Hi beagleowner
It is a great idea making your own chicken jerky. I make my own chicken jerky, I also make fish jerky, beef jerky and turkey jerky. For a more traditional jerky you could bake them longer. For air flow you could leave the oven door slightly ajar. This will help to dissipate the moisture. Either way they won’t last long.
For a longer lasting healthy chew I would look for Bully sticks made from South American cattle. Look for ones that say they are from cattle that are pasture raised without the use of any hormones or antibiotics. Most U.S. cattle are full of hormones and antibiotics.
Beef trachea’s from south american cattle are a great treat full of natural chondroitin, glucosamine, and collagen.
I would stay away from canned foods unless they specifically say they are BPA (Bisphenol A) free.
Here is an article on the dangers of cans with BPA:
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine-archive/december-2009/food/bpa/overview/bisphenol-a-ov.htm
Dental chews like zukes contain potato flour or other starches as their main ingredients. Potato flour can contain solanine a poison found in potatoes. Potatoes also contain lectins which can have a negative affect on gut health as well as make your dog more prone to allergic reactions to the food they eat. Dental chews like Zukes also contain vegetable glycerin which could also contain toxic substances. Dr Sagman the owner of this website wrote an article on the dangers of one type of vegetable glycerin:
/dog-food-news/chinese-dog-treats-glycerin/
