It’s true, rather than relying solely on vets, many dog owners are increasingly seeking to provide their dogs with treats that are healthier and more aligned with a natural diet.
Sadly, this is not because of deep reflection on many dog owner’s behalf, or even deep research. It appears to be born out of shadowing the human nutrition trends on wellness where natural and lower processed foods are known to be better for them.
What we are noticing from within the dog nutrition industry, is that the vet perspective is tempered by their desire to have:
- nutritional balance
- eating and digestion dog safety
- overall health benefits
The difference between dog nutritionists who observed aafco requirements, what a dog would naturally eat, and commercial dog food, is that many vets who use natural treats are looking through the lens of what they learned in short courses alone at vet school about balanced diets.
And much of those texts are written by ‘experts’ from commercial dog food companies, who just wish the vets to promote their wares. And that means for them a balanced diet, typically is the most economical that their companies can get away with.
What is a balanced dog diet?
Aafco is the American ‘volunteer’ organisation that for many decades as been deciding the diets of dogs around the world. The two main definitions they have are for what it means to be “complete” and what it means to be “balanced”
For aafco, ‘ “Complete” means the product contains all the nutrients required. “Balanced” means the nutrients are present in the correct ratios. “
Noting that they typically present their global findings in table form for slight tweaks for both dogs and cats, depending if it is a well adult, or puppy/ pregnant dog.
The practical manifestation of what the data tables for nutrients are supposed to provide is the outcome of optimal health
This means that the dog food will only be whole and complete/ balanced with it meets the aafco appropriate levels of:
- proteins
- fats
- carbohydrates
- vitamins, and minerals.
Curiously the affco goals, and the above four nutrient classes have nothing to do with NATURAL Foods or natural dog treats.
That is because aafco DO NOT define the source of food (ie meat or plant matter) – which massively effects the useability of the nutrients by dogs.
Fats are mostly defined as CRUDE fats, Omega 6 and the precursor to Omega 3. NOT THE SOURCE or effective ratio taking into account what the dog’s body can use.
Carbs are NOT mentioned at all. BECAUSE dogs and cats don’t need raw sugars.
So with dog food being so hazy on the specs and no mention of bio availability you can understand how some vets might be confused about the actual benefits of natural treats nutritional balances they bring.
There are a list of vitamins and minerals that affco think are important, but not the specific chemical forms.
What about fruits and vegetables in natural dog treats?
This amazingly is or should be an issue in natural dog treats, but isn’t, because everyone is so relaxed about feeding their dogs a commercial diet, mostly made of grain or plant matter like potatoes.
If dog food was more like 80-90% meat and offal and bones, we too would be all for dog treats having almost any kind of ingredient.
But the reality of aafco crude protein ONLY needing to reach a tiny minimum of 18% for an adult dog, is that any dog treat that you provide your dog, that isn’t mostly meat, will typically be empty calories. It won’t add any of the animal protein they can actually use for health.
The official vet line will go something like – Natural treats such as fruits, vegetables, and meats can provide beneficial nutrients.
If we discount the need for ANY carbs in a dog diet (because even affco aren’t willing to mention it)- then Crude fibre (non-soluble) for good stools is the best thing that they can add – besides trace levels of anti-oxidants or flavonoids. Great things indeed, but not as important as macro ingredients like animal proteins.
You will probably know home DIY feeders who swear by how much their dogs love carrots and apples can offer fibre, vitamins, and minerals, But you should probably also know that commercial dog food has ample fibre, and excessive vitamins and minerals already.
We say ‘excessive’ because if you spreadsheet the affco vitamins and mineral list, against any natural food known to man, (NOT CONCENTRATED) you will soon find that the affco tables minimum vitamins and minerals list are mostly created so that NO NATURAL FOODS can reach the bare minimum without a massive injection of additional vitamins and minerals.
This ensures that NO home-made dog food, or NATURAL dog treats, can legitimately be called complete. It’s is a protection mechanism alone. A BARRIER TO ENTRY to smaller players who just want species appropriate foods fed to their dogs.
So if dog food must keep up the appearance of being whole and complete and balanced then the dog food manufacturers while need you to believe that dogs are getting ample protein right?
And most people know that meats (and offal) is the beset at supplying high-quality proteins.
The reason we labor on this point, is that aafco actually break down the crude protein into the TEN ESSENTIAL AMINO acids that about half of that protein is made of, that each dog must get to stay healthy.
Even if commercial dog food ONLY provides the bare minimum total crude protein, and the bare minimum essential amino acids.
It turns out that ANIMAL based protein (like in Natural dog treats), are BIO AVAILBLE. That is the percentage of each essential amino acid are 10% to 40% more useable in the dogs body (ie depending on what the plant matter is in dog food (rice, wheat, soy, potato etc).
If you actually want one of the best clean (organic) type of high quality of meats that will supply ample protein that a dog can use, then something like kangaroo dog treats are very dog friendly. They also will not have the antibiotics or growth hormones that many farmed meats have.
Vets (and akc by extension) will toe the commercial dog food line and say that “treats should not constitute more than 10% of a dog’s daily caloric intake, as recommended by the American Kennel Club (AKC, 2023). “
You will also find other dog nutrition books, written by qualified dog nutritionists that say that MEAT can make up to 50% of a dogs diet (the other half kibble) without upsetting the affco balance.
The not more than 10% of diet being dog treat REALLY applies to vegetable based treats that can typically have less meat than even commercial dog food !
Natural dog treats and the myth of safety concerns
The best way of scaring dog owners off buying actual natural dog treats (meat based) is to tell them they are dangerous.
Natural fruits can contain inherent risks like: Grapes, raisins, onions, and garlic are known to cause severe dog health issues in kidney failure and gastrointestinal problems (ASPCA, 2024).
They also scare monger on raw meats or homemade treats made with raw ingredients can carry the risk of bacterial contamination, such as Salmonella or E. coli (FDA, 2023).
You should note that many dogs ‘raw feeders’ feed their dogs daily with raw meat (not chicken or fish) – because of the enzymes that assist the gut biome. The meat should be human grade and only left in the refrigerator for as long as you would before cooking it for the family.
Proper meat-based dog treats are oven dried. At the temperatures required to reduce moisture content down to 10% these treats not only kill ALL BACTERIA, but also don’t require preservatives. They can last over a year if stored in proper pantry conditions.
CONCLUSION
Natural based treats, based on meat, are always the most important food besides commercial dog food that a dog should get.