Anyone who’s had a dog knows they love to chew things up. Unfortunately they’re not picky about what they put in their mouth (kinda like my husband) and will chew on anything. So instead of giving them the couch, your favorite sweater, or a kids toy, give them these all natural homemade dog chews. Buying dog chews at the store can add up and most importantly you never really know what’s in them. So here is an awesome recipe for you dog lovers who want to treat your dog and save money. Win for the dog, win for your wallet, and win for your now safe household items. Everyone’s a winner!
Homemade Dog Chews
Ingredients: Sweet potatoes or yams
Directions: Preheat oven to 250 degrees f. Wash and dry your sweet potatoes. Thinly slice your potatoes length-wise. 1/4- 1/3 inch wide max.
Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment if you have it. I was all out this time so I just placed them directly on the cookie sheet. Then bake them for 3 hours, turning them over halfway through. You want them to be pretty chewy and dry. You can also use a dehydrator if you have one instead.
Store them in the fridge or freezer because if you leave them out they could get moldy.
Then the real fun begins……giving them to your dog.
Our dog Comet LOVED these treats so much.
He sat down, knowing treats were in store….and enjoyed every bite.
Have fun saving money dog chews!
I didn’t see the temperature mentioned for the sweet potato dog chews.
Scratch that, I wasnt quite awake and now see it.
(snicker)
Hate when I do that….
: )
(tho, you were up very early when you wrote it!)
I made these last night and are still soft. Very disappointed.
Slice them thinner
Mine were crispy and eaten within seconds
Ive made them several times and they always turn out soft. The last batch I turned the oven up to 350 and baked then another hour and a half. Now they are crispy but still not chewy. The ones I cut according to direction are still soft. The thinner ones crispy. But they love them anyway.
Is it OK if I end up leaving them too soft? I had most get too crispy which is probably ok too? I’ll refrigerate them either way, though the crispy ones probably don’t need it?? Thanks
If you let them cool a bit after baking, then place them BACK IN THE OVEN to bake another 20-30 mins, still at the 250 temp, they will be crispy.
Then put them in longer and cut thinner I make these all the time for my dog my issue is I make them too dry so ur doing something wrong
Or cook them a little longer. That’s what I did with the soft ones (they were thicker than the rest).
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Cannot wait tiler get the oven setting
I give my 3 dogs baked sweet potatoes I know they will love the chews
I was just curious if the sweet potato would stain carpet? Any ideas?
I haven’t had any stains so far!
How long will they be good for if left in the fridge
In the fridge I would say 2 weeks. My dog usually goes through them faster than that though!
I save those little silaca bags you get in handbags or vitamin tablets jars and then put in the dehydrated food i make keeps them dry
The keratin could very well stain carpet but it’s also a very easy thing to remove from carpet Oxi clean is amazing on the stains (casserole mishap a few years ago)
What a clever idea! Our Charlie will be very happy.
Thank you for dog treats that are both healthy & no preservatives. My Nitro thanks you.
I buy the zucchinies and dehydrate for our weimaraner. … she loves it!
How long do you put them in the dehydrator?
That’s what I would like to know – I dehydrate sliced chicken breast for about 8 hours
I use a dehydrator and I set it for 21 hours, but normally I cut them in big slices, as my dogs are big ones…
How long do these last your dog? My dog goes through toys and chews like nobody’s business so I’m afraid they wouldn’t be worth the trouble of making.
It really depends on your dog. My dog ate them up pretty quickly (within 1-2 minutes) but other smaller dogs might take longer. Hope that helps!
It would depend on how many you give your furbabie. It is a treat. I give mine one, broken in pieces a day. Keeps weight down.
Love this! I’m always buying treats for my dog. These look like they are easy to make and would be more healthy for my dog than the processed store brought treats!
Can i store them with out freezing them or placing them in the fridge ?how long will they last if not stored in the fridge / freezer with out getting molded ?
No, they will mold at room temperature – you gotta freeze or keep in fridge.
I’m going to definitely try this and freeze them… we have a little puppy who’s right at that stage!
Thanks for this!!
I live in Arizona and my puppy loves to eat ice cubes (crunchy and cold!), so I would imagine a frozen sweet potato jerky would be perfect – can’t wait to try this, thank you!
You can dehydrate and place in mason jar with lid. Add an oxygen absorber 100cc per pint or quart jar. This will keep all air out and they will be good a very long time just sitting in a cupboard. You can open jar and get treats out just don’t leave lid off more than a few seconds, you are good to go. It’s the same as dehydrating foods for long term storage. So when I make these I’m gonna do a HUGE batch and store them up.
You can store them in an air tight container (Mason jar) on the counter or dark place if you dry them well enough (like over night in the dehydrator). I’ve never had them get moldy, but 4-5 days is the longest they have lasted before all being eaten. (I’m not sure if it affects shelf life,but I blanch them before drying.)
Whats blanching?
putting in hot water, usually to take off skin more easily.
I accidentally cooked mine just a bit too long & they were crunchy but my 2 puppies still love them 🤗
I am new to my dehydrator. How long & what setting would you use?
160* – 200 * degrees for 20-24 hours … keep an eye on them , pull when ready. Let sit on counter and rehydrate about 20 minutes or so. If you like the texture, you are done. If still a little soft return to dehydrator and go an hour at a time until you reach your desired texture. Good luck
I’ve been buying these at nine dollars a bag! I bought a mandoline so I can make these at home. They are in the oven as we speak! Thanks for the tutorial.
My boston terrier takes about 5-7 minutes for one of these and I wouldn’t let him chew them on anything white, they can stain a bit but only if they are chewing them a while.
I love this idea. With 4 dogs, treats can get expensive and fattening. We have 1 dog with epilepsy and 1 with Addisons and I’m always looking for healthy treats for them.
They are in the oven right now!
Let me know what they think! I know my dog loves them here!
I have a dog with Addisons too! Crazy disease isn’t it!?!
my Merlin loves these!! I made some last week and he is so obedient to get one hehehe
Can they be made in the microwave?
Probably not… the microwave I don’t think is drying enough as it retains moisture.
I love making stuff homemade! It ends up being cheaper and healthier. I’m sure my pup will love them! They’re in the oven right now! Can’t wait to give him one!
I can’t wait to make this. My dog usually has one a day and what I have spent on these…….
I was in the same boat! Hope he likes them as much as my dog does!
Love this. This would be a great Christmas Gift…….
Yes, it would! Great idea!
are you sure sweet potato is good for dogs?
There are a lot of good benefits from sweet potatoes that are great for dogs including high amino acids, antioxidants and high fiber for a good digestive health!
Absolutely sweet potatoes/yams are great for dogs as are carrots and so many other veggies. NEVER EVER give onions or grapes or raisins ever though!!!!
The dogs or the treats?
I make homemade Christmas gifts every year for our closest family members. I can’t wait to make this an addition for this year. I will be using a dehydrator, from experience, you have to keep your eye on anything in the dehydrator. Almost everything goes over night.
IS THERE ANY MORE VEGIGES/FRUITS THAT WE CAN ALSO USE AND BAKE AS CHEW TREATS
I was thinking carrots would be yummy if they dried well, but haven’t tried that yet. Let me know if you come up with more options and try them out.
I have dried carrots and squash as well. My dogs love them all.
how long in the dehydrator for sweet potatoes
My dogs love liver or chicken pieces. Hydrated, they last on open air for a long time. I also use a Kong ball with different ingredients like sweet potatoes, green beans,bananas, apples,. I mix it and put it in a Kong Ball. Keeps my dogs occupied for at least 20 minutes. Cuts down on store bought food, healty and the dogs love it.
This is a great idea! My dog already loves sweet potatoes, as he will eat chunks of it raw. He will pretty much eat anything. This looks like a good, healthy treat that he will go nuts for! I know what I have to make this weekend. Dakota the border collie thanks you!
My dog does too. He had raw sweet potato for breakfast this morning!
The sweet potatoes should not be raw.
My dogs love sweet potatoes but with 3 of them it gets very expensive. Thank you for the information to make these healthy treats at a fraction of the price!!
I have a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (SophieLou) who is a very pick eater but, she loves sweet potatoes and carrots. I have them in the dehydrator now. I bet she’ll love them!! Thank you.
I usse my dehydrator to do this. I have my frozen chicken breats cut very thin and wrap them around the sweet potato slices/stips. My dehydrator is set for 160 degrees so the chicke and the sweet potato are safe from bacteria. It takes about 3-4 hours to complete and my doge loves this treat. Have your butcher slice the chicken for you. You can then cut it into thinner strips. It’s safe and delicious….I’ve tried them!
Hi, I love this idea! Would this one work in the oven, too? I don’t have a dehydrator. Thanks!
thank you so much for this recipe my family is always wanting to feed them a rawhide and ive done research and the kind they like can cause a lot of health problems so love this recipe so do my 3 mutts
So I went for and my dogs LOVE THEM, even my dog who is a treat snob and ONLY likes Beggin Strips! I wrapped a few in bacon, those took a little longer and a lot of transferring from pan to pan bc of the grease…another reason they won’t get those as often. These were a success for my guys both ways!
I use Rachelle rays bacon sheet pan that has an insert so the grease drops away from bacon to bottom of pan the bacon gets crisp without all that grease clinging to it.
My dog is allergic to grains, chicken, almost everything. The expense of finding treats without these ingredients was astronomical. My dog’s food is all – natural salmon and sweet potato, so I knew the sweet potatoes would work. I actually place the sliced potatoes on the sheet in a 250 degree oven for 6 hours. I leave a wooden spoon in the door of the oven to leave it open a crack. In 6 hours the potatoes become crunchy and completely dehydrated. My dog loves the crunch and these have no moisture, so they can be stored in a ziplock bag without being refridgerated.
I tried these treats and followed instructions but they came out as hard as a rock.
Any suggestions, maybe slice thicker?.
Oh my, I’m not sure, thicker would help keep the juices in longer. Give it a try!
Same here! Totally shrunken and like a chip….
If you have leftover sweet potato fries from your lunch, just put them somewhere to dry, my little dogs love them
Thank you made these sweet potato chews my dog Basil (Morkie) loves them 12/26/2016
Has anyone ever added anything to them (like a coating of coconut oil prior to dehydrating for increased taste? ) I’m not sure how the dehydrating would affect the sweet potatoes or if it would even flavor them once dried up.
One of my dogs is not a veggie lover and I’d like to make these but make them slightly more appealing to gobble up! My other dog will eat anything, but the one older one is a little more picky .
For instance cooked potatoes or carrots, he doesn’t really like, but if cooked with a beef roast for meaty flavor, he loves them.
I do. I don’t use a baking sheet, I use a piece of non-waxed 40lb pink butcher paper, the kind you wrap brisket or ribs in for smoking. I put a piece of tin foil down first, right on the oven rack, them I melt about 1 Tbsp of unrefined raw coconut oil and baste my sweet potato slice just a tiny bit on the side face up. Then I just barely dust them all with ground cinnamon. Cook 2 hours @ 250°, then flip and repeat. The butcher paper actually helps pull the moisture out more evenly while cooking. I tried it 4 other times without the butcher paper, and they always came out crispy. This is the only way so far that dehydrate them evenly, leaves them chewy, and doesn’t burn any of them. I only use a very small amount of coconut oil though, I have a picker eater too. I’ve also use 1/2 Tbsp coconut oil, with 1/2 Tbsp of melted no sugar added all natural peanut butter, they just take a little longer in the oven. After 2 hours each side, I check them every 15-20 min and pull out the :almost done pieces, because once they cool, they’re perfect. If I wait till they’re done, they cool way too crispy. A word of warning though, your house will smell AMAZING for about 5-6 hours between the sweet potatoes, coconut oil, and cinnamon baking. =) Hope it helps a little good luck!
Has anyone elses stove smoked a little when there are baking?
I read somewhere that potatoes contribute to itching in dogs. Can anyone confirm that? I have a small dog that itches constantly, she is practically hairless.
Coconut oil may help with the itching, Dale. You can add some right into her dog food.
potatoes are a solanum and they are toxic to most animals.. so I would not feed my dog potatoes, or sweet potatoes, which are a potato… but red garnet yams are not the same, they are a squash and are nutritious for dogs….Tomatoes are also a solanum, or nightshade and aren’t good for animals….
What if they would last longer with desiccant packets?
Made these this past weekend and Buddy my black lab loves them. I had bought him a bag of sweet potato treats at a store here because the only ingredient on the bag was: sweet potato. Didn’t think it would be too hard to make and it wasn’t just washed, trimmed (next time I’m leaving the skin on) and put in dehydrator. Every hour or so I’d mix up the trays. Some were thinner and got done sooner so I just pulled them off. Turned out perfect. Took between 4-6 hours I’d guess. I left the house and turned them off half way through as I did’t want them plugged in if I wasn’t sure when I’d get back. Still turned out wonderful.
I have two big sweet potatos left from Thanksgiving. They were boiled and put in the fridge for 2 days can i still use these or should they be raw before cutting. Thank you so much
I cut these into rounds instead of strips, both of my labs loved them!
I made these and my dog is following me around the house wanting more. Thanks for sharing.
These worked per recipe. My two chow puppies love them. My 8 year old havanese won’t touch them😳
I can’t wait to try these sweet potato treats! My 2 dogs get treats every time they come back in from outside, (my 2 mini pigs also have to have their pig treats which are very expensive). I am not happy with ingredients in store bought dog treats and I will not give them rawhides or chew bones of any kind. I think my dogs and mini pigs both would love these. I can’t wait to try them. Someone in earlier comments mentioned Zucchini and Squash. Would those be good ideas or not? Should I just stick to Sweet Potatoes and Carrots? Thank you for posting this and for anyone reading my post that may have an answer for me.
Didn’t see anywhere, are the skins left on or do you peel off? Thanks!
I normally give my poopers raw sweet potatoes and carrots for treats I’ll have to try this and see if they like them. They love them raw so they should love these. Should be able to use the new wave oven for this it puts off less heat.
Great recipe. Turned out great. A lot of recipe out there takes more than 2 hrs . With this 2 hrs just went by and the treats came out great. The dogs love them 🐶
I freeze mine after cooking to keep them longer and make them last longer to chew
My dog loved these. At first when they cooked down they were more crispy then chewy, but she having them in the fridge for a few hours they became chewy
I cooked mine and cut them thin and put them in the oven at 350 degrees and they shrunk and they were crispy in the outside and soft in the middle some where sort of burnt.