How Long do Homemade Dog Treats Last?

Mold… not a nice four letter word. You work so hard to bake your treats and they grow mold. You scratch you head, maybe swear a little and wonder how do other bakers do it? You cannot believe they all bake the night prior to events because you know how much work goes into baking.

Here's the Secret…

Most dog treat bakers don't add preservatives and they don't bake the night before! They also never ask… how long do homemade dog treats last? Because they know how long they last.

The first fact you want to remember is that mold is caused primarily because of moisture. Of course dog treat dough requires water and wet ingredients to “stick” the dough together in order to complete the recipe but the key is removing moisture after you are finished baking them.

So, if you remove most of the moisture from your treats, you will remove the chances of mold. Keep in mind that condensation from humidity can cause moisture to get back into your treats; it is best to prevent condensation from building up inside of any plastic that you may choose to use to package your treats in. Direct sun is the main cause of this, be sure to keep your treats stored in a shaded area if you are selling them outside.

Some bakers think they need to add preservatives to stop their treats from getting moldy. While there are some all natural preservatives that might help, you can stop looking for the perfect magical preservative and look at your oven instead.

There are two common ways to dry (or remove moisture) your treats enough so they last for months, even years. The answer is a convection oven or a dehydrator. You can also shut your regular oven off after your treats are finished baking and leave your treats in overnight;  just shut your oven off without opening the door until the next morning.
 

Most bakers bake their dog treats in a standard oven for the allotted time on the recipe directions then place them in their dehydrator for 8 - 12 hours at the highest temperature setting. To test your treats you should hear a “SNAP” when you break them in half after dehydrating.  Thicker treats will take more time to dehydrate, thinner ones take less time. Leave the treats on your kitchen counter to be sure they do not grow mold in 7 days. That is it... easy peasy... no preservatives or freezers needed!
 

For best results... send off your oven baked or dehydrated dog treats to a Commercial Feed Lab and get a "shelf life" test done. Then... you can rest easy and say good bye to.... MOLD!!!!! You will also never need to ask… how long do homemade dog treats last? Ever again!

If you decorate your dog treats using special dog safe Pastries 4 Pets icing or dog cake frosting, then no. But, you do need to follow the directions on the label for it to not grow mold. The most important step is to let the icing or frosting for dogs completely air dry prior to sealing them in any type of packaging. If you do not, the icing/frosting will remain wet and never dry because the air flow will be blocked off.

The fact to remember is that "moisture" grows mold, so if you decorate a dog treat or dog birthday cake and refrigerate or freeze it, the icing/frosting will become "wet/moist" again. Meaning it will grow mold unless you air dry again after removing it from the refrigerator or freezer. It is best to remove any packaging and let the treat or cake thaw and air dry again on your kitchen counter.

So, remember, Pastries 4 Pets dog bakery products are intended to not be kept in the refrigerator or freezer. If you need to keep your bakery items refrigerated, remember they will only last 3 - 5 days before they naturally grow mold.
 

For step by step, in-depth, online classes on "How to Make Money Baking and Selling Custom, Healthy Dog Treats From your Own Home or Storefront" check out our course offerings with our Online Courses and Workshops. We also teach classes in person in our dog treat training academy located in Connecticut.