treats. Apples are crunchy, and filled with vitamins A and C, and contain fiber. When left with the skin on they also contain plant chemicals (phytonutrients) that are supposedly protective against some types of cancer in people, so I would think in some way they’re beneficial for dogs as well when given in moderation! As I said, Bentley LOVES them and they’re the perfect little sweet treat for puppy potty training too! For those of you who don’t follow me on Facebook and Instagram…Meet Porshia, our 8 1/2 week old addition who’s making her blog debut…
When it’s time for Porshia to go outside and do her business I bring one of the apple chips out and break it into two pieces. As soon as she goes pee, poo or both and after I cheer and clap obnoxiously, she gets an apple chip. So far she’s been extremely easy to train…coincidence? ;)
I even made a batch for her momma the day we went to pick Porshia up and bring her home as a thank you for letting us have her puppy and she and her owner were both equally as impressed…
I hope you’ll give this super simple dog treat recipe a try. Your fur babies will thank you for it, and you’ll feel good about giving it to them since you know exactly what they’re getting!
Do your pups love apples like mine do?
Talk to you soon friends, take care!
XO
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