8 Tasty Treats for Your Favorite Furry Friend
Your dog is a good boy or girl and deserves a treat that’s both good tasting and good for them. But how do you know which is the right treat for your pet’s palate? A lot of it is trial and error, but you can be assured that the following treats were formulated with your pet’s health and happiness in mind. Whether you’re looking for a bite-sized indulgence to temp your training Terrier or a simple snack for your Schnauzer, you’ll find it right here.
Dog treat options are almost limitless and your local grocery store is bursting at the seams with bags of bone-shaped delights. But many of these bags are filled with inert ingredients that don’t do anything to further the health and well-being of your best furry friend. Not these. These treats are the cream of the crop, the icing on the cake, and the ultimate in doggie delights.
As always, here are the “Paws” and cons of the top 8 dog treats.
- Zuke’s Mini Naturals
Zuke’s Mini Naturals are the top contender in the battle of the best. These miniature treats are made without the soy, wheat, or corn that many cheaper brands contain. At just 3 calories each, your pooch can indulge in dozens of these little nibbles and you won’t have to feel guilty about letting them. Zuke’s Mini Naturals lists chicken as the first ingredient. Why is that important? Because in the world of nutrition labels, the first few foods listed are the ones found in most abundance.
Zuke’s treats were envisioned not by a guy in a lab coat but by a real dog owner who knew there had to be a better way to give his own dog, Zuke, the energy he needed to adventure from sunup to sundown. Wiki.EZVid.com claims the seasonings added to Zuke’s give them a little something extra while BusinessInsider.com cites the fact that these are made from natural ingredients. BestConsumerReviews.com and TheSpruce.com report these treats are a great choice for any dog.
Paws
- Small size is ideal for training
- Nutritionally balanced
Cons
- May be too small for large breeds
- May dry out if left open
(Information Source Amazon)
- Rocco & Roxie Gourmet Jerky Dog Treats)
With 4.8 Stars on Amazon and more than 2,900 reviews, Rocco & Roxie Gourmet Jerky is a close runner up. Made with beef raised right here in the United States, these beef jerky sticks are tempting to humans but your dog might not want to share. Slow roasted and containing only ingredients you can identify and pronounce, these treats can be enjoyed whole or broken into bite-sized bits for training. One of the best things about these treats (aside from the fact that dogs love them) is that they don’t leave an icky, sticky, stinky mess behind on your hands.
Wiki.EZVid.com loves the fact that these are tender; BusinessInsider.com claims they are made in small batches, which is evident with each bite. Heavy.com points out these are made of almost nothing but beef.
Paws
- 20% crude protein
- No artificial flavors or fillers
Cons
- Product may vary slightly from batch to batch
- Must tear to use as training reward
(Information Source Amazon)
- Milk-Bone MaroSnacks
Milk-Bone brand snacks have long been a favorite of dogs across the globe. MaroSnacks feature real bone marrow and give your dog an added boost calcium for strong teeth and bones. With 12 percent crude protein, Milk-Bone MaroSnacks are a healthy alternative to table scraps when you want to treat your dog. Milk-Bone MaroSnacks are made with beef fat, cooked bone marrow, and real meat and bone meal.
This budget-friendly snack is what BestConsumerReviews.com describes as the perfect combination of a biscuit and real bone marrow. They are a small, crunchy, and delicious incentive for good behavior for dogs of all sizes.
Paws
- Manufactured in the US
- Price
Cons
- Contains sugar
- Contains salt
(Information Source Amazon)
- PLATO Duck Recipe Dog Treats
Plato introduces its allergy-friendly duck recipe. These single-source protein trees are void of added sugars, byproducts, corn, and artificial preservatives and are never freeze-dried. All treats are guaranteed to contain at least 90% duck meat and are produced in a US-based facility. Plato Duck Recipe Dog Treats can help your dog with digestive problems while improving his skin and coat. Each of this treat’s ingredients were carefully selected to provide optimum nutrition and combined for a tasty snack your dog will desire day or night.
TopDogTips.com calls Plato Duck Recipe Dog Treats one of the best organic treats out there while Heavy.com asserts that, considering the high-quality ingredients, they are a great price and an excellent alternative for dogs with chicken allergies.
Paws
- 30 percent crude protein
- Allergy friendly
Cons
- May dry out quickly
- Possibly too large for small breeds
(Information Source Amazon)
- Stella & Chewy’s Carnivore Crunch Beef, Freeze-Dried Dog Treats
Here’s another top-quality dog treat manufactured in the United States at a USDA-inspected facility. This freeze-dried dog treat contains no grain, no fillers, and no artificial coloring or preservatives. They are void of sugar and salt and have been carefully formed to be the perfect size to use as a training incentive. Stella & Chewy’s Carnivore Crunch Beef, Freeze-Dried Dog Treats contain 99 percent grass fed beef, ground bone, and organs.
Reviews.com points out that one of the only non-meat-based ingredients in these gluten-free treats is pumpkinseed, which may help prevent parasites. Stella & Chewy’s beef-based Carnivore Crunch is an indulgent reward for your pampered pooch.
Paws
- 99 percent meat, bone, and organs
- Dogs love them
Cons
- Price
- Freeze-drying may affect texture
(Information Source Amazon)
- Orijen Freeze Dried Wild Boar Dog Treat
Your dog’s inner wolf called and is begging for Orijen Freeze Dried Wild Boar Dog Treats, which are 100 percent animal-derived. Orijen forms these delicious wild boar treats out of fresh meat, cartilage, and organs, just like your dog would scavenge for himself in the wild. They are gently freeze-dried to preserve natural flavors and deliver a whopping 45% crude protein. Feed your dog’s natural instincts with these nutritious, biologically appropriate treats.
TheDogDigest.com listed them as the top treat for 2018 and notes they are a low-calorie snack
with a high nutritional value. Orijen Freeze Dried Wild Boar Dog Treats are made in the USA in the company’s private DogStar Kitchens.
Paws
- 100 percent wild boar
- No fillers
Cons
- Small size
- May be difficult for old dogs to chew
(Information Source Amazon)
- Greenies Dental Treats
If you care about your dog’s dental health, Greenies dental treats should be part of his daily routine. Easy to digest, Greenies dental treats work to clean your dog’s mouth by removing plaque and tartar, which can build up over time. These breath-freshening treats are accepted by the Veterinary Oral Health Council and recommended by veterinarians. Formulated with highly soluble ingredients plus added nutrients, minerals, and vitamins, Greenies dental treats are an irresistible snack you can feel good about giving your dog.
BestReviews.guide points out that Greenies are at best-selling product that dogs love. They are an undeniable mouthful of goodness that does a world of good for your dog’s oral hygiene.
Paws
- Fights plaque
- Freshens breath
Cons
- May not be appealing to some dogs
- Price
(Information Source Amazon)
- Old Mother Hubbard Crunchy Classic Natural Dog Treats
If your budget is bare, Old Mother Hubbard Crunchy Classic Natural Dog Treats will keep your cupboard full. They are an appealing oven-baked snack that will have your dog begging for more. These classic dog biscuits are lovingly made with fruits, vegetables, and protein and have been a staple in dog-loving homes for nearly a century.
These bone shaped biscuits contain no artificial preservatives and make the perfect training aid that will have even stubborn dogs sitting, staying, and speaking on command. They may be small, but they are big in flavor and won’t break the bank.
Paws
- Affordable
- Classic taste
Cons
- May be too small for giant breeds
- Only 12 percent protein
(Information Source Amazon)