Dehydrated Apple and Pear Chips for Dogs
Apple and pear chips for dogs, dried in the oven at a low temperature, with no core or seeds. No sugar, nothing else: just fruit, thin slices and patience.
- Time
- 2 h 50 min + 30 min resting
- Makes
- 60 pieces
- Type
- Treat
- Difficulty
- Easy
- 50 % apple, cored and seedless
- 50 % pear, cored and seedless
Follows THE RULE. All 2 ingredients are on our safe list: nothing that could harm your dog.
These apple and pear chips for dogs are nothing but fruit: thin slices, with no core or seeds, dried slowly in the oven at 100 °C / 210 °F until crisp. They are a light treat, with very few calories per piece, that you can keep in a jar and carry in your pocket without making a mess.
The pear comes out a little sweeter and softer, and the apple crunchier, so mixed in the jar you get two textures. It's a good way to use up fruit that's getting too ripe: the riper it is, the sweeter the chip.
Why it works
Apples and pears provide fiber, mainly pectin, and natural sugars that become more concentrated as the water evaporates. A low oven dries the fruit without burning it, and slicing to 1/8 inch (3 mm) makes it dry evenly. Because the core and seeds are removed before slicing, every slice is safe to give whole.
Step by step
Preheat the oven
Heat the oven to 100 °C / 210 °F with the fan on (convection) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Remove the core
Wash the fruit well and push the whole core out with a corer, from top to bottom. Look through the hole to make sure no seeds are left and remove the stem too.
Slice thinly
Cut the apple and pear into 1/8-inch (3 mm) slices, with a mandoline if you have one. What matters is that they're all the same thickness so they dry at the same time. If a slice has a seed, flick it out with the tip of the knife.
Lay out the slices
Spread the slices on the baking sheets without touching or overlapping. No lemon needed: if they darken a little, it's only the color.
Dry in the oven
Bake for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, turning them after an hour. Prop the door ajar with a wooden spoon to let the moisture out. They're done when the edges curl and the centers no longer look moist.
Cool
Turn off the oven and leave them inside for 30 minutes: they crisp up as they cool. If any are still bendy, give them 15 more minutes.
How many a day?
As a treat, keeping under 10% of what they eat each day.
— pieces a day at most
| Weight | 3 kg | 5 kg | 10 kg | 15 kg | 20 kg | 30 kg | 40 kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pieces/day | 4 | 6 | 11 | 15 | 19 | 26 | 32 |
Puppy, senior, very active or on a diet? Calculate the exact portion.
- Energy
- 5.5 kcal/piece
- Protein
- 3 % dry matter
- Fat
- 1 % dry matter
Values estimated from the ingredients (BEDCA/USDA data). A treat: keep treats under 10% of what they eat each day.
Storage
Well dried, in an airtight jar in a cool, dry place: 2 weeks. If they're still bendy (with some moisture), keep them in the fridge and use them within a week. Freezer: up to 3 months. If you see mold or notice a fermented smell, throw them away.
If you don't have…
- You only have apples
- 600 g of apple; the method is the same
- You'd prefer something with less sugar
- 4 mm (a scant 1/4-inch) zucchini slices, same oven and about 30 minutes longer
- You have a dehydrator
- The same fruit at 57-60 °C / 135-140 °F for 6-8 hours
Cooking tips
- The 10% rule: even though they're fruit, they count as treats. Treats shouldn't make up more than 10% of your dog's daily calories; the table tells you how many chips fit their weight.
- The slices from the ends dry first: take them out when they're ready and leave the rest.
- For small dogs or for training, break each chip into four once it's dry.
Safety
- Core and seeds always come out. Apple and pear seeds contain amygdalin, which releases cyanide when chewed; a stray seed isn't an emergency, but they shouldn't be in a treat you give often. The core and stem can be a choking hazard.
- No sugar, no honey and no cinnamon: fruit chips made for people usually contain one of the three and aren't suitable.
- Dried fruit concentrates sugar. For diabetic or overweight dogs, check with your vet before giving them often.
- If your dog isn't used to this much fiber, start with just a few: too many can loosen their stool.
Frequently asked questions
Can dogs eat dried apples?
Yes, apple dried at home, with no core, no seeds and no sugar or cinnamon, is a safe treat for dogs. Because drying concentrates the sugar, give only a few slices: two or three for a small dog and about six for a large one. Store-bought ones often contain sugar or preservatives: check the label.
Can dogs eat pears?
Yes, pear without the core or seeds is safe for dogs and provides fiber, vitamin C and water. Peel it if it's very firm or your dog is small, and always give it as a treat, not every day. The seeds contain amygdalin, so remove them just as you would with apples.
Is it dangerous if my dog eats an apple seed?
A stray seed usually isn't a problem: amygdalin only releases cyanide when chewed, and in a very small amount. The risk comes if they eat a lot, for example several whole cores. That's why seeds are always removed from their treats. If your dog has eaten a lot or you see them struggling to breathe, lethargic or drooling heavily, call your vet.
What's in it, in detail
If they liked it, try
The fridge list
The foods your dog can eat, can have in moderation and must never eat, on a single printable page.