What Ingredients Should I Avoid in Dog Treats?

Tray of dehydrated chicken treats from JUST CHKN

What Ingredients Should I Avoid in Dog Treats?

The first thing I do when I pick up a bag of dog treats, any bag, even from a brand I think I trust, is flip it over and read the ingredient list. It's a habit I developed years ago when I started making my own treats at home, and it's one I'd encourage every dog owner to adopt.

The reason I started making JUST CHKN in the first place is that I kept finding things on those labels that I didn't feel good about. Some of them are genuinely harmful. Others are just unnecessary. Have you ever asked yourself what ingredients should I avoid in dog treats? Here's my personal list of what I watch for, and why.

Propylene Glycol

This one surprises people because it's FDA-approved for use in dog treats. It's a moisture-retaining agent that keeps soft treats from drying out. But it's also a component of antifreeze (a different form than the one that kills pets, but still), and it's been banned from use in cat food due to safety concerns. I don't use it, and I'd rather you know it's in a lot of soft chews on the market.

BHA and BHT

Butylated hydroxyanisole and butylated hydroxytoluene are synthetic antioxidants used as preservatives. They show up in a lot of commercial pet food and treats. Both have been flagged as possible carcinogens in studies, and several countries have restricted their use in human food. There are cleaner ways to preserve treats, proper dehydration, natural tocopherols (vitamin E), or simply not adding preservatives at all.

"Meat By-Products" or "Animal Digest"

These terms are legally defined by AAFCO but are deliberately vague. "Meat by-products" can include organs, bone, and other parts that didn't make it into human food, which isn't necessarily dangerous, but it's a far cry from a named protein source like "chicken breast." "Animal digest" is an even vaguer hydrolyzed product used to add flavor. If you can't tell what animal the protein came from, that's a problem.

Artificial Colors (Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 2, etc.)

Dog treats don't need to look appealing to your dog. Dogs don't make food choices based on color -- they use their nose. Artificial dyes in dog treats are entirely for the owner's benefit, not the dog's. They add no nutritional value and several have been linked to behavioral issues and hypersensitivity reactions in research on both humans and animals. Skip anything with artificial coloring.

Curious about the hidden dangers of glycerin?

Check out one of our other articles

Corn Syrup or Added Sugar

Sugar has no place in a dog treat. Dogs don't need it, it contributes to obesity and dental decay, and it's often used to make low-quality ingredients taste more palatable. If you see corn syrup, cane sugar, or molasses on a treat label, it's usually covering for something else.

Garlic and Onion

This one applies more to homemade treats, but it's worth calling out. Garlic and onion, including garlic powder, are toxic to dogs. They damage red blood cells and can cause hemolytic anemia. The toxicity is dose-dependent, so small amounts over time can add up. I see garlic listed as a "natural flavoring" in some commercial treats, which I find genuinely alarming.

Xylitol

If you know one thing from this list, make it this one. Xylitol is an artificial sweetener that is highly toxic to dogs, even in very small amounts. It can cause rapid insulin release, hypoglycemia, and liver failure. It shows up in some peanut butter brands and certain "natural" treats. Always check.

The Simple Alternative

The reason JUST CHKN is one ingredient isn't just a marketing angle, it's the simplest possible answer to all of the above. If there's only one thing in the bag, there's nothing to hide behind and nothing to worry about. Chicken breast. That's it.

I know not every treat needs to be that simple. But every treat label deserves a real look.

Ready to try a treat that checks every box? Shop JUST CHKN's single ingredient chicken dog treats. Have questions? Check out their FAQs.