Discover What Are Dog Treats Made Of?

Our doggos like dessert, too. That’s why we provide them with tons of flavourful cookies in various shapes and styles to please them. Dogs often munch on dental sticks, rawhides, training rewards, bones, among other items to satisfy their sweet tooth. But they are more than just about flavour. They give your dog something to do to alleviate anxiety, and they keep their teeth clean and strong. But what are dog treats made of?

Dogs trust us implicitly to give them the love and nutrition that they need to stay healthy and thrive in comfort. It’s our job to provide them food that they can safely enjoy while being aware of what goes into them to ensure that they maintain a shiny fur coat, healthy heart, agile body, active mind, and tail-wagging happiness. 

Why Are Some Treats for Dogs Made with Better Ingredients?

Unfortunately, not all of them are made with the best ingredients for your best friend. Why do some companies produce subpar products? Many of the largest dog food companies want to maximize profits by using less expensive elements and processes. And with relatively loose regulation on the dog food industry, they can easily get away with it. 

This problem is further complicated by the fact that the biggest companies take up most of the dog food and biscuits aisle, so many dog owners wind up with few to no other options at the supermarket. 

However, there are many snacks for dog that are made with better ingredients. These companies forfeit some of their profit margins by investing in higher quality ingredients.

What Are Dog Biscuits Made Of?

Dog biscuits come in all shapes, sizes, and quality levels. When you take a closer look at their labels, you’ll notice most are made from corn, wheat, and other fillers. Those famous bone-shaped biscuits--their top ingredients are wheat flour, wheat bran, bone meal, and poultry by-product meal. 

Ingredients to Avoid in Dog Biscuits:

• BHA/BHT
• White Flour
• General “Meat” and Meat Meal
• Artificial Colouring
• MSG
• Gluten
• Brewer’s Rice
• Corn Syrup
• Nitrates
• Soy
• Salt
• Vegetable Oil
• Corn 
• Pea Protein

Foods that have these items are using cheap ingredients to create a bad diet for your doggo. Avoid buying foods with fillers to protect your pups' health. Companies that use these filler ingredients to supplement real ingredients are focusing more on making a profit, more than on your best friend’s well-being. Prioritize shopping from companies that have your furtastic dog’s back.

A Better Biscuit

When choosing a dog biscuit for your best friend, you do not have to feed them doggie junk food. Instead select minimally processed, free-range, and grain-free snacks and biscuits. When you see a long list of ingredients, with vague ingredients that say “meat” or “meal” without distinction, your doggo is likely receiving highly processed meat chock-full of cheap fillers. 

Ingredients to Look For in Dog Biscuits

While it’s easy to say what your dog shouldn’t eat, it’s also helpful to know what they should. These ingredients provide optimal health and energy:

• Meat with distinction: kangaroo, salmon, chicken, beef, whitebait, venison, dried Pilchards, duck, veal, lamb, shark, green-lipped mussels, blue whiting, etc.
• Whole fruits and vegetables: rosehip, bananas, hemp seeds, and pumpkin.
• Healthy fats: peanuts, coconut oil, egg protein powder.
• Bully sticks made from single ingredients.
• Listed as organic.
• Grain-free food, without fillers.

Sorting Out the Good from the Bad Biscuits 

When you have the choice, always find doggy snacks that are Australian-made and designed with your doggo in mind. All-natural snacks with whole ingredients are the most beneficial for their health. Look for transparency in the ingredient list. Lists that are full of familiar and whole foods are the best option for your pooch. 

What’s the Deal with Additives?

Such as with dog food, human food can have added filler ingredients that aren’t safe for your dog either. If you get a peanut butter-flavoured biscuit, ensure that it doesn’t have any added sugar, salt, or any other ingredient than “peanuts” to make for your pup. 

Pumpkin puree is sometimes made with cinnamon and nutmeg added to it for holiday pies, so be sure to avoid canned puree that includes those spices since it isn’t safe for pets. It can be a pain to keep checking ingredient lists, but it’s beneficial for humans to check additives in their food too. If you don’t recognize what’s going into your food, why bother consuming it? Healthy choices will create healthy bodies.

Should I Give My Dog Human Food as a Snack?

Giving your dog human foods high in sodium and fat, as a snack can lead to weight gain for your furry family member. When you see their pleading eyes as you finish off your grilled burger or plate of eggs, consider that dogs should only get 10% of their daily caloric intake from them. 

If you want them to have a morning snack that they can enjoy with you, pre-boil an extra egg without seasoning. Eggs have a high biological value and make for an eggstragavent breakfast option. Eggs contain vitamins and fatty acids that are beneficial for people and pups [1]. 

What Ingredients Should Dog Owners Avoid?

You’ve heard that chocolate is poisonous to your pup, but there are other human ingredients that you should be wary of too. Avoid foods that contain grapes, raisins, avocado, alcohol, and xylitol--just to name a few [2]. Avocados can cause your dog abdominal discomfort and they may throw up or demonstrate gut distress that may cause dehydration. Xylitol causes a rapid increase in blood insulin and creates dangerously low blood sugar or even death. 

Certain foods can have disastrous health consequences. Make sure to avoid human food products until you know they are safe for your pup to consume. There are also certain ingredients to avoid in manufactured pet snacks that could be negatively impacting your pet.

What Are Pig Ear Chews Made Of?

You may be wondering: What are pig ear chews made of? They’re made of humanely sourced pig ears that are dehydrated for your pooch to gnaw on. They are not made of rawhide.

Can You Make Your Own Dog Biscuits?

Sure! Making your own healthy doggy snacks can be a fun and enjoyable experience for you and your dog. You can find recipes online that contain some of the ingredients listed to make your dog a homemade biscuits they’ll be licking their chops for. Spring flavours that you might be utilizing already, like peas and mint are good additions for a boost of Vitamin B, Thiamin, phosphorous, potassium---and fresh breath [3]!

Easy and Delicious Homemade Recipes

It can be made with many of the ingredients you already have in your fridge. Easy puppy ice cream can be made with yogurt and peanut butter and frozen into jumbo-sized ice cube trays. When making ice cream, be careful to watch your doggo as they munch. They can be overzealous when eating and swallow it in one shot and then be in need of medical attention, instead of lapping it up in luxury. 

Making your puppy a birthday cake with all-natural ingredients can be a memorable way to celebrate your doggo’s place in your family, without causing stomach distress with people food.

Feeding your dog human food snacks doesn’t need to be bad. Use ingredients that they can safely consume, provide small quantities, and ensure that it’s unseasoned so that they can enjoy it without gut discomfort. 

Feel Confident When You Shop for Your Pooch

Purchasing tasty snacks and biscuits for your doggo should be exciting. You’re providing your pup with something that will make their tail-wag, roll over, and hand you a paw. Don’t get wrapped up in products that cause you to question their health benefits. To discover which canine snack is ideal for your pooch, have a look at our Selection Guide!

Look to Petzyo to provide you with simple and healthy ingredients from companies that you trust. Your pooch appreciates the care you put in their diet, let a company that you can depend on help you continue their care. 

Take our quick survey and enjoy 10% off your first order!

References

[1] https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/good-eggs-for-nutrition-theyre-hard-to-beat

[2] https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/people-foods-avoid-feeding-your-pets

[3] https://dogtails.dogwatch.com/2015/05/07/homemade-dog-treat-recipes-for-spring-and-summer/