There has been a craze of people thinking that they can't feed their dogs anything not manufactured in the US. However, we personally eat many foods that are not manufactured in the US without knowing it. What many don't realize is that the threat of illness is actually from jerky (processed meat with additives) as well as raw hides (treated with lye and bleach that is absorbed into the hide and very difficult to digest).
A few years ago I found a treat that I could finally feed Maeby, who has food intolerances. The ingredient list is as short and sweet as a concerned pet owner could wish for! In my 2+ years of feeding my dogs these treats, I have never had a bad experience. As a matter of fact, my pups have had less stomach upset and less constipation. Here are the treats I am talking about.
The first in the line up is dehydrated chicken and duck tenders or chips. The meat does come from Thailand, however, it is cooked, dehydrated, irradiated and tested by the FDA. I have come across many other breeders and trainers who recommend these treats.
Ingredients: Duck fillet .... that's it! Just duck!
Ingredients: Chicken ... yep that's all too!
The second line up is the combination treats... meat plus veggies or meat plus fruit.
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| Ingredients |
You may also find some of the chicken and apple products along with chicken and rice poppers on Amazon... guess how short those ingredient lists are!
Lastly, a product that I love from VitaLife is their PrePro biscuits. These have both prebiotics and probiotics that your pup needs to stay healthy digestively and keep a healthy immune system.
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| PrePro Info |
I give my dogs the PrePro treats pictured regularly to help keep them... regular. However, there is an immune booster that I like to give them a few weeks before they go to the kennel. They love these treats! It's the only "soft" treats I give them, since I want to put off vet teeth cleaning as long as possible. If your dog has issues with constipation, these treats will be helpful. Once your dog is regular, you don't have to give them daily, just a few times a week will do.
Vitalife's website is very informative, and they seem to hide nothing. Please, check them out. Truly healthy dog treats are very rare! Corporate companies love to throw the word "healthy" around and have degraded it.
Other brands I am also a fan/supporter of:
However, when it comes to price, Vitalife has these beat. I use Zuke's minis for training and Zukes Z-bones for healthy chewing/teeth cleaning. Sojos also makes mini bones that are great for the treat dispensing toys and training. Blue buffalo has some of the highest rated foods/treats when it comes to quality and health, but they are the most expensive.
Other great healthy chews to replace rawhide would include: pig or cow ears that are not basted, duck feet and cow or pig hooves. These are all "leftovers" from the meat we eat that would normally be thrown away by any human, however, our dogs love them! And most of them are very affordable.
Happy snacking!!
