Are My Dog’s Treats Actually Healthy?

Giving your dog a treat feels like love. It’s a tiny moment packed with joy—whether you're celebrating a new trick, rewarding good behavior, or just spoiling them because they’re part of the family. But what if that treat... isn’t actually doing them any good?

Here’s something most dog parents don’t realize right away: not all dog treats are created equal.

In fact, some of the best-looking ones on the shelf are packed with low-quality fillers, artificial additives, and mystery meats. And despite all the “natural,” “wholesome,” or “premium” labels slapped on the front, the truth often hides on the back of the bag.

So, how do you know if your dog’s treats are actually healthy—or just cleverly marketed?

What’s Really Inside Your Dog’s Treats?

Let’s start with the label. You grab a bag that looks legit—happy pup, nature-themed packaging, maybe some words like “grain-free” or “veterinarian-approved.” But turn it over and things can get murky: meat by-products, artificial preservatives, and ingredients that sound more like a chemistry set than food.

These kinds of additives don’t always cause immediate problems, but over time they can contribute to weight gain, itchy skin, upset stomachs, and low energy. And if your dog already has sensitivities? That’s when things can really snowball.

Here’s what you want to avoid:

• Vague terms like “animal meal” or “meat by-product”
  

• Artificial colors or preservatives (like BHA or ethoxyquin)
  

• Cheap fillers such as corn, soy, or wheat
  

If you can’t recognize or pronounce most of the ingredients, that’s a red flag.

What to Look for Instead

The simplest way to tell if a treat is high quality? Check the ingredient list. The shorter, the better.

Healthy treats should start with a named, real protein like “chicken,” “beef liver,” or “salmon.” Supporting ingredients should be just as straightforward—like flaxseed, sweet potato, or natural tocopherols (a vitamin E-based preservative).

The best treats don’t need synthetic extras to taste good. Dogs love real food. They don’t need bright colors, artificial flavors, or bacon-scented smoke to get excited. What they need is clean fuel that supports their body from the inside out.

How Your Dog Might Be Telling You Something’s Wrong

Here’s the good news: you don’t have to be a pet nutritionist to figure out if a treat isn’t working. Your dog will likely give you hints—if you know what to look for.

Things like:

• Itchy skin or more scratching than usual
  

• Gas, bloating, or inconsistent digestion
  

• Gaining weight even with regular meals and exercise
  

• Dull coat or lack of energy
  

• Loss of interest in a treat after a few days
  
  

On the flip side, when you find something that is healthy and works for your pup, it shows. You’ll notice better digestion, more stable energy, fewer allergies, and let’s be honest—a whole lot more tail-wagging.

Better Ingredients. Better Treats.

Most of us spend a lot of time picking the right food for our dogs. But when it comes to treats, it’s easy to overlook what they’re actually made of—because hey, it’s “just a little snack,” right?

But over time, those snacks add up. That’s why we believe treats should be just as thoughtful as the rest of your dog’s diet.

That’s the thinking behind Joyride Kitchen. It’s a treat line created by dog parents who wanted better—and couldn’t find it. So they made it.

Joyride treats are made with:

• Real, ranch-raised meat from trusted U.S. farms
  

• No mystery meats or vague by-products
  

• Zero fillers or artificial stuff

• Freeze-dried raw to lock in nutrients and taste without preservatives
  

Freeze-drying keeps the nutrients intact, while giving the treat that irresistible crunch dogs go wild for. It also makes them shelf-stable, easy to break apart for training, and ideal for pups with sensitive stomachs.

Joyride Kitchen isn’t about trendy labels. It’s about simple, high-quality ingredients you can trust—and your dog can devour.

Treat Time Shouldn’t Be a Guessing Game

Let’s be honest. You shouldn’t have to turn treat time into an investigation. You shouldn’t have to Google every ingredient, decode labels, or hope that “natural” actually means something.

Giving your dog a treat should feel good—because it is good. It should be an extension of how much you care, not a compromise you make for convenience.

With Joyride’s Kitchen, there’s nothing to second-guess. You know what’s in the bag, you know where it came from, and you know it’s something your dog will love—without regret later.

So next time you grab a treat, ask yourself:
Is this something I’d feel good feeding every day?
If not, it’s okay. There’s a better option. And now you’ve found it.

Because every “good dog” moment deserves a treat that’s just as good.

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At Joyride Harness, we believe that dogs are the sunshine in our lives, which is why we have made it our mission to keep dogs happy, healthy, and safe through the products we sell and the information we share through our blog.  We also believe in paying it forward, which is why we have our Paw It Forward initiative, where we have made it our mission to enhance the quality of living for our dog friends. A portion of all Joyride Harness sales goes to our dog rescue of the month.  If you have any questions about a product or have a blog topic suggestion, feel free to reach out to us anytime. We look forward to hearing from you!