Freeze-dried dog treats
Freeze-dried dog treats are raw meat with the water removed under vacuum rather than heat, which keeps them close to the fresh ingredient and gives them a long shelf life without cooking. Here's what that means in practice. It works well for training rewards, for dogs on a limited-ingredient diet, and for tempting a fussy eater, since the smell is stronger than most baked biscuits offer.
What freeze-drying actually does
Freeze-drying works by freezing a piece of meat, offal or fish and then removing the water under vacuum at a low temperature, rather than driving it off with heat the way ordinary dehydrating does. Because the process never really cooks the ingredient, the finished treat keeps much more of its original texture, smell and nutritional content than a baked or extruded treat made from the same starting material.
The result is light, brittle and shelf-stable at room temperature without any need for preservatives, which is why freeze-dried treats are usually sold as a single named ingredient — liver, tripe, fish, or a particular cut of meat — rather than a mixed recipe. Reading the ingredients list on a freeze-dried treat is usually a short job for exactly that reason.
Why owners choose them over a baked biscuit
The appeal for most dogs is the smell and the taste, which is stronger and closer to raw meat than a baked treat that has been through an oven. Dogs who are fussy about training treats or who need a very high-value reward for recall or difficult training often respond better to a piece of freeze-dried liver than to a shop biscuit.
They also suit dogs on a limited-ingredient or single-protein diet, since a freeze-dried treat made from one named meat is easy to slot in alongside a food chosen for a sensitive stomach without introducing anything new to react to.
How to feed them
Freeze-dried treats are calorie-dense for their size, more so than their light weight suggests, so a small piece goes further than it looks like it should. Break larger pieces down for smaller dogs and puppies rather than handing over a whole piece, and count them as part of a dog's daily food allowance if you are using them often, the same as any other treat.
They can also be rehydrated with a little warm water and mixed into a meal, which some owners use to tempt a dog who is off their food or recovering an appetite after being unwell, though that is a question worth raising with your vet if it is happening often rather than occasionally.
Storing them properly
Because the water has been removed, freeze-dried treats are shelf-stable in a sealed bag or tub at room temperature, but they will reabsorb moisture from the air if left open, which shortens how long they keep and can affect the texture. A resealable container in a cool, dry cupboard keeps them at their best for longer than leaving the original bag rolled up with a clip.
Once a bag has been open for a while, a piece that has gone soft or chewy rather than brittle is a sign moisture has got in — it is not dangerous, just past its best, and worth using up rather than saving for later.
What we stock
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Pedigree Schmackos Dog Treats Meat Variety
Meat-variety dog treat sticks, 20 per pack, under 30 kcal each, banded by dog weight
£2.75
Pedigree DentaStix Daily Large Dog Dental Treats
Daily Pedigree DentaStix dental chews portioned for large dogs
£2.29
Pedigree Rodeo Dog Treats with Chicken
Pedigree Rodeo chicken twists with weekly limits for dogs over the stated weight
£2.75
Pedigree Schmackos Dog Treats with Fish
Pedigree Schmackos fish-flavour strips with daily dog-size allowances
£2.75
Forthglade Grain Free Soft Bites Fresh Breath Treats 90g
Chicken soft dog treats with parsley and peppermint oil for fresh breath
£2.45
Forthglade Soft Bite Grain Free Joints & Bones Treats
Grain-free salmon dog treats with salmon oil, glucosamine and chondroitin
£2.45
Forthglade Soft Bite Grain Free Good Gut Health Treats
Grain-free chicken dog treats with ginger, chicory root and MOS
£2.45
Forthglade Functional Soft Bite Treats - Plant Based Banana & Honey
Plant-based banana and honey soft dog treats for training rewards
£2.45
Chicken-Wrapped Milk Stick Dog Treats
Chewy dog treats of soft milk sticks wrapped in real chicken or duck for tasty, protein-rich rewarding.
From£12.99
Bakers Bites Chicken Dog Treats
130G BAKERS Bites Chicken Dog Treats: complementary dog food or treat with composition and analysis made clear
£1.99
Bakers Sizzlers Bacon Dog Treats
315G BAKERS Sizzlers Bacon Dog Treats: complementary dog food or treat with composition and analysis made clear
£4.00
Advent & Treats Set
A dog advent calendar, Christmas chicken twisters and a highland cow plush to open on the day.
£14.49
Common questions
- Are freeze-dried treats better than dehydrated treats?
- They are different rather than strictly better. Freeze-drying uses a low-temperature vacuum process that keeps texture and nutrients closer to the fresh ingredient, while dehydrating uses gentle heat over a longer time and tends to produce a chewier, denser treat. Both can be single-ingredient and free from added preservatives.
- Can puppies have freeze-dried treats?
- Most puppies can, once weaned onto solid food, broken into pieces small enough for their mouth. Because they are calorie-dense, keep portions small and treat them as an addition to a balanced puppy food rather than a replacement for any part of a meal.
- Why are freeze-dried treats more expensive than ordinary biscuits?
- The process itself is slower and more energy-intensive than baking or extruding a biscuit, and the treats are usually made from a single named meat, offal or fish rather than cheaper mixed fillers, both of which push the price up compared with a standard shop biscuit.
- Do freeze-dried treats need to be kept in the fridge?
- No, an unopened or resealed bag is shelf-stable at room temperature because the water has already been removed. Keep it in a cool, dry cupboard and reseal it tightly after each use so the treats do not reabsorb moisture from the air.
Related
Sources
Written against guidance published by UK veterinary and welfare organisations. Always confirm specifics with your own vet.
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.