“This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.”
If you were making your own dog treats, using the freshest and most wholesome, healthy ingredients, would you ever consider dumping sugar into the mix?
Of course not. So why, then, do a number of the most popular dog treats on the market contain high amounts of sugar? Because dogs love it.
According to a press release from Dr. Ernie Ward, founder of the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP) and author of “Chow Hounds: Why Our Dogs Are Getting Fatter – A Vet’s Plan to Save Their Lives” (2010 HCI),
…the problem is linked to money – lots of it. With US pet treat sales estimated to be nearly $2 billion in 2010, the treat bowl has turned golden. “Sugar is incredibly attractive to dogs. If a dog gobbles a treat quickly, an owner is more likely to give another – and another. This adds up to more sales – and profits. In the race for pet treat profits, our pets’ health is being bankrupted.”
With 45% of American dogs and 58% of cats considered overweight, an estimated 89 million pets are at high risk for developing conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure and more.
In addition to obesity, sugary treats lead to behavioral problems as well.
“Numerous studies in rats demonstrate that overfeeding sugar can create symptoms similar to drug addiction. A dog’s daily sweet treat may be contributing to overeating and other undesirable behaviors. This is why I call today’s high-sugar treats ‘kibble crack.’”
Still, pet treat manufacturers blame pet owners. They are, after all, the ones that purchase and feed the sugary treats.
So, Dr. Ward listed what he calls “The Dirty Dozen,” the 12 most popular sugary dog treats that should be avoided. Pet parents should be aware of what they’re feeding their pets, understand ingredient labels, and to avoid treats that masquerade as healthy and nutritious while silently contributing to the obesity epidemic.
His goal is to help pet parents to be more aware of what they’re feeding their pets. “Pet owners definitely have a feeding disorder when it comes to their pets. Ultimately it’s up to each owner to control how much they feed their pets. What I want to bring attention to is what ingredients are in pet treats – and why. Pet owners must begin to question why there is sugar in a treat that claims to help teeth,” he said.
Dr. Ward’s Dirty Dozen – Popular Sugary Pet Treats
| Pet Treat | Added Sugar |
| Canine CarryOuts Chew-lotta | Dextrose first ingredient |
| Snausages SnawSomes! Beef and Chicken Flavor | Sugars 3 of first 4 ingredients |
| Pedigree Jumbone Mini Snack Food for Small Dogs | Sugars 2 of 3 first ingredient |
| Petrodex Dental Treats for Cats | Dextrose second ingredient |
| Pedigree Jumbone | Sugar third ingredient |
| Milk Bone Essentials Plus Oral Care | Sugar third ingredient |
| Pup-Peroni Lean Beef Recipe | Sugar third ingredient |
| Science Diet Simple Essentials Treats Training Adult Treats with Real Beef | Sugar third ingredient |
| Cesar Softies Dog Treats | Sugar third ingredient |
| Milk-Bone Chewy Chicken Drumsticks | Sugar third ingredient |
| Meow Mix Moist Cat Treats | Corn syrup fourth ingredient |
| Pedigree Marrobone | Sugar third ingredient |
Other common sugar-containing treats according to Dr. Ernie Ward:
- Pedigree Jumbone – Sugar third ingredient
- Beneful Snackin’ Slices – Sugar fourth ingredient
- Pit’r Pat Fresh Breath Mint Flavored Cat Treats – Maltodextrin first ingredient
- Three Dog Bakery Lick ‘n Crunch – Dextrose third ingredient
- Beneful Snackin Slices – Sugar fourth ingredient
- Busy Chewnola – Maltodextrin second ingredient
- Exclusively Dog Vanilla Flavor Sandwich Creme Dog Cookies – Sugars first two ingredients
- Canine Carryouts Dog Treats – Corn syrup second ingredient
For more information, visit www.PetObesityPrevention.com or www.DrErnieWard.com .
The Westchester News
Feb 6, 2017 at 7:01 pm
This company SMUCKER knows that MILK BONE BRUSHING CHEWS has killed too many dogs, and they continue to keep these dog bones on the shelves in supermarkets and pet stores!!!
If the CEO MARK SMUCKER don't care about our pets, I am sure he doesn't care about our children either. Don't buy SMUCKER Penut Butter and Jelly or any other product SMUCKER makes.
Too many dogs have gotten sick and died from SMUCKER MILK BONES!!! IT'S A DOG HOLOCAUST!!!
MILK BONE BRUSHING CHEWS
facebook.com/milkb…
CALL THE CEO
MARK SMUCKER: 330-682-3000
TELL SMUCKER HE'S THE DOG HITLER!!!
REMOVE THESE DEADLY DOG BONES OFF THE SHELVES!!!
IF NOT, WE BRING HIS EMPIRE DOWN BY STOP BUYING HIS PRODUCTS!!!!
smuckers.com/?gclid…
The COMPANY SMUCKER'S MILK BONE IS DISREGARDING CLAIMS they leave the product on the shelves knowing all our pets are getting very sick from these MILK BONE BRUSHING CHEWS!! I am posting the WARNING ABOUT THIS PRODUCT “below” on every board on the internet warning pet owners about the dangers of MILK BONE BRUSHING CHEWS!!!
If your pets have had any pet issues after eating these MILK BONE BRUSHING CHEWS please contact the Federal Trades Commission in Washington DC!!!
CALL: 877-382-4357 Consumer Complaint: Website: react-text: 169 FTC.Gov /react-text
These chews have been known to cause digestive blockages and kidney and bladder stones and urinary track infections in dogs!!! Beware of the Danger!!!
We saw the TV Commercial about the Milk Bone Brushing Chews, so we thought it was safe to give to our little girl, but we thought wrong. Pishga, got very sick after eating Milk Bone Brushing Chews, she loved them too!!! That's the danger of these Milk Bones your dog will love them, but, they will also kill them.
Betsy Parker
Oct 7, 2014 at 4:04 pm
All our treats are baked fresh. They do not contain:
Wheat
Corn
Soy
Dairy
Animal By-products
No added sweetners
hypoallergenic dog treats
Jul 2, 2014 at 2:42 pm
Its like you read my mind! You appear to know a lot about this, like you wrote the book in it or something.
I think that you can do with a few pics to
drive the message home a bit, but instead of that, this is great blog.
An excellent read. I will certainly be back.
Fhiha
Jun 3, 2014 at 5:22 am
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żółć
May 28, 2014 at 7:57 am
Hello just wanted to give you a quick heads
up and let you know a few of the pictures aren’t loading correctly.
I’m not sure why but I think its a linking issue. I’ve tried
it in two different browsers and both show the same outcome.
Robin (Independent Handler #209)
May 26, 2014 at 5:31 pm
Check out For Tails Only – their treats are fresh baked in the USA with simple, straightforward ingredient lists. Ingredients are all-natural, and often organic! Plus, a percentage of the company’s profits are donated to rescues every month.
Jim
May 26, 2014 at 5:09 pm
The best treats are ZiwiPeak all natural meat treats. Air dried and no salt or sugar. Nothing artificial!! Comes in Lamb,Beef and Venison.
Margaret
May 26, 2014 at 4:44 pm
Good to get information on bad snacks. Now can anyone come up with a list of healthy snacks to purchase? I was shocked to hear about Milkbone. Over the years they have been one of the main snacks plus carrots and romaine.
Mark
May 26, 2014 at 3:33 pm
Guys try All natural all meat dog treats treats from Little L’s they have a website they call them Krak’ems I buy these all time because they are so healthy for my little one and best yet made in USA – New York
Pam
May 26, 2014 at 3:00 pm
None of my treats have sugar. Just wholesome natural goodness.
Sandra Slack
May 26, 2014 at 3:25 pm
I make my own, that way I know exactly what is in them,and there’s not sugar, only healthy good ingredients. They depend on us to keep them healthy.
Cathy
May 26, 2014 at 2:55 pm
Should anyone be surprised? Same thing is has been happening with human food for a long time. High fructose corn syrup is a sugar and can be found in almost everything humans consume. I mean really, do we need sugar in microwave scrambled eggs? No. Our pets don’t either.
Cyndi
May 26, 2014 at 2:31 pm
I give my dogs carrots as treats, they love them
Jess
Apr 21, 2014 at 12:10 am
Human grade USA made treats. No additives. Try them out for yourself as well, they taste great!
Jacky Rosen
Mar 28, 2014 at 11:51 am
When they’re on sale (most holidays)I buy sweet potatoes in mass and slice with a mandoline then dry them (on racks on the radiators) to keep in zip-lock bags as treets for my guinae pig. I found my dogs like them too! This makes for an inexpensive, healthy treat. They also eat them raw without dehydrating.
Sheri Syverson
Mar 24, 2014 at 12:40 pm
Check out Dog Treat Kitchen. She has wonderful recipes for home-made dog treats. My Airedales love them. Healthy and affordable.
Betsey Freyberger
Mar 3, 2014 at 11:29 pm
I buy all my treats from Bears Bone Bakery. He has a Facebook page. They are all prepared here in Evansville, IN. They are great and my dogs love them!
Kathy Takayama
Jan 13, 2014 at 4:18 am
I have chosen to feed all of my dogs fresh veggies by steaming them. I include this in their morning meal and feed them as snacks during the day. Broccoli, Carrots, Cucumbers, Romaine Lettuce, Green Beans, Beets, Sweet Potato, Peas. As a real treat they get some cooked oats with unsweetened pure pumpkin and some plain yogurt which they absolutely LOVE. Also watching the brand of dog food that they eat making every effort to give keep them as healthy as possible. Definitely worth the time knowing that I don’t have to worry about the quality of their food and treats.
Sandra Heptinstall
Jan 11, 2014 at 9:34 pm
Thanks for the tips on making my dog snacks healthy.
Victoria Jones
Jan 11, 2014 at 11:03 am
Alpo Variety Snaps may not have sugar but they have food dye (Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1)Wheat Flour, Wheat Gluten, Soy Flour, Chicken By-Product Meal Animal Digest which is “animal by-products are what’s left of a slaughtered animal after the edible parts have been removed. They include the waste2 of meat processing not intended for human consumption.”(DogFood Advisor)
The DogFood Advisor site gives lots of info when it comes to deciphering dogfood label.
I haven`t tried dehydrating yet but I do buy a small bag of Origen freeze-dried dog treats (they have different varieties)to keep on hand or else I have sample bags of Origen kibble that I use as treats.
Marsha Young
Jan 10, 2014 at 6:23 pm
My Min Pin died from Diabetes after I fed him Milk Bones! Broke my Heart after having him for 9.5 yrs! Vet said he was too advanced and treatment wouldnt helpso I had to put him down! Lease dont feed Your Dogs Purina Milk Bones!
Shelley MacSween
May 26, 2014 at 3:02 pm
What is wrong with the milk bones?I use the minis and break them in two as a treat.They say 5 calories per treat so that’s 2.5 calories per snack for him.
Jessica MacIntyre
Jan 10, 2014 at 6:16 pm
These treats are so dangerous!! Unfortunately.there’s more then sugar to worry about. Our local business Fur Baby Bark-ery has only organic.ingredients and all of our treats are corn, soy, wheat, dairy, and grain free!! It worries me so many dog and cat owners don’t know what they are really feeding their pets. You can find us at facebook.com/furbabybarkery
G. Brown
Jan 10, 2014 at 3:34 pm
I make our pup’s treats as well…chicken strips, 200-225 degrees for 2-2 1/2 hours in the oven. Freeze batches, thaw 2-3 strips at a time. I break mine up for small treats for our Shichon.
Rita
Jan 11, 2014 at 11:11 pm
How long can the chicken jerky be kept in freezer? I don’t want to make too much and end up with freezer burned snacks!
S. Kloss
Jan 10, 2014 at 1:00 pm
Just checked mine. Alpo Variety Snaps have no sugar. Yea!
Bectinced
Dec 15, 2013 at 5:55 pm
my best friend’s ex-wife makes $82 an hour on the computer. She has been out of a job for ten months but last month her income was $19744 just working on the computer for a few hours. see page—Rush64.CＯＭ
Karine
Jan 10, 2014 at 2:36 pm
Please stop advertising your business here …
James Yockey
Dec 12, 2013 at 12:29 pm
I bought a food dehydrator (very reasonable, around $30), buy boneless, skinless chicken breasts on sale, slice thinly and place in the dehydrator. Hours later I have natural and healthy dog treats without any added preservatives or chemicals. More over, without the worry of what is in them. You can substitute with Turkey, duck, or any other including veggies like sweet potatoes. It is not as time consuming as you might think and the peace of mind is more than worth it, not to mention the savings.
Stephanie
Dec 12, 2013 at 12:46 pm
Plus you can make delicious treats for yourself, too! Dehydrated strawberries are amazing. 🙂
Teri Lombardi
Dec 12, 2013 at 9:57 pm
What a great idea! Thank you for sharing. Now I know what I want for Xmas LOL.
Deborah Ethridge
Jan 10, 2014 at 5:02 pm
You can also do this in your oven at a very low tempurature. Makes them for me dogs all the time.
KF
Dec 13, 2013 at 12:13 am
Now all you have to worry about is the GMOs in the chicken. It’s always something. I dry sweet potatoes in the oven. My dog let’s me know about it if I forget to give them to him at exactly 11:00 a.m. every day!!
Jess D
Dec 16, 2013 at 11:45 am
Do you cook the chicken, duck, turkey, etc. before you dehydrate them? or does the dehydrator “cook” them as it dehydrates?
Sandi
Jan 10, 2014 at 12:26 pm
Don’t cook the food before you dehydrate. I’ve made chicken jerky for my pack for years.
joi
Jan 10, 2014 at 1:57 pm
how long do you dehydrate?
Madeline
Jan 10, 2014 at 3:31 pm
Length of time to dehydrate depends on a lot of factors. If I completely load up my dehydrator it takes 6-12 hours to dehydrate ~3 pounds of chicken breast (pre-cooked weight). The thickness of the chicken, ambient humidity, etc all affect the length of time. We just let it go until the pieces are dried out. We dry longer for dog jerky than human jerky since we want them as a chewable treat for our dog.
Karine
Jan 10, 2014 at 2:35 pm
I too gave up purchasing dog treats .. My main reason is that most of them come from China.
I too make my own … Matter a fact – I will puchase a food dehydrator . I have 3 dogs 🙂 Thank you so much for your feedback ..
Karine A.
Tucson AZ.
Terry
Jan 11, 2014 at 1:10 pm
Great to know. A friend is letting my try his dehydrator. Any tips?
Cathy
May 26, 2014 at 3:00 pm
A friend and I just bought a dehydrator. We will be making chicken treats for our 4 dogs! Please note: most deydrator trays will go into a dishwasher. If you use your dehydrator with meat, especially chicken, be sure it is washed well to prevent Ecoli transfer to other foods.
Amy B
Dec 12, 2013 at 11:54 am
Good to know. I was mainly reading the location where the snacks were made before; now I’ll be more careful to actually read the ingredient list in the store before buying. My dogs do like the Chewlottas, but I don’t buy them often. I should just start making my own treats again so I know exactly what’s in them.