Should You Make Homemade Dog Treats?

Dogs are a part of our families. We often want to make sure we are feeding them healthy options to help them live long and happy lives. With that said, should you make homemade dog treats, or are store-bought options okay?

Store-Bought Dog Treats

We all love rewarding our pups with treats for good behavior. However, those treats may be doing more damage than you think. 

Store-bought dog treats tend to be very high in calories, which leads to obesity or other weight-related issues. Not to mention many dogs have allergic reactions to them that can present themselves as skin irritations. 

Avoid Soft Chew Dog Treats

As dogs age, soft chews may be their only option. However, young and adult dogs should never have soft chews because they can do a number on their teeth. The sticky, chewy pieces get stuck in between their teeth, leading to things like tooth decay and gingivitis. 

Choose Trusted Providers for Your Dog Treats

If you decide to use store-bought treats, make sure they are from a trusted provider. Even a popular provider may have defective batches. Thus, you should always check your treats for signs of mold. 

You should also never trust a treat just because the business selling them is well-known. Many name brands use extra supplements in place of real food. As a result, their ingredients list becomes very long. 

If an ingredients list contains BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole), do not buy those treats. BHA is a fat preservative that has been found to lead to the growth of tumors in animals. You can see the National Health Institutes Report on BHA here. 

Dog Treat Providers We Trust

Here are a few dog treat providers that we trust. 

• Bravo 
• Bully Sticks
• Instinct
• The Honest Kitchen

Making Homemade Dog Treats

When it comes to the health of your pet, you are better off making their treats yourself. Now, some people may not have the time to do this. If this is the case, we recommend buying treats from a trusted homemade small business. Of course, you could also buy from one of the options we listed above. 

Safe Ingredients for Homemade Dog Treats

There are a plethora of dog treat recipes for you to try. Most have some, if not all, of these key ingredients that are safe and healthy for your pooch. 

• Oatmeal
• Eggs
• Flour
• Peanut butter
• Pureed pumpkin
• Apples
• Carrots
• Sweet potato
• Cheese

For a complete list of human foods that are safe for dogs to consume, you can check out our other article here. 

Dog Treat Ingredients to Avoid

If you come across any recipes that contain the following ingredients, you should avoid them at all costs. 

• Artificial colors
• Brewer’s rice
• Corn syrup
• Excessive salt
• Nitrates or nitrites
• Propylene glycol
• Vegetable oil
• Xylitol or any other sugar alcohols

Making homemade dog treats is supposed to be a healthier option. Hence, why you should be very cautious to only use recipes with simple ingredients that are good for your dog. 

Making Homemade Treats for Your Dog

Dogs are family. You would not want to be eating dangerous, cancer-causing goodies and neither does your pup. That is why we strongly recommended making treats at home for them or buying from trusted providers that have very small ingredients lists. 

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