Happy “Friday Treats Friday” everyone!!  I recently started the “Friday Treats Friday” and was curious as to when I posted my first treat recipe for the dogs.  I looked back from the very first post and found “Are Sweet Potatoes A “Yes” Or A “No”? on October 26, 2018!  My recipes were not consistent like they are now so I am revisiting this post, making some changes, and re-posting for those who have not seen it and for my new followers.  I wanted to try out the new dehydrator I had received from Amazon.  Since making these potatoes, I have dehydrated chicken, steak, zucchini, and apples for the pups which they love!  They are good eaters but are not fans of broccoli.  Maybe I should dehydrate that!!!  Anyone interested in that recipe???  Maybe I’ll try it out for next week.  

Note:  I have dehydrated blueberries, strawberries, bananas, and zucchini.  The berries shriveled up to nothing, the dogs did not like the bananas, and the zucchini shriveled up as well.  I chose to use a large zucchini but they were not very impressive when they were done.  Maybe I did something wrong?  If anyone has ever dehydrated fruits and veggies before, send me a note and let me know what I did wrong!  My chicken and steak turned out like jerky.  These were the dog’s favorites!  Also, another note, I did not use any seasoning on anything that I dehydrated.

The one thing I can say about making these sweet potatoes (as I’ve made them a few times now) is to leave them in until they are crispy.  I had made the mistake of taking out a few too soon and they felt rubbery.  Also, the rubbery slices did not hold up well in the air tight container I used to keep them in.  This treat lasted approximately 4 days and I chose to put them in the refrigerator.  

Since the day we adopted Jake and Maggie, I have given them vegetables as part of their treats.  They love organic baby carrots and zucchini.  I decided to change things up a bit and grabbed some sweet potatoes at the grocery store.  Several months back, we purchased a dehydrator from Amazon made by VonShef which includes 6 plastic trays, 1 lid, temperature control reaching a maximum of 159 degrees with a built in timer.   Before giving anything to the pups that I’m not quite sure about, I always do my research.

While slicing up the potatoes into rounds, I accidentally dropped a few which were scarfed up by Jake and Maggie.  I was concerned that consuming raw sweet potatoes would make them sick, so I called the vet.  They assured me it was ok because it was only a few pieces.  I also got online and looked up the benefits of giving your dogs these dehydrated treats.  Consuming to many sweet potatoes, as to much vitamin A can cause bone problems and muscle weakness.  Please tell your vet of any other health related issues so that he can better guide you as to what to feed your pet.

Sweet potatoes are starchy root vegetables and provide plenty of nutritional benefits:

• One of the best dietary sources of vitamin A, which promotes healthy skin, coat, eyes, nerves, and muscles in dogs.
• Vegetables with orange flesh contain beta-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A and a powerful antioxidant that helps prevent disease and infection.
• Sweet potatoes are also a rich source of fiber, vitamins C and B6, potassium, calcium, and iron, among many other essential vitamins and minerals.
• You can add a small amount of steamed or boiled sweet potatoes to your dog’s diet, or use dehydrated sweet potatoes as a sweet treat.
• Gentle on a dog’s digestive system and are naturally gluten-free.
• They are a common ingredient in grain-free canine diets because they provide an alternative source of carbohydrates.

​There is really no recipe but to cut, dehydrate, steam, or boil the sweet potatoes.  I cut these medallions very thin almost like a Lay’s Potato chip and filled all 6 trays and layered each try with the potatoes.  I turned on the timer at 9:30 am and set it for 158 degrees for approximately 6 hours.  The cooking time is also based on how thick you cut the medallions.