Jerky for Pets Recipe

Jerky for Pets Recipe

by Wendy Nan Rees

Pre-Cooking Jerky is a way to really make sure your meat product is very well cooked but you can also do it just by drying the meat and skipping the precooking method.

1. Slice the meat into long pieces that are a maximum 1/4 inch thick. Some people find it easier to slice meat that is partially frozen. Slicing across the grain will result in a more tender jerky. Remove all visible fat. It is not necessary to completely freeze when this pre-cooking method is used. 

2. Prepare a marinade in a large saucepan. A recipe for marinade follows, but any flavor you prefer can be used. Make enough marinade to cover all the meat strips; the amount will vary with the amount of jerky you make and the saucepan you choose. 

A general guideline is 1 - 2 cups marinade for each one pound batch of meat. 

3. Bring the marinade to a full rolling boil over medium heat. Add a few meat strips, making sure that they are covered by the marinade. Return to a full boil.

4. Using tongs, immediately remove meat from the marinade to prevent over-cooking. Repeat the immersion process until all meat has been given the heat treatment. 

5. Place precooked strips on drying racks with a small space between each strip. Dry in dehydrator at 160F for 3-4 hours, then lower temperature to 140F for about another 4 hours or until dry. 

If drying in a household oven, the times tend to be longer; plan on about 8 hours at 160F and then more time at 140F. It is important that the temperatures not be higher, because you want to dry the meat for safety, not just cook it. Bacteria require moisture to grow so completely dry jerky is important for safety. 

6. To test jerky for dryness, remove a piece from the dryer, cool it, then bend it. It should crack but not break and there should be no moist spots. Package air tight (so moisture cannot re-enter the meat) and store at room temperature for about 3 weeks, or freeze for longer storage. Always in an air tight container 

This marinade works well for , beef, turkey or chicken jerky. It is adapted from a recipe by Sunset Books. It makes enough for about 2 pounds of meat. 

1/4 c soy sauce

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

¼ c Beef or Chicken Broth

1 teaspoon parsley dried

optional  be sure to use salt if you do not use the smoke flavored always be sure to check with your VET BEFORE COOKING FOR YOUR DOG or CAT!

1/4 teaspoon hickory smoke flavored salt

About Feeding Puppies

About Feeding Puppies

by Wendy Nan Rees

There is something so cuddle cute with a puppy and after they have eaten with the fat cuddly belly. 


Note if your puppies belly is just fat and happy after the meal this is great but if your puppy keeps his fat belly and it is growing this may not be the cute cuddly belly you want. 

Wrinkledpups

If your puppy has a very extended belly that is not going down between meals this could mean the puppy has not been wormed correctly. You need to take the puppy to the vet right away as the worms are growing and taking the good food from your puppy.


Worms in a Puppy could lead to problems later in life, like arthritis and other developments problems from being under nourished. When you go to your first Vet appointment with your new puppy be sure to bring a fresh stool sample with you .




Coming up in the next post will be Wendy's recipe for Homemade Jerky for your Pets!! yummy says Willie G and Miss Daisy !

How to Feed a New Puppy

How to Feed Your New Puppy

by Wendy Nan Rees

When it comes to feeding your new puppy it is important to always ask the breeder or the adoption center as to what and how many times a day the puppy is eating at the time of you bringing the puppy home. 

At your first vet appointment it is also important to talk about the type of diet you and your Vet feel is going to be the best diet, and one you can afford personally.

As a general rule of thumb it is not a good idea for your puppy to grow to fast as rapid growth can lead to a lifetime of obesity. Slow and steady growth is what you are looking for.

This way you can be assured that the whole body is growing proper bones and muscles. Remember that puppy food has a higher count of protein and fat which is needed the first year of life after that it is important to move off puppy food to young adult food.

Reading the labels of your puppy food and dog food are the place to start.  It is very important to buy a dog food that is high in quality.  Try to have one of the first ingredients listed as a protein source and not a by-product. 

You want to avoid foods that contain bulking ingredients and fillers, as this is not healthy for your puppy.  The more fillers and by-products in your puppy’s diet, the more your puppy will be going to the bathroom. 

As for feeding instructions, the general rule of thumb is from six weeks to nine months; your puppy is fed three times a day.  Of course this is something you need to discuss with your vet. 

Things that will come into play are the weight of your puppy, the amount of physical activity, and the amount of training.  All of this will help to determine how much your puppy needs to be fed.