Have We Become a Little... Treat Obsessed?

"Katie... is this treat healthy?"

I must answer that question at least 5 times a day.

And honestly?

I love that people ask it, because it tells me one thing... You care.

You want to do the best for your dog, but somewhere along the way, I think we've accidentally made ourselves a little anxious about treats.

We've become obsessed with finding the healthiest, the leanest, the most natural, the lowest fat, the highest protein, the superfood-packed treat...

...and I can't help wondering if we've forgotten what a treat is actually meant to be.

If Jack walks through the door with a slice of homemade Victoria sponge...

I'm probably saying yes.

If someone offers me a hot chocolate with whipped cream after a winter dog walk...

I'm definitely saying yes.

If it's Christmas...

I'll happily enjoy a mince pie.

Not because they're health foods.

Because they're treats.

They're little moments of happiness.

And I think our dogs deserve those moments too.

A treat isn't supposed to be dinner.

It's supposed to be...

A celebration. A reward. A training aid. A confidence builder. A bonding moment. A reason for your dog to look at you as though you've just handed them the winning lottery ticket.

Food isn't just nutrition.

It's communication. It's enrichment. It's love.

And I think that's something we sometimes forget.

Before everyone panics...

I'm not saying nutrition doesn't matter. Far from it.

Some treats are absolutely brilliant.

Some I'd only use occasionally.

And there's one category I'd avoid altogether.

Like most things in nutrition... It's rarely black and white.

The one treat you'll never hear me recommend...

Rawhide.

This is one area where I'm much less balanced. Not because of calories. Not because it's trendy to dislike it. Because for me... It's a safety issue.

Rawhide is made from the inner layer of animal hide and processed into long-lasting chews.

That durability is exactly what makes me cautious.

Large pieces can be swallowed whole and may increase the risk of:

• Choking.

• Oesophageal obstruction.

• Stomach blockages.

• Intestinal obstruction.

• Emergency surgery.

Will every dog have a problem? No.

Some dogs have eaten rawhide for years without incident. But many dogs have also accidentally slipped a collar and dashed across roads safely...

That doesn't make it a risk I'd recommend taking. When we now have brilliant alternatives like fish skins, rabbit ears, collagen chews, beef scalp and so many other digestible natural chews... For me, rawhide simply isn't worth the gamble.

My favourite everyday treats

These are the treats you'll regularly find me recommending.

❤️ Fish skins.

❤️ Sprats.

❤️ Air-dried meat.

❤️ Freeze-dried meat.

❤️ Hair animal skins & ears.

❤️ Tendons.

❤️ Properly formulated dental chews.

❤️ Single-protein treats.

❤️ Pickles own brand biscuits

They're simple. Recognisable. Generally highly digestible. And dogs absolutely adore them.

Then there's the middle ground...

And honestly... This is where most treats belong.

A gravy bone. A training biscuit. A birthday pup-cake. A Christmas biscuit. A little reward after puppy class.

Would I build an entire diet around them? Of course not.

Do I think one biscuit is going to undo years of good nutrition? Absolutely not.

Because nutrition isn't judged by one treat. It's judged by what happens every single day.

🐾 My Fun Fact

Nutritionists generally recommend keeping treats to around 10% or less of your dog's daily calorie intake. That means it's the overall diet that shapes long-term health—not the odd biscuit after a lovely walk.

The biggest problem I see isn't unhealthy treats...

It's too many treats. I've met Labradors who genuinely eat almost half their daily calories in treats. Not because their owners don't care. Quite the opposite. Because they love them.

A biscuit after breakfast. A chew mid-morning. Training treats. A dental chew.

Something from Grandma. Another one because they looked adorable.

Before long...

Dinner has become the side dish. Even the healthiest treat in the world can become too much if we're simply feeding too many of them.

The Pickles Taste Test...

If you've ever met our four rescue dogs, you'll know they've all got completely different personalities.

Which also means...

They all value completely different rewards.

Winston?

He's all about quality over quantity. If I'm asking him to nail something difficult, a small fruity treat becomes absolute gold.

Would I feed him treats every day?

Because of Winstons allergies we say no to othwer treats, is this because he is only allowed healthy treats? No, it's because hed suffer the consiquences later, with a reaction.

Would I use a small selection to tell him he'd just done something absolutely amazing?

Without hesitation.

Fred?

Fred is beautifully uncomplicated. Give him a fish skin, a sprat or a natural chew and you've just become his best friend. He's living proof that sometimes the simplest treats are the very best ones. Sometimes - just sometimes treats aren't even consumable, he loves to chew, Bamboo chews, toys etc.

Shelby?

Our beautiful Cyprus girl reminds me that treats aren't always about food.

Sometimes... They're about trust. Watching Shelby gently take a treat she was once too nervous to accept says far more than any nutritional label ever could.

That's confidence. That's relationship building. That's a treat doing exactly what it's supposed to do.

Then there's Opal...

Honestly... If chaos had a flavour, she'd probably eat that too.

Training Opal isn't about finding the lowest-fat treat.

It's about finding something exciting enough to compete with...

Birds. Leaves. Butterflies. The wind. A squirrel that may or may not have existed.

That tiny piece of something extra special can be the difference between having her attention... Or watching her plan her next adventure.

And that's the thing. The best treat isn't always the one with the fanciest label.

Or the one with the fewest calories. Sometimes... The best treat is simply the one your dog believes they've just won the lottery for earning. Because treats aren't just about calories.

They're motivation.

Communication. Celebration. Trust. Training. Relationship.

And I think that's every bit as important.

What about human treats?

Now here's another question I hear almost every day...

"Can they have one of my Digestives?"

"Can they have a bit of my birthday cake?"

"Can they lick the whipped cream?"

Now... This is where my sensible brain takes over.

If I say, "Let's not give them human treats..."

It isn't because I'm mean. Honestly.

It's because human food is designed for humans. Not dogs.

Some human foods contain ingredients that are genuinely toxic.

Chocolate.

Grapes.

Raisins.

Onion.

Garlic.

Xylitol.

Others simply contain far more sugar, salt or fat than we'd ever intentionally feed our dogs.

Even when something isn't toxic, it might still be far more calorie-dense than we realise.

Could Winston have a tiny cube of cheese because I'm teaching him something really difficult?

Absolutely. Context matters. Purpose matters. Portion size matters.

That's very different from regularly sharing your lunch.

So here's my little Pickles philosophy...

You dunk your Digestive in your tea.

Let your dog enjoy their own delicious pup-cake.

Give them a natural chew.

Spoil them with a fish skin.

Let them enjoy something that's been made especially for dogs.

You can still enjoy the moment together.

Just...

Share the time, not the treat.

I think that's the loveliest compromise of all.

So... should treats be healthy?

Yes. Where possible.

Should every single treat be nutritionally perfect?

Personally...No.

I think they should be sensible. Safe. Appropriate. Fed in moderation.

And most importantly enjoyed.

Because life isn't built on perfection.

It's built on balance.

A Little Note from Me...

One thing I've learnt over the years is that guilt has become one of the biggest ingredients in pet nutrition. Owners worry they're feeding the wrong food.

The wrong treats.

Too many treats.

Not enough treats.

Honestly? If you're asking those questions, you're already showing how much you care.

So here's what I'd tell you if we were chatting in the shop.

Feed a fantastic complete diet. Choose good quality treats where you can.

Avoid the things we know carry unnecessary risks.

Keep portions sensible. And don't be afraid to celebrate the little moments.

Because one biscuit won't make a healthy dog unhealthy. Just like one salad won't suddenly make me an Olympic athlete.

Nutrition isn't built on perfection. It's built on consistency. So enjoy your coffee. Let your dog enjoy their pup-cake.

Share the time, not the treat.

I think that's a pretty lovely way to live.

Love,

Katie 🐾Head of Nutrition, Pickles Pet Pantry