We all love our dogs, and we want them to be happy and healthy. Besides giving them lots of love and exercise, it’s also essential to give them the right diet to boost their health.

Freeze-dried treats can be just the food item that’ll help make your dogs healthier and happier. This up-and-coming food type is loaded with nutrients that have been retained from its original form, making it excellent for keeping your dog in good shape.

Furthermore, freeze-dried treats are also much better than air-fried or heat-fried treats because the nutrients aren’t eliminated from the high heat these latter treats experience during the processing method.

Freeze-dried treats also retain the distinct aroma of their original source. This can be tantalising to your pup as they feel as if they’re eating the raw version of the food.

If you want to learn more about the benefits of freeze-dried treats, then read on. We’ll lay down some of the most notable health benefits your dog can have from trying out these freeze-dried goods.

Let’s jump straight into it!

1. Its Retained Aroma Motivates the Appetite

Dogs love to eat most types of meat—even in its rawest state. It’s as instinctual to them as barking and howling. 

While raw meat always carries the risk of harbouring dangerous bacteria and parasites, freeze-dried meat treats are processed to reduce these harmful pathogens, granting owners peace of mind that they’re giving their dogs something safer and more healthy than raw.

The freeze-drying process doesn’t include dehydrating and drying the meat. This means that both the flavour and the nutritional benefits of the meat stay intact. 

This gives both you and your pup the best of both worlds, as they’ll be motivated to eat these treats (which can help in reinforcing training regimens) and their bodies can benefit from the enhanced nutritional state.

2. It Promotes a Healthy Coat

Coat and hair health for dogs is an essential component of their well-being, and what you feed them can be highly influential on their overall grooming.

Freeze-dried treats are packed with nutrients that are crucial for keeping your pup’s fur shiny, sleek, and soft. Ingredients such as omega fatty acids are often found in fish-based treats. Protein-rich treats can also supply your pet with ample amounts of beneficial nutrients and fats that can nourish their coat health.

Furthermore, unlike artificial treats, freeze-dried treats have no extra fillers and preservatives. A bulk of ingredients found in these artificial treats often contain ingredients that interfere with the healthy growth and development of fur in a dog’s body. They may even lead to skin issues like bald patches in your dogs.

By switching over to freeze-dried treats from reputable pet stores like Zach’s Pet Shop, you can rest easy knowing that your dog’s treats help promote the vibrancy of his or her coat, not work against it.

3. Anxiety Relieving

Another perk of freeze-dried treats is their potential to keep your dog in a calm and relaxed state. A lot of these treats contain natural ingredients like tryptophan and omega-3 acids that are intended to keep your dog’s mind balanced and stress-free.

Furthermore, freeze-dried treats also help give your dog something to look forward to. This can be supplemented with the proper training to help build your pet’s confidence and manage their stress.

For instance, owners can feed their dogs these freeze-dried treats when they’re in an unfamiliar environment to soothe their anxiety, such as long car rides or a trip to the vet. Moreover, they can also help you manage your dog’s separation anxiety, particularly when given after a long period of absence.

With other natural dog treats, these nutrients are still there, however, they’re often not as potent as some of them are stripped off from the high heat during processing. Raw meat also comes with the added risk of infection and digestive issues if it’s left unclean. The best middle ground, naturally, would be a freeze-dried treat for your pup to munch on. 

4. Free From Artificial Preservatives and Sugar

Dogs aren’t particularly picky animals, and they can eat whatever food’s in front of them. Even if it’s not good for them. This can be a double-edged sword, as overeating and a poor diet can lead to obesity and diabetes in dogs at an early age.

Artificial treats often contain fillers and preservatives that do nothing to support your pet’s health. They only plump up the food and extend its shelf-life for the sake of cost-cutting and long-term preservation, most of which benefit the supplier of the product rather than the dog’s health.

On top of that, some artificial treats are also loaded with sugars; which can be appetising to your dog but horrible for their long-term health if consumed in large quantities. 

By picking a freeze-dried treat to give your dog, you’re removing these processed ingredients from entering their system, which can help promote health and vitality to your dog.

5. Easy to Digest

Freeze-dried treats are among the most digestible for dogs, unlike other forms of dog treats. This is a good thing, as it helps your pup eat the treats quickly and pass them on through their digestive tract.

On the other hand, many popular dog treats like raw cowhide can be a choking hazard to your dog. This is especially true for smaller canines as their mouth may not be large enough to fully swallow a broken piece, which can lead to suffocation and would need immediate medical attention.

The reason why freeze-dried treats are optimal for dogs is because of their shrunken size. These treats often come with a high-quality protein source (e.g. Chicken, beef, or fish) that has much of its water removed. This creates a natural, raw doggy treat that’s small, lightweight, and easy to pass along to the digestive system. 

Alongside this, there’s little risk of your dog facing stomach upset. This is because there’s an absence of additives like excess fibre that can interfere with your dog’s natural bowel movements. This is especially useful for dogs with sensitive stomachs and certain food intolerances.

6. Packed in Vitamins and Minerals

If it wasn’t clear enough, freeze-dried dog treats are rich in essential vitamins and minerals that your dog will love. This is particularly the case if they’re made from high-quality ingredients such as meat, fish, and fruits.

There’s a wide variety of minerals and vitamins that can be found in these delectable doggy treats. Depending on the base ingredient, you can expect to find vitamins A, B, D, and E. You may also find minerals like iron, zinc, and calcium.

These nutrients can provide an array of health benefits to your dog. Some minerals like calcium can promote strong and healthy bones, whereas other vitamins like vitamin A can improve their eyesight. 

The potency of these minerals isn’t diluted too, so you can expect your dog to get the complete benefits of these vitamins and minerals as if they’re eating from their natural state.

7. High in Protein

Lastly, freeze-dried treats are a great protein source for your pet. These treats often only contain a single main ingredient that’s based on an actual food type, such as chicken or beef. In its dried form, your dog can enjoy a concentrated amount of protein in every treat.

Protein is useful for dogs for a number of reasons. For one, it supports muscle development, which helps them stay active for years to come. This compound also helps promote tissue repair, which is useful when your dog has done something active lately like running around a beach.

Freeze-dried treats also don’t strip away the natural protein of its primary meat source. This helps keep your dog strong, active, and healthy for their daily activities and playtime.

Further reading: