This is a fantastic cooling protein that is great for itchy or yeasty beasty dogs.
I feed these as part of my dog’s raw meaty bones. When my freezer is full I’ll dry the feet instead because then I can store these in the vegetable bin in my fridge.
Where To Buy
You can find raw duck feet at your local Asian markets. One tray typically holds about two dozen feet.
Why Feed Duck Feet
Great source of glucosamine and chondroitin for healthier joints and ligaments.
Chewing helps to keep their teeth clean.
Low Phosphorus
Great for older dogs or dogs with organ-related ailments.
Caution – Calcium is Low
Duck feet have a low amount of calcium. As such don’t rely on duck feet to meet your calcium requirements. Wings, drumsticks, and necks have a higher amount of calcium for every 100 grams.
If you are using duck feet in your raw diet, be sure to rotate your Raw Meaty Bones (RMBS) and don’t rely on feet alone or supplement with an eggshell or calcium powder.
Full of Collagen
But don’t let that stop you from feeding duck feet. My two get one in regular rotation with chicken feet.
Feet are full of collagen and fantastic for your dog’s skin!
A Word Of Caution
There is always a risk anytime you feed bones into their diet.
Since I originally posted this article, Dr. Karen Becker and Rodney Habib shared in their Inside Scoop to just avoid heat-treated (these dehydrated or air-dried) chews.
Cooked bones are a hard no.
Air-dried and dehydrated bones come with their risks too for the following reasons:
- Your dog could eat more than its digestive system can handle. They might get sick and need vet care.
- Your dog could chip a tooth on a bone.
- Your dog might not digest the bone fully and it may cause fecal impaction.
Initially I thought to delete this post so that I am not supporting dried bones but it is bringing readers to the page. So Instead I’ve updated it to say that while I initially used to feed dehydrated or air dried bones like duck feet, it’s on my DO NOT FEED LIST.
If you decide to feed your dog dried duck feet or any other bones or chews you need to:
- Always supervise your dog. Don’t drop it and leave. Stay with them until the bone is consumed.
- Know what the right portions are. I’ve seen dogs simply eat too much and then throw up the remnants after.
- Observe what chewing style your dog has. Do they chew methodically or do they gulp and swallow?
Dry In The Safe Zone
If you live in the US you want to dry at 155 degrees Fahrenheit and if you live everywhere else that follows the metric system then it’s 69 degrees.
For chews like duck feet (or even duck necks) start checking your dehydrator at the 20-hour mark. If it is hard to bend – then there is still a lot of moisture left – keep drying it.
The duck feet (toes) should be able to break off with minimal effort but not so crunchy it snaps off.
Drying Duck Feet At Home Gives Peace Of Mind
I prefer to make my own food and I prefer to make my dog’s food.
I’ve heard and seen horror stories of unsafe food handling or worse still when a company doesn’t stand by it’s products when the very product they sell makes the dogs sick.
That’s why if you’re keen on feeding duck feet, it’s always better to make it yourself so that you know the quality of the food you’re feeding your dog.
As always, thank you for stopping by!
Keep being your dog’s awesome #dogfoodhero!
Dehydrated Duck Feet
Ingredients
Instructions
-
Oil The Racks
Take some coconut oil (a teaspoon) and rub it on your palms. Rub your palms on the dehydrator racks. This will prevent the duck feet from sticking to the racks. -
Rack The Feet
Leave a small amount of space between the duck feet -
Dehydrate
Set the dehydrator to 155 degrees for 24 hours. -
Rest for an hour
Let the duck feet rest and cool for about an hour prior to storage.
Hi! How should these be stored & how long are they good for?
Hi I normally store in the veggie bin in the fridge – and for 30 days.
So these don’t splinter..? I’ve seen dehydrated chicken feet splinter. I’ve been hydrating for 5 yrs and never tried them, only because they’re not easily sources, but chicken feet are
Hello again Karen =). I didn’t dry these as long as chew companies do. I believe they go up to 36 hours I do a day. And so mine are softer and more bendy. I need to add a foot note to this article. I am a member of the Inside Scoop and about a month ago Dr. Karen Becker and Rodney Habib said no to heat-treated bones. I’ve shared this with my clients and no longer recommend it – I say feed with caution and I stopped drying feet. Even Dr. Dobias says to heat-treated bones.
1. Too many newbies getting into chews right away and not knowing what to watch for
2. For the chew companies that ship these – they spoil in transit if the chew wasn’t dried all the way through
3. Dogs eating these too fast, and then the dog parent doing the “let it pass” prayer. Problem is these are too dry and some dogs just don’t digest them.
And after I post this reply I shall go edit that post with the footnote. Thank you again.
Oh good because I’ve never recommended them, nor chicken feet for these reasons. I don’t recommend ANY dehydrated bones. I see a lot of these treat companies selling necks. One of them gives them away, I messaged them informing them why and that I didn’t want any free with my worder. I thought they would have offered me something else, but nope..
Thank you for the feedback. I used to be a member of IS