Homemade dog treats for sale

Gourmet dog treats used to mean those with fancy names and lots of colouring and additives, the kind you will still find on supermarket shelves and often the kind that paid celebrity vets and trainers endorse, for high pay. What you should really consider is gourmet now days means a high clean meat content dog treats for your dog. You don’t want soy meat ‘look alikes’ (TVP) that are aimed at fooling both owner and dog, you want REAL MEAT in high percentage, just like the entire range I stock. OR go one better and concentrate on the 100% meat dog treats that I sell – all great value, all GOURMET !

Unlike many competitors and even manufacturers, I work at a grass roots level of the dog industry in Australia. I am a Professional dog walker, who used to visit dogs are quarantine and sees many dogs off lead on my walks. I am also a trained engineer who has worked in many analytical corporate capacities, so I know how to analyse food nutrition, as good as many people in the dog food industry. I also sell Healthy Dog treats at Melbourne markets, and got into being a dog treat online seller because I wanted to by able to confidently source healthy treats for my own dog.

I don’t just pass the dog treats on. I use them with my dogs, use them in training and use them for dog food supplements. Dog food rarely has more than 20-30% meat in it, and dogs don’t get enough bio available essential amino acids from regular dog food (that is grain or veggie based). You will now see that the dog treat world has come full circle where now actual healthy meat based dog treats are often more healthy for your dog than the grain filled “dog food”. The only added benefit that dog food has is that it is usually pumped full of artificial vitamins and minerals (to meet artificially high aafco requirements).

Homemade dog treats for sale and dog treat recipes

The question I usually ask most people is WHY do you want to make homemade dog treats? The reason I feed my dog on a true raw diet (85% plus meat component) is that it is healthier for them and I can’t get a meat based dog food anywhere. Some people will say that they feed their dogs homemade food or dog treats because they feel closer to their dog, but for me, its all about actually giving my own dog the healthiest dog food and dog treats available – I also happen to make it affordable for the public as well – lucky you.

You will find most homemade dog treats for sale and recipes on the internet include a lot of grain, same as dog food. So why would you bother loading their system up with more things that they were not designed to digest?  Why would you follow a recipe for a cake for what is essentially a carnivore? The time and effort to make something that isn’t healthy is of little value to your dog or cat.

If you are following a meat based dog treat recipe, then sure make it at home. If you can dry it and make it so that it is safe for them to eat, safe for you to store, and cheaper than I can sell you, then go ahead, that is a fine idea. But most people don’t like the inconvenience or safety concerns with homemade dog treats made of meat.  After all, that is one of the main reasons people give for buying manufactured dog food (convenience and safety (supposedly)).

Even as a raw meat feeder to my dog, I understand the place and value for a diverse selection of meat (different amino acid profiles) and value of meat based fats for my dog, that is much easier to get into my dog than buying 5 different varieties of dog food (that is grain based anyway) ! So  say, Homemade meat based dog food (in the right nutrient proportions) = YES. Homemade dog treats, generally no.

Recommendaded Dog Treats

Kangaroo Jerky and Pigs Ears for Dogs

Pet Treats and your dog, cat and carnivore

This is another question I often get asked at markets. Can my cat eat your dog treats? There are very few meat based dog treats that a carnivore cannot eat, regardless of species. Dogs are not supposed to eat cat food, because it is often high in fat (a requirement of their diet). Cats are not supposed to eat manufactured dog food, as they don’t have boosted certain amino acids.  However domestic cats, being 100% carnivore, SHOULD only eat 100% meat! If you buy any cat food that is not 100% meat, then you should be feeding them meat supplements too, perhaps via meat pet treats.

Because most cats don’t eat 100% meat, 100% meat dog treats (‘pet treats‘) are ideal for most cats, as a food supplement. If you buy cat treats exclusively, you are usually pay more per gram than the equivalent dog treat, because manufacturers know they can put your treats in small packets and extract more cash from a cat owner). And they are USUALLY NOT 100% meat. The only dog treats that have “do not feed to cats” labels on them are those that have any imported ingredients in them. This labelling was created by an Australian law after some cats got sick from imported ingredients, and now ALL pet treats have to be labelled as such. Even though triple irradiation techniques on all imported treats makes them scientifically safer than almost any form of treat, regardless of country of origin. Notice how you can still safely feed imported treats to dogs? Ironic perhaps, or perhaps stupid labelling laws that needlessly warn cat owners? Though what most people understand is the quality of the brand and their sourcing practices, not some antiquated labelling.