Healthy Dog Treats: a "Recipe" for Picking the Best Chews for Your Puppy


You may think it's silly to read the label of every dog treat you consider buying for your puppy or dog, but DO get in the habit! Making healthy choices can actually reduce vet costs and lengthen the life of your beloved pet. So if you are looking for a "recipe" to help you pick the perfect healthy dog treats and chews, you have come to the right place!

Recipe For Picking the Healthiest Treats and Best Chews For Your Puppy and Older Dog

Start and End with the Ingredients. Everything you need to determine the product’s quality is legally required to appear on the label. The secret is knowing how to decipher what is listed! Every item should be easy to recognize with no "mystery' about the source of the ingredient.  For example:

  • Beef Meal (good) versus Meat Meal (bad)
  • Chicken Fat (good) versus Animal Fat (bad)

If you can’t tell what species of animal the source of that ingredient comes from you should not feed it to your puppy or older dog. 

The Star Rating we assigned is based on how close to ideal we feel the treat is. Please keep in mind that if a product gets a lower rating it may have some ingredients we don't feel are ideal BUT We Only Review Products We Would Feed Our Own Dogs

Healthy Dog Treats We Would Use

1
Rocco & Roxie Gourmet Jerky Dog Treats

If you are looking for healthy and natural dog treats, check out Rocco & Roxie Gourmet Jerky Dog Treats. This treat is not enhanced with artificial flavoring or fillers and tastes great. Rocco & Roxie’s secret is a full 15 hours of smoking the treat making it soft, chewy and naturally irresistible. The company make their gourmet jerky treats with lots of meaty goodness coming from American farms ensuring healthy snacks for your loving pup. This high protein and low calorie dog treat has no corn, wheat, soy or gluten. 

Rocco & Roxie Gourmet Jerky Dog Treats are Slow Smoked, Delicious, Tender AND Healthy! The 7" Jerky Sticks are available in 16 oz bags on Amazon. Choose Beef, Chicken or Turkey. Try these awesome dog treats by clicking on the link below.

2
Zuke's Mini Naturals Healthy Moist Training Treats

Zuke's Mini Naturals Healthy Moist Training Treats is made in the USA and contains no wheat, corn and soy. It’s just perfect for training with only 3.5 calories per treat – help maintain your dog’s waistlines with this treat! Zuke's Mini Naturals Healthy Moist Training Treats is made from natural wholefood ingredients packed with antioxidants and real chicken is the main ingredient. Since the treat is small it is ideal for dogs of any age and breed. Plus, your dog will surely love the taste. 

Zuke's Mini Naturals Healthy Moist Training Treats also contain nutrient cherries, rosemary, and turmeric. Try these awesome dog treats by clicking on the link below.

3
GREENIES Original Dental Dog Treats

Give your dog their daily brushing needs with GREENIES Original Dental Dog Treats. The product is manufactured in Kansas City, Missouri and promises to fight tartar and plaque, freshen breath and maintain healthier teeth and gums. GREENIES Original Dental Dog Treats are low fat and is formulated to provide complete and balanced nutrition for adult dogs and designed for daily treating. What’s more these natural dog chews are packed with vitamins and minerals making it safe to digest while taking care of your dog’s teeth.

GREENIES Original Dental Dog Treats tastes great and comes in Petite size for pets 15-25 pounds. Try these awesome dog treats by clicking on the link below.

4
PEDIGREE Dentastix Large Dog Treats

PEDIGREE DENTASTIX Original Large Treats for Dogs works to clean your dog’s teeth, freshen breath and is clinically proven to reduce plaque and tartar buildup. All it takes is one treat every day to achieve the maximum benefits of the product. The Dentastix comes in an X-shape design specifically for adult dogs with a tasty original flavor. According to Pedigree, you should look for the patented X-shape oral care treat. Your dog will surely love the chicken-flavor DENTASTIX Treats and while they munch on it the special texture will clean their teeth up to the gum line.

PEDIGREE Dentastix Large Dog Treats freshen breath while treating your dog to better oral health. Try these awesome dog treats by clicking on the link below.

5
Benebone Peanut Butter Flavored Wishbone Chew Toy

Made in the USA, Benebone Peanut Butter Flavored Wishbone Chew Toy contains real ingredients and flavor and uses no chemicals and artificial flavors. The patented ergonomic design which is a curved wishbone allows your dog to pop-up one end. This chew toy is made with super-strong nylon and 100% bacon for a mouthwatering flavor and scent. Take note though, the Benebone Bacon Flavored Wishbone Chew Toy is not recommended for dogs heavier than 70 pounds. It comes on three flavors bacon, peanut butter and rotisserie chicken. 

Benebone Flavored Wishbone Chew Toys contains real ingredients and real flavor. It is made with super-strong nylon and 100% bacon for irresistible Flavor and scent. Try these awesome dog treats by clicking on the link below.

6
Virbac C.E.T. Enzymatic Oral Hygiene Chews

If you are looking for a natural antiseptic for your dog, check out Virbac C.E.T. Enzymatic Oral Hygiene Chews. It has both natural and abrasive actions to control plaque for most dogs. Several dog owners claim that after using the product regularly their pets have become plaque free. This treat has an exclusive dual-enzyme system that promises to eliminate plaque causing bacteria. It is not only beneficial to the dog’s teeth but it can also be stress relieving. Yep! Chewing this oral hygiene can provide stress relief. All you have to do is give one treat daily. Plus once moistened it breaks which mean it greatly reduces the danger of choking on large pieces. 

Virbac C.E.T. Enzymatic Oral Hygiene Chews is available in petite, medium, large, and extra-large sizes. Try these awesome dog treats by clicking on the link below.

7
Wilderness Blue Buffalo Dog Treats

The Wilderness Blue Buffalo Dog Treats are 100% grain-free and made from the finest natural ingredients featuring real duck. This crunchy dog biscuit is just perfect for your meat-loving dog and it has no chicken or poultry by-products. Other ingredients of this dog treat are duck, chicken meal, potato, chicken fat, flaxseed (source of Omega 3 & 6 Fatty Acids), salt, calcium carbonate, preserved with mixed tocopherols and oil of rosemary. What’s great about this dog treat is it comes in medium sized chunks and it does not crumble easily. 

Wilderness Blue Buffalo Dog Treats is holistic, it has no digestive issues and is made in the USA. Try these awesome dog treats by clicking on the link below.

8
Nutramax Dasuquin with MSM Soft Chews for Dogs

What’s amazing about Nutramax Dasuquin with MSM Soft Chews is it has been formulated for more than a decade of clinical use and research to ensure complete joint health for your dogs. It can provide a lot of relief in as short as one week. Online reviews claim the product has helped their pets from barely being able to walk to being sturdy, less limping with an enormous difference in their stride. Simply amazing! The Nutramax Dasuquin with MSM Soft Chews for Dogs is also effective for hip problems, arthritis and pain to name a few. It has Methylsulfonylmethane or MSM which is used for chronic pain, osteoarthritis, joint inflammation, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, bursitis, tendonitis, tenosynovitis, musculoskeletal pain, muscle cramps, scleroderma, scar tissue, stretch marks, hair loss, wrinkles, protection against sun/wind burn, eye inflammation, oral hygiene, periodontal disease, wounds, cuts, and abrasions/accelerated wound healing. (Source: WebMD).

Nutramax Dasuquin with MSM Soft Chews is ideal for dogs over 60 pounds. Try these awesome dog treats by clicking on the link below.

9
Zuke's Hip Action Natural Dog Treats

Zuke's Hip Action Natural Dog Treats is a tasty treat with no wheat, corn and soy and is made in the USA. It contains 300mg of Glucosamine and 50mg of Chondroitin per treat which is can help in hip and joint support. These treats have the nutrients necessary to help prevent joint problems in the future while smelling really good. You will see noticeable results after using the product for about a couple of weeks and will help your dog move with much more ease. In addition, the glucosamine content of the treats is especially good for aging dogs. You can check their website for feeding instructions.

Zuke's Hip Action Natural Dog Treats help maintain hip and joint function in every nutrient-rich treat. Try these awesome dog treats by clicking on the link below.

10
100% Natural Bully Sticks by Best Bully Sticks

If you want an all-natural dog bully stick, check out the USDA/FDA-approved beef sticks from Best Bully Sticks. Go for the healthier dog chew alternative with no hormones, antibiotics, preservatives, chemicals or additives. Ingredients are sourced from cattle in the USA or South America, made from a single ingredient and fully digestible. What’s good about this product is that they don’t stink. There is no terrible strong doggy-food odor (some dogs would actually turn their nose up if they didn’t like the odor) and they are made to last. It is not too thin and not too thick either. Just the perfect size for dogs of all sizes. 

100% Natural Bully Sticks by Best Bully Sticks will be loved by your pets even th extreme chewers. Try these awesome dog treats by clicking on the link below.

11
Stewart Pro-Treat Freeze Dried Training Treats for Dogs

Made with 100% pure beef liver, Stewart Pro-Treat Freeze Dried Training Treats for Dogs are high in protein and contains no additives and preservatives. Your dogs will surely be hooked with Stewart Pro-Treat Freeze Dried Training Treats for Dogs. You don’t need to refrigerate it. You can even cut them in smaller pieces if you like. Your dog will surely perform well while on training just so he gets awarded with this treat. It smells a little given that the one ingredient is liver but not in a horrible way. Read the manufacturer’s recommendation for reference. You should not overfeed your pets with this liver treats. 

Stewart Pro-Treat Freeze Dried Training Treats for Dogs is made in the US. Try these awesome dog treats by clicking on the link below.

12
ANTLER MAN® Premium Deer Antler Pieces

ANTLER MAN® Premium Deer Antler Pieces are treats that your dogs can chew. Made in Texas, the antlers area natural source of essential minerals your dogs need such as calcium, glucosamine, iron and potassium. There are no chemicals and preservative in this product, they are odor free and can long very long. It doesn’t chip or splinter as well so you don’t need to worry. It cleans your dog’s teeth while keeping him busy and lastly, they are durable. This has been tested with big and small dogs and they held up.

ANTLER MAN® Premium Deer Antler Pieces are 3-4 pieces per pound. If you order 1 pound you will receive 3-4 pieces. If you order 2 pounds you will receive 6-8 pieces and so on. Try these awesome dog treats by clicking on the link below.

13
Nylabone Dura Chew Combo Packs

Zuke's Hip Action Natural Dog Treats is a tasty treat with no wheat, corn and soy and is made in the USA. It contains 300mg of Glucosamine and 50mg of Chondroitin per treat which is can help in hip and joint support. These treats have the nutrients necessary to help prevent joint problems in the future while smelling really good. You will see noticeable results after using the product for about a couple of weeks and will help your dog move with much more ease. In addition, the glucosamine content of the treats is especially good for aging dogs. You can check their website for feeding instructions.

Nylabone Dura Chew Combo Packs satisfies your dog's natural urge to chew. Try these awesome dog treats by clicking on the link below.

14
Kingdom Pets Premium Dog Treats

Kingdom Pets Premium Dog Treats, Chicken Jerky is made of 100% natural ingredients, high in protein, low in fat and has no artificial colors or flavors. This treat is quite easy to break into smaller pieces for training purposes. It smells pleasant and the bag is huge and packed tightly. This chicken jerky treat will make your dog happy even picky eaters would love this. They are just the right texture and size. This is a product of China but it has been well tested and has been used and is highly recommended by other dog owners as well.

Kingdom Pets Premium Dog Treats is made only from 100% natural ingredients. Try these awesome dog treats by clicking on the link below.