How To Make Thanksgiving Turkey Balls For Your Dog

Turkey balls are a one-ingredient treat that your dog will love.

It’s one of those things that was born of necessity.

I like to include herbs like parsley and basil in my dehydrated dog treat recipes because they act as antibacterial agents that help the treats last longer, help freshen your dog’s breath, and have some health benefits.

But today, all I had was Italian seasoning, which contains small amounts of pepper, which would probably be fine.

But it also contains rosemary. Rosemary has been linked to triggering seizures in dogs with epilepsy. Not a problem for most of us, and it’s used in many dog foods as a preservative, but I avoid it juuust in case.

Anyway, this is more of an idea for your future dehydrated treat endeavors than a recipe.

If you need a whole bunch of high value, bite sized training treats for about 2-3 dollars, this is a perfect go-to method.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of lean ground turkey.

That’s all. Oh yeah, and maybe some:

• Love, generously sprinkled throughout.

Directions

1. Preheat your dehydrator to 165 degrees F/75 C.
2. Roll your turkey meat between your hands like you’re making meatballs. I made most of mine about the size of a pencil eraser.
3. Gently plop them into the trays of your dehydrator. Many of mine were small enough to slip through the holes in the trays, but if I did it just right, they’d stick.
4. Dehydrate for 4-6 hours.
5. Let cool for 1 hour on a plate, uncovered.
6. Store in a cool, dry place. I like to put mine in a paper bag inside a plastic bag. The paper bag soaks up any remaining moisture, while the plastic bag protects the treats from moisture from the air. A jar with a piece of paper (or a moisture packet, if you’re fancy) is also good.

They should last at least a few weeks at room temperature in a sealed bag or jar. If you made more than you’ll use in a month, you can freeze them. As they’re small, they’ll thaw in the palm of your hand or in your pocket, so they’ll be ready for your dog to eat almost immediately.

Lindsay Pevny

Lindsay Pevny lives to help pet parents make the very best choices for their pets by providing actionable, science-based training and care tips and insightful pet product reviews.

She also uses her pet copywriting business to make sure the best pet products and services get found online through catchy copy and fun, informative blog posts. She also provides product description writing services for ecommerce companies.

As a dog mom to Matilda and Cow, she spends most of her days taking long walks and practicing new tricks, and most nights trying to make the best of a very modest portion of her bed.

You'll also find her baking bread and making homemade pizza, laughing, painting and shopping.