[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.

[Marcus P]

Hey All,

Wondering if anyone can help out. I am looking at getting a new Mastiff puppy and dont know what the best food choices are for a giant breed. I do know that the breeder has been feeding him Victor Super Premium since 7 weeks. He is now around 8 weeks. From my research on the Forums so far I have found that the calcium levels in this food may be to high? I was looking at Earthborn Holistics (meadow feast and/or costal catch). Is that a good substitute for the Victor, or am I way off base? Is it necessary to add anything to the dry food like some kind of wet food? Also, I had always believed that big dogs should be fed from elevated bowls, but I have found that this may also not be the case as it may increase the chance of bloat? Due to the need to regulate a giant breed dogs calcium intake what type of treats and bones can they have? Is there anything I am missing that I also need to know about feeding a giant breed? Sorry about all the questions, I just want to make sure I do right by the little guy and he is with us for as long as possible. Thanks for any help.

[InkedMarie]

There are many dog foods out there. If price is an issue, look at Victor, Dr Tim’s, Hi Tek. I would never feed an inferior food as Beneful. If your dog is healthy, practice tough love. Put the food down, leave for 15 min then pick up. He gets no food or treats until the next meal. Pick a quality food, add something healthy such as canned, little yogurt etc.

[Jonathan L]

I’m sure there are probably many brands of dog food out there that haven’t been reviewed. Here in the LA area we have a certain brand that I have seen in a number of different feed stores. I have personally used this food for our dog for many years and we recently had to put our dog down just shy of 4 years old. She stopped eating her food. We tried different foods but the only thing she would eat in the end were treats. She eventually even stopped eating those and stopped drinking. We finally had to put her down. We were told by the vet that her issues were not related to her food, but there’s something that keeps nagging me about the food. She never seemed to be fanatic about eating but after a period when our normal food was not available when we finally got it she started refusing to eat it. We now have another dog we rescued and are feeding her the same food. She too doesn’t seem very interested in the food unless we add a little bit of wet food. I’d be very interested in how our dry dog food compares to some of the other foods. We have been using Ace Hi Feeds – Dog Chunk Bite Size it is made by Star Milling Co. Would it be possible to review this sometime? They have information about their products at http://www.starmilling.com.

[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!)

[Sarah Y]

I’m trying to find a good, safe dental chew for my dogs. I have heard mixed reviews on greenies though they seem to be the most popular. One of my beagles can be an aggressive chewer too. I remember reading greenies should not be swallowed in pieces. My beagle tends to chew a piece then swallow it whereas my other two beagles will thoroughly chew their greenie. Soooooo, I stopped giving greenies to them because one not not chew through the whole thing. I bought nature’s recipes dental chews today but honestly am not sure if they are good or not.

I do brush my dogs teeth and to be honest, it’s not consistent. Sometimes its 2 or 3 times a week for a few months then it’s once a week, sometimes once every couple of weeks. They have had dental cleanings too. So overall their teeth are pretty good.

Any suggestions on good dental chews/treats?

[Jackie B]

Peachy is settling in! Her housetraining is mostly complete. She has learned sit and loose leash walking and is in a basic obedience class for other skills. Having her around has really perked up my older rescue poodle, he is eating more regularly and is chewing on chewies and playing more. They are still not best friends yet, my older one treats Peachy like an annoying little sister. But I think that things are going really well.

In 2 weeks we go in to recheck that her heartworms are really and truly gone.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 5 months ago by Jackie B.

[Cyndi]

🙁 My dog won’t touch ANY of that stuff. She makes me so mad sometimes, lol! I eat alot of fruits and raw veggies & I haven’t found any of them that she’ll eat. I was hoping to use those as treats, but she won’t eat them.

[Susan]

Hi Maureen, My boy has Pancreatitis & IBD, I noticed when I gave my boy a kibble that was higher in protein he got his pain back, I tried the Holistic Select Senior Chicken Meal & Rice the fat was min-10% on bag, I emailed Holistic Select & max Fat was 11.98% the protein was 26%, I thought good higher protein then his Eukanuba Intestinal vet prescription diet which is 23% protein fat-10% that he was put on but I dont know if it was the fat% being 11.98% or the higher protein at 26% but he started his whinging again & had his pain, so now Im tryng the Wellness Simple “Duck & Oatmeal” fat% is min-11% on the bag & max fat is 11.98% the protein is lower at 19% but he seems better on the Wellness Simple…Duck & Oatmeal, Im mixing the Simple with his Eukanuba Intestinal .when looking for a new kibble try to match the Fat % & the protein% & fiber%..the Wellness simple has their Healthy Weight Salmon & Peas Grain free the fat % min 8% the protein is 26% fiber is 6%, the fiber is a bit to high for my Patch, maybe this will be similer to the Hills W/D diet & its grain free.. he’s a link if u want to compare things you might see another flavour that is closer to his Hills W/D diet, & slowly so slowly start just adding a bit of the new kibble with his old kibble..Ive taking 2 weeks & Im still just adding 1/4cup & using the Wellnes Simple duck kibbles as treats.. having the IBD on top does not help. http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/categories.aspx?pet=dog&cat=3

[Dori]

Grapes and raisins are no no’s but I gave my three girls all the fruits you give and then some. I also give them raw veggies. They love them all. I use them as treats because I don’t trust any store bought manufactured dog treats. Too many recalls for my liking. You’re Yorki is lucky to have you. I have a Maltese, a Yorkipoo and a Maltipoo.

[Sarah Y]

Although it says it’s all stages, would this really be a good food for a senior? I’m asking because I’m going to try switching one of my younger beagles to the grain free formula and I was thinking about switching my senior (beagle, will be 12 in a couple of months) to the grain free instead of the grain formula. Her poops are smaller and not as firm as they were before on grain free.

I also noticed she gained weight on the grain formula which is why I’m afraid changing to higher protein and fat is not a good idea. She gets a cup a day with a little yogurt or a little can food (plus a couple of treats). Thoughts on this?

• This topic was modified 11 years, 5 months ago by Sarah Y.

[USA]

Hi InkedMarie

Your response is highly unlikely, but I would like to thank you for your comment. I knew nothing about the additional dangers of lead poisoning that come with drinking or cooking with hot water from the <b>hot side</b> of the faucet. I only knew about the sludge and sediment dangers!

“Hi Ladies,
Please don’t add hot or warm water from a tap or faucet to your dog’s food. Water from the hot side of a faucet has gone through a water heater which is full of slime and sediment. That is not something I want in my dog’s food!”

“InkedMarie
USA Dog Treats: no offense but if my tap water is good enough for me to drink, it’s good enough for my dogs.”

[Jennifer R]

We just had allergy tests done on my 3-year-old lab and he is allergic to the following 19 food items:
Barley, beef, beets, carrots, corn, duck, fish, peanut, wheat, milk, green beans, berries, banana, squash (pumpkin), tomatoes, spinach, rice, sweet potato, and shellfish.

We have decided to make our own food for him from now on. The vet told us to just use chicken, potatoes and green peas but I am concerned about that being enough of a balanced diet for him. I am also planning to give him apples and frozen oatmeal for little treats. Does this sound like enough to keep him healthy?

[Jennifer R]

We just had allergy tests done on my 3-year-old lab and he is allergic to the following 19 food items:
Barley, beef, beets, carrots, corn, duck, fish, peanut, wheat, milk, green beans, berries, banana, squash (pumpkin), tomatoes, spinach, rice, sweet potato, and shellfish.

We have decided to make our own food for him from now on. The vet told us to just use chicken, potatoes and green peas but I am concerned about that being enough of a balanced diet for him. I am also planning to give him apples and frozen oatmeal for little treats. Does this sound like enough to keep him healthy?

• This topic was modified 4 years ago by Mike Sagman. Reason: Fix Duplicate Topic Title

[Jenn F]

We have been trying that method too & the only thing between meals is maybe a treat (small milk bone), if that. My other female is diabetic, so we try not to feed treats & or just a treat a day to keep her glucose level steady. Another prob is I think she may be a “grazer” & in this house that doesn’t work, you eat it when its put down, not an here & their, but her foster never said she had probs with her eating. I would think with the 2 others watching her she would wanna eat it instead of leaving it, that’s usually how it works….not with her!!! I may try to add H2O to her dinner & let it sit to soften it & see if that helps at all, but I doubt it. I have never in my life had a dog this picky, its ridiculous!!!

• This reply was modified 11 years, 5 months ago by Jenn F.
• This reply was modified 11 years, 5 months ago by Jenn F.

[InkedMarie]

USA Dog Treats: no offense but if my tap water is good enough for me to drink, it’s good enough for my dogs.

[Cordell N]

Hello,
I home cook for my three dogs. A 7 month old Australian Shepherd, a senior Boston Terrier and a senior Bassett Hound. I make their food in a crock pot twice a week.
I use a combination of meats which usually include chicken thighs or chicken quarters and ground beef and chicken gizzards. I also add ground lamb if I can find it in the discount area.
I throw in carrots, green beans and other vegetables from my garden like squash and tomatoes. If I have some fruit that needs to be eaten I throw that in also. I add some water and cook until done. I remove the everything and debone the chicken and mash with a potatoes masher and mix well. I then cook my carbs in the liquid. Sometimes rice, potatoes, lentils, oats or barley. I least that cook until very well done add a can of pumpkin and mix it all together. I would estimate that the meat comprises about 75% of their diet.

I add a supplement I make at feeding that includes ground egg shell, nutritional yeast, kelp powder, lecithin granules, ground multivitamins, salmon oil, yogurt, apple cider with the mother and Brazil nuts. I also put a cube or two of cooked beef liver or canned sardines on top a couple of times a week.
I would like to add some raw food and bones to their routine.
I bought the following at the Asian and Mexican markets.
Chicken and turkey necks
Pork neck bones
Beef feet cut up
Pork heart.
My questions are can I give a neck a couple of tomes a week as a treat?
Are raw pork neck bones and cut up raw beef feet safe as treats?
Should I cook the pork heart in the crock pot with my other meat or serve a small portion raw on top of their cooked food?
Thanks in advance for your help!
Cordell

[Katie J]

He actually watches the other dog eat. So I asked my boyfriend, who he apparently eats better for, if he bring my terrier in for feedings. He does not. I thought he had been being that I told him to… Lol. I had been separating the pair in the bathroom of all places. It was just a convenient place at first. It is quite crowded with the three of us. But I do have to keep any dog getting something special out of sight of the spaniel as she is very territorial over food/treats/anything special. Perhaps the extras I having been giving my terrier will just have to be after I feed the pup for now. I don’t have an ideal situation currently. Eventually they will have special places to eat.

I had planned to switch to 2 meals and found out that the boyfriend fed lunch today. I will just give him a very small dinner to hold him over. We’ll go to 2 tomorrow. I am nervous about having him eat just dry as he hasn’t been forced to suffer that torture in about a week. 😉 Would doing a mostly dry meal in the AM and a mostly wet meal in the PM be a good compromise?

I had a sneaking suspicion that I was totally getting played with the spoon feeding. And there is a reason that I have furry kids and not the human kind. I guess I would be that mom forcing food down her kids’ mouths! It’s been several years since I’ve had a puppy as opposed to an adoloescent or adult. I have been extremely paranoid and concerned with every bit of him.

I did a bit of online vet work to see about his water habits. And I was figuring that he just hadn’t understood that water isn’t just a boredom thing. His potty training has been coming along so I was thinking about letting him get a few more water breaks so he can get the hint. I will discuss his habits with our vet just to be sure as he acts like a normal puppy.

We just picked up some new goodies for him tonight: 2 samples of Signature and two cans of Wild Calling. And since the price was good on the Orijen Treats, he got those too. We almost picked up a small bag of the Stella raw, but we were wanting to try a small bag of the rabbit before committing to a big bag.

Crazy4cats – Thank you. He’s my little special man. I just want the best for my little guys!

[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!

[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 11 years, 5 months ago by Dori.

[pugmomsandy]

Dori,
Grandma Lucy’s has organic freeze dried treats. Sometimes I use Wagatha’s.

[Dori]

If I were to use commercially made treats I would want them to be made in the USA and sourced in the USA. They would have to be human grade made in a human food facility that is regularly inspected by the USDA. They would need to be of limited ingredient. Organic would be best. Small in size to be used as training treats if one wanted to use them for that purpose. No grains, corn, soy, wheat, alfalfa, tomato or potato. No known high histamine ingredients. Low in calories.

I have used Vital Essentials tripe treats once in a while. So far I find that I trust Vital Essentials. I used to feed THK treats once in a while but I no longer feel comfortable with that company so I stopped using them quite a while ago.

Treats I give my girls (all teeny tiny dogs) are blueberries, carrots, string beans, coconut chips, broccoli, etc. In other words all healthy organic if I can find them fruits and veggies. Mango, all types of melon, apples, etc. I guess, basically, whatever is in my fridge. No sweet potatoes as they contain too much sugar for my liking. My girls like them all and I don’t have to worry about which manufacturer is going to have the next recall and where they really source their ingredients.

[Elizabeth P]

My veterinary dentist says that things like Himalayan dog chews are too hard for dog teeth. That is how dogs break teeth. If you can’t score it with your finger nail, it is too hard. Go to http://www.vohc.com (Veterinary Oral Health Council) for treats of appropriate hardness.

[InkedMarie]

Hi Vianca,
I’m sorry for the loss of Fluffy. I agree that most vets don’t know much about nutrition. For your dog who needs to lose weight, I had great success with Wellness Core reduced fat. I haven’t tried Annamaet Lean but others have with good luck.
For the dog with allergies, we need more information. What are the symptoms the dog has? Please post the ingredients to the dog good he eats. What other food products does he eat: treats, supplements, anything.

[Susan]

Hi Abby, he may have IBS, my boy has IBD, I resuced him about 19months ago, Patch is also a stress head, so maybe this has something to do why they get IBS, Patch also has been on the Metronidazole a couple of times in the begining & had anal gland problems, vets put Patch on the Eukanuba Intestinal in the end, since being on the vet Diet Eukanuba he’s been doing real good, his anal glands dont need expressing by vet no more….when I tried to change his kibble last December I didnt realise that he cant handle too much fat, Ive found if the kibble is around 10%-12% fat he’s Ok, no diarrhea, also I have to keep him on a lower protein kibble & the Eukanaba Intestinal low residue is 23% protein 10% fat & 1.75% fiber, I think in America you have the IAMS but the ingredients are different to the Eukanuba has no by-products & lower fat & lower fiber then the Iams low residue kibble..I’d try the vet prescription, if you cant get Eukanuba Intestinal then the Royal Canin low fat is similar with fat% Protein % & fiber %.. Ive had to have Patch just on the Eukanuba for around 6 months, no treats nothing else, just his Intestinal kibble, vet said his bowel needs to rest & heal then when his poos were excellent.. I started to sooooo slowley tried now foods, also Wellness Simple is good with Limited ingredients, I’m slowley adding the Duck & Oatmeal kibble with his Intestinal the fat is 11% protein is 19% Protein is a bit low but if he doesnt get sloppy poos or diarrhea thats excellent, I also give him a small tin of tuna in spring water drained then mixed with about 2 big tablespoons of pumkin for breakfast, next week Im going to add a boiled egg to the mix as I half the mix for the next morning aswell..the Tuna & egg will boast his protein a bit more, I also use a good dog probiotic…Ive read that the prebiotics in the kibbles get damaged from heat & when transported if left in the heat or sun, so ur better off given ur own probiotic awell & a kibble with FOS.. I try not to let Patch stress & keep his routine the same everyday, I feed him the same time everyday, walk him same time, I also take him everywhere with me, well where I can, he loves meeting people..If I change something in his day, Ive noticed he’ll be real whinging & have his pain that night & next morning.
In Australia the Wellness dog kibbles are dearer then the vet prescrition diets, I dont know why, I pay $32 for 2kilos of the vet Eukanuba Intestinal & the Wellness Simple is $37 for only 1.8kilos…try to make him feel secure & in time he’ll learn to trust again, when I first got Patch he wouldn’t let me out the front door without crying & whinging, then he learnt that she just going shopping so when he sees my shopping bag he knows she’ll just be about 20min & she’ll come back & I give him his second bit of breakfast, I break Patches meals up into 5 meals a day, I found he couldnt stomach real big meals at once…its sad alot of these rescues have had it hard, not all, my last rescue was healthy wasn’t nervous but she was younger… Patch is 5 years old..in time things do get better.

[Zach M]

I was thinking about THK, but was also deciding between merrick and core. I am a fan of wellness core, as I have used some of there Canned food and treats in the past. C4C, I was talking about real food toppers that I pit on arnt over 20%. When I feed canned I give her a meal of it. Tell me about it. If my dog could talk life would be so much better! Merrick I’ve heard has had quality issues, but it seems like the ingredients and protein is right for my dog. I might make the switch to Wellness core, but I’m not sure if they use ingredients from the usa and if they use no gmos, which are important to me for certain reasons. Thanks for all the help. I will continue to pursue my goal of getting my dog to eat her food!

[Susan]

Hi Amy, its not the Frontline, frontline only penetrates the first 1-2 layers of their skin, My boy had a reaction to Advantage DO NOT USE the Advantage penetrates thru the skin to their blood, within 24hrs one side of my boys head swelled up his ear & his bottom lip swelled, & he was vomiting blood early hours of the morning, at first I didnt think the Advantage until I rung his vet. the best way to know whats happening is an elimination diet, for 1 month you just feed 1 new protein & say boiled pumkin or rice nothing else no treats nothing, thats if you think it could be foods, I used chicken in Patches elimantion diet but now I think Patch cant have chicken as the lumps on his head that look like hives got worst, Patches vet said that he has seasonal allergies & cause I just rescued him 19 months ago she said I’ll start to see a pattern, I noticed last winter Patch was good, no itch but the end of summer Patch got all his hive like lumps, itching & rubbing along the wall, this winter Patch has his hive like lumps again, so I look in Patches diary & last winter I wasnt feeding him chicken, this winter I was feeding chicken, so Ive stopped the chicken…Ive heard all these test are no good as they give false readings the best would be if you could try him on raw, Im just starting a new kibble called Wellness Simple it has limited ingredients, also watch his carbs, no potatoes, no sweet potatoes, no carrots no high carbs that turn to sugar that makes yeasty itchy skin.. If he can handle it i’d feed raw.. & google a good Raw diet for itchy skin..Ive been thinking of putting Patch on Raw but he has IBD & I have enough trouble trying to find a low fat kibble, so raw would have to much fat for Patch..also there could be a plant or grass in ur garden or on his walks that he’s allergic to, I’ve changed Patches walking route to see if that helps….Its winter here in Australia, so if Patch has enviornment allergies or seasonal allergies like his vet said, why is he getting them now being winter & he didnt last year, thats whats making me look at his food this year, I use Malaseb Medicated shampoo, & I use a cortisone cream when he gets some of the red itchy sores, I found the cortsone 1% cream is excellent Im just using my cream…just look at the ingredients in his kibble & see if there’s Potatos sweet potatos carrots, lentils any high carb foods…A friend from the dog park had a staffy that was so itchy he was red & losing his fur she tried the vet diets they didnt work then she tried the Holistic Select Adult health Anchovys sardines & salmon & her boy is looking excellent not scratching fur all grown back..so a few people from the dog park are using the Holistic Select with great results… Im also given Patch tuna & pumkin for breakfast to replace the chicken & his hives have gone. sorry for the book..Oh a good dog probiotic this will help too…good-luck

[Amy E]

Hello, I’m new here.
5 months ago I adopted Moby, a 9 year old miniature schnauzer. He was from a puppy mill and weighed 7 lbs. when I got him. He now weighs 12 lbs and the vet says he’s a good weight. He came to us with ear infections, which we treated and cleared up.

He developed some small itchy bumps on his head, neck, legs and chest, which he licked, scratched and rubbed his body along the furniture. Vet diagnosed skin infection due to stress or allergies. Rx: zeniquin & clemastine for 10 days with KetoChlor shampoo followed by Allergroom shampoo daily for 3 days, then twice weekly for 2 weeks.

At 10 day recheck: All bumps healed and went away during the 2 weeks, except for one new bump on chest so 3 more days of zeniquin prescribed and continuing clemastine until winter arrives. Also supposed to bathe with the 2 shampoos once every 2 weeks.

Well… the bumps have returned on his head and neck. They started with just one here and there and have increased daily over this week. He’s starting to itch, rub and lick more again, even though he is still taking clemastine.

I feed him Eagle Pack Holistic Salmon kibble, but he also gets various treats (chicken based) and yogurt daily along with various other things like pumpkin, fresh veggies, fruit and sardines.

He came from Oklahoma and now lives in Minnesota. It just so happened that winter ended and spring began around the time we got him…the same time he started a new diet at our house…so it’s hard to know if his allergies are environmental or food based without testing (I’m considering doing a home-based test like Immune IQ). I suspect a life of poor diet and low exercise has weakened his immune system and now he’s more susceptible to everything, causing skin reactions. Besides the bumps, he has no other issues with his skin or coat (no hair loss, raw patches, etc). He has no digestive issues either. He’s a happy little guy, always wagging his tail, eats voraciously, sleeps like a log, potties on schedule (output looks good).

Do you think I should switch to a different food with fewer ingredients? If so, what? I’m going to eliminate the yogurt. We have another [senior] dog so feeding completely raw is cost prohibitive for me.

Thanks in advance for your help and advice.

[Carrie H]

Sure Betsy here is the list. Some are just treats and some are not sold in the US. http://www.iamscruelty.com/nottested.asp We use Natural Balance which is about $50 per 30 lb bag. That does not last us long so anything a bit cheaper but still a decent food would be spectacular. However I will not support a company that tests on animals!

[Cyndi]

Thanks BCnut!!

& USA Dog treats, when BCnut is in her laboratory, mixing up her essential oils, she’s rubbing her hands together and doing that evil laugh like a mad scientist, then she cuts the arms and legs off gingerbread men! Lmao!!

[DogFoodie]

I was just throwing some more treats in my Chewy.com shopping cart and thought of something else that’s important to me. For my little dog, who gains weight easily; I love tiny, portion controlled treats. My favorites are Wellness Petite. Like I said before, quality ingredients and a quality manufacturer that I trust. These treats are like 2 or 3 calories each and there’s like 150 in a bag for about $3.99 (currently on sale at Chewy). It makes it super easy to control portions and keep track of calories.

[USA]

Annamaet’s treats are the EXACT same formula as their dog foods with the same name. So Manitok treats are exactly the same as Manitok dog food. Except Manitok treats are $8.99 for 10 oz making them $14.40 a pound while Manitok dog food is $17.99 for 5.5 lbs making it $3.27 a pound.

I know of a couple of dog food makers that came out with treats that are basically their dog foods in treat form. There is a huge per pound price increase in all the dog foods that have used the same formulas for their treats and I don’t know what would justify such a huge price increase.

These are meat-meal based treats as is the dog food. I hope meat-meal based treats because of the dubious quality of meat-meals are not included in your recommended treats list unless you can independently verify the quality of the meat-meals for yourselves.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 5 months ago by USA.

[Travis A]

Hello,
Lately i have just started to get them out in the neighborhood for some light walking sessions in the afternoon/evening time. 1 of my pups Bishop likes to pull, he will walk in the direction you want but just wants to pull non stop. The other pup Rook whines the whole time but still acts excited to investigate and ALWAYS pulls toward the houses as we walk down the side walk. If i jog a bit they both get better at staying next to me but, i try using treats and stopping, turning directions when pulling. Granted they haven’t had much leash time i just don’t want to create bad habits as they get bigger as they are already 35 + lbs heading into their first week of 5 months old so i know they will be big boys. Suggestions and tips? Thank you very much and God Bless. Oh i should mention i do walk them seperate to get them acclimated individually first before attempting both at the same time.

[Ariane H]

My puggies prefer treats that are soft and breakable to the ones that are hard and tend to make crumbs. Also, they make it easier for me to hide meds in them!

[Mom2Cavs]

HDM, I like Annamaet’s treats, too.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Judi –

Some articles on treats are in the works! Please check out this thread and give us some feedback: /forums/topic/your-most-recommended-dog-treats/page/2/#post-45793

[Hound Dog Mom]

I agree Myra. My dogs love Annamaet’s new line of treats. I love the velcro closure on the packaging and the fact that the treats are the same formulation as the food so they aren’t just empty calories.

[Myra S]

I am as picky about my dogs treats as their food. Although they are pricey I love Annamaet’s treats. Just as wholesome as their foods.

[Judi S]

I would love to have star ratings for dog food treats. All I see on the website are ones that have been recalled and that scares me! With your help, I carefully chose a 5-star rated dog food and now I would like to be able to do the same for treats. Thank you!

[Bobby dog]

I have some prices from my Wal-Mart on FreshPet Select rolls for dogs, $3.16, $4.86 & $12.86. I haven’t checked out the prices recently though, not sure how accurate they are.

It is a cooked product that must be kept refrigerated, as C4c wrote t comes in a roll form and also small nugget bites, tubs, and shreds for cats now. They have their own facility for making the food. They’ve added a few different foods and treats since I have looked at the website last. They have a line that is made from anitbiotic and hormone free poultry, grain free, and limited ingredient slections.

Bobby loved the FreshPet Select. I fed it as a topper once before I came to DFA. I will feed it again it’s just that I am all stocked up on dry, kibble, and raw for Bobby right now.

I am definately going to try it out for the kitties. Hopefully it will be something to add to the rotation. They have some shredded meat & gravy recipes for kitties that are only available in California; that’s okay since my cats don’t like shreds. lol

http://freshpet.com/

[aquariangt]

They have 3 different lines, and I haven’t looked to closely at the differences. 1 is in grocery stores and walmart/target (best food you can get at most of those IMO, though King Sooper’s out here now carries I and Love and You, haven’t used it though) 1 is in petsmart/petco/other petstores, and the new one is in whole foods. I don’t know if I’d use the rolls too much-I use some rolls as training treats- but the soft kibble interests me

[Linsey H]

Hi there, I started reading these forums back when I was first researching a puppy, and so far it has served me well, though I finally have a question. I know that there is a separate thread for large breed puppies, but I felt like my question might have been a bit too long and complicated for it.

I have a 21w, 45lb female Shiloh Shepherd and she has recently started teething. I have been restricting her calcium pretty thoroughly, though I have heard from several reliable people that I should be giving her more during her teething phase. My internet searches so far have been unhelpful and I have not found much scientific data on large breeds and teething. I am also a little concerned with her current diet ratios, so if I am doing something terrible, I am hoping that someone can call me out on it. So far my puppy has been putting on steady 2 pounds a week, with the exception of a few ~3lb/week growth spurts. She does appear to get occasional growing pains still though.

Her current diet:
She receives two meals a day which consist of kibble and toppers, and since she is a puppy she still receives a significant amount of training treats. I have been using http://www.animalmedicalcenterofchicago.com/pdf/CalorieRequirementsForDogs.pdf as a rough guideline for calories- my puppy gets roughly 1.1-1.3k C from kibble and then 200-500C from toppers, chews and training treats. I have read that large breeds have slightly different requirements after 4mo, plus my puppy is decently active- she walks a lot, plays plenty of fetch, and then gets at least 1 hour of dog play through various outlets daily. I generally adjust how much she gets of what based on what she did that day, and she has been staying very lean and well muscled.

For kibble, her breeder had her on Earthborn Holistic: Meadow Feast, and since that was on Hound Dog Mom’s list and had the right amount of calcium I have kept her on it. The breeder also suggested using Flexicose and Missing Link Puppy as supplements- I am not sure if Missing Link is the best, but the breeder said that the calcium amounts checked out (only the min is on the package).

For toppers, she almost always gets a tablespoon of pumpkin and then either raw green tripe, a raw ground mix from our butcher, or canned PetKind. The raw mix consists of 10% green tripe, 10% organs, and 80% beef – it is bone free and has been the main thing reducing calcium in her diet. As of last month, I have started giving my puppy either a raw (irradiated) egg or a chicken wing every 2-3 days (whenever she finishes .75-1lb pound of the supplement). I had read somewhere that a chicken wing contains ~1.86g of calcium and 89g total with ~38% being bone, though my math is still somewhat guestimate-y. I also have backs and necks, but I was under the impression that they had more calcium.

For treats, she either gets soft Buddy Biscuits (grain free), dried/dehydrated meat, lamb lung, Orijen treats, or cooked chicken- she definitely prefers softer treats and no is no longer interested in kibble rewards (she spits it out in training). When I had her on only meat-based rewards, she started to get a little snobbish so I reintroduced the Buddy Biscuits, but I am not sure that they are the healthiest option. I try to limit the amount on normal days to 100C, and then for days she has class (or if I work with her on a lot of new behaviors) she gets 200-300C.

For chews, she either gets Beams (fish skin), bison trachea (dehydrated, I have not been able to find raw/frozen), or tendon- though she is not as interested in the last two since she has been teething. Pumpkin filled kongs have been another option, though she is not a big kong fan. Lamb lung, jerky, or sweet potato, are rare accompaniments to the pumpkin. She is a gentle chewer and only finishes the beams in a single session. She is no longer interested in fruit/veggie chews. For teething, I have tried frozen towels/ropes soaked in a broth solution, but she has yet to go for them. Her favorite “chew” is definitely the raw bones, but I don’t want to give her too many due to calcium levels.

Anyways, my core question is this:
Does her current diet seem too far out of balance?

With the follow-ups being these:
1) Am I giving her too many calories in unbalanced toppers and treats?
2) Is my puppy getting too much or not enough calcium?
3) Are there other raw chewing options with less calcium (unless she needs more)?
4) Are there any specific books I should read in addition to Dr. Becker and Steve Brown’s books?
5) What are some of the better online resources for buying raw? My local butcher shop is pretty great, but unfortunately they don’t carry everything.

[Trout-lily]

Thank you everyone for your advice on where to buy dog food. I’m debating about wellness, fromm, natures variety, or earth born holistic. I have issues with not knowing where the food is coming from as my parents just spent thousands of dollars from salmonella poisoning with their (our) beloved black lab. The vet hospital claimed it was sweet potato treats from china that most likely caused the issue. Luckily she is fully rehabbed but it has caused us to be cautious about where our dog products are coming from. Anyone have recommendations for a trusted puppy brand off of the ‘large breed puppy food list’ for my 14 week old Berner?

Also, do I stop watching the calcium levels after the pup is fully grown? I want to say Berners reach maturity after 2 years but that seems like an awful long time to be on puppy food.

Thank you!

[Zach M]

Has anyone figured out how to hold blended up fruits/veggies and other items together? When I make treats i want to make them into cm by cm cubes, but when i freeze them in an ice tray they are really big, so i want to find out how to freeze them smaller. So i will put them on a tray and freeze them into cubes, but does anyone know how to give them some consistency to stand up when i put them on the tray?

[Mom2Cavs]

I use Whimzees, too, and my dogs like them and have done well with them. The treats I have been using most are Wellness Biscuits and Wellness Pure Rewards.

[Suburban Gal]

One of the treats my papillon Gizmo likes is called WHIMZEES, dental and chew treats made in Holland. I trust them and highly recommend them. You can usually find them at PetCo and Pet Supplies Plus stores.

[Suburban Gal]

“Thanks Suburban Gal! Because so many people said they look for treats made in the USA I was actually planning on asking if there were any other countries that posters felt produced treats that were safe. 🙂 ” -Hound Dog Mom

No problem!

I’d probably trust treats from other countries like Ireland and Germany as well.

[SaintsDontCarryBrandy]

Have a new Saint puppy at 3 months old who’s apparently been raised on some serious junky food with questionable ingredients (it rates two stars on the DFA list…and I think they were being kind…). Two major questions:
(1) Can I switch him over to e.g. Victor Grain Free or another brand and potentially undo some of the dietary damage?
(2) What can I use as decent dog treats/chews? My parents raised great Saints, but they fed “whatever was cheap”, and I know the results of that path, so any suggestions would sure be appreciated. With the high rate of hip dysplasia in Saints, avoiding overfeeding or overcalcifying is a big focus.
Thoughts?

[Hound Dog Mom]

Thanks Suburban Gal! Because so many people said they look for treats made in the USA I was actually planning on asking if there were any other countries that posters felt produced treats that were safe. 🙂

[Suburban Gal]

A lot of the others here have hit the nail on the head. I think good treats should contain the same ingredients that a good food would. That’s why I buy treats also made by many of the good food manufacturers like Blue Buffalo or Solid Gold.

I also look for treats that are made in the United States.

If they’re not made here, then I can live with treats that are made in Canada, Britain, Holland, Australia and New Zealand. I want a treat from some other country that has the same or similar standards that we have.