What's really in your dog's treats?

 (The answer might surprise you)

Not all dog treats are created equal — and what's hiding in that packet on the supermarket shelf can vary a lot depending on the brand and where it was made.

Plenty of local Aussie brands do the right thing, focusing on single ingredient treats or high-quality local ingredients with real health benefits. But many brands (both local and imported) quietly sneak in binders, fillers and preservatives that do absolutely nothing for your dog's health. 

So, let's break down what to watch out for:

Chemical Additives — the ones worth Googling

Flip the packet over and scan the ingredients list. If you can't pronounce it, that's worth paying attention to.

Chemicals like Ethoxyquin, BHT and BHA are commonly used to extend shelf life — especially in imported products that spend months in shipping containers before they even hit our shores. These have been linked to organ damage and cancer in dogs. Not exactly what you're after when you're rewarding your pup.

Propylene Glycol is another synthetic additive used to keep treats soft and moist. It's technically approved in Australia for dogs in small quantities, but vets don't recommend it due to risks of long-term issues like anaemia. And here's the kicker — it's completely banned in cat food. If that doesn't tell you something, we don't know what does.

Binders & Sweeteners — mostly just empty calories

Glycerin is widely used to keep treats moist and tasty. Vegetable-derived glycerin is technically "natural," but it carries zero nutritional value — it's purely a binder or sweetener. Worse, it's a sticky substance that clings to your dog's teeth, contributing to plaque and tartar buildup. All the downsides of a lolly, none of the fun.

As a rule of thumb: if a treat has been formed into a shape — sticks, straps, logs, discs — fillers have almost certainly been added to hold it together.

Surface Scraping  

Another key benefit is the physical action of scraping something along the surface of the teeth, much like what you achieve with brushing. This action is a natural part of the chewing process, loosening any build-up of food or plaque. Some chews do this more effectively than others, as a ribbed or uneven texture improves the effectiveness of this scraping action. 

Fillers — cheap ingredients, big markups

Soy, corn and wheat are among the most common fillers in dog treats — inexpensive ingredients used to bulk out products and fatten up profit margins. They're usually lumped together under "carbohydrates" on the label, but they offer your dog no real nutritional benefit. They can also trigger reactions like gassiness, itchy skin or more serious food allergies.

Artificial Colours & Dyes — for your eyes, not your dog's

Your dog genuinely does not care what colour their treat is. Artificial colours, dyes and bleaches are added purely for our benefit — to make treats look more natural or appealing on the shelf. Dyes like Red 40, Yellow 6 and Blue 2 have been linked to allergic reactions and cancer in dogs. All risk, no reward.

Low-Quality Proteins — vague labels are a red flag

Watch out for generic terms like "meat meal" on the ingredients list. This usually signals low-grade by-products from livestock production — higher in fat, lower in quality and less likely to be a good source of lean protein.

Instead, look for specific, recognisable sources: 100% Australian pork, for example, or a single-source protein, meaning the protein comes from one ingredient rather than a mystery blend.

The bottom line

Even small amounts of these ingredients are worth avoiding if you have the choice. A good rule: the shorter and more recognisable the ingredients list, the better. And the more a treat has been processed into a shape or formed product, the more likely it is to contain extras that help it hold together, last longer, and cost less to make.

Whole food treats like PAWK dog treats — 100% Australian-grown pork, one ingredient, nothing else — are exactly what they look like. When you're simply drying quality Aussie pork naturally, you don't need binders, preservatives or artificial anything.

Your dog deserves to know what they're eating. Luckily, reading the label is easy when you know what to look for. 🐾