Dry dog treats
Dry dog treats cover a wide range of things: crunchy biscuits like Pointer Milky Bones, small training treats such as Pet Munchies Natural Liver & Chicken pieces, and natural dried chews like Hollings Tripe Sticks. What suits your dog depends on whether you want something for training, an everyday reward, or a longer-lasting chew.
Biscuits and everyday treats
Dry biscuits such as Pointer Milky Bones or Pedigree Markies are the classic everyday treat: shelf-stable, easy to portion, and useful for a quick reward without needing refrigeration. They tend to be larger and more filling than a training treat, which makes them better suited to an occasional treat rather than something given constantly through the day.
This is the category to reach for if you want something simple to hand over on a walk or after a bit of good behaviour, without the mess of a wet or semi-moist treat in your pocket. They also keep well in a treat tin for months, which makes them an easy thing to have on hand rather than needing to buy fresh each week.
Training treats
For training, size matters more than flavour. Something like Pet Munchies Natural Liver & Chicken pieces is designed to be small and quick to eat, so you can reward frequently during a session without filling your dog up or slowing the pace down waiting for a big biscuit to be chewed and swallowed.
Dry training treats also travel well, which is worth thinking about if you train outside the house — they don't need keeping cool and won't leave a greasy residue on your hands or in a pocket the way some semi-moist treats do.
Natural dried chews
If what you actually want is something for your dog to work at rather than eat in one go, a natural dried chew like Hollings Tripe Sticks or Bestpets Fish Sticks is a different category from a biscuit. These are single-ingredient, air-dried products meant to last longer and give a dog something to gnaw on.
They are generally more calorie-dense for their size than a plain biscuit, so treat a chew as an occasional extra rather than a daily habit, particularly for a dog who is already carrying a bit of extra weight. Always supervise a dog with a new chew the first few times, and take it away once it has worn down small enough to be swallowed whole.
What we stock
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Forthglade Grain Free Soft Bites Fresh Breath Treats 8pk
Chicken soft dog treats with parsley and peppermint oil for fresh breath
£2.45
Pedigree Dentastix Light Dog
Pedigree DentaStix Light dental chews across small, medium and large sizes
From£2.35
Dentalife Dental Oral Care Dog Chicken Chews
DENTALIFE chicken dental chews with medium-dog and large-dog variants
£1.65
Forthglade Soft Bite Grain Free Joints & Bones Treats
Grain-free salmon dog treats with salmon oil, glucosamine and chondroitin
£2.45
Forthglade Grain Free Soft Bites Training Rewards Chicken & Liver 8pk
Grain-free chicken and liver soft bites for dog training rewards
£2.45
Forthglade Functional Soft Bite Treats - Plant Based Banana & Honey
Plant-based banana and honey soft dog treats for training rewards
£2.45
Forthglade Dental Calming Sticks
Dental chew sticks for dogs with added calming botanicals for evening routines
£2.99
Pedigree DentaStix Daily Dental Chews Small Dog
Daily Pedigree DentaStix dental chews for small dogs over the label age limit
£2.35
Whimzees Toothbrush Daily Dental Dog Chew
A vegetarian daily dental chew for dogs, shaped like a toothbrush
From£0.69
Forthglade Grain Free Soft Bites Calming Treats 8pk
Grain-free turkey soft bites with a declared botanical blend
£2.45
Forthglade Soft Bite Grain Free Good Gut Health Treats
Grain-free chicken dog treats with ginger, chicory root and MOS
£2.45
Common questions
- What is the difference between a dry treat and a chew?
- A dry treat like a biscuit is usually eaten quickly in one or two bites, while a chew such as a tripe stick or fish stick is meant to last longer and gives a dog something to work at over several minutes rather than swallow straight away.
- Are dry treats better than soft ones for training?
- Dry treats travel and store more easily and don't leave a greasy residue, which makes them convenient, but soft treats are sometimes preferred for very food-motivated dogs because they can be eaten faster during a quick-paced session. Either can work well; it comes down to what your dog responds to.
- How many treats can I give my dog in a day?
- Treats of any kind, dry ones included, should stay a small part of what your dog eats overall, so their main food still does most of the nutritional work. If you are training heavily on a given day, cutting back their usual meal slightly helps balance it out.
- Are natural chews suitable for puppies?
- Many are, but a chew that is fine for an adult dog can be too tough or too large for a young puppy's mouth and teeth. Check the product's guidance for age and size before giving a chew to a puppy, and supervise them with anything new.
Related
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.