What’s Really in Your Dog’s Treats? The Truth About Dog Treat Ingredients
- busy-pawz
- Apr 8
- 4 min read
If you’re anything like me, you always have a stash of treats on hand. But have you ever stopped to check what’s actually in those treats? (Spoiler: it might shock you.)
The treats you choose matter - not only for effective training but also for your dog’s long-term health and wellbeing.
🔍 What’s Really Inside Popular Dog Treats?
Ever picked up a pack of treats and thought, “That looks healthy!”—only to discover the ingredient list tells a very different story? You’re not alone. With flashy marketing, bold claims, and pictures of fresh meat and veggies, it’s easy to be misled.
Here are some tips to help you decode what’s really in your dog’s treats:
Unspecified Meat
If the label simply says “meat” or “meat by-products” without naming the animal source, it’s often a red flag. These vague terms usually mean low-grade offcuts or rendered by-products, and the quality can vary drastically. Look for treats that name the meat clearly—like chicken breast, beef liver, or duck.
Sugar by Any Name
Treats don’t need added sugar but many have it snuck in under sneaky names like sucrose, natural sugar, molasses, or maltodextrin. These offer zero nutritional benefit and empty calories which can contribute to weight gain, hyperactivity, and even behavioural issues.
The Additive Avalanche
Preservatives, colours, and artificial flavours are often added to improve shelf life or palatability but they’ve been linked to allergies, sensitivities, and behavioural challenges in some dogs.
Fillers & Binders
Ingredients like cereal protein, vegetable protein, starch, and gums are used to cheaply bulk out treats. While not always harmful, they offer very little nutritional value and can be hard on sensitive tummies.
Fancy Packaging ≠ Quality
Just because the front of the bag shows juicy steak or fresh veggies doesn’t mean that’s what’s inside. If an ingredient isn’t listed clearly and early on, it’s likely not a main component.
📌 Pro tip: Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight. If meat isn’t in the top three, it’s not the main ingredient - no matter what the packaging says.
Good Treats vs Dodgy Treats: A Quick Guide
👍🏻 LOOK FOR:
Named animal proteins like chicken breast, beef heart, or lamb liver
Single-ingredient or limited-ingredient treats
Natural preservatives - like mixed tocopherols or vitamin E
No added sugars or artificial flavours
Whole foods like dehydrated meats, fruits, or veggies
Clear labelling - you should know exactly what’s in it
👎🏻 AVOID:
Vague meat terms like meat, animal fat, or meat and bone meal
Sugars or sweeteners such as sucrose, molasses, honey, maltodextrin
Artificial preservatives like BHA, BHT, or ethoxyquin
Unnecessary fillers like cereal protein, vegetable gum, starch
Colours and flavour enhancers especially if you can’t pronounce them
⚠️ What is all this stuff
Here’s a quick breakdown of common nasties:
Vegetable protein / cereal protein: Cheap plant-based fillers , low digestibility.
Humectants (like vegetable glycerine): Keep treats moist; minimal nutritional benefit.
Maltodextrin: A processed sugar derivative used as a sweetener and thickener
Xanthan gum: A thickener - not harmful, but unnecessary in treats
Palatants: Flavour enhancers added to make treats more enticing
Emulsifiers: Bind water and fat together - common in processed food
Meat and bone meal: Ground, rendered carcass by-products, nutritionally poor
If you don't recognise the ingredient or can’t pronounce it easily, it’s probably not ideal for your pup.
🧀 Let’s Talk About Cheese (and Peanut Butter)
Cheese is commonly used as a high-value treat and dogs love it! But just because they love it doesn’t mean it’s the best choice.
Cheese is generally:
High in fat
Often contains added salt
Can disrupt gut balance, especially for dogs with sensitive stomachs
Heavily processed - far from a species-appropriate food
Peanut butter generally:
Contains sugar, salt, and palm oil
Never give peanut butter with xylitol - it’s toxic to dogs!
Very calorie-dense with little nutritional value
It’s best used as a special treat (think: the dog version of human chocolate 🍫)
👉 While cheese and peanut butter can be great high-value jackpot treats, just like chocolate for humans - they’re best enjoyed occasionally, not daily.
🥦 Treats as Part of a Balanced Diet
Treat calories count! They should replace part of your dog’s daily food - not add to it. This is especially important for small dogs who have lower daily calorie needs.
Whether you’re training, bonding, or just feeling generous, it’s important to choose treats that fit into your dog’s nutritional needs - not derail them.
Here are a few healthy options to consider:
🥕 Veggies (low calorie): Carrots, broccoli, green beans
🍏 Fruits (low calorie): Blueberries, apple slices (no seeds!)
🍗 Single-ingredient proteins: Dehydrated chicken, beef, lamb (use in moderation)
🌟 Busy Pawz Premium Training Treats: Balanced, species-appropriate, and crafted with zero fillers (okay, I'm a little biased- but they're paw-some 😉) Check them out here.
Quick note on liver treats: Liver is amazing but potent. Stick to around 5% of your dog’s daily diet to avoid tummy trouble or vitamin overload.
Final Thoughts: Making Informed Choices
The best treats do double duty: they support your training efforts and your dog’s overall wellbeing. Knowing exactly what's in your treats helps you make informed choices that lead to happier, healthier dogs (and less stressed humans).
Thanks for reading! I hope this post gave you a fresh perspective on what’s really in those dog treats. Whether you’re just starting your training journey or have years of experience, it’s always worth checking the label—and trusting your gut.
And don’t forget to throw your dog a quality treat from all of us 🐶
Deb & the Busy Pawz Crew
P.S. Want to dive deeper into this topic?
🎧 Check out my podcast where I chat more about the treats and share a bonus tip to get the most out of your treats
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