Make your own healthy, safe chicken jerky treats for your dog!

As many of you know, there are some very dangerous treats still on pet store shelves that have been making dogs sick and, in some cases, have reportedly caused death in some dogs

The FDA has released warnings about these treats for the past four years, however they have yet to recall them. In addition, the manufacturers have not issued recalls either, despite the fact that 100's of dogs have reportedly been affected.

The treats that have been identified as the most dangerous are:

Waggin’ Train or Canyon Creek Ranch jerky treats or tenders, both produced by Nestle Purina PetCare Co.; and Milo’s Kitchen Home-style Dog Treats, produced by the Del Monte Corp.

These treats have been found to be jerky treats that come from China. We encourage everyone to please check and recheck the source of the treats and foods that you purchase for your dog and avoid any products from China. It has yet to be determined what the cause of the adverse reactions are in dogs. So please be safe and check the packages! If your dogs has experienced an adverse reaction to any treats or foods you canreport them to the FDA here

So, what's a dog to do when they love, love, love jerky treats? Have your Mum make them for you, at home with safe, healthy ingredients; and you know you'll be healthier and safer for it!

Here is our favorite recipe for making chicken and turkey jerky at home. It's easy!

• Preheat your oven to 200° F
• Lightly oil (olive oil is best) a baking sheet, a stainless steel one is best for healthier cooking!
• Select organic chicken breast (or turkey breast if you'd like) and remove any fat.
• Slice the chicken (or turkey) with the grain in very thin slices, about 1/8" to 1/4" inch thick.
• Place the strips on your stainless steel baking sheet.
• Bake for about 2 hours. (Baking times will vary due to difference in ovens, temperatures and meat size. When baked at two hours the treats should be firm and dry, not soft. It's best to increase the time to be sure they are dry and firm, if needed).
• When cooled you can cut the strips into appropriate feeding pieces, or take a full strip and break off for a nice rapid reward treat!

These treats will last for about 2 weeks if stored in a nice air tight container. And they can be frozen for up to six months if needed.

For additional flavor you can sprinkle the chicken breasts (or turkey) before baking with just a little organic parsley, sage or ginger for added flavor.

Enjoy!

Photo credits: Charkrem & Ryan Dowd