Sweet potatoes might be the perfect dog treat ingredient. They’re cheap, available year-round, full of fiber and vitamins, and most dogs love them. Dehydrated sweet potato dog treats turn a plain vegetable into chewy, jerky-like strips that keep dogs busy and owners happy, and they take exactly one ingredient.
I started making these when my vet suggested adding more fiber to my dog’s diet. Commercial “sweet potato chews” cost $15-20 per bag and some contain glycerin or preservatives. Making them at home costs about $2 per pound. No kitchen skills needed: if you can peel and slice a potato, you can make these treats.
Are Dehydrated Sweet Potato Dog Treats Healthy?
In moderation, yes. Sweet potatoes are a good source of dietary fiber and beta-carotene (which the body turns into vitamin A), plus vitamin C, vitamin B6 and potassium. The fiber is why vets sometimes suggest them for dogs that need a little digestive help.
There are three caveats. First, the American Kennel Club says sweet potato should be fed cooked and with the skin removed, and never raw, because raw sweet potato can upset a dog’s stomach and may cause an intestinal blockage. That’s why the method below peels and steams the slices before drying. Second, sweet potatoes have a high glycemic index, so the AKC advises caution for diabetic dogs; check with your vet first. Third, too much vitamin A over time can cause bone and muscle problems, which is another reason to keep portions small.
Chewing on a leathery strip also gives your dog something to work at. It won’t replace brushing, but it’s a better option than soft, sticky treats.
Looking for sweet potato chips for yourself instead? That’s a different recipe: see how to dehydrate sweet potatoes for people.
How to Dehydrate Sweet Potatoes for Dogs
Here’s the whole process at a glance. The sections below cover each step in more detail.
- Pick firm, medium sweet potatoes with no soft spots, sprouts or wrinkled skin.
- Wash and peel. Scrub under running water, then peel off the skin.
- Slice ¼ inch thick into rounds or lengthwise strips. Keep the thickness even.
- Steam the slices until a fork goes in with light resistance. You want them cooked through but still holding their shape, not mushy.
- Cool and pat dry with a clean towel so they don’t drip on the trays.
- Arrange in a single layer on dehydrator trays with space between pieces.
- Dry at 135°F for 6-8 hours, rotating trays every 2-3 hours if your dehydrator heats unevenly. Humid days can push it to 10 hours.
- Check doneness. Pieces should be leathery and dry in the center, with no moist or sticky spots.
- Condition for 24-48 hours in a loosely covered jar, then store airtight.
Don’t add butter, sugar, salt or seasoning blends. Garlic and onion (including onion or garlic powder in broth) are toxic to dogs, and so is xylitol, according to the ASPCA. Nutmeg is also a problem, so never use pumpkin pie spice on dog treats.
Choosing and Preparing Sweet Potatoes
Select firm sweet potatoes without soft spots, sprouts or wrinkled skin. Size doesn’t matter much, but medium potatoes (about the size of your fist) are easiest to handle and slice. Giant sweet potatoes often have woody centers that don’t dehydrate well.
Wash thoroughly under running water, scrubbing with a vegetable brush if you have one, then peel. The AKC recommends removing the skin before feeding sweet potato to dogs, and peeled slices dry more evenly.
Steaming is the easiest way to cook the slices before drying. Set them in a steamer basket over simmering water and check with a fork after a few minutes. Boiling works too, but the slices take on more water and can fall apart. Let them cool on a rack and blot dry before they go on the trays.
Choose sweet potatoes with uniform orange flesh. White or purple varieties work too, but the classic orange sweet potatoes (often labeled “jewel” or “garnet”) dehydrate most consistently and have the best texture.
Slicing Methods and Thickness
Consistency matters more than shape. Slices of equal thickness dry at the same rate, so you don’t end up with some pieces brittle and others still moist. Aim for ¼-inch thickness: thick enough to stay chewy, thin enough to dry completely.
Rounds (coins): Slice widthwise for coin-shaped treats. These work well for small to medium dogs and dry fastest.
Strips: Slice lengthwise for jerky-like strips. Better for large dogs who swallow small pieces whole. Strips take a little longer to dry but provide more chewing time.
Thick chews: For big, determined chewers, you can cut ½-inch strips. Expect 10-12 hours of drying, and break one open to confirm the center is dry before storing. Thick pieces are the ones most likely to mold if under-dried.
A mandoline slicer produces the most consistent results, but a sharp chef’s knife works fine. If using a knife, cut slowly and accept that some pieces will be thicker than others. Group similar thicknesses on the same tray so you can pull the thinner pieces first.
Dehydrating Process
Arrange the steamed, blotted slices in a single layer on dehydrator trays without overlapping. Sweet potatoes release a lot of moisture during drying, so spacing matters. Overlapping pieces create wet spots that can mold during storage.
Set your dehydrator to 135°F. At that temperature, ¼-inch slices typically take 6-8 hours to reach a leathery consistency. If your dehydrator runs cooler or you set it to 125°F, add about 2 hours.
Rotate trays every 2-3 hours if your dehydrator has uneven heat distribution. Most stackable models run hotter near the heating element, so swap the top and bottom trays midway through.
Total drying time depends on humidity, slice thickness and your specific dehydrator. Start checking at 6 hours. High-humidity days can extend drying to 10 hours. If you’re choosing a machine, our best dehydrator for dog treats guide covers models with reliable low-temperature settings.
For extra flavor, dip slices in low-sodium chicken broth before dehydrating. Check the label: many broths contain onion or garlic, which dogs shouldn’t have. Homemade broth made from plain chicken and water is the safest choice. Broth-dipped treats should be refrigerated.
Testing for Doneness
Properly dehydrated sweet potatoes should feel leathery and pliable, not sticky or wet. When bent, they should flex without cracking, unless you’re after crisp chips.
Break a piece open to inspect the center. It should look dry and fibrous, not moist or shiny. Any moisture in the center means a mold risk in storage.
For crisp chips instead of chewy treats, keep drying until slices snap when bent, usually another 2-3 hours at the same temperature.
Conditioning the Treats
Before storage, condition the treats by placing them in a glass jar loosely covered for 24-48 hours. Shake the jar occasionally. This spreads any leftover moisture evenly across the pieces. If you see condensation inside the jar, return the treats to the dehydrator. More on this step: conditioning dehydrated food.
Dehydrated Sweet Potato Dog Treats
Ingredients
- 2-3 medium sweet potatoes
- Optional: low-sodium chicken broth with no onion or garlic, for dipping
Instructions
- Wash and peel the sweet potatoes.
- Slice into ¼-inch rounds or strips.
- Steam until just fork-tender, then cool and pat dry.
- Arrange in a single layer on dehydrator trays.
- Dry at 135°F for 6-8 hours until leathery and dry in the center.
- Condition in a loosely covered jar for 24-48 hours.
- Store in an airtight container.
How Many Dehydrated Sweet Potato Treats Can a Dog Have?
The AKC’s guideline is that treats should make up no more than 10% of your dog’s daily calories. Their example: a dog eating 1,456 calories a day should get no more than about 146 calories from all treats combined, including training rewards and table scraps.
Dehydrating removes water, not calories. A shriveled chip carries all the calories of the fresh slice it came from, which makes it easy to overfeed. To work out what one of your treats is worth:
- Weigh the peeled sweet potatoes before slicing.
- Multiply by the calories per gram. USDA FoodData Central lists raw sweet potato at about 86 calories per 100 grams, or roughly 0.86 calories per gram.
- Divide by the number of finished pieces.
For example, 500 grams of peeled sweet potato is about 430 calories. If that batch gives you 60 pieces, each is about 7 calories. Your dog’s daily calorie needs depend on size, age and activity, so ask your vet for a number, then keep all treats under 10% of it. Small dogs may only need one or two pieces a day.
Introduce sweet potato slowly. Too much fiber at once can cause loose stools or gas. Start with a piece or two and see how your dog handles it.
Storage and Shelf Life
Store completely cooled treats in an airtight container. Glass jars work better than plastic bags for keeping texture. Keep containers in a cool, dark pantry or cupboard.
Room temperature: Up to 2 weeks in an airtight container
Refrigerator: Up to 2 months
Freezer: Up to 6 months
Check treats weekly for mold or off odors. Because they contain no preservatives, they can spoil faster than commercial products. If you live in a humid climate, or you dipped them in broth, refrigerate them.
Flavor Variations
Most dogs are perfectly happy with plain sweet potato. If you want some variety, keep additions simple and dog-safe:
Broth-Dipped: Dip slices in low-sodium chicken or beef broth before dehydrating. Avoid broth containing onion, garlic or a lot of salt, and refrigerate the finished treats.
Cinnamon Sprinkle: A very light dusting of cinnamon (never nutmeg) adds aroma without sugar. Use sparingly; strong spices can irritate some dogs’ stomachs.
Sweet Potato and Chicken: Wrap a thin strip of cooked chicken around a sweet potato strip before drying. Treat these as meat treats: heat the chicken to 165°F first, refrigerate the finished treats and use them within 2 weeks. See chicken jerky for dogs for the chicken method.
For more single-ingredient ideas, see our dehydrated dog treats guide, which has 10 recipes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, we recommend it. The AKC advises feeding sweet potato cooked and never raw, since raw sweet potato can upset a dog’s stomach and may cause a blockage. A dehydrator at 135°F dries the slices but doesn’t cook them the way steaming does. A few minutes of steaming before drying takes care of it.
Most orange “yams” sold in US grocery stores are actually sweet potatoes and work perfectly. True yams (rough, dark skin and white flesh) are a different plant with a different texture and much less beta-carotene. If you use true yams, peel and cook them the same way.
It’s safer not to add moisture back, since that raises the mold risk. Hard treats are fine to feed; just break them into smaller pieces. For your next batch, pull the slices earlier, when they’re leathery and still bend.
Ask your vet first. The AKC notes sweet potatoes have a high glycemic index and should be used with caution in diabetic dogs. If your vet approves them, keep portions very small and count them in your dog’s daily calories.
Yes. Set the oven to its lowest setting (usually 170-200°F) and prop the door open with a wooden spoon. Place the steamed slices on wire racks over baking sheets and flip them halfway through. Start checking at 2 hours; thicker slices take longer. Oven treats tend to come out crisper than dehydrator versions.
Browning is natural oxidation and doesn’t affect safety. Steaming before drying reduces it, and a 5-minute soak in lemon water helps too. It’s purely cosmetic, and your dog won’t mind.
Conclusion
Dehydrated sweet potato dog treats are the best kind of homemade dog snack: cheap, simple and made from one ingredient you can pronounce. Peel, slice ¼ inch thick, steam, dry at 135°F for 6-8 hours, and keep portions inside the 10% treat rule.
Start with a small batch to test your dog’s interest and your dehydrator’s quirks. Once you find the right thickness and drying time for your climate, you can make larger batches. My dog now turns his nose up at store-bought “natural” treats in favor of these, which tells me dogs know real food when they smell it.
