Homemade dog treat shipping tips?

by Marguerite Jandreau
(Augusta, ME)

Hi,

My son is serving with the US Air Force in Afghanistan. He is a dog handler/security officer. While he's deployed a friend is watching his personal dog, Anna a golden lab.

The man watching Anna also has 3 large dogs of his own. A golden lab, a great dane and a weimaraner. As a thank you for watching my son's dog, I plan on baking special dog treats for the 4 dogs and sending them to Utah every week.

I have found several recipes that I am interested in making (tonight I plan on making the sweet-potato dog chews). My question is about shipping. Should I always send them priority? Is there a special way to package them to assure freshness? Any other tips you may have would be greatly appreciated.

Chef's Answer ~ What a wonderful treat for your son's dog, and the her three temporary companions! :)

Well, shipping priority is the preferred method since it will arrive within a few days, instead of a few weeks.

Here are a few tips to help you and others ship homemade dog treats:

• Bake & Ship Same Day - If you can, bake and ship the dog treats the same day, or within 24 hours.


• Be Cool - Make sure your homemade dog treats are completely cooled before packaging.


• Wrap Individually - If the treats are large, be sure to wrap them individually for added protection. If they are smaller, wrap two, but no more than three together in plastic wrap or foil.


• Buffer - There needs to be a buffer between the wrapped dog cookies and the edges of the box. So, use newspaper, tissue paper, wax paper, bubble wrap, packaging peanuts, or plastic bags to create a sturdy buffer all around the treats.


• Include the Recipe - If your intended recipient LOVES the treats, it's a lovely gift to send the recipe so the treats can be made again and again.

I hope this helps. Happy Dog Treat Baking! :)