Homemade Dog Treats vs. Store Bought

Treats have a special place in the hearts of dogs around the world and their owners. Not only do they help to establish a relationship between the canines and their pet parents, but they also perform other functions. 

You can check out holistapet treats for dogs page to learn more about the uses, benefits, and types of dog treats. You can also learn how to select the right dog treat from a store in that article. Speaking of store-bought treats; these products have sparked a debate among dog owners and lovers.

From all indications, this debate doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon. What is the debate all about you might wonder? Well, it is the comparison between homemade dog treats versus store-bought treats and which of the two is better. It is no secret that many folks these days are favoring the former option for reasons that aren’t unfounded. But that doesn’t mean that homemade snacks have all the aces. 

You can tell that store-bought products are still very popular given their market demand. Hence, we will need a very careful comparison to determine which of these options you should choose. 

Therefore, we have written this article to compare both options in an unbiased manner to enable you to decide which option you should go for. We will discuss certain categories and then determine which option wins that round. At the end of the article, we will count the wins for each option and then declare which one is better.

With that said, let’s get started…

1. Fresh Ingredients

We believe that without going into details, you can easily determine which option wins this round. The winner is homemade treats for folks who found it hard to decide. 

When one prepares food at home, in most cases, the ingredients used are usually fresh. It is a no-brainer to use old ingredients when cooking at home. The same can be said when preparing a tasty snack for your pup. Check out these food preservation hacks to learn how to keep your food fresh for longer periods.

The above is in contrast to store-bought snacks that are processed and then kept on the shelves for who knows how long. Most canned dog foods can last up to two years while the least shelf life for other packaged food is 18 months. 

As a result, you could end up feeding your canine buddy with a treat that was processed over a year ago. This is why you are advised to always check a product’s expiration date before making a purchase. 

Even if you choose to patronize some dog-food delivery services, your delivery will still come some days after the treat was prepared. Hence, no store-bought snack beats homemade treats in terms of fresh ingredients. 

So, this round goes to homemade. 

2. Nutritional Value

Before you raise the hands of homemade as the winner due to some things you might have seen on the internet that homemade canine foods are healthier, we’ll like you to hold your horses. Healthier doesn’t necessarily mean it possesses the right nutritional value. We’ll explain better in a bit… 

The nutritional needs of canines differ greatly when compared to that of humans. So, even if the treat you prepare is healthy, it might not contain the nutrients your Fido requires to stay healthy. This fact is backed by a study conducted by Veterinary Medicine researchers. The study revealed that 95% of 200 common recipes for dog foods were missing the required levels of a minimum of one important nutrient. 

On the other hand, there is a standard that must be met by all canine food products produced in the U.S. as set by the Department of Agriculture. This standard ensures that the necessary nutrient that should be in such a product is in place. 

Apart from the above, the ingredients used in those products must comply with the Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) regulations. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the parent agency of the CVM. Visit https://www.fda.gov/ to find out more about the Center for Veterinary Medicine. 

In addition, the Association of American Feed Control Officials enforces states laws that relate to animal food production as well as labeling. 

Hence, you can see that the process of manufacturing a dog treat is strict. Furthermore, the formulation of the products is done in such a way that they meet the requirements of your dog depending on its age and diet needs. Such recipe formulation will be difficult to replicate at home. 

Therefore, store-bought wins this round.

3. Safety

This round is difficult because the safety of the treat is dependent in this case on the maker. In other words, the person making the snack determines how safe it is. 

It is no secret that there has been a lot of recalls made by dog food companies as a result of their products causing health problems. This is one reason why many have turned to homemade products.  

Interestingly, there have been reported incidents regarding health issues that occurred after certain canines ate some homemade treats. Hence, many are equally skeptical of this alternative. 

Therefore, this round can be regarded as a tie. 

Hence, if you are making the snacks at home, you need to be certain that they won’t harm your poodle. In the same vein, if you are buying from a store, you need to be sure that the product you are choosing is safe. 

Conclusion

From the above, we can see that both options have one and a half wins which mean they are tied. Therefore, there isn’t a clear-cut winner. Hence, you need to make the final decision yourself. We hope the information we’ve shared will help you decide.