Store-Bought or Homemade Dog Treats: What’s Best for Your Pooch?

Whether they’re sprightly puppies or dependable seniors or anything in between, the sight and sound of full dog treat bags will surely set most pooches’ tails wagging. Though they might seem like a relatively minor part of your pet care routine at first, dog treats can contribute a lot to your precious pup’s overall health and happiness. You can use them to teach new tricks, reinforce good behavior, or simply show love.

In recent years, as modern pet owners have become increasingly meticulous about caring for their precious fur babies, demand has grown for healthier, more natural diets for pets. Many dog parents have turned to homemade food and treats as a solution, while others have found success by patronizing brands that promise high-quality, natural food. 

Weighing and choosing between these two options is just as important when picking out your pet’s treats as it is for their regular meals. Each comes with its own challenges and benefits, and there’s no one-size-fits-all choice that’s guaranteed to work for every dog owner.

In this PrideBites blog, we’ll be walking you through the pros and cons of store-bought versus homemade dog treats. In the process, we hope you’ll be able to choose treat types that suit your needs and work best for your pup’s training and snacking purposes.

Store-Bought Treats: The Pros

Convenient to Purchase

Store-bought dog treats are readily available at pet stores, supermarkets, and online retailers. This means that you can quickly pick up your chosen treats instead of spending a lot of time preparing them. If you live a busy life with limited free time, you’ll likely consider this convenience factor a major benefit.

Wide Variety

The market for store-bought dog treats is vast. It offers a wide range of flavors, textures, and types to cater to different dogs’ dietary needs and preferences. Grain-free options, high-protein treats, and dental chews are just some options out there that you might consider for your dog, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Plus, if you’re still unsure about what your dog enjoys most, the wealth of options out there will give you plenty of room to experiment.

Long Shelf Life

It should also be noted that store-bought treats typically incorporate preservatives meant to extend their shelf life. This means you can buy them in bulk and store them for extended periods without worrying about spoilage. The longer shelf life also makes them more convenient, as you won't need to replenish your supply as frequently.

Store-Bought Treats: The Cons

May Contain Artificial Ingredients

Many commercial dog treats contain artificial preservatives, colors, and flavors, which can be problematic for dogs with allergies or sensitivities. If your dog has any of these health issues, you’ll need to be more careful about reading labels and choosing brands.

Can Be Expensive

High-quality store-bought treats, especially those that are organic or made with premium ingredients, can be quite expensive. The costs can add up, particularly if you use treats frequently for training or rewarding your dog. Budget-conscious pet owners may find this to be a significant downside of dog treats of the commercial variety.

Quality Can Be Highly Brand-Dependent

The quality of store-bought treats can also vary greatly between brands. While some brands maintain high standards and use quality ingredients, others may cut corners to reduce costs. This makes it important to do your research and choose reputable brands if you elect to go with store-bought treats.

Homemade Treats: The Pros

Gives You More Control over Ingredients

When you make dog treats at home, you have complete control over the ingredients that go into them. This allows you to select fresh and high-quality ingredients and to avoid artificial additives, preservatives, and fillers that are often found in commercial treats.

Customizable

Homemade dog treats will also give you the flexibility to tailor recipes to your dog's specific tastes and dietary restrictions. Your dog might prefer chewy treats to crunchy ones, for one, or have allergies to certain ingredients. Whatever their particular needs might be, you may find these easier to accommodate if you’re making your dog treats from scratch rather than searching high and low for a premade product that fits the bill.

Comes with Health Benefits

Using natural, whole ingredients can provide significant health benefits for your dog. It’s possible to enrich homemade treats with vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that support your dog's overall health. As mentioned previously, homemade treats can also be a safer option for dogs with allergies or food sensitivities. 

Homemade Treats: The Cons

Time-Consuming to Make

You’ll need to invest a significant amount of time and effort if you want to keep up a steady supply of homemade treats for your dog. From shopping for ingredients to mixing, baking, and cleaning up, the process can be lengthy and labor-intensive—and possibly too much for busy pet owners to handle.

Limited Shelf Life

Homemade dog treats also lack the preservatives found in commercial treats, which means they have a shorter shelf life. You’ll have to store them properly to keep them from spoiling, and even then, you should still make sure your dog consumes them relatively quickly. This can be inconvenient if you’d rather make treats in bulk.

Hard to Achieve Consistency

Lastly, it can be difficult to achieve the right texture and consistency for treats made at home without commercial equipment. Homemade treats may vary in size, shape, and firmness, which can be less ideal for training purposes where uniformity is beneficial. It may take several attempts for you to perfect a recipe, and even then, there may be room for error.