Dog chew drying tips:
1. Material preparation
Cowhide raw materials
Choose raw or salted cowhide without chemical treatment (make sure there are no preservatives, dyes and other harmful substances).
Cut the cowhide into a size suitable for dogs to chew (such as long strips, bone shapes, etc.), and the thickness is recommended to be 5-10mm (too thin is easy to burn, too thick is difficult to dry).
Pretreatment
Cleaning: Soak the cowhide in clean water for 1-2 hours to remove salt and impurities, and then lightly brush the surface with a neutral detergent.
Degreasing (optional): If the cowhide has a lot of fat, blanch it or scrape off the surface fat to reduce odor and oil stains during drying.
Seasoning (optional): Apply a small amount of pet-safe seasoning (such as chicken powder, carrot juice) to increase palatability.
2. Dryer settings
Equipment selection
Use a heat pump dryer (temperature controllable, energy-saving and uniform), ordinary dryers may have too high a temperature and cause burning.
Parameter setting
Temperature: Set 50-65℃ (low temperature and slow drying to avoid burnt outside and tough inside).
Time: Adjust according to thickness, usually 6-12 hours (need to be checked regularly).
Wind speed: Medium and low wind speed to promote uniform dehydration.
3. Drying steps
Place the cowhide
Spread the cowhide flat on the drying tray to avoid overlapping (grid rack can be used to improve ventilation).
If the cowhide is curled, it can be fixed with stainless steel needles.
Stage drying
First stage (1-2 hours): 60℃ rapid dehydration to remove surface moisture.
Second stage: Reduce to 55℃ slow drying, turn every 2 hours to ensure uniform heating.
Final stage: Check hardness, if it is still elastic, extend the drying time.
Completion standard
The cowhide is dark brown, hard and without soft core, and there is no wet feeling when drying.
