Sweet Potato Dog Chew -
Vegetarian Alternative to Rawhide
You'll love making this sweet potato dog chew recipe for your dog because sweet potatoes are loaded with beneficial nutrients like Vitamin E, Vitamin B6, Potassium, and Iron.
Since it's one of the sweetest of all the vegetables, just like the name implies, you'll have no trouble getting your dog to try this dog treat recipe.
Making your own all natural dog treat is an excellent alternative to rawhide.
Ingredients:
- 1 Large Sweet Potato, washed & dried
Recommended Equipment:
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 250° F
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut off one side of the sweet potato lengthwise, as close to the edge as possible. Cutting the side of the potato first allows you to then turn the potato onto this flat surface that you have just created. Having a stable area to rest the potato will make it easier to cut the potato into slices. Don't discard that first piece, it comes out just as yummy as the rest!
- Cut the rest of the potato into 1/3" slices, no smaller than 1/4".
- Place them on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 3 hours, turning half way through.
- Cool completely on a wire rack.
Storing - Although these treats are dried, you will want to keep them in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. You can freeze them for up to 4 months.
Tips & Techniques
- Choosing a Sweet Potato - You want to find a potato that is as uniform in shape as possible. This will aid in the drying process as the pieces will be similar in shape and will cook through at the same time. Also, try to find one that has fewer blemishes or bruises. While you're picking one to make a sweet potato dog chew, go ahead and pick some for the family, too!
- Knife Skills - If you are a pro with a knife, you may not need to cut off one side to stable your potato. If that's the case, then by all means skip that step. However, for those of us who are more handy with a pastry bag, than a knife, having a stable surface makes all the difference.
- Cutting Even Pieces - One way to ensure your pieces are as even as possible, is to first rest your knife where you would like to cut. Then press down gently across the entire length of the knife. Make a slight cut, then press firmly on your knife from one end to the other, and cut all the way through.
- Degree of Chewiness - Baking for 3 hours results in a soft, but chewy dog treat. If your dog prefers more of a crunch, then bake for an additional 20-30 minutes. When you take the sweet potatoes out of the oven, they may at first appear to be too soft. Let them cool completely on a wire rack before you decide whether or not to bake them longer. This is because they will continue to dry or harden while cooling.
- Parental Supervision - This is not a dog treat recipe that we recommend for the kids. Please use caution while using a sharp knife, whether you are young or young at heart.
Whether your dog has a need to chew or not, she'll love this all natural sweet potato dog chew. In fact, it's such an easy dog treat recipe, I bet you'll be making several batches at a time for your dog and all of his all natural dog treat loving friends!
What's Your Dog's Tastebud Feedback?
Have you made this recipe? What was your experience? Did your dog gobble it up or take a polite sniff and walk away?
Share your dog's Taste Bud Feedback with other dog treat bakers.
Share photos of your dog, or your dog eating this homemade dog treat, or how the finished dog treat looks! :)
Dog Treat Bakers Experiences:
Click below to see what other dog treat bakers are saying...
MY DOG LOVES THESE DOG TREATS! My great dane loves these! Making them at home is much more economical than buying them pre-made at the store. Is there any way to make these in the ...
Baby food soft dog treats
recipe says 3 jars meat baby food
1/4 C powdered milk
1/4 C cream of wheat
Says roll into balls or roll out and cut but that combination is like cake ...
Sweet Potato Chews I made the Sweet Potato Chews today after seeing them mentioned on Johann the Dog Blog. My dogs love them! In fact, my Sheltie, Jasper, keeps going into ...
Sweet potato dog chew The dogs ate them but it threw their whole potty schedule off and we had a big mess at three in the morning. And we only gave them a 2"x2" piece. Visla ...
Great Dog Treats I added chicken by cutting into thin strips and wrapping them around the sweet potato. My dog loves them. They are safe and healthy.
Paws up! While I have never made these (yet!) the sweet potato chews are a big hit in my house with all the dogs and the bunnies. Can't wait to the SP harvest ...
Sweet Potato Dog Treats are a Fantastic Find! What a fantastic find!! So simple, all natural and my dog just loves them!! He eats sweet potato all the time, so this was just another great way to cook ...
Sweet Potato Dog Chews & Baking Tip I put them partially standing up on a rack set in the pan and that seems to help with baking on both sides and not sticking. That also means I can bake ...
Sweet Potato Dog Chews - Can I Add Flavorings?
I was wondering if you can add a flavor to the sweet potatoes before baking. Have you tried this?
Chef's Comments ~ I don't see why you couldn't ...
Does the sweet potato dog treat leave stains like carrots do? Just wondering about the staining issues with the sweet potato. My dog loves carrots too but I have to make sure she eats these outside because the carrots ...
Sweet potato dog chews are a hit! My Dalmatian loves to chew and these treats really hit the spot! They are so easy to make too. Another major perk...they make the house smell good while ...
Great for a dog with food allergies
My dog has food allergies and sweet potato seems to be one ingredient he can have.
He loves to eat these, however next time I think I will cut them ...
My Dog LOVED This Dog Treat Recipe! I have a Lab Mix and I decided to make him these. He loved them and he always wants more!
Does it make a difference whether or not you put the potato strips potato-side or peel-side down?
Haven't made it yet, just wondering for when I do make them.
Chef's Comments ~ No, it will not make a difference. Also, you'll only have a couple ...
Sweet potato dog treats I have been buying the dried sweet potato treats but now will make my own. Recipe sounds super easy - and my 2 rescue dogs are right on my heels when ...
Sweet Potato Chews These are great! My dalmatians are on a low purine diet & I'm always looking for healthy meat-free treats for them. I baked up a batch of these today & they ...
Sweet potato dog chews Our dog loves them. Just curious, your recipe suggests that they be stored in the fridge. But when I see them in the stores, they are shelf-stable. Can ...
Do you need to prop open the oven door for this dog treat recipe?
This recipe sounds great for my Beagles. Some recipes call for leaving the oven door open a little. Should I do this? Thanks
Chef's Comments ~ You'...
What happens to the sweet potato dog chew if you don't have Parchment paper?
Is there a replacement? (i.e. aluminum foil?) My dogs love these, so I wanted to try making them.
Chef's Answer ~ If you placed the sweet potato ...
Thanks for the Sweet Potato Dog Treat Recipe As the "mom" of a slightly pudgy Chihuahua and a slim and trim Chihuahua, it was difficult to find a dog treat that they both like and had the nutrition ...
What is the consistency like with this sweet potato dog chew? A question I have for any who have made this treat, before I buy a sweet potato and attempt, what is the consistency of the treat? My dog is pretty old,...
This is AWESOME!!! Thank you sooo much for this recipe! I was spending a lot of money on a store bought brand of sweet potato chews ($16 for a 1 lb bag!). One of my 2 large ...
Sweet potato dog chews My dog loves them and I feel good about giving them to him. In fact I ate a few also. lol
Great Recipe! These turn out fantastic, just exactly as promised and could not be easier to make! I used a Mandolin to slice my sweet potatoes and made it even easier....
Two Chihuauas are Very Happy
My dogs loved a very expensive treat from a store with sweet potatoes.
When I saw a pet store selling a bag of dried sweets for $14 I thought there has ...
What about gauze or muslin on the rack? I noticed on some websites a concern that placing the SP on a metal pan did not allow the air to circulate around them well enough (even with turning) to ...
