# Commercial Dog Treats/Snacks--the biggest scam ever perpetrated on Dog Owners!!



## kevin bradley (Aug 9, 2009)

Ok, so I did an informal study/analysis of Dog Treats. I used PFD as my source for pricing. I did use the "better" brands like Wellness, EVO, etc...

Average prices for Dog Treats ranged from $6/pound --to a whopping $20/pound!!!

I came to one conclusion following my study. I really believe the entire dog snack/treat category might very well be the biggest scam ever initiated on consumer Dog owners. Seriously, the TOP Dog foods like Orijen, Wellness, Fromm... typically never run higher than $2-$3/pound. Are these "treats" much different than the top dry food formulas? Why would anyone pay as much as 10x the price?

Now, I've been guilty of buying some of these treats in the past. WHY on earth do we do this? You could literally wander over to the meat section and buy the finest cuts of meat in the Deli for less. 

I really think we've been scammed, guys.


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## Jack Monzon (Jul 25, 2010)

I buy Merrick lamb lung, which costs $20 for a pound. Doesn't bother me. He needs variety and levels of rewards, and I like that I know I'm feeding him only lamb lung (it's the only ingredient).

I also buy lamb breast, cut it up, and throw it in the oven for 5 minutes. That his highest-value treat, but it takes up my time and doesn't keep.

I hear you though. Ziwipeak food is about $25 for a 2.2-pound bag, while their treats are way more expensive on a per-pound basis. Doesn't make sense.


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## NewYorkDogue (Sep 27, 2011)

Yep, I got sucked into that black hole. I was buying a small (not sure how many oz.) bag of Wellness Grain-Free treats for $10...!

Then I read on a thread here about alternative raw treats -- someone (maybe Scarlett O) mentioned cutting raw pieces of meat and freezing on wax paper, then bagging them up for treats when needed. This has worked perfectly for me and costs very little. I will sometimes use bits of raw cheese.

My dog thinks that any treat that comes out of my hand is exceptionally tasty, so he doesn't care...


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## kevin bradley (Aug 9, 2009)

Jack Monzon said:


> I also buy lamb breast, cut it up, and throw it in the oven for 5 minutes. That his highest-value treat, but it takes up my time and doesn't keep.


thats my point, Jack...why don't we just do that? (I know the answer--convenience).


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## IslandPaws4Raw (Sep 7, 2011)

Yup! I have been aware of this little nugget for a looong time. I hardly ever buy commercial treats. That's why I don't mind splurging on some beef tongue to make into treats. Either that or just use the cheapest hotdogs I can buy.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

IslandPaws4Raw said:


> Yup! I have been aware of this little nugget for a looong time. I hardly ever buy commercial treats. That's why I don't mind splurging on some beef tongue to make into treats. Either that or just use the cheapest hotdogs I can buy.


I also use weenies and cheese, although i will admit I love to gooberlicious. They seem to not have horrible ingredients, but I don't know where they are made so I quit using them. If I could feel safe about their origins, I would buy them again in a heartbeat, as I am kind of lazy to be baking treats.


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

Jack Monzon said:


> I buy Merrick lamb lung, which costs $20 for a pound. Doesn't bother me. He needs variety and levels of rewards, and I like that I know I'm feeding him only lamb lung (it's the only ingredient).


Goodness gracious that is so expensive. I thought we lived in an expensive area, but I can get a lb for about $14 here. Our local Pet Supermarket sells them, so I wait until they have those $4 off $25 coupons and buy cat litter and the lamb lungs at the same time.
The good things about the lamb lungs is that you can break them into tiny, tiny pieces, so, if nothing else, a pound does last a hell of a long time.


You are right though Kevin. I'd never even thought about it before. $20 a lb. Good God, you can buy the best steak they sell cheaper than that. I'm going to be looking at treats with different eyes from now on.


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## GoingPostal (Sep 5, 2011)

Yeah I've never understood why treats are so bloody expensive, if it's over $4-5 a bag, I won't buy them usually, although I do get the Evo treats that are a pretty large bag for $8 or so. I don't give a ton of treats and like using freeze dried raw food, Ziwipeak and Vital Essentials especially, less extra ingredients, although I do buy those nasty Zukes because they are tiny and soft, make great training treats that the dogs just love.


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## Unosmom (May 3, 2009)

I'll buy biscuit type treats when I find them on sale, I probably wouldnt pay more then $4 per 1 lb box. The meat based ones tend to be pricy, I'm thinking of trying to make baked liver


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## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

I buy dried buffalo liver which is probably more than $20/lb, but I've never seen buffalo liver in stores, am too lazy to dehydrate myself, and the dogs love it. I only use TINY pieces (like half the size of my pinky nail) so it lasts long enough.


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## Herzo (Feb 5, 2011)

I haven't bought treats in a long time. I make my own, I'm like the queen of cookie cutters I have all different sizes in bone ones and all shapes of other ones and sizes. I haven't made any in a long time I just have been drying liver in the oven. I need a dehydrater.


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## lovemydogsalways (Mar 4, 2012)

I had stopped buying treats for a few months, because I thought to just use kibble as treats. Idk what made me start buying treats again, but after reading this thread I will probably stop. 
I dehydrated some dear heart and lung for my girls a couple months ago. They loved it.


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

I make my own dehydrated liver.


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## lovemydogsalways (Mar 4, 2012)

Sprocket said:


> I make my own dehydrated liver.


Don't you love how they dehydrate into like puffs of air or popcorn. LOL


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## DaViking (Sep 27, 2011)

kevin bradley said:


> Ok, so I did an informal study/analysis of Dog Treats. I used PFD as my source for pricing. I did use the "better" brands like Wellness, EVO, etc...
> 
> Average prices for Dog Treats ranged from $6/pound --to a whopping $20/pound!!!
> 
> ...


Call it a scam, a racket or ignorance. No need what-so-ever to pay these crazy prices for mystery treats. If I don't make something up on the fly I just buy a 1.1lbs bag of Now GF treats. It is exactly the same as their regular food and the price is in line whit their other packaging options (which might be overpriced in the first place but hey, everyone got to eat)


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## Dude and Bucks Mamma (May 14, 2011)

I keep a treat pouch in the car and dehydrated stuff I make at home doesn't work because it would spoil. We use the ZiwiPeak food and freeze dried beef liver.

In my pouch I currently have those two things as well as some Orijen kibble (got a free bag for completing beginner obedience), a canine trail mix (bits of cheese, freeze dried buffalo meat and lung, and freeze dried chicken breast) as well as little treats made from liver and a few other ingredients. The last two were given to us by the handful during our training class.

We only buy treats occasionally. Our natural pet store loves the boys and give us "sample bags" of stuff all the time. We get dehydrated stuff and freeze dried stuff. It makes our treats that WE buy last a long time.


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## RCTRIPLEFRESH5 (Feb 11, 2010)

i've bought canidae all life stages treats...they are good quality(although they have grains) and are pretty cheap..i think they were 8 bucks for pounds or so.

hormel dilluso Genoa salami is 9/per pound


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## Tobi (Mar 18, 2011)

kevin bradley said:


> Ok, so I did an informal study/analysis of Dog Treats. I used PFD as my source for pricing. I did use the "better" brands like Wellness, EVO, etc...
> 
> Average prices for Dog Treats ranged from $6/pound --to a whopping $20/pound!!!
> 
> ...


You're absolutely right, because most pet owners are "lazy" and they have a hard time grasping that they could bake the same exact treats in their own oven for a tiny fraction of the cost.

We bake all kinds of stuff for Tobi, liver stuff, with a little flower and egg, or we just use Evo Small bites as treats which were trying to get away from as well, but it works well sometimes... I've recommended people use kibbles so often around here and even to my family but... they insist that the 1-$ bags of treats are worth it for their "spoiled" babies :lol:


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## Tobi (Mar 18, 2011)

magicre said:


> when you make it yourself...either by freezing or dehydrating in the oven as you go about your daily biz....it's cheaper and you know the ingredients...
> 
> chicken can be used.....*the hardest part is cutting the chicken into bite sized pieces*, laying it on a baking sheet or aluminum foil if you don't want to wash a pan...setting the oven to 200 degrees and just let it do its thing....until it's all dried and shriveled.
> 
> keep it in the fridge and it'll last much longer than those commercial brands...it's pretty easy peasy.


cut it while it's Frozen still! :thumb: i hacked my finger apart doing exactly what you're talking about, and i kicked myself for not having frozen it before i baked it off.


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