We all know that diet and nutrition are essential to your dog's ongoing health and wellness — so you may be thinking why are we talking about dehydrated dog food?
There are so many types of dog food on the market to choose from, ranging from raw food to refrigeration-required fresh food and highly processed kibble. It can be difficult to find the option that best suits your pet's needs and your lifestyle.
This is where dehydrated dog food comes in, an ever-increasingly popular choice among busy pet owners who want to give their dogs the high-quality nutritional treats and meals they deserve. When you dehydrate meat, you are getting all the nutritional benefits of raw meat, but you are removing any dangerous pathogens often found in raw meat.
Here at Farmer Pete’s, we have broken down the information on what dehydrated dog food is, as well as its benefits and shortcomings so that you can decide if dehydrated food is right for your pet.
What Is Dehydrated Dog Food?
Relatively new to the pet food market so If you have never heard of dehydrated pet food, you're not alone. While this type of pet food has been around for many years, it's only recently become a common choice among pet parents.
Dehydrated dog food is processed using warm air over a long period of time to gradually remove moisture. It differs from your traditional kibble, which is processed very quickly using very hot air (above 260 degrees Celsius). It's also different from freeze-dried food, which is processed at extremely cold temperatures. The slow, low-heat process of dehydrated foods holds onto more nutrients than the extreme heat and fast speed of kibble processing.
To give your pet dehydrated dog food as a meal, simply add a small amount of warm water to the bowl and mix the food in to rehydrate it. Alternatively, rehydrate with bone broth instead of water, which can add extra flavour and nutritional value. Or give your dog dehydrated food as a treat for training, obedience or for just being a good dog!
You’ll Be Surprised How Much Food Shrinks When Dehydrated!
Dehydrated, food is made by applying low heat to the desired food item for a long period of time, resulting in 98% of the substance’s water being lost to evaporation. This technique has been performed, through different methods (air drying, sun drying, etc.), for years to preserve foods.
Weight Reduction in Dehydrated food. The facts!
Water is the heaviest part of food, so when it is removed, in this situation from evaporation, the weight is cut by a significant amount. Around 98% of the moisture is removed from the food after dehydration, making it considerably lighter.
- After preliminary cleaning, peeling, and slicing/chopping, raw meat is dehydrated at 70 °C, and fruit and vegetables are dehydrated at 60-70 °C. The final moisture content of 4-5% is achieved through warm air circulation and a lot of time.
- In general, 4-5 kg of raw Chicken produces 1 kg of dehydrated product. Salmon and Green Lipped Mussels may be dehydrated under similar conditions, with 5-6 kg of fresh product producing 1 kg of dehydrated product. Fruit and vegetables with a higher water content can also be 5-6 kg of raw product to produce 1 kg of dehydrated product.
- That’s because dehydrating your food reduces its moisture content to between 5 and 10%. Within that range, the bacterium that causes food to decay can’t survive.
So, with a lot of time, energy and produce Farmer Pete’s create delicious treats for your pets to enjoy and love you even more.
The Benefits of Dehydrated Food
There are many reasons dog owners are making the switch to dehydrated food for their pups. From nutritional reasons to pure convenience to cost-effectiveness, here are a few benefits of dehydrated dog food to consider as you search for the perfect approach for your dog.
Dehydrated Dog Food is More Nutritious and Healthier Than Kibble
If your dog has a sensitive stomach and finds it difficult to digest kibble, it may be time to consider an alternative. In a lot of cases, gently processed dehydrated food is often easier for dogs to digest because it doesn't contain the salts, sugars, artificial preservatives, fillers, by-products, or other ingredients that often give dogs an upset stomach or bowels. And unfortunately, these ingredients are found in many mainstream kibbles and treats.
Dehydrated food is able to meet the protein needs of most dogs much more efficiently than heavily processed foods. Many pets require a high-protein diet that’s difficult to meet feeding only kibble. Dehydrated dog food has a greater concentration of the protein sources that your dog needs at all stages of life and is often the best way to give your much-loved family member a healthy treat or meal.
Even the fussiest dogs love Farmer Pete’s Treats and tend to have an easy time transitioning from dry food to dehydrated food. If your dog is a fussy eater and needs to gain weight, dehydrated food may be able to help them consume more calories and have a more balanced diet.
Dehydrated Pet Food Has a Long Shelf Life
Convenience and ease are the main reason why people choose kibbles for their dogs’ food. It is shelf-stable and doesn't require any effort (except for pouring it into a bowl). However, dehydrated dog food also has a remarkably long shelf life and requires minimal care to keep it from spoiling. It can be stored just about anywhere unlike raw and fresh dog food.
Further to its shelf stability, dehydrated dog food options can also extend much further than raw, fresh, or kibble options. It may be off-putting to look at a bag of dehydrated food that says it only contains 1kg of treats — but remember that this is the dry weight. That 1kg bag makes four times its weight — making four kilograms of dog food for meals. This equates to meals that can last for months on end depending on the size of your pet, making dehydrated foods a great, cost-effective alternative to raw or fresh food.
It's Convenient for People with Minimal Storage Space
Dehydrated dog food doesn't require much more effort than dry dog food. The only difference is if you feed it as a meal to add a small amount of water to rehydrate it before serving. That's significantly less preparation is needed to serve your dog a raw diet, which involves a lot of prepping, washing, chopping, storing, and shopping, usually on a weekly basis as raw food spoils much faster than dry, dehydrated food, or fresh food, which requires lots of freezer and refrigerator space.
Pet owners also love that Farmer Pete’s dehydrated dog treats take up very little storage space. Unlike those big, bulky bags of kibble, dehydrated food comes in compact packaging that can be stored almost anywhere in your and because you're adding water to rehydrate the food with each serving, a small bag of dehydrated food can go a very long way.
Dehydrated Pet Food is Easy to Take on Trips
If you enjoy traveling with your dog like we do at Farmer Pete’s but worry about your pup getting the right nutrition on the go, dehydrated food can be an excellent option. This nutrient-rich food takes up little space, is lightweight and reduces bulk when packing luggage. Unlike raw food and fresh dog food, it doesn't need to be refrigerated — so with just a little water, your dog's food is ready to serve anytime and anywhere or be given as a treat when on those long holiday walks.
Lower Temperature Means Dehydrated Food Is Minimally Processed
Compared to kibble, which is processed at very hot temperatures, dehydrated dog food is processed at lower temperatures so that moisture can be removed gradually. This, in turn, allows dehydrated food to retain more of its nutritional value, and taste. The gentle dehydration process used retains more essential nutrients while providing them at a higher concentration than is possible with kibble or dry dog food. Once rehydrated, this food can deliver the same benefits as fresh pet food without any harmful chemicals, preservatives, fillers or by-products.
Is Dehydrated Dog Food Right for Your Dog?
As with all pet owners, you know your pet well, so we always recommend that you consult with your dog's vet before making any dietary changes.
In Conclusion: Dehydrated Dog Food is an Easy Pet Treat
If you're looking for a pet food option that's convenient, easy, rewarding, shelf-stable, cost-effective, and nutritious for your pup then Farmer Pete’s dehydrated Treats are a great choice. Farmer Pete’s dehydrated dog food allows you to provide your pup with the health and nutrition benefits of real, whole foods without the worry and expense. AND your dog will Love it!
