Best Dog Treats For All Dogs

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Best Dog Treats for All Dogs

One of the best parts of being a dog owner is getting to give your dog treats. However, picking the best dog treats can be challenging, especially as your dog goes through different stages and may need different treats for each one. 

It’s worth taking time to consider which are the best dog treats for all dogs in all stages so that you can offer these to your dog when the time is right.

Keep in mind that treats should never make up more than 10% of your dog’s daily caloric intake. So, if your dog eats around 1,000 calories per day, you can feed them around 100 calories in treats. More than that could lead to fat gain and associated health issues.

What are the Best Cheap Dog Treats?

While we all want to spoil our dogs, sometimes it’s just not in the budget to give them the highest-quality treat available. So, what dog treats are still delicious and healthy without being too expensive?

Charlee Bear Original Crunch

These hollow, crunchy pellets are great to keep in your pocket while training your dog. They’re low in calories and small in size, made primarily of wheat flour, poultry liver, salt, and various spices. 

The original crunchy treats cost about $0.41 per ounce, while other flavors may cost more or less. You can get these treats grain-free, in meaty bites, or in granola-shaped treats as well.

Jiminy’s Cricket Treats

Jiminy’s cricket treats come in a variety of flavors and shapes. These high-protein, low-calorie treats are made from crickets and other natural ingredients. These are a bit more expensive, but still cheaper than many other treats, coming in at an average between $1.50 and $2.00 per ounce.

Bocce’s Bakery Treats

With a variety of treats, including those sold for dental health and overall wellness, Bocce’s Bakery has tons of more affordable options. Jerkies, training treats, and crunchy biscuits are just a few of the options, all made with natural ingredients. Most Bocce’s treats cost between $1.00 and $1.50 per ounce.

Purina Treats

Coming in a wide variety of options, flavors, and shapes, Purina treats are well-loved for both their versatility and their cheaper prices. Many cost less than $1.00 per ounce and consist of ingredients like meat and grains.

What are the Healthiest Dog Treats?

Now, the good news is that most brands work to make their dog treats at least fairly healthy, with plenty of good, natural ingredients. However, some brands stand above the others in terms of the quality of their ingredients.

Ziwi Treats

Treats made by the Ziwi brand are primarily made of meats and organs, giving them a high-protein and nutrient-dense quality. They come in several shapes, mostly of the jerky or bone variety.

Stella & Chewy’s Treats

Like most treats, Stella & Chewy’s treats come in a variety of options. What’s great about these is that they’re all made from raw ingredients with no corn, soy, or artificial add-ins. From crunchy bites to freeze-dried meats and ingredients, you’ll find lots of options if you want your pup on a raw food diet.

Pure Bites Treats

Made with 1-3 natural ingredients, Pure Bites treats are generally freeze-dried or air-dried, while they also offer wet food toppers with added nutrients. These treats come in flavors like chicken breast and beef liver that your dog is sure to love.

Eukanuba Treats

If your dog is of an athletic bent, Eukanuba treats may be just the thing for them to enjoy! These treats are low-calorie and designed to provide your dog with energy and nutrition to help them perform their very best, no matter how active they are.

Best Dog Treats for Training Your Dog

Probably every brand that we’ve mentioned offers some type of training treats for your dog. Since no training treat is necessarily better than another, it’s helpful to think about what makes a great training treat and why. This can help you find the perfect one no matter what brand you like. 

According to the American Kennel Club, the best training treats for dogs should be:

  • Small. You don’t want training treats to be too big since you’ll have to offer them every time your dog follows through on a command. Keep them bite-sized or smaller.
  • Soft. You don’t want your dog to have a tough time breaking down food while they’re trying to learn new skills. Find a treat that’s soft and fairly easy to tear and swallow.
  • Smelly. If you’re ever training in a loud space with lots of people nearby, you’ll need a treat with a strong smell that can attract and excite your pup even more than their busy surroundings.
  • Sustainable. Your dog can easily tire out of the same old treat every time. It’s a great idea to get a few types of treats together that you can share throughout training sessions. It’s also important to use non-perishable items if you’re taking your dog out of your house and yard.

Occasionally, you may want to offer your dog a treat that lasts a little longer, such as when you’re teaching them to stay in their crate or sit with you while you watch TV. For that type of situation, pick a treat like a bone or a Kong that you can fill with peanut butter, cream cheese, broth, or another flavorful delight.

Best Dog Treats for Fun

Treats are a fantastic tool to help you train your dog well. But what about the rest of the time? You may want to give your dog a treat sometimes simply because you love them and want to have fun with them. What are the best types of dog treats in that situation?

Well, it really depends on what your dog loves. Based on the most popular types of treats, you probably want to offer your dog something like:

  • Jerky or other chewable items made with meat or other quality proteins.
  • Long-lasting delights like bones or food-filled Kongs.
  • Larger crunchy treats made with smelly ingredients that dogs love (think bacon or cheese, for example).

The best way to determine what treats you want to give your dog is simply to offer them a few different ones and let them pick their favorite. If you’re curious, here are a few great options to start with:

You can also try human treats if you really want to save some money. Dogs love pretty much anything that we do! Just be sure not to give them anything that could be toxic. You can feed them most fruits and vegetables, baloney, bacon, hot dogs, liver, smoked salmon, chicken, yogurt, peanut butter, etc. 

So, there you have it. Treats are a surefire way to keep your dog feeling healthy and happy for years to come! Pick from some of these treats or do your own shopping, but whatever you do, just be sure to get treats that your dog loves and will enjoy whether you’re training them or just having fun. 

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