[Debra B]

I want something soft that can be broken up into tiny bits. Having said that, it should also be HIGH QUALITY!! Mostly meat, and maybe a little fruit or veggie to add to the taste along with some rosemary or turmeric.

[Sarah Y]

Ours LOVE the wellness core grain free protein bars, and in particular, beef bison and blue berries. They are soft enough you can give in pieces. It’s been a while since there was a treat all three of them were really begging for. They have other recipes too.

[Judith M]

I would love to have a long lasting, chewy type treat for my large Borzoi, Mikko, that is healthy, helps keep his teeth clean & keeps him occupied & doesn’t cost an arm & leg. I don’t particularly like giving him rawhide, bully sticks, smoked bones, etc. But, he loves them & keeps him happy for extended periods of time. I am just very careful & keep an eye on him when he is chewing them. I would love a better suggestion.

[Tiffany K]

What do you think about stuffing a Kong with organic peanut butter (maybe lower sugar than regular) some chopped apples , carrots , baked sweet potato with butter and small bits of very hard cheese? (not too much cheese in case of dietary issues.) Or, if you will be there, stuffing it with boiled chicken so he has to work to get the chicken out. (making sure what he doesn’t get out is washed out later.)

I have found this will keep my dogs entertained as they work to get the treats out and they like the challenge. The Kong also helps work some plaque off their teeth that brushing cannot remove or between cleanings.

Also, this may gain me a “web beat down”, but all of my dogs (four) love Blueberry Frosted Mini Wheats. The sugar is 14 grams, so I don’t give it to them everyday, but the fiber greatly helps my 13 year old St. Bernard mix’s daily bathroom trips. They go crazy for them.

These things do not cost as much as treats, especially if you go to a farmer’s market or buy on sale, and you can buy a Kong which will last a very long time. I run the Kongs through the dishwasher to make sure they are clean.

[C L]

I can tell you what treats shouldn’t have, by-products, coloring, preservatives (other than vit E), but would be a plus to have organic ingredients. I posted a recipe for my dog treats on this forum where someone asked for recipes for home made treats.

[Dog_Obsessed]

I look for dog treats that have meat as the first ingredient, unless it is a fruit of vegetable treat in which case those should be first. I ideally look of grain-free, though it is not a must. No by-products. Sugar should not be in the first few ingredients, preferably not in there at all. I have also made my own treats, though I can’t do this that often because of time. There are these “Trail Buddy” treats I like, that are all chicken, lamb, or beef. I also just look at the ingredients in general of the treats, and take the info I know about dog food ingredients. Low- Calorie is also nice because I have a small dog. I have been guilty of breaking up treats into tiny pieces for training. 😀

[Jennifer K]

Definitely want the high quality found in the 4 and 5 star foods but also want the dogs to really love them. Would like to see a few different categories. Some quick little treats but also some that will last awhile for a big chewer. Not super smelly would be a plus.

[Elsa R]

I think is important to look for the same attributes that indicate quality in human food. It’s better that the treats are fresh, pure, and minimally processed as possible.

[Cindy S]

I am looking forward to the list of recommended dog treat brands and products. My two greyhounds can’t get enough of The Science Diet’s “Soft Savories”, which I purchase at Petco (ick). I am not pleased with the long list of ingredients, but they are such picky eaters that I cave in and continue to buy them. If I can find something that is healthier that they enjoy just as much, I would switch in a heartbeat. Any comments/thoughts, please share! Thanks very much.

[pugmomsandy]

Zukes makes small soft treats and I think a Wellness has a new line of semi soft treats. I’m using ZiwiPeak dog food as treats. The pieces are small flat and about half an inch square and the texture is like soft jerky.

[Hound Dog Mom]

I use a lot of different treats, but lately I’ve been using freeze-dried raw. I’ve got the Stella & Chewy’s medallions now which are pretty large and perfect for my big girls but they could be easily broken into small pieces. Some other freeze-dried raw I like to use is Nature’s Variety, Wysong, Vital Essentials and Primal. I try to go with the complete and balanced foods so I don’t have to worry about how many i give them. Most dogs seem to really like freeze-dried stuff.

[Zach M]

I also use vital essentials and primal along with my dogs kibble. She loves a raw treat. I HIGHLY recommend those brands.

[theBCnut]

My favorite treats are freeze dried meats too, VE being number one.

[Kristin C]

I like the Simply Sojo’s Lamb and Turkey plus Evanger’s beef tripe and lung. If I can, I buy pork, lamb, etc. and dehydrate it in my oven. Single source ingredients.

[Karen J]

For my last dog, Lucky I got organic dried chicken jerky shipped form a place in Maine called Tri-Pom, he loved it…I haven’t tried it with Trixie yet.

http://www.tripomchews.net/

Karen

[Dog_Obsessed]

I am always looking for healthy treats that are either complete and balanced or pure meat or veggies, and so that I don’t have to worry as much about feeding too many. I am not opposed to raw feeding in general, but I don’t really want raw treats because it is harder to use good sanitation practices when giving treats throughout the day. Anyone have suggestions?

[theBCnut]

Freeze dried?

[Dori]

I’m with BC. Freeze dried for sure.

[Dog_Obsessed]

Thanks! There are some freeze-dried treats I give her, they are called Trail Buddy treats and they are made by a company called Cycle Dog. For some reason, the only place they are available around her is REI. There are some other freeze dried treats at the pet store that I might try. In terms of freeze dried food, is dehydrated/freeze-dried the same as raw?

[pugmomsandy]

Dehydrated and freeze dried can be either cooked or raw. Grandma Lucy’s actually lightly cooks their food products before freeze drying so they may also do that with their treats.

[theBCnut]

I use Vital Essentials freeze dried dog food for treats. Also Pure Bites freeze dried duck liver.

[Hater and Molly’s Mom]

I haven’t tried any freeze dried food for treats yet. I use the NVI treats, Etta Says and Crumps sweet potato chews which are a big hit here.

[Dog_Obsessed]

I’ve been thinking of trying the Crumps sweet potato chews. How long do they last for your dogs?

• This reply was modified 9 years, 5 months ago by Dog_Obsessed. Reason: More grammer mistakes! Arrrg!

[Hater and Molly’s Mom]

Not long at all, lol! I usually break them in half since a lot of them in the bag are rather large. They gobble them right up. In fact i usually break most of their treats in half. Molly needs to loose a few pounds so i really have to watch what she eats.

[Dog_Obsessed]

Okay, thanks. I am also guilty of breaking up training treats in tiny pieces, I usually give Lily like 1/8 of a treat.

[Hater and Molly’s Mom]

You’re welcome!

[Dori]

Freeze dried is much closer to raw than dehydrated. Sorry, I keep coming in late to the discussions. It’s been a crazy crazy day. I groomed all three dogs this afternoon and am exhausted. I need to take a shower but don’t know that I’ve got the strength. Bought these new clippers and stainless steel comb attachments recently and I couldn’t wait to try them so I groomed all three dogs today. Hannah is in long show coat but she’s harder to do then the others because of all the matting. Hubby loves her in long show coat, not that he contributes anything to her grooming. Every time I say I’m thinking of taking her coat down to a puppy cut he makes his own sorrowful puppy dog eyes. She does look very pretty. It’s just a lot of work. I keep Lola and Katie in puppy style. I couldn’t keep all three in long coats. Too much work.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 5 months ago by Dori.

[Gloria K]

Funny you should ask about the sweet potato fries jerkys. I just bought a bag a couple of days ago, gave one to Mickey and he inhaled it. This 11 pound terrier mix doesn’t seem to realize that you have to chew jerky. When I first got him I bought him one piece of beef jerky about 6 inches long just to see what he would do with it and it lasted about three minutes. That was one dollar well spent. LOL. He LOVES sweet potato fries.

[Elizabeth P]

I won’t pay the high price of sweet potato treats. I microwave a sweet potato, slice it (skin and all) and dry it in a low oven for a couple hours. Cheap and easy and keeps well.

[Gloria K]

Good point Elizabeth. I thought about that too because I did pay about six dollars for a bag of sweet potato fries. That’s insane considering the sweet potato cost a fraction of that. I have an oven and I know how to use it so that’s a good idea. Do the fries get hard, I mean hard enough to give them something to chew on for a few minutes?

[Elizabeth P]

How hard they get depends on how long you bake them and what shape they are. I like my discs kind of chewy, not hard. You’ll just have to play with it. They do stick, so use parchment paper or Pam sprayed on a wire rack.

[theBCnut]

Some things never get hard, they just get drier and chewier.

[Gloria K]

LMAO I’M LAUGHING SO HARD I CAN’T EVEN REPLY TO THAT.

[theBCnut]

Don’t go there, well, not here anyway.

[Terry P]

Pure Balance Apple and cranberries dog treats gluten free no soy wheat of food coloring all natural

[Rich]

COSTCO/KIRTLAND killing pets: Well I’ll share with you what NOT TO BUY. Stay away from Costco, they CLAIM to have products from the USA but I don’t believe it, maybe the mailing address for the profiteers is in the USA but their ‘treats’ are pure JUNK !! We bought their chicken jerky’s that were ‘USA” advertised, when we opened the package we almost got chemical burns in our noses !!!! Took it back and they treated my wife like there was something wrong with HER ! Found this about Costco foods KILLING PETS. http://www.consumeraffairs.com/pets/kirkland_pet_food.html

BTW, I now taste everything new I feed my dog, we almost lost Bear, our Sheppard Mix due to bad food and I won’t allow it again. TASTE THOSE DOG TREATS, some have so many chemicals in them it will literally burn your tongue BUT YOUR DOG WILL STILL EAT THEM.

This is why I joined this site, there needs to be REAL consumer protection with animal foods.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 4 months ago by Rich.

[Justin I]

H&P Dog Treats by Henry and Penny are fun and delicious breakfast themed treats. They are grain free, healthy treats made with the finest ingredients available right here in the USA. Check them out and compare the ingredients for yourself!

They offer free shipping when you get the Breakfast Buffet trio, and you can customize your order to your liking!

[Gloria K]

What are your thoughts on Bully Sticks and nylon bones?

[Dog_Obsessed]

Nylabones: Lily is probably one of the few dogs that nylabones actually work well for. I don’t give her the ones meant for strong chewers, because I am afraid they will hurt her teeth. I give her the “dental bones” with ridges that say “for moderate chewers.” She chews off some of the ridges, but it says on the package that anything smaller than a grain of rice, which these are, will pass right through. After a few months she chews enough pegs off that I replace it. I NEVER give her her bone unsupervised. I think that if your dog is not a heavy chewer, but does like to chew, and you supervise carefully then the not as hard chews could be a good option.

Bully Sticks: I gave these ones to a foster dog. The dog loved them, but they smelled AWFUL. There are odor-free ones you can buy though. I have heard of some issues of contamination, not sure if that is just the ones made in China. I would wait for someone else on the form to give an opinion before deciding if these, or the Nylabones, are right for your dog.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Gloria-
Bullysticks work great for our dogs. They each get a 6 inch stick once a week. They are large dogs and aggressive chewers that also gulp. We attach the bullysticks to vice grips when we give them so they don’t just swallow them without chewing them. Yes, they do stink at times. Some worse than others. Not exactly sure why. I usually buy the Cadet brand at Costco, but they don’t always have them. So have also ordered from Amazon and PetFlow or Chewy. They are so ridiculously expensive at the pet stores. I’ve not had a problem with contamination, but I’m sure there is a risk. I feel like there is a risk, however, with just about everything we feed our dogs. and ourselves for that matter.

[Dog_Obsessed]

I think that like anything for dogs or people, buying from a reputable company/source is key. I forgot about vice grips, do they make mini ones that would fit a small Himalayan chew? I give Himalayan Chews to Lily, but I try to stuff them in her kong partway because the small ones seem like they could be a choking hazard. This sounds easier though.

[Elizabeth P]

I spent a lot of money on a canine dentist when my dog broke a tooth. The dentist told me that dog teeth are much softer than ours, and that very hard chews (Nylabones, Himalayan dog chews) will break their teeth. Now, I know I often looked for the hardest chew so it would last, but it turns out that is not good for a dog’s teeth. Dr. Modrcin (DVM, Kansas City) says if you can’t score it with your thumb nail, it is too hard. Yikes, that knocks out just about everything. I use stuffed Kongs a lot. I also think bully sticks are okay, because as soon as the dog’s saliva hits them, they get soft. But yes, you have to watch carefully that they don’t gnaw down to a stub and swallow it whole. The Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) recommends Busy Hearty Hide by Purina, and this is the only “hide” product I use. And of course, like anything, you have to be sure your dog doesn’t swallow it whole. There just isn’t one-size-fits-all product, because it depends on your dog and your willingness to supervise.

[Dog_Obsessed]

I was also told by my vet that you should either be able to make an indent with your thumbnail or bend it with your hands. Some Nylabones meet this requirement, though they are not suitable for heavy chewers. Himalayan dog chews soften significantly as the dog chews, so I think the main risk is dogs that just try to crunch them like a chip.

[zhiba]

Ever since my dog’s allergies became a big factor in his life, we’ve switched to freeze dried and limited ingredient treats (as well as food).

We get treats from Orijen Singles, Stella and Chewy’s Carnivore Crunch, Sojos Simply, Etta Says, Whole Life, PureBites, and Vital Essentials.

Recently I discovered the VE cat food on Chewy. It makes for excellent training treats! They are smaller nibblets than the dog food, with a few additions that I like. Comparison –

Turkey Nibblets (dog)
Ground turkey with bone, turkey heart, turkey liver, herring oil (natural source of vitamin D), mixed tocopherols (natural antioxidant), d-alpha tocopherol (natural vitamin E)

Turkey Nibblets (cat)
Ground turkey with bone; turkey heart; turkey liver; boneless skinless turkey breast; raw organic goat’s milk; raw organic apple cider vinegar; herring oil; mixed tocopherol; d-alpha tocopherol

[LindaW]

I use and like the Primal Venison or Lamb lung puffs. Dogs (all 3) love them. Some of the puffs can be hard to break, but they are small anyway. Most of the puffs are easily broken in half.

Other than the above, they (golden retriever and 2 greyhounds) only get Happy Dog Place bully sticks. I like them because you can get odor free or low odor, but IMO more importantly, they are baked *vertically* so the urine (ick) drains down and out. The less expensive ones are baked horizontally and…………….

• This reply was modified 9 years, 4 months ago by LindaW. Reason: added comment about bullies

[Sadie’s Mom]

Surprisingly, the first thing I look for in a treat is the texture. My mini dachshund HATES crunchy treats. It’s the strangest thing! The only crunchy/hard things she likes are the rawhide dental chews (Dentley’s brand is the current favorite). I also have to factor in price, as I am a college student living on a tight budget. The best thing I have found are the Zuke’s Mini Naturals. They are soft and squishy, grain free, and low in calories. Sadie likes all of the flavors, but the chicken seems to be her favorite. I’ve been wanting to try the Wellness Petite Treats Soft Mini Bites, but they haven’t been on sale for a good price. The Zuke’s are a better deal because they are less per ounce and last a really long time. I give her 3 or 4 at a time as a normal treat to make her feel better since the other 3 dogs my parents own get small milkbones lol. She also likes the Milkbone Brushing Chews after her evening meal. I give her half a mini bone. I am currently on the hunt for a treat with added glucosamine that is reasonably priced. Any suggestions?

[Gloria K]

My dog loves anything hard and crunchy-the harder and crunchier the more he likes them. He also loves the Zuke’s mini treats peanut butter flavor. I put four or five of those in his Kong and he plays with it for an hour getting them all out. He loves them.

[lecreesma]

Hello, I’ve been on a mission to find “reasonabley priced” Bully Sticks that are safe and longer lasting. Any suggestions?

[crazy4cats]

We have been buying our bully sticks from Costco for the last couple of years. They are the Cadet brand. Not every Costco carries them, however. I’d call them first to check before driving any distance to buy them. So far they have been safe and long lasting for us! Also many recommend http://www.bestbullysticks.com. Hope this helps!

[Mark A]

I started making my own chicken jerky from boneless, skinless breasts on sale for under $2/lb in the grocery store. My dog loves it like nothing else. It’s easy to make and much less expensive than store bought treats.

[Author]

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