With so many dog treats on the market — crunchy biscuits, jerky strips, chews, “natural” snacks — it can be hard to know which ones are actually good for your dog. Low-quality treats often hide behind clever marketing, long ingredient lists, and vague buzzwords. Knowing how to read labels and evaluate ingredients helps you choose treats that support your dog’s health instead of harming it.
This guide explains how to determine whether a dog treat is good, what red flags to look for, how to apply the 90/10 rule, and how to identify treats that may have gone bad.
How to Know If Dog Treats Are Good
High-quality treats usually have simple, recognizable ingredients. The fewer ingredients, the better.
Good signs include:
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Single-ingredient treats like Sweet Potato Slices, Beef Lung Bites, Cow Ears, Beef Gullet, or Bully Sticks
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No artificial preservatives
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No wheat, corn, or cheap filler
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Clear sourcing (e.g., USA chicken breast, free-range beef)
If the ingredient list looks more like a chemistry set, it’s probably not high quality.
Red Flags: What Makes a Dog Treat “Low Quality”?
1. Long Ingredient Lists With Fillers
Watch for:
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Wheat, corn gluten meal, rice bran fillers
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Animal “by-product meal”
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Sugars or syrups
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Artificial colors (Red 40, Yellow 5, etc.)
These are common in mass-produced biscuits and “soft treats.”
2. Artificial Preservatives
Avoid treats containing:
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BHA
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BHT
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Propylene glycol
Natural treats like Sweet Potato Sticks or Cow Ears don’t need chemical preservatives because they are air-dried or dehydrated.
3. Unclear Protein Source
Labels that say:
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“Animal meal”
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“Meat digest”
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“Poultry by-products”
…are not transparent and often indicate poor-quality sourcing.
4. “Extra Hard” Chews That Could Break Teeth
Very hard treats — hooves, antlers, bones — are marketed as “long lasting” but carry a high fracture risk. Vets often recommend avoiding anything that your fingernail cannot dent (a common safety guideline in dental chews).
Natural, safer alternatives include Beef Collagen Sticks, Bully Sticks, and Beef Cheek Rolls, which offer firmness without dangerous hardness.
What Is the 90/10 Rule for Dogs?
The 90/10 rule states:
90% of your dog’s daily calories should come from balanced dog food.
10% or less should come from treats.
This helps:
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Prevent weight gain
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Avoid digestive issues
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Keep treat calories under control
Even high-quality treats (like Sweet Potato Fries, Cow Ears, or small training bites) should stay within this limit.
Do Brand Names Matter?
Some treat brands rely more on marketing than quality. “Bad” dog treat brands often share the same issues:
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Imported without transparency
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Mixed-protein by-products
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Artificial preservatives
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Heavy processing
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Soft treats with sugar or glycerin
Instead of focusing on brands, focus on ingredients and sourcing. Natural treats from single-ingredient products — such as Beef Lung Bites, Cow Ear Slivers, Sweet Potato Sticks, or Beef Gullet Strips — are much easier to evaluate.
How to Tell If Dog Treats Have Gone Bad
Treats can spoil, especially natural ones without preservatives. Throw treats away if you notice:
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Mold or white/green fuzzy spots
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Sour or rancid smell
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Slimy or sticky coating
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Change in color
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Excess oiliness not present before
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Your dog suddenly refuses a treat they normally love
Natural treats like Sweet Potato Slices, Cow Ears, and Beef Lung should always smell neutral and remain dry.
To extend shelf life:
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Store chews in airtight containers
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Keep them in a cool, dry place
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Refrigerate soft or semi-moist treats
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Freeze long-lasting chews if you buy in bulk
Safer Alternatives to Low-Quality Treats
If you’re trying to avoid processed or filler-heavy snacks, consider switching to natural, single-ingredient options such as:
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Sweet Potato Slices (great for sensitive stomachs)
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Beef Lung Bites (easy to break for training)
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Cow Ears (light, low-fat chew)
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Beef Collagen Sticks (durable and digestible)
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Bully Sticks (excellent for chewing satisfaction)
These treats offer purity and transparency — nothing hidden, nothing artificial.
Final Thoughts
Spotting low-quality animal treats is easier once you know what to look for: simple ingredients, digestible proteins, clear sourcing, and no artificial additives. Stick to natural options and follow the 90/10 rule to keep your dog’s diet balanced.
When in doubt, choose treats with ingredients you recognize — like Sweet Potato, Beef Lung, or Cow Ear — and avoid anything with chemicals you can’t pronounce.