Giving treats to your puppy can help them meet various developmental needs. It can be an incentive to encourage good behavior or help you bond with your pet. Treats also work for training purposes.
However, giving random food items as treats may be harmful to your four-legged friend.
You want to be mindful of your dog’s health, age, stage of growth, and unique training needs. In this guide, we present the best treats for puppies, including some products we’ve tested and confirmed as worth considering.
Best Treats for Puppies: Top 5 Picks
Here are some of the best treats for puppies you’ll currently find available:
- Wellness Soft Puppy Bites Natural Grain
- N-Bone Puppy Teething Treats
- Nylabone Healthy Edibles Puppy Natural Long Lasting Dog Chew Treats
- N-Bone Puppy Teething Rings Chicken Flavor Dog Treat
1. Wellness Soft Puppy Bites Natural Grain
Although rich in nutrients, they’re designed to be lightweight, minimizing calories per treat.
This product is produced with no artificial flavors or preservatives, ensuring that your pup maintains a clean bill of health. Whether as a training treat or simply for a special treat, Wellness Soft Puppy Bites are a great way to express love to your pet!
Pros
- Mostly grain-free, encouraging better digestion for your puppy.
- It’s a meaty treat with a high protein concentration that improves nutrient absorption.
- It’s made with natural ingredients like fresh meat, veggies, and fruits to ensure your puppy is free from chemicals and preservatives.
- Rich in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which is essential for healthy brain development.
Cons
- It’s often out of stock.
- It contains tapioca starch, which could lead to digestive issues.
- Contains peas, which cause allergies in some puppies.
With the right combination of proteins, essential vitamins, and minerals, Wellness Soft Puppy Bites support your furry friend’s overall health and development. It’s designed for all breeds and sizes of puppies at different stages of development.
2. N-Bone Puppy Teething Treats
This helps to massage a puppy’s gum and manage the discomfort associated with teething. At the same time, the puppy derives calcium, which aids in tooth and bone development.
Pros
- Great balance in terms of taste.
- Give a sweet flavor, even without much sugar usage.
- Crunchy but maintain a texture that helps massage the gums and relieves teething aches.
- Rich in calcium, which helps with healthy teeth, strong bone formation, and general physical development.
- Contain natural ingredients, so they’re great for your puppy’s health.
Cons
- Not appropriate for particularly aggressive chewers.
- Exclusively focused on teething, so only fitting to give small portions.
- High in vegetable glycerin, which can lead to digestive problems and, ultimately, diarrhea. Not great for pups with sensitive tummies.
Perfect for young puppies (under 7 months) but not fitting for more mature dogs. They’re designed mostly for teething purposes, so don’t expect them to yield other benefits beyond helping with tooth-related issues.
3. Nylabone Healthy Edibles Puppy Natural Long Lasting Dog Chew Treats
Nylabone Healthy Edibles are developed with stronger material and great flavors, ensuring that puppies chew for longer, making them one of the most preferred puppy training treats.
The brand doesn’t compromise your puppy’s health and uses natural ingredients like roast beef, turkey, and sweet potato. They’re available in multiple flavors, including bacon-flavored beef, roast beef bone, and turkey and sweet potato bone.
Pros
- They last longer than other treats and are the perfect training tool and distraction.
- Variety of flavors to choose from.
- Ample value-pack, containing three different flavors.
- Three flavors contain different nutritional combinations, offering varied health benefits.
Cons
- Not suitable for puppies three months or under, as they may not be able to handle the material.
- Some flavors may be too bold for some puppies.
- All flavors contain choline chloride and lecithin, which may spark allergic reactions in some puppies, like vomiting and skin irritation.
Another treat that serves generic purposes, the multiple flavors help to furnish different nutritional benefits. However, they’re only best for older puppies (8 months or older) and may be harmful to younger ones.
4. N-Bone Puppy Teething Rings Chicken Flavor Dog Treat
They’re made of naturally safe and easily digestible ingredients with a primarily chicken flavor, which is great for taste buds.
The N-Bone Puppy Teething Rings benefit your puppy’s health as they contain nutrients like DHA omega-3 fatty acid that’s great for cognitive development and the formation of healthy joints.
Pros
- Help soothe sore gums during teething.
- Provide other health benefits aside from helping with teething.
- Primarily have a chicken flavor.
- Soft on the gums, ensuring long-lasting chewing.
Cons
- Only a single flavor is available.
- They may contain a high sugar content.
- Relatively more expensive than comparable products.
Select this treat if you want something for teething purposes – don’t forget to watch your puppy’s weight when serving this to prevent unnecessary bloating.
Things to Look for When Choosing the Best Treats for Puppies
In addition to our top 5 picks for the best treats for puppies, you still need to select the best product for your puppy. You should understand what your dog can eat to grasp their diet comprehensively.
Here are a few things to look for when choosing the best treats for puppies:
Nutritional Value
The treats you give your puppy should have essential nutrients like proteins, vitamins, and minerals that support general health and development. However, you don’t always have to choose treats with all six nutrient classes.
Remember, these are treats, not food. Thus, don’t convert them toactual full-course meals.
Instead, if your pet has specific nutritional needs, treats present an opportunity to fill your furry friend with those nutrients. If your puppy is in the teething stage, get them a treat high in calcium.
Quality of Ingredients
The best treats for puppies are always made from high-quality natural sources like fruits, meat, green beans, and veggies, while avoiding artificial flavors and preservatives.
These artificial sweetenersdon’t present any nutritional value to your puppy and may actually be harmful: they can spark complications like digestive issues, skin problems, and allergies. Choose treats made with natural, wholesome ingredients.
Size and Texture
The size and texture of a puppy treat are worth considering, as they may affect or benefit your puppy. Generally, softer and smaller treats fit younger puppies, while those with rougher textures may harm them.
Hard treats, however, may benefit older puppies by helping to keep their teeth clean.
Your Puppy’s Stage of Growth
Not all treats are suitable for puppies of different ages and growth stages, so it’s best to get a nutritional composition that fits your puppy’s specific growth phase.
You wouldn’t give a dental treat to a puppy who is a year old or above. By then, you should considerswitching them to full adult food. Also, giving hard-textured treats to younger puppies may harm their gums and make their teething more uncomfortable.
Your Puppy’s Health and Allergies
Consider whether there are health needs or concerns when selecting a treat. If, in the past, your furry friendhas developed allergies to certain ingredients or substances, keep an eye out for them when checking out possible treats.
Then, if you want your puppy to emerge strong in any particular aspect (firmer bones, stronger canines, healthy eyes, etc.), give him treats that assist with these outcomes.
Can You Prepare the Best Treats for Puppies at Home?
Preparing the best treats for puppies at home is possible, and even encouraged. Research shows that doing so offers multiple benefits. You tend to use more all-natural ingredients when cooking at home, avoiding additives and preservatives common with processed treats.
At home, you can customize the diet to fit your puppy’s unique needs, make nutritional selections, and add variety.
Avoid offering them generic human food, which may not meet the nutritional quality needed in your puppy’s diet.
Some fun homemade treat options you can try out include:
- Peanut butter yogurt treats
- Banana-strawberry bites
- Homemade dog biscuits
- Chicken and beet treats
- Cheesy bone treats
But before going ahead with any of these, ensure you know your dog’s diet and how it feeds.
Top Brands for the Best Treats for Puppies
Here are the best brands for puppy treats:
Wellness
Part of the Wellness Pet Company, Wellness Pet Food is a premium pet food manufacturer dedicated to producing healthy puppy treats, natural meals, and supplements for cats and dogs.
Launched in the late 1990s, the company is committed to environmental sustainability, as shown in its ingredients, products, and packaging.
Nylabone
Nylabone was founded in 1955 and has mostly focused on dog dental care. Its product lineup includes edible treats and chew toys to help with your pet’s dental health and behavioral training.
N-Bone
Another dental treat manufacturer,N-Bone produces chews and treats that are soft on the gums and help your pet better deal with the discomfort associated with teething.
Milk-Bone
Milk-Bone has over a century of experience producing the best treats for puppies. The company’s product line includes biscuits, bones, and chews, all made of wholesome and nutritious ingredients.
FAQs
Here, we answer some questions you may have about the best treats for puppies:
What ingredients should be avoided in puppy treats?
Generally, avoid treats high in artificial ingredients like flavors and preservatives. We also recommend minimizing grain meals, as they can lead to bloating and other complications.
How many treats can puppies have in a day?
There is no specific number of treats a puppy can have in one day, as it depends on size, weight, and general health. However, as a general rule, don’t make treats more than 10% of your puppy’s calorie intake.
Can puppy treats harm a puppy’s health?
Yes, giving your puppy too many treats can cause unnecessary weight gain, digestive issues, and a lack of balance in nutrient consumption.
We recommend you don’t give your puppies larger treats at once but in small measures in the form of mini treats throughout the day. Also, it’s best to give more low-calorie treats.
Can puppy treats be used as a replacement for a full meal?
No, treats shouldn’t be used as a replacement for meals. Healthy puppy treats should be merely supplements, not main sources of nutrition.
Final Thoughts
Treats can endear your dog to you, help train your furry friend, and lead to better health outcomes. However, balance taste and nutritional quality to get the best out of them.
Also, remember that your puppy’s age, weight, and overall health are key when choosing the best treats for puppies. Treats should be used in moderation and not replace your pup’s main meals.