best Dog Treats
Updated January 2021
Why Trust MyDogWantsThat?
Here at MDWT, you can trust that you’re getting the best information for your dog, because we’re dog owners ourselves. We carefully assess the best (and worst) dog products on the market, giving you a full breakdown of what’s out there so you as an owner can make informed choices when it comes to your dog.
Why Trust MyDogWantsThat?
Here at MDWT, you can trust that you’re getting the best information for your dog, because we’re dog owners ourselves. We carefully assess the best (and worst) dog products on the market, giving you a full breakdown of what’s out there so you as an owner can make informed choices when it comes to your dog.
- As Good As It Gets
- Best On A Budget
Bottom Line
Oral care is a treat with this dental chew that’s tasty and made of natural and easily digestible ingredients. It contains vitamins and minerals and is ideal for dogs between 25-50 lbs.
If your dog loves to crunch, these dog biscuits provide a salmon flavored crunchy experience with every bite. This grain-free treat is made of wholesome ingredients that have Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids.
These mini and crunchy treats are great for training and as a snack. Made from natural ingredients, these snacks are suitable for dogs of every size and age.
For dogs that love them soft and meaty, this treat is made of real meat without by-products or preservatives.
Perfectly sized for training, they also contain DHA to support cognitive development in puppies.
This wonderful smelling treat will entice any dog. It’s made of superfood ingredients and oven-baked, making it a healthy and delicious snack for your dog.
Pros
Most dogs love the flavor.
Freshens breath and cleans teeth effectively.
Has antioxidants.
High in protein.
Convenient bite-sized pieces.
All-natural ingredients.
Salmon recipe has EPA and DHA.
Available in different sizes for different breeds.
Perfect size for rewarding during training.
Great assortment of flavors.
Inexpensive.
No preservatives.
Soft and chewy, good even for puppies.
No meat by-product.
No corn, wheat, and soy.
Contains DHA.
Great smelling treat’s very enticing.
Made of real fruits.
Rich in antioxidants.
Crunchy texture.
Cons
Done in a few bites.
Crumbles easily inside the packaging.
Small size still too big for small dogs.
Has cane sugar listed as one of the ingredients.
Some dogs prefer meaty treats over fruity ones.
- As Good As It Gets
Greenies Original Dental Dog Treats
Bottom Line
Oral care is a treat with this dental chew that’s tasty and made of natural and easily digestible ingredients. It contains vitamins and minerals and is ideal for dogs between 25-50 lbs.
Pros
Most dogs love the flavor.
Freshens breath and cleans teeth effectively.
Cons
Done in a few bites.
- Best On A Budget
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Trail Treats
Bottom Line
If your dog loves to crunch, these dog biscuits provide a salmon flavored crunchy experience with every bite. This grain-free treat is made of wholesome ingredients that have Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids.
Pros
Has antioxidants.
High in protein.
Convenient bite-sized pieces.
All-natural ingredients.
Salmon recipe has EPA and DHA.
Cons
Crumbles easily inside the packaging.
Old Mother Hubbard Baked Dog Treats
Bottom Line
These mini and crunchy treats are great for training and as a snack. Made from natural ingredients, these snacks are suitable for dogs of every size and age.
Pros
Available in different sizes for different breeds.
Perfect size for rewarding during training.
Great assortment of flavors.
Inexpensive.
No preservatives.
Cons
Small size still too big for small dogs.
Blue Buffalo Blue Bits Soft Dog Chews
Bottom Line
For dogs that love them soft and meaty, this treat is made of real meat without by-products or preservatives.
Perfectly sized for training, they also contain DHA to support cognitive development in puppies.
Pros
Soft and chewy, good even for puppies.
No meat by-product.
No corn, wheat, and soy.
Contains DHA.
Cons
Has cane sugar listed as one of the ingredients.
Fruitables Crunchy Baked Dog Treats
Bottom Line
This wonderful smelling treat will entice any dog. It’s made of superfood ingredients and oven-baked, making it a healthy and delicious snack for your dog.
Pros
Great smelling treat’s very enticing.
Made of real fruits.
Rich in antioxidants.
Crunchy texture.
Cons
Some dogs prefer meaty treats over fruity ones.
How We Decided
Just like human snacks, there are endless options of dog treats available for pet parents to pick from, and choosing the best one for your dog can be difficult. We enlisted the help of our MDWT puppy testing team and combined it with online reviews to determine the best ones out there. Here’s how we decided:
23
Models Considered
8
Hours Researched
1
Experts Interviewed
5
Consumer Consulted
Buying Guide For The Best Dog Treats
Dog treats are great for rewarding your dog during training, snacking, or even for bonding with your dog. They’ll do anything for a delicious treat! But treats not only need to be yummy, but they also need to provide additional benefits that supplement their diets.
So before you choose which treat to give your dog, consider what you’ll use it for. Training? Snacking? Both? If you’ll be using it as part of their training, treats that can be broken into smaller pieces are ideal. This allows you to manage and control the quantity you give them and will make one bag of treats last longer.
For snacks, you can opt to go for the crunchier treats or stick shaped ones that make for enjoyable chewing or provide dental cleaning properties.
If dental health is a concern, there are treats that offer dental benefits like removing tartar, freshening of their breaths, and more. This is where texture makes a difference. Dental treats are chewier and have grooves that make it possible for their teeth and gums to be cleaned.
There are also treats that are exclusive for puppies as they provide the needed nutrients for them to grow and develop properly. Then there are treats for adult dogs that provide additional nutrients to supplement their diets. As for the size, treats for puppies and smaller breeds are naturally smaller while treats for larger breeds are bigger.
Whatever the case may be, always go for those with quality ingredients to make sure you make them happy with every bite.
Buying Guide For The Best Dog Treats
Dog treats are great for rewarding your dog during training, snacking, or even for bonding with your dog. They’ll do anything for a delicious treat! But treats not only need to be yummy, but they also need to provide additional benefits that supplement their diets.
So before you choose which treat to give your dog, consider what you’ll use it for. Training? Snacking? Both? If you’ll be using it as part of their training, treats that can be broken into smaller pieces are ideal. This allows you to manage and control the quantity you give them and will make one bag of treats last longer.
For snacks, you can opt to go for the crunchier treats or stick shaped ones that make for enjoyable chewing or provide dental cleaning properties.
If dental health is a concern, there are treats that offer dental benefits like removing tartar, freshening of their breaths, and more. This is where texture makes a difference. Dental treats are chewier and have grooves that make it possible for their teeth and gums to be cleaned.
There are also treats that are exclusive for puppies as they provide the needed nutrients for them to grow and develop properly. Then there are treats for adult dogs that provide additional nutrients to supplement their diets. As for the size, treats for puppies and smaller breeds are naturally smaller while treats for larger breeds are bigger.
Whatever the case may be, always go for those with quality ingredients to make sure you make them happy with every bite.
Key Considerations
Caution
Rawhide treats are not a good idea. Even Though they last long and can be fun to chew for your dog, they are made with the use of toxic preservatives and provide no nutritional value. If swallowed, they can be a choking hazard and even cause intestinal blockage.
Dog Treat Features
Dog treat features differ depending on the purpose of the treats.
Treats made for snacking often come in a long stick shape to give your dog a fun chewing experience. Treats for training meanwhile come in a smaller shape and can easily be broken further into smaller pieces.
There are also dog treats made to provide dental health benefits. They clean the teeth and gums while giving your dog a fun time chewing. They’re often shaped like bones with rough textures and grooves.
You’ll also find dog treats specifically formulated to aid in the recovery or prevention of certain health problems like hip and joint issues. These are more specialized treats and not used for training or rewards.
Then there are treats made from natural ingredients and with lower caloric values. These are great for maintaining or losing weight.
There are many different products that offer different benefits. The key is to pick the one that suits your objective.
Expert Tip
Mix up the dog treats you use every so often. Your dog could get sick of the same old treat every day so offering a new one can keep things exciting for them.
Treats for Dogs Prices
Doggy treats are relatively inexpensive and widely available. Prices are driven by the brand and the ingredients used, much like any food product. You can often find great value in products that offer a lot of nutritional benefits combined with a great flavor, even though you might pay a little extra for these,
Going for the cheapest products won’t save you money especially if they contain toxic ingredients or are made by companies with questionable reputations. Also, watch out for product recall history since these will give you an idea of the quality of the treats.
Avoiding these products will save you the additional expenses from the health issues they bring.
Tips
- Each dog has a high-value treat. These are the treats that they will do anything just to get a taste of. Find out what it is and use it to your advantage especially during training.
- Get more bang for your buck by getting a treat that can be broken into small pieces easily. This can double or triple the number of treats you have in your bag.
- You can also make treats yourself! DIY treats are not uncommon, just be sure to use reliable and safe recipes.
- Never leave home without a treat. You’ll never know when a training situation will come up and when it does, you’ll need the treat to make it effective.
other products we Considered
Aside from our top five, here are other products you can consider. They didn’t make the list, but they’re worth recommending:
Kong Easy Treat. If your dog loves Kong toys, this Kong filler is the easiest way to fill it with treats. It makes playtime rewarding and delicious.
Full Moon Organic Training Treats. For pet parents that prefer organic food, these treats are made using cage-free poultry and contain human-grade ingredients.
FAQ's
How many treats should I give my dog?
Treats should only make up 10% of your dog’s caloric intake. Treat producers always indicate the serving size in the packaging. The number of pieces you can feed your dog depends on their size or weight. It’s best to follow these guides to make sure you don’t overfeed your pet.
Can I use human food as a treat?
Yes, you can use chicken breast, turkey, some fruits, or even peanut butter. Offering a variety of treats makes it more fun and exciting for your dog which makes training easier.
The Team That WOrked on This Review
Nitin Gupta
Chief Content Officer
JJ Resnick
Director of Growth
Erik Adler
Editorial Director