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HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST DOG TREAT, Good vs. Bad Treats Examples


More Homemade Dog Food Recipes Here.
MORE HOMEMADE DOG FOOD RECIPES HERE

TIPS ON CHOOSING THE BEST NATURAL DOG TREATS

THE BEST DOG TREATS ARE ALWAYS HOMEMADE. THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO BE ABSOLUTELY SURE WHAT YOUR DOG IS INGESTING. If cooking for your dog is not something that sounds appealing, then there are definitely other choices.

Look for natural or organic dog treats.

These are the best treats of all the commercially made dog treats to buy, and are actually healthy for your pet.

Make sure there are absolutely no additives, chemicals, or artificial preservatives and colouring, as these are extremely unhealthy and unecessary.

Also treats which contain massive amounts of sugar are not good for your dog as this can cause obesity or diabetes.

A treat should have high concentrations of fiber and protein. The best natural dog treats available commercially have human grade ingredients, and reputable companies who make these types of treats will definitely advertise this.

Look on the label and if it sounds as though all the ingredients are something you would eat, then it is a good bet that it is healthy and appropriate for your dog.

BELOW IS A SIMPLE COMPARISON OF A GOOD COMMERCIAL DOG TREAT AND A BAD COMMERCIAL DOG TREAT. Use this to guide you when choosing store bought treats.

Which one of these do you think is edible by both humans and dogs? Which one would you think should be thrown in the garbage?

GOOD DOG TREAT

MA SNAX ORGANIC CRANBERRY APPLESAUCE BISCUITS

INGREDIENTS:

  • unsweetened applesauce,
  • organic rolled oats,
  • unsulphered molasses,
  • flax seed,
  • cage-free eggs,
  • cinnamon,
  • nutmeg,
  • allspice
  • and vitamin E.

THAT’S ALL – Everything in this treat can be found in our own pantry.

Check out the free Dog Treat Recipe Book Available when you order Dog Food Secrets. It has healthy, delicious and nutritious recipes.

CLICK HERE FOR IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO SAVE YOUR DOG'S LIFE

BAD DOG TREAT

PURINA T BONZ PORTERHOUSE FLAVOUR:

INGREDIENTS:

  • corn gluten meal,
  • water,
  • wheat flour,
  • ground yellow corn,
  • sugar
  • glycerin,
  • beef and chicken by-product meal
  • hydrogenated starch hydrolysate
  • corn starch-modified
  • liver,
  • soyben meal
  • salt
  • bacon fat preserved with BHA
  • natural and artificial flavors
  • added color (Red 40 and other colors)
  • gelatin
  • phosphoric acid
  • dried whey
  • sorbic acid (a preservative)
  • animal digest
  • natural poterhouse steak flavor
  • soy protein isolate
  • BHA (a preservative),
  • citric acid

*SEE HERE WHY HIGHLIGHTED INGREDIENTS ARE NOT GOOD FOR YOUR DOG.

Also check the calorie and fat content. They shouldn’t be extremely high.

Salt is necessary in small amounts in a dog’s daily diet, but should not be in their treats.

Use dog treats sparingly, as training props or occasionally just because your dog is so adorable you just can’t help it.

Do not use treats as a meal replacement, or give more than 10% of his daily diet in treats.

Use fresh veggies for treats, as this is the absolute best dog treat option. Use carrot sticks, or green beans (my dog’s fav!). I started with my labradors as puppies giving them carrots and they now get all wiggly and happy when this is offered to them. It is low calorie, low fat, high fibre, healthy and if you start when they are young they will love it.

Table scraps, cookies, ice cream and other “people food” should not be fed as dinner or treats to your dog.

Older dogs may not take to fresh veggies and refuse them altogether. This is okay as you can make your own homemade dog treats and control sugar, fat, etc., and give good healthy treats to your dog.

HERE IS A CHART FOR QUICK REFERENCE:

EXAMPLES OF HIGH CALORIE DOG TREATS WHY CORN AND WHEAT ARE HARMFUL
DANGEROUS DOG FOOD INGREDIENTS HEALTHY DOG FOOD INGREDIENTS


CLICK LOLA FOR MORE DANGEROUS FOODS TO AVOID

FOODS THAT ARE KNOWN TO BE TOXIC TO DOGS!

  • Onions and onion powder
  • Chocolate
  • Coffee and all coffee related products
  • Chocolate covered espresso beans ( extra toxic !! )
  • Tea
  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Macadamia nuts
  • Hops (used in home brewing beer)
  • Grapes and raisins ( including juices or anything with grapes or raisins as the base)
  • Tomato leaves and stems
  • Green part of potatoes (peelings, sprouts and foliage)
  • Rhubarb leaves
  • Avocados
  • Pits and seeds from fruits (plum, apricot, peach apple and cherry)
  • Bitter almonds
  • Moldy or spoiled foods

BEST DOG FOOD – Orijen, Blue Buffalo, Natural Balance, Innova, Taste of the Wild



CLICK LOLA FOR 245 Downloadable Homemade Dog Food Recipes.

The best start is to check out the website of your preferred dog food first and foremost.

Most manufacturers making a high quality, premium dog food will have easily accessible ingredient lists on their websites.

I found some web sites almost impossible to find an ingredient or nutritional analysis on, and I would suggest this as a warning that they have something perhaps to hide.

Look for locally grown food in their manufacturing process, and a list of what they don’t use is a nice easy way to determine if the food is healthy.

(EXAMPLE: produced without the use of herbicides, pesticides or artificial fertilizers, no irradiation used, does not contain chemical additives or preservatives, colors or dyes, hormone and antibiotic free)

This is an indication of a manufacturer that is responsible and really does put your pet’s health and nutrition first.

INGREDIENTS TO LOOK FOR:

SPECIFIED MEAT or FISH SOURCES:

Chicken as opposed to poultry by-products. Any named meat or fish is desirable such as chicken, turkey, venison, lamb, beef, herring etc.

Chicken meal as opposed to meat meal. Meal is the dry rendered (cooked down) product which will be more concentrated with the good qualities of the meat. This applies to any protein source such as chicken meal, turkey meal, venison meal, buffalo meal, herring meal, salmon meal, etc.

Having two different meat sources is the best product to look for. An example of an excellent protein based food has deboned turkey, turkey meal and chicken meal as the first 3 ingredients (Wellness Core).

The meat will be human grade which means it is clean and free of bones, blood, feathers, heads, feet, hooves, entrails etc., and also fresh and edible as opposed to rotten or spoiled.


CARBOHYDRATES:

Whole grains as opposed to the highly over processed mill run and flours.

Grains such as brown rice, barley, oatmeal, or if the product is grain free, then potatoes, or sweet potatoes would be choices of excellent carbohydrates.

Avoid corn and wheat and any of their derivatives in any dog foods. They are not nutritious, cause allergies and illnesses and are usually used as cheap fillers.


FRUITS/VEGETABLES:

Whole fruits and vegetables as opposed to none in some dog foods.

Look for any of the fresh fruits and veggies that we eat such as carrots, peas, spinach, greens, apples, berries etc.


FAT SOURCES:

Named fats from quality sources such as chicken fat, sunflower oil, canola oil, salmon oil, or lamb fat, etc.


NATURAL PRESERVATIVES:

Mixed Tocopherols (a natural source of Vitamin E), is the most common natural preservative. A dry dog food with natural preservation will have an expiry date, which is what you want to look for.

A kibble that will last indefinitely is over processed and way to synthetically preserved with harmful chemicals.


HEALTHY VITAMINS/MINERALS/SUPPLEMENTS:

Premium Vitamins such as Mixed tocopherols (source of vitamin E), choline chloride, vitamin A, vitamin D3, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin B12, folic acid, biotin, Vitamin B6,
Chelated Minerals such as Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, And Copper Amino Acid Chelate.

Probiotic Microorganisms such as Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product for digestive health.

Omega 3 & 6 fatty acids sourced naturally from ingredients such as flax seed, a specified fish oil and canola oil. – Supports healthy skin and coat.

Glucosamine and Chondroitin to help support long term bone and joint health.

Salt is also a necessary mineral and should be iodized or sea salt.


MY TOP 7 RECOMMENDATIONS :

All of these products are highly recommended. They are my picks, after doing a lot of reading, research and comparisons.

There are other excellent choices of dog food available today also. Choose by process of elimination.


ORIJEN DOG FOOD – ADULT GRAIN FREE (THIS IS MY # 1 DOG FOOD PICK) by CHAMPION PET FOODS.

INGREDIENTS:

Fresh deboned chicken, chicken meal, turkey meal, russet potato, fresh deboned pacific salmon (a natural source of DHA and EPA), herring meal, sweet potato, peas, fresh deboned lake whitefish, fresh deboned northern walleye, chicken fat (naturally preserved with vitamin E and citric acid), chicken liver, salmon meal, fresh deboned turkey, fresh whole eggs, fresh deboned herring, sun-cured alfalfa, salmon oil (Natural source of Omega 3), chicory root, dehydrated organic kelp, pumpkin, carrots, spinach, turnip greens, apples, cranberries, saskatoon berries, black currants, Vitamins, Minerals, Amino Acids, Botanicals and Guaranteed analysis here.


Wellness CORE Original Grain-Free Dry Canine Diet Dog Food -CLICK HERE TO ORDER

WELLNESS CORE

INGREDIENTS:

Deboned Turkey, Deboned Chicken, Turkey Meal, Chicken Meal, Potatoes, Dried Ground Potato, Tomato Pomace, Natural Chicken Flavor, Canola Oil, Chicken Liver, Salmon Oil, Flaxseed, Carrots, Sweet Potatoes, Kale, Broccoli, Spinach, Parsley, Apples, Blueberries,
Vitamins, Minerals and Guaranteed Analysis.


Natural Balance Organic Formulas Dry Dog Food CLICK HERE TO ORDER

NATURAL BALANCE ORGANICS

INGREDIENTS:

Natural Chicken, Organic Brown Rice, Chicken Meal, Organic Oats, Organic Millet, Organic Barley, Organic Sorghum, Organic Potato, Organic Peas, Organic Canola Oil, Organic Flaxseed, Chicken Fat (Naturally stabilized with Mixed Tocopherols), Dicalcium Phosphate, Organic Carrots, Natural Flavor, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Phosphate, Sea Salt, Mixed Tocopherols, Organic Spinach, Organic Cranberries, Organic Tomato, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Dried Kelp, Organic Parsley, Organic Rosemary, and Vitamins, Minerals with complete guaranteed analysis here.


Innova EVO Large Bites Dry Dog Food CLICK HERE TO ORDER

INNOVA EVO TURKEY AND CHICKEN by NATURA PET PRODUCTS.

INGREDIENTS:

Turkey, Chicken, Turkey Meal, Chicken Meal, Potatoes, Herring Meal, Chicken Fat, Natural Flavors, Egg, Garlic, Apples, Carrots, Tomatoes, Cottage Cheese, Alfalfa Sprouts, Dried Chicory Root, Taurine, Lecithin, Rosemary Extract, Vitamins/Minerals, and Viable Naturally Occurring Microorganisms.


Karma Organic Dog Food CLICK HERE TO ORDER

KARMA ORGANICS by NATURA PET PRODUCTS.

INGREDIENTS:

Organic Chicken, Organic Brown Rice, Organic Oats, Organic Barley, Organic Rye, Organic Pea Protein, Organic Flax Seed, Yeast Extract, Organic Carrots, Organic Beets, Organic Sunflower Oil, (naturally preserved with mixed Tocopherols), Calcium Carbonate, Organic Broccoli, Organic Cranberries, Dicalcium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Herring Oil and Vitamins/Minerals


Taste of the Wild -  ORDER HERE

TASTE OF THE WILD

INGREDIENTS:

Duck, duck meal, chicken meal, egg product, sweet potatoes, peas, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), potatoes, roasted quail, roasted duck, smoked turkey, natural flavor, tomato pomace, ocean fish meal, salt, choline chloride, dried chicory root, tomatoes, blueberries, raspberries, yucca schidigera extract, vitamins and minerals here.


Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Adult Dry Dog Food - CLICK HERE.

BLUE BUFFALO

  • Blue Buffalo foods contain no chicken or poultry by-product meals, cheap fillers, artificial preservatives or colors.

Blue Buffalo does contain:

  • High-Quality Protein: Chicken, Lamb and Fish all provide your canine pets with essential amino acids they need every day.
  • Wholesome Whole Grains: Hearty whole grains like brown rice, barley and oats supply the complex carbohydrates that your dog needs for energy.
  • Healthy Garden Veggies: Whole carrots, sweet potatoes and garlic are three of the nutrient-rich vegetables that your dog will get in every bite of Blue Buffalo.

HEALTHY DOG TREATS, ORGANIC, NATURAL AND HUMAN GRADE PET TREATS



MA SNAX ORGANIC DOG BISCUITS

Ma Snax Wheat Free

MA SNAX ORGANIC DOG BISCUITS (any flavour – 7 ozs. @ $7.99 ea.)

Ma Snax handcrafted organic ingredient dog biscuits are ideal for any canine pet. Offering a variety of flavors like Blueberry, Cranberry and Peanut Butter your sure to find a flavor for your pet to enjoy!

Available in 7 oz. resealable zipper bags.


WET NOSES ORGANIC DOG TREATS

Wet Noses

WET NOSES HERBAL DOG TREATS (1 lb. bag @ $7.99 per bag)

Wet Noses Dog Treats are 100% certified organic! Wholesome, natural ingredients and organic produce make up these delicious treats. Wet Noses is a natural dog food company committed to providing healthy food for the pets of today’s world.
They use no chemicals, preservatives or animal by-products.
The company is very passionate about the planet, implementing aggressive recycling and conservation practices within the complex at their Monroe, WA plant.


BARKWHEATS ALL NATURAL BUCKWHEAT DOG BISCUITS

What is Buckwheat? Despite the name, buckwheat is not a wheat, not a grain – it is a berry. Dogs with grain allergies are safe to eat Barkwheats. Buckwheat is also a very low glycemic food, meaning it will not spike the blood sugar when eaten, which can lead to ailments such as canine diabetes. Buckwheat contains magnesium, which relaxes blood vessels, improving blood flow and nutrient delivery thereby improving the cardiovascular system.
COMPLETE BARKWHEATS NUTRITONAL INFO HERE
Barkwheats Buckwheat Dog Biscuits Ginger & Parsley 10 oz. for Canines

BARKWHEATS BUCKWHEAT DOG BISCUITS (1/2 lb. box – $7.99 for any flavour) *NOTE – THESE ARE EXTREMELY HEALTHY DOG TREATS.

Barkwheats are all-natural buckwheat dog biscuits, hand-crafted in Stockton Springs, Maine. Barkwheats contain no grain (or gluten), corn, soy, sugar, salt or preservatives.
They are baked with the highest quality ingredients like: Buckwheat, Chamomile, Seaveg, Ginger, Parsley, Pumpkin, Sage, Wild Blueberries, Lavender, Honey & Oil.

MORE INFO ON BARKWHEATS HERE


ZUKE’S SUPERFOOD ORGANIC DOG BISCUTS

Zuke's SuperFood Organic Dog Biscuits

ZUKE’S SUPERFOOD ORGANIC DOG BISCUTS (14 ozs. @ $6.99 for any flavour)

Each of Zuke’s three Superfood Organic Dog Biscuit formulas is crafted around a specific class of superfoods.

  • Mean Greenz™ is made with oxidant-rich greens.
  • Health Nutz™ is crafted with omega-3 fatty acid packed nuts.
  • Berry Blastz™ is formulated with antioxidant-rich, dark-skinned berries.

NATURE NOSH ORGANIC GOURMET DOG TREATS

Nature Nosh Organic Gourmet

NATURE NOSH ORGANIC GOURMET DOG TREATS ( 2.2 oz @ $2.69 either flavour)

Contains NO animal by-products, fillers, hormones, chemical preservatives, pesticides, herbicides, corn, wheat, egg or soy.
Contains USDA Certified Organic meat, sold in 14 oz. containers.
*A portion of the proceeds from the purchase of any NatureNosh product will be donated to Much Love Animal Rescue:).


DR. HARVEY’S BARKOTTI TREATS FOR DOGS

Dr. Harvey's Barkotti Treats - Medium to Large Dogs

DR. HARVEY’S BARKOTTI TREATS FOR DOGS (Comes in small dog bites, or medium/large dog biscuits – 16 ozs. @ $15.99 for either)

These treats are made with organic flours, eight vegetables, apples, seven herbs, honey and bee pollen.

  • Nothing Artificial
  • No Preservatives
  • Wheat, Soy & Corn Free
  • No Added Sugar or Salt
  • 100% Human Grade Ingredients ONLY

WAGATHA’S ORGANIC DOG BISCUT TREATS

Wagatha's Organic Dog Biscuit Treats

WAGATHA’S ORGANIC DOG BISCUITS – (9 ozs. @ $8.49 for any flavour)

All of the ingredients used to make Wagatha’s gourmet organic dog biscuits are sourced from carefully monitored organic growing areas primarily within North America.

Their extra virgin olive oil is from Italy or Spain.

  • 100% USDA Certified Organic
  • 100% Human Grade Ingredients
  • Certified Kosher

JUSTIN’S ORGANIC NUT BUTTER

Justin's Nut Butter Organic Peanut Butter Squeeze Packs 10 Pack

JUSTIN’S NUT BUTTER ORGANIC PEANUT BUTTER ( comes in single squeeze packs at $0.99 per pack, or 10 packs for $8.99)

Made from the highest quality natural and organic ingredients, this might be the most delicious peanut butter you and your pup will ever taste!

  • No Salt
  • No Sugar
  • No Sweeteners
  • No Hydrogenated Oils
  • Only Organic Ingredients

NEWMAN’S OWN ORGANICS

Newman's Own Organics Healthy Dog Treats

NEWMAN’S OWN ORGANIC DOG TREATS (Flavours come in two sizes – single packs are $4.99 and 6 packs from $23.99 – $26.99)

No wheat, corn or soy products.

MORE INFO AND INGREDIENT LIST HERE.


Newman’s Organics also have a training treat available:

Newman's Own Dog Training Treats Chicken & Vegetable

NEWMAN’S OWN – Best for Training (4 oz. Single pack @ $4.99 – 6 pack @ $26.99 for either flavour)

Newman’s Own Organics Training Treats are the healthy way to train your dog!

They’re made with natural chicken, organic grains and vegetables with NO corn, wheat, artificial flavors, colors or preservatives.

These great tasting treats are high in protein and low in fat.


ONLY NATURAL PET ORGANIC FRENCH KISSES BISCUITS

Only Natural Pet Organic Fresh Kisses Biscuits

ONLY NATURAL PET ORGANIC FRENCH KISSES BISCUITS (l lb. bag @ $9.99)

  • 95% Organic Ingredients.
  • Low-Allergen Grains: Rye & Oat Bran.
  • Free of Wheat, Corn and Soy.
  • No Preservatives or Fillers – Nothing Artificial
  • Only Natural Pet brand products are 100% guaranteed!