[Dori]

Hi Sandy. Grandma Lucy’s treats contain wheat and soy. Katie “the delicate flower” as coined by Shawna cannot have either. Thanks for thinking of us.

She can’t have the ingredients in Wagatha’s either. (Oats)

• This reply was modified 10 years, 5 months ago by Dori.

[James F M]

We ran out of Sammy Snacks produced in Charlottesville, VA. Started using mostly Annamaet and tiny Milkbones. Probably a coincidence, but Charlie developed colitis with bloody diarrhea. He is better, trip to the vet–some Tylosin and metronidazole and W/D Sciece Diet. We pitched the newish bag of Annamaet treats—we have resumed some Annamaet grain free Lean. No problem now, but he loved the cans of Science Diet. We actually bought a little more Science Diet because he was wild about it. Cavalier Blenheim dancing on his tiptoes and trying to see that stuff on the kitchen counter that smelled so good!

He did well with Sammy Snacks for a couple of years, he was on Innova for 2 years until the recall. He has been a year or so on Annamaet. We now have the quandary of future food. We decided today to simply go back to Annamaet Lean. He is spoiled, because we hate to disappoint this little guy!

[Sylvia S]

I do agree with everything said above. I would divide the “treat” problem into two:
TRAINING TREATS, which should be small and delicious, relatively soft enabling the dog to swallow them down quickly in order to continue the training.
CHEWING TREATS: to substitute raw hides, greenies, antlers’ horns and other treats which are reputed to be noxious for our pets. They should be large and somewhat harder without endangering the teeth but hard enough to keep the pet busy and entertained for a long time. They should preferably be “acceptable” for inside the house (not like raw kneecaps which are very smelly!)

[Naturella]

For me, treats that are as nutritious as the food are great. I use Annamaet treats sometimes, and Grandma Lucy’s (not that amazing, I know, but oh well don’t use them as much anyway). Most often, though, I use just kibble samples as treats. Or the actual food Bruno is on (although he has a lot of samples now, so I like the variety). That is what I use for training. For special occasions or after an “undesirable situation” such as de-shedding, nail trimming, bathing, etc. I give a meat-based chew – cow/lamb ears, pig snouts, chicken feet, beef/lamb lung, bully sticks, etc. I use those for dental treats along with RMBs. So they are not “treats” in the same sense, but they are A treat to him when he gets them.

Aside of using kibble as treats, I would love for a commercial treat that is not just empty calories but is also nutritious, to be fit for a larger dog, but to be able to be broken into good sizes for medium and small dogs. And I am personally ok with foreign ingredients aside from Asian or African ones. South American beef is awesome, and I trust Australia, Western Europe, and New Zealand. And North America.

[“Blue”]

I want a long lasting treat to help him forget we are leaving the house.

[FreeholdHound]

Harry HAS to have a Cloud Nine Buddy Biscuit (peanut butter) before bed every night. For a “home alone” treat he has his XL Kong usually filled w/ frozen kefir, peanut butter & over ripe banana or frozen tripe grind. He doesn’t even bother to look up to see us going. He recently pulled out from God only knows where a Yak Chew & has been gnawing on it daily ( he originally hated it- go figure). His favorite treat of all is a throwback to his racing days – marshmallows, but those are reserved for special occasions lol

[Kenneth N]

Hi Freeholdmom..I’m Freehold Pugpoppa. Three pugs all with issues. Currently we give he boys tripe treats, homemade dehydrated veggies, beef, or turkey. We have tried freeze dried Orijen treats We feed them Darwin’
s and stay away from Raaw Energy because I do not trust Kitt.

[USA]

Hi cmeeks

You said “that’s why I buy 100% meat jerky like a lot of you guys”

I make Jerky for my dogs and for a store that sells pet food and treats. 100% meat jerky is a great treat for dogs and cats, so whenever I hear about a jerky treat for dogs I take a look.

Did you know that the Rocco and Roxie treats are NOT 100% meat? They even contain Rice Protein and Nitrites. Because of this I would not recommend them.

This is the ingredient list for their “Beef Jerky”
Beef, Rice Protein, Spices, Salt, Sugar, Garlic Powder, Sodium Nitrite,

[cmeeks]

Thanks for looking out! I guess I should have said mostly meat, not 100%. After all, when I eat a hamburger, I eat the whole thing including the bun, not just the meat 🙂

[Michael C]

We like a Three Dog Bakery dog treats. Not sure how widely they are distributed, although you
can buy them on the Internet. At the Menards’ stores in Omaha I can buy a bag of Three Dog Bakery Apple and Cinnamon treats that smell so good. I’ve been tempted to try them. They’re crunchy so good for teeth.

[zcRiley]

Grain free, gluten free, oven baked, no added salt or sugar. Should be the top 5 meats, added veggies is fine. Canola oil not good. Guar gum not good. Added colors/flavors not good at all. A high quality, low calorie kibble should be used for training and for diet treats. Whether it’s “convenient” or liked by humans is irrelevant.

[Joanne R]

I would like to see options that I can feed my large breed puppy. I have just finally decided on a good food for him, and now wonder about treats. I am giving him carrots and bananas right now and also pieces of his food, but would love to know about more options. Thanks for any light someone can shed for me.

[Ann Marie M]

WildSide Salmon – Wild Alaskan Freeze Dried Salmon Treats for Dogs

[Mary L]

This discussion is very timely for me, been using Natural Balance for training (3 dogs) and breaking them up, but just last night I noticed they have molasses and other “sweet” ingredients so I’m looking for something else. I have used ZiwiPeak, they’re easy to break for training and the dogs love them, but sometimes can crush into unusuable crumbs. I do feel concerned about using freeze dried treats for training because I want to make sure the dogs get enough water. Looking for healthy, quality ingredients, nothing artificial, non-GMO is a plus, and preferably no sweeteners. I prefer it be made and sourced in the USA but I don’t object to other countries if it’s quality food. China is a no. Anything with that spongy/gummy texture makes one of my dogs vomit. We use Best Bully Sticks for long term chewing.

[Tiffany K]

A treat that does not cause constipation or bowel problems is critical. I have found that many chews or bones, even ones that claim to be easily digestible and premium, can cause my four dogs’ stools to be too dry and triggers straining when going to relieve themselves.

I stopped feeding them commercial treats entirely due to this issue. Instead, I feed them boiled eggs, apple, peanut butter biscuits made at home and carrots. However, when traveling, a commercial, non messy treat that would enhance their health and life experience would “hit the spot.”

[Sallynova]

The best treats we found are only 2 ingredients. Beef and blueberries or chicken and apples. They are 100% organic and human grade. They are dehydrated not processed like kibble and our whole neighborhood uses them. I think they also have chicken breast and rosemary or it might have been just a seasonal treat. You only get 10 in a bag but my sister’s yorkie only gets a quarter of a biscuit as a treat so they last. They do get crumbly sometimes but we pour out the crumbs from the bottom of the bag and add a little warm water. I’ve read so many posts tonight and just have to tell people about how good Dogs For The Earth food and treats are because everyone who uses their food sees such a difference in their dogs. Our family likes that everything is 100% organic because all of us only want organic food so we like it for our dog too.

[Dori]

Just wondering why the post from Sallynova is marked as reported for inappropriate content? Is she possibly the owner and basically advertising? I was about to check out the product on line but think I’ll wait to find out why it’s has inappropriate content. Thanks Everyone or Anyone that know what’s up?

[Dori]

Thanks Labs. I couldn’t figure it out cause I didn’t read anything inappropriate in her post.

[DogFoodie]

I’m not sure, Dori, but it looks like Sallynova’s posts were spam: /forums/users/sallynova/replies/

[InkedMarie]

Was SallyNova the poster who posted on multiple forums last night? I know I read the same basic post over & over.

[Dori]

Hi 4FootedFoodie. (Love your name, by the way). I was wondering about Sallynova and maybe not necessarily spam but might be the store owner or manufacturer of the food, etc. Thanks for the heads up.

Hey Marie, hope all is well with you and yours. I don’t know about SallyNova and multiple posts I do know that I’d never heard of her before and was wondering why her post was reported as being inappropriate.

[Schutzhund]

I don’t know if this has been said before but I’ve been using dehydrated offal such as Buffalo lungs, hooves, venison parts etc. For chews deer / elk antlers seem to work best!

The lungs are great for treats because you can break them apart. They get messy and leave dust when you break them so I normally do it in the bag or break them over her food bowl.

[Jennifer D]

I only give my dogs Yummy Chummies and they love them. Made in the USA with wild salmon, minimal ingredients & processing. The 95% Salmon Supreme seems to be my dogs favorite 🙂

[Charla H]

I like to have a variety of treats for my dog, Spike.

I like to feed him healthy, actual food that I could eat as a treat. He LOVES apple slices, cucumber slices, cherries and carrots. We frequent the farmers’ market, and some of the farmers treat him to bites of produce. He’s a picky eater — he turns up his nose at the homemade dog biscuit booth — he’d rather have a nice vegetable treat or even a bit of cheese from one of the creameries. And he LOVES popcorn.

The meat producers at the farmer’s market also sell dog bones. I buy beef, pork, lamb and bison bones for Spike as treats. I freeze them and give them to him outside on hit days — like a doggy popsicle.

I also give him Mingua Beef Jerky. It’s made by a family in my hometown, and it’s for people. I stay away from the spicy varieties. He loves his beef jerky!

There are also some freeze-dried liver bits that he loves. I am out of them now and can’t remember the name (if they change their packaging, I’m in trouble because I know them by their blue bag.) But they are just freeze-dried beef liver. They are about the size of regular dog kibble.

He also gets some treats to clean his teeth, freshen his breath and for his coat/skin.

For small training treats, I buy a small bag of dog food that is a different brand than his daily food. I can use lots of treats in training because I literally exchange the exact amount, whatever part that might be, from the food in his bowl. As long as the treat food is as good a quality as the dish food, you’re good on nutrition and safe on calories.

I also use the food treat exchange for socialization. I’ll take it in a treat pack on my belt and let kids at the market or whomever, offer him a treat, or give him a treat when he gets on the elevator, or whatever. He eats small bites, so he can be treated fifty times without a noticeable change (at least to him) in his food bowl.

Clearly, he is spoiled rotten. No, he doesn’t get all of these treats in one day! But he’s still rather spoiled.

[Gail W]

1. Quality similar to food
2. Manufacturing standards similar to their food
3. Easy to give as a training treat or as a high value reward

Like other posters, I want treats that have similar quality as their food. We went with Orijen puppy because they comply with Canadian & EU standards. For high value rewards, we use Orijen Freeze Dried Wild Boar. Those treats don’t break apart all that well, so for puppy training treats, we are trying Sojo Good Dog bones. In the bag, there are very few broken pieces and little dust. They break in thirds or in half very easily for our young Yorkies.

[Jenny Rellick]

I am very concerned about the calories from treats. I budget an average of 50 calories in treats per day for my dog, Leo, a 50 pound Australian Cattle Dog. If I had a smaller dog, I would be even more restrictive. If the treat had equal nutrition to his food, I could simply reduce my dog’s meal calories on days with high treat calories, but I have not found a treat that is an Editor’s Choice dog food substitute. I classify treats as empty calories, even though some may have some nutritional value.

Another consideration is whether the treat serves the functions of a treat. I use treats for 5 purposes:
1. Drop that and chew on this–I use a cow leg marrow bone or an elk antler for this treat because Leo can express his nerves, annoyance, or stir-craziness with it for hours. He will drop the electrical plug, frozen food container, or plastic bag for these treats.
2. The potty treat. I give Leo a tiny 3-calorie treat for behaving and going potty in the right place in a reasonable time. He gets 6 per day usually.
3. The dental treat recommended by veterinary dentists. These are large, high calorie. and very expensive. I only give him 2 per week, which is less than the recommended amount, because of the calories. He won’t let me brush his teeth.
4. The cute dog treat. A treat for when I give in to his eyes begging or when he is being very good. This is different from the potty treat because it is not as automatic–I make him obey commands to get it– and it has to be more valuable to to Leo than the potty treat. These must be 5 calories or less.
5. Lastly, Leo needs a treat he would do ANYTH ING to get. In an emergency, I can use it to get Leo to come back if he runs out the door (after figuring out that it is not 100% latched and opening it himself!) In Leo’s opinion, the dental treat is the treat of the gods. He will run to me, faster than a bullet for it.

When it comes to the elk antler and cow bone, I am concerned that it is from a safe source and is stored and processed safely. He does so much work on them that he probably burns more calories than he consumes, so I am not worried about the calories in that case. My dog’s food is grain-free, but because the treats are regarded as empty calories in Leo’s diet and are given in small amount’s, I allow them to contain grains. If I were to use a treat as a food equivalent, I would need it to be grain free because Leo has food intolerances.
I hope this list of attributes helps the treat committee in their mission. I think most dog parents would agree with many of these criteria.

[Barbara]

I was curious what anyone thought of Dogswell Happy Hips Duck Breast, Salmon or Chicken Breast Dog Treats?? They appear to have only the protein ingredient plus Vitamin E Supplement, Glucosamine Hydrochloride & Chondroitin Sulfate. I saw them on Chewy.com. Thanks for any input.

I just noticed I cannot tell the country of origin of these proteins and the packaging does not state made in the USA so I am now skeptical of the source.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 3 months ago by Barbara.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Barbara –

Strictly in terms of ingredients the Dogswell jerky treats appear to be a great treat. Unfortunately, Dogswell’s jerky treats are manufactured in China. Just in case you weren’t aware, there have been major issues with jerky-type treats that are manufactured in China over the past few years. Many dogs have died and many more have gotten seriously ill. Here’s some information on the situation. Dogswell was actually one of the companies that had to recall treats because they tested positive for an antibiotic that is illegal for use in food animals in the United States – more information on the recall here. If you’re looking for safe jerky treat with joint support I’d recommend checking out Bixbi or Earth Animal.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 3 months ago by Hound Dog Mom.

[Barbara]

Thanks Hound Dog Mom for the suggestions. I had not noticed that the Dogswell treats did not have a “made in the USA” until after I posted. I really liked the sound of the limited ingredients so it is too bad they are manufactured in China :(. I did know about jerky-type treats that are manufactured in China having major issues and that dogs have died and others had become seriously ill in the last few years. I wish it was easier to tell where a product is made when you are checking on-line. Last year I returned an unopened bag of Cadet Duck jerky dog treats that I had been giving to my dogs for over a year because I did not want to take any chances. I don’t understand why Costco still carries them. I think I will also look into Alaskan Salmon treats that have been recommended in the forum.
Thank you for your help.

[Barbara]

Thanks Hound Dog Mom for the suggestions. I had not noticed that the Dogswell treats did not have a “made in the USA” until after I posted. I really liked the sound of the limited ingredients so it is too bad they are manufactured in China :(. I did know about jerky-type treats that are manufactured in China having major issues and that dogs have died and others had become seriously ill in the last few years. I wish it was easier to tell where a product is made when you are checking on-line. Last year I returned an unopened bag of Cadet Duck jerky dog treats that I had been giving to my dogs for over a year because I did not want to take any chances. I don’t understand why Costco still carries them. I think I will also look into Alaskan Salmon treats that have been recommended in the forum.
Thank you for your help.

[Barbara]

I did not realize that this information was in DFA before I originally posted. I know now to search for recalls by brand name. You can also just search the word recalls on the DFA homepage.
/dog-food-recall/dogswell-withdraws-dog-cat-jerky-treats
It appears that some of the packages state made in the USA but I understand from reading comments that you need to find out where the ingredients are sourced from by contacting the manufacturer. Sounds like a lot of jerky-type treats have ingredients sourced from China!

• This reply was modified 10 years, 3 months ago by Barbara.

[Margaret H]

Something that is beneficial to their teeth and
helps bad breath.

[Dori]

Margaret H. If you are asking what is tried and truly beneficial to their teeth and bad breath?
That would be brushing your dogs teeth. It’s the only thing that truly works for the health of our dogs teeth and bad breath. Make sure to use a tooth paste that is specifically made for dogs.

[Elizabeth P]

For Margaret H: I do brush my dog’s teeth and his breath was still awful. The vet could find no cause. So, very skeptically, I tried the OraPup. Darned if it didn’t work like a charm. And I don’t need to use it often, so the licky stuff lasts forever. They send a human-sized one, too!

[Margaret H]

thank you…….I do brush his teeth, doesn’t seem to work. I will try the OraPup.

[Mary M]

I have lately been using the “Real Meat” jerky treats for my dog. She loves them. They source their meat from the US, New Zealand, or Australia. She is extremely picky so any suggestions you all have I look forward to. She used to like the Zuke’s mini treats but not so much anymore. She rarely likes anything peanut butter, sweet potato, or any fruit/veggie treats. She also doesn’t care for dry dog biscuits of any type. She used to really like the Natural Balance sausages which I used for a “high-value” treat for her reactivity, but they changed their formulation (apparently now healthier) and she won’t touch it. So I need MEAT options. 😉 Oh and she’ll take the Stella and Chewy’s carnivore crunch, but not the carnivore kisses. Go figure.

[aquariangt]

Real Meat is great. Another meat option would be Sojos Simply treats. Just dehydrated raw beef, turkey, or lamb. They are the best commercially sold training treats ive found

[pugmomsandy]

I’ve been using ZiwiPeak for treats. It’s like tiny pieces of jerky.

[Cotons mom]

I’m not making a recommendation but am wondering if anyone has/had experience with Wild T Bison Dog Food? They are located in Virginia and I found them while doing a search for raw food. They are a bison farm and make their own products. Thanks for any info.

[amber p]

Hi Mike,

I absolutely recommend my Skinny pet treats! With my picky dog, it was hard to find a dog treat brand that she’ll eat every time. My friend recommended me mySkinny, and let me tell you it’s simply the best!:) They come in a great variety of different flavors, my dog loves chicken sweet potato and yogurt banana. You can get them in jerky or mini treats. Give it a try!

[Brian M]

Quality ingredients. Grain free

[Mary M]

She won’t eat Ziwi peak either. She’s a very picky little dog. 😉 I will check out the Sojo treats though.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 2 months ago by Mary M.

[Haleybop]

I recently found Off Leash treats produced in small batches at Buddy’s Kitchen Head Quarters, in Aurora, Ontario. Apparently, so have others. They went from $2.50 a bag to $5 a bag. Luckily, I stocked up. From dog.com…

Proudly made in Canada
All-natural
No grains, wheat, soy, corn, artificial flavor, or colors
Soft, chewy, semi-moist treat
Only 4 calories per treat
Comes in a convenient re-sealable pouch; perfect take-along on outdoor excursions
Easy to break in half- a perfect calorie reducing benefit for pet parents who are constantly rewarding their dog

They come in chicken, beef and peanut butter. They smell sooo good, I’m tempted to try the beef and chicken myself. The peanut butter – not too crazy about the smell. I like that they use buckwheat flour, which is not a wheat nor a grain – it is a fruit seed related to rhubarb. Buckwheat is gluten free and nutritionally rich. I’m also able to break each pencil size piece into four pieces for training treats for my beagle. They do, however, fall apart when very fresh. If you let them air dry a little, like in a treat pouch, they don’t crumble as much.

I do wonder what the “natural flavors” are, though. Anyone else have any experience with these? Is the vegetable glycerin anything to worry about? Ha ha, now I’m second guessing my choice…

[pugmomsandy]

Fresh is Best Inc. also has a variety of dried meats and organs. I’ve also used PureBites and they’re easy to break apart.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 2 months ago by pugmomsandy.

[Edith H]

our year-round stocking treats are Stella and Chewy’s beef formula, Raw Rewards freeze dried salmon bites and Crum’s natural’s sweet potatos. Simple ingredients, low calories and reliable food sources!

[aquariangt]

We just put in an order for Fresh is Best at the store, as we’re going to phase out the Zuke’s. I’m excited and glad to see you recommend them Sandy. I’ll report back the findings

[pugmomsandy]

They (Fresh is Best Inc) used to sell freeze dried tripe but had to stop since they could only process human grade stuff.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 2 months ago by pugmomsandy.

[Dori]

Sandy have you fed Fresh Is Best freeze dried dog food and, if so, what do you think of it? As always thanks for your input to the health of my girls.

[pugmomsandy]

I have not fed the food, but it would be on my list of things to try after using up the 20 lbs or so of freeze dried on hand!

[Dori]

Thanks Sandy. I know it will be awhile but I’d appreciate it if you post your findings on this food whenever you get around to it. Thanks much.

[Author]

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