The Hidden Truth About Dog Treats

The Different Types of Dog Treats

If you’re feeding your pup a complete and balanced diet, they technically don’t need treats from a nutritional standpoint. But let’s be honest: Treats can be a great motivator in training, and just like with us humans, dogs also love a good snack.

There are a lot of treats out there, from crunchy biscuits to soft and chewy treats, jerky and meat sticks to long-lasting chews. There are small treats designed for training and larger, long-lasting treats that are good for keeping dogs entertained and helping with dental health. 

When picking out treats for your pup, here are a few things to consider:

• Purpose: Your intended use helps determine what features to look for. For instance, training treats should be highly palatable, low calorie and small in size or breakable.
• Ingredients: Because treats are given frequently, it’s important to prioritize limited, recognizable ingredients and avoid artificial additives and fillers.
• Your Pup’s Needs: Seniors and puppies may need softer treats, while overweight pups should get lower calorie treats.

It’s also important to know the difference between filler-based treats—AKA: Treats that contain corn, soy, “meals” and sugar—and nutrient-dense, human grade options. 

Many commercial dog treats fall in the filler-based category, and can vary greatly in quality. They can contain ultra-processed ingredients, or things like sweeteners, which are used to give a smooth feel and “pretty” look, but aren’t good for your pup’s digestion. And since companies aren’t required to disclose exactly what’s in mystery ingredients like “natural flavors” or “meat meals,” these undesirable ingredients can be hiding in plain sight.

6 Swaps: Healthier Treats for Your Dog

Treats have the potential to add loads of unnecessary calories to your dog’s diet. Common culprits include peanut butter, bully sticks and table scraps, to name a few. 

To help support a balanced diet and healthy weight for your pup, check out some of these healthy treat swaps: 

Swap 1: Pumpkin

Move over, peanut butter! Pumpkin is rich in vitamins, antioxidants and fiber, and contains around five calories per tablespoon, compared to about 100 calories in peanut butter for the same amount. Peanut butter is still okay to give in moderation; just think of pumpkin as another healthy option to add to your treat toolkit.

Try a schmear of pumpkin on a lick pad for a low calorie treat to keep your pup entertained, or bake your own healthy “cookies” with pumpkin, rolled oats and eggs.

Just be sure to always reach for 100 percent pumpkin with no added ingredients—never pumpkin pie filling, as it contains ingredients like sugar, spices and xylitol, which is poisonous to dogs.

Swap 2: Sweet Potato Chew Sticks

If you’re used to feeding bully sticks, try dehydrated sweet potato chew sticks for a low fat, high fiber, vitamin-rich swap. Now, bully sticks aren’t bad by nature, but they can add up fast in the calorie department:

• 6-inch bully stick: 80 to 130 calories
• 12-inch bully stick: 160 to 260 calories

By comparison, a quarter cup of sweet potato clocks in at less than 30 calories. 

You can make sweet potato chews at home by dehydrating sliced sweet potatoes, or purchase them pre-made, just look for a brand that is 100 percent natural and contains one single ingredient and no additives.

Swap 3: Fresh Fruits and Veggies

Ok, real talk time: Not all table scraps are bad for dogs, but there are definitely certain foods and spices to avoid and the calories can add up quickly—not to mention it can foster bad begging habits for your furry friend.

The good news? Your pup will likely love many of the fresh fruits and veggies you keep on hand just as much—and it’s a great way to give them a low calorie, nutrition-packed treat.

Here are some options to try:

• Apples (minus the core and seeds)
• Bananas
• Bell peppers
• Blueberries
• Carrots
• Cucumbers
• Green beans 
• Strawberries
• Watermelon

Just be sure to familiarize yourself with the list of fruits and veggies that are toxic for dogs, including chocolate, garlic, onions, macadamia nuts, grapes and raisins.

Swap 4: Freeze-Dried Liver

With just three to six calories per treat, single-ingredient, freeze-dried treats like beef liver are a simple, effective swap for crunchy treats like cookies and biscuits. 

Not to mention liver is a sniff-worthy snack that most dogs go crazy for, making it a “high value” treat (meaning one your dog really loves) and a great option for training, especially when adding new skills or increasing in training difficulty.

Swap 5: Greek Yogurt

Plain Greek yogurt can be a great swap for commercial soft dog treats, offering a good option for seniors and puppies. Just be sure to avoid added flavors and sweeteners.

Like pumpkin, Greek yogurt can be swiped onto a lick mat for a mentally stimulating (and time-consuming) activity. You can also incorporate it into soft-baked dog cookies or freeze it into “pup-sicles” for a special hot weather treat. 

Small amounts of hardboiled egg can also be a nice soft-texture treat if your pup is in a healthy weight range and doesn’t have a health condition that requires a low fat diet.

Swap 6: Snap Sticks

If you’re using commercial-grade training treats, this swap is for you. Snap Sticks, made by The Farmer’s Dog, are designed to contain all the benefits of a fresh-food treat in a convenient, shelf stable format. Here’s what we love about them:

• Just like all of their fresh dog foods, Snap Sticks are made with simple, human grade ingredients like meat, liver and whole fruits.
• No added sweeteners, ultra-processed “meat meals” or hidden ingredients like “natural flavors.”
• Snap Sticks come with serving limits personalized to your dog, so they fit seamlessly into your pup’s diet.
• “Snap lines” make it easy to break each treat into tiny pieces that are perfect for portioning and training.
• They support total health optimization as well as overall caloric management. 

How to Incorporate Treats Into Your Dog’s Diet

Here are some simple guidelines for ensuring you add treats into your dog’s diet in a healthy way:

1. Track All Treats: As we’ve said, calories can add up quickly for dogs, so it’s important to track how much you’re treating your dog. As a rule of thumb, treats should make up no more than 10 percent of your dog’s daily caloric intake to protect against excessive weight gain and nutritional imbalance.
2. Ingredients Matter: Because you’re feeding your dog treats frequently, it’s important to pay attention to what’s in them. Look for treats with a small number of simple, whole ingredients.
3. Introduce Slowly: As with all new foods, start out slowly and try small amounts of a new treat to make sure it agrees with your dog’s stomach. If a treat causes diarrhea, vomiting or excess gas, stop feeding it and consult your vet. 
4. Stay Consistent: To give your pup the best opportunity for success, establish a routine for treats, and make sure the whole family is on board to stick to it. If you’re working on training, consider reserving special “high reward” treats for training sessions to further establish the link between the action and the reward.

It’s impossible to ignore the joy and excitement that a tasty treat brings—for us and for our furry companions. By practicing smart and healthy treating, you can strengthen the bond between you and your pup, and help them live a healthier and happier life. And that’s what it’s all about, after all!