There is no love like that of a dog – unconditional, loyal and completely honest. The all-encompassing way I loved my dog, Poochie, stunned and nourished me every single day and when I lost her, it felt like my heart was forever broken. When we got Benny, I honestly didn’t think I could love him but he taught me that the heart can always accommodate more love and he fixed my broken heart so I could love again.
Now Benny is my heart, my sun and moon and the most important part of my life. Since we rescued Benny, I have learned so much more about nutrition and we became vegan so I try to feed him better than I knew how to feed Poochie. I want his food and his treats to be healthy, nutritious and cruelty-free.
Once you become a label reader, the things that go into our food is shocking but the things that go into dog food and treats can be downright scary. Here are some dog treats you can feel really good about giving your dog and your dog will be really happy to get them:
1. The Lazy Dog Cookie Co.
Benny has been a fan of The Lazy Dog Cookie Co. for years. He got a few boxes of their healthy cookies at ThanksLiving at Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary. The Lazy Dog Cookie Co. supports a lot of animal organizations including the sanctuary. He had a choice then of a bunch of flavors of Pup-Squeaks and peanut butter was his favorite.
Read our full review of The Lazy Dog Cookie Co. here.
2. Three Paws Gourmet
Three Paws Gourmet is a company that makes handmade dog treats that are organic, non-GMO, and vegan with grain-free and gluten-free options. Their mission is to deliver “the highest quality treats you can buy, by using only the best organic and locally sourced ingredients.” All of their treats are baked-to-order and shipped quickly so the treats are fresh and yummy.
Three Paws Gourmet makes treats that are free of fillers, chemicals and artificial anything! Even the packaging is eco-friendly. The dog treats are soft and chewy. I will be totally honest and say that I tasted them for myself. There is no salt and no added sugar other than the beets and maple syrup. The cookies taste very plain and simple to me but Benny can’t get enough of them.
See all the different types of treats they make and our full review here.
3. Camberville Dog Treats
Camberville Dog Treats hand-make vegan treats in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In fact, each flavor of treats is named after one of the neighborhood squares.
Their treat flavors are based on locally available produce and contain freshly ground organic oats and fruit and vegetables from organic or sustainable local farms. The nutrient-packed and allergy-free squares are full of flavor, low in fat and gentle on your dogs’ bellies. They never use any chemicals, preservatives or fillers and bake the treats in small batches to maintain quality and taste.
The treats are baked at low temperatures which make them easier to digest and maximize the amount of nutrients your dog gets. Their low-fat squares are chemical and preservative free, corn free, dairy free, meat free, soy free and wheat free.
Camberville Dog Treats sent Benny a package of Harvard Square Sweet Potato Peanut Butter squares and they were a big hit.
Check out Camberville’s web site for more information, all the varieties of treats and purchase information.
4. CocoTherapy
Benny suffers every summer from allergies and irritated skin so I was really excited to try CocoTherapy products. The makers of CocoTherapy are big believers in the healing power of coconut oil, using it themselves and giving it to their pets with great results.
When given regularly, coconut has been shown to help skin and coat health, bone function, thyroid function, digestive health, and immune health. It provides antioxidants for healthy cells and cell function.
CocoTherapy makes Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, Organic Coconut Chips, Fruit Crunch, Veggie Crunch, Five Star Organic Training Treats, and Maggie’s Macaroons. All of their treats are gluten-free and free of major allergens like corn, soy, and wheat.
CocoTherapy sent Benny their Maggie’s Macaroons in 3 flavors: coconut vanilla flax, coconut apple pie, and coconut lemoncello. The macaroons are raw, gluten-free, grain-free, and vegan with no artificial colors and flavors.
He loves them! And to be honest, I love them too. I tasted each one and they all taste like the macaroons I used to eat on Jewish holidays. In fact, Benny loves them so much, I’ve had to order a few more bags since.
Be sure to check out CocoTherapy’s web site for more information and purchasing information.
5. Shaded Trails
Shaded Trails began when the founders tried to find a nutritional treat for their dog who suffered from allergies. Most treats on the market has less-than-quality ingredients so they did months of research and found that plant-based treats were the optimal choice for helping resolve allergies and illness and improve dogs’ coat, heart and joints.
Shaded Trails created treats with natural ingredients from the earth in 3 flavors and had friends’ dogs sample them. They were causing tails to wag left and right! Shaded Trails was born and since then they have been on a mission to keep all dogs on the right path to happy and healthy adventures.
Shaded Trails treats are made with fruits and veggies that offer antioxidants, vitamins and nutrients. They contain no soy, corn, wheat, fillers, or artificial flavors, colors or preservatives.
The treats come in pouches in 3 flavors: peanut butter and banana, sweet potato and apple, and apple and hemp.
And because you and your pooch are going to want to never run out of treats, Shaded Trails offers Monthly Treat Pupscription plans in 3-, 6-, and 12-month plans. Every month, a pouch of treats will come right to your door and you can save up to 20% on something your doggie loves. Benny loves Shaded Trails treats. He gobbles them up right away which makes his Mommy happy.
The other thing that made his Mommy ecstatic was the customized treat jar that Shaded Trails sent us. You can submit your dog’s photo and they will put it on a jar filled with treats. What a perfect gift for friends and family members who are crazy about their dogs!
When I unpacked that treat jar, my squeal of delight could be heard miles away. I love it so much!!!!!
Check out the Shaded Trails web site for more information and purchasing info.
6. Pet Guard
PetGuard has provided only natural products for healthier and happier animals since 1979.
Pet Guard is “concerned about actual ingredient sources, seeking products free of artificial ingredients, by-products, colors, preservatives, excess sugars and salt. At PetGuard, our concern for minimizing toxic chemicals in our environment and sensitivity for improving our lifestyles extends to our pets as well.” Well, Benny appreciates that.
He also appreciates that PetGuard makes one of his favorite biscuits, Mr. Barky’s Vegetarian Dog Biscuits. Mr. Barky’s, named after the real Mr. Barky, do not contain any meat, yeast, by-products, artificial colors or flavors, added sweeteners, salt or sugar.
Benny also loves Mr. Pugsly’s Peanut Butter Biscuits which are made with organic quinoa flour for complete protein. They also contain oatmeal, brown rice, sunflower oil and fresh peanut butter. Mr. Pugsly’s biscuits are free of corn, wheat, soy and yeast so they are great for dogs with allergies or sensitivities.
Be sure to check out PetGuard’s web site and get your favorite dog some of these delicious, vegan treats and food. Read our full review of Pet Guard products here.
Our dogs depend on us to give them the healthiest food and treats we can. When there are so many companies making healthy, natural treats that are also delicious, there’s no reason to ever give our fur babies anything else.
