A treat is still part of your dog's diet, so what's inside matters.

At Bark & Bramble, we think treats deserve the same attention as your dog's main food. They should be enjoyable, appropriate for your dog and, most importantly, you should know what you're giving them.

Start With The Ingredients

Turn the packet around and check the composition.

Some of our favourite treats are incredibly simple:

  • 100% Rabbit
  • 100% Beef
  • 100% Pork
  • 100% Fish

A treat doesn't have to be single-ingredient to be good, but we value clear, transparent ingredients.

This is particularly useful for dogs with food sensitivities. If you're avoiding chicken, for example, a clearly labelled 100% rabbit treat makes knowing what you're feeding much easier.

Choose The Right Treat For The Job

Not every treat serves the same purpose.

Small, easy-to-eat treats are great for training, while appropriately sized natural chews can provide enrichment, satisfy natural chewing behaviours and help support dental hygiene through the mechanical action of chewing.

For chews, always consider your dog's:

Size, age, dental health and chewing style.

And always supervise them.

Don't Forget The Calories

Treat calories can add up surprisingly quickly.

Nutritional guidance generally recommends that treats and other extras provide no more than around ten per cent of your dog's daily calories, with the majority coming from a complete diet.

This doesn't mean fewer rewards.

A training treat can often be broken into several smaller pieces. Your dog still gets rewarded without unnecessarily increasing their calorie intake.

It's also why we've created our Bark & Bramble Calorie Box, with calorie information to help owners make more informed choices.

What About Allergies?

If your dog has a food allergy, don't only check their main food.

Check their treats too.

A treat labelled “venison”, for example, could still contain chicken or another animal protein.

Always read the full composition rather than relying on the flavour written on the front.

Natural Doesn't Mean Risk-Free

We love natural treats, but no chew is completely risk-free.

Choose an appropriate size, supervise your dog while chewing and remove pieces that become small enough to swallow whole.

Natural doesn't mean you can stop being sensible.

Never Any Rawhide!

One thing you won't find at Bark & Bramble is rawhide.

There are natural alternatives we'd much rather give our own dogs, which can provide the enjoyment, enrichment and mechanical chewing action we're looking for without needing to rely on rawhide.

Keep an eye out for our detailed blog post about this!

So we've made it simple:

Never any rawhide. 

What We Look For

When choosing treats for Bark & Bramble, we ask:

  • What's actually in it?
  • Are the ingredients clearly identified?
  • Is it appropriate for the dog?
  • Would we be happy giving it to Winston?

We don't stock treats simply because they're popular or have attractive packaging.

Know what you're feeding. Choose treats that suit your dog. And remember… treats are part of their diet too.

better nutrition + transparency + pets deserving better

This article provides general educational information and isn't a substitute for veterinary advice. Dogs with medical conditions or diagnosed food allergies may require specific dietary restrictions.