[Donna5503]

Hi everyone!

I feed Chubby at about 6pm. Grain-Free Dry Food - Earthborn & Go, by Petcurean - I also give him Chicken, Beef, Yams, Green Beans, Peas & Carrots occasionally. He does fine on this diet.

I give him treats in the morning - I was giving him Mother Hubbards which he liked - then a friend of mine gave him some Milk-Bones when we were at her house & he scarfed them up - now he puts his nose up to Mother Hubbards - I bought a box of Milk-Bones & he's obsessed.

My question is - does anyone have any thoughts on Milk-Bones, I know they have been around forever, but for a treat do you think they are OK?

 

[kafkabeetle]

They are mostly wheat flour if I remember correctly, and contain lots of stuff many of us avoid in kibble. But IMO it's not a big deal to give them as treats. Sydney doesn't really like them very much though, so I tend towards meatier treats for her.

 

[w8ing4rain]

I've been wondering the same thing. I got a sample if their new trail mix treats in the mail but the bag just sits there unopened because I'm not sure of them. It will be interesting to see what others think.

 

[Sangaris]

Unless your dog has a dietary restriction, as a treat they are fine. If something like that was used as their primary diet that would be a different story.

 

[philovance]

Since he is a city dog I try to keep Benji stimulated and bonded to me by taking him on errands to the stores that he is allowed into. He regularly goes to the hardware store, the pet food store, the health and beauty aid store, the convenience store, and the wine and liquor store. And more than one of them.

The liquor stores have spoiled him because they always have a treat for him. Almost always it's a small Milk Bone because the employees are not dog people and MBs are available in the grocery store. I also discourage them from treating him themselves because, frankly, even though he's a very well behaved dog I don't believe in free treats, especially in a setting where I want him to be extra well behaved. Most of them will not ask him to sit first.

The thing I like about MB's small original treat is the four sections on each end like little bone joints break off cleanly. So usually while I'm paying or talking to the counter person, I give him one little end at a time until we're done. He's totally satisfied with what probably amounts to 15 calories. I put the middle section in my pocket and give it to him in a store where they don't offer treats.

Of all the treats people offer him I'd much rather a MB I can break up than some of these Iam's treats that are huge, high calorie and impossible to break up. I like Old Mother Hubbard but I'm not crazy about the food coloring.

My favorite everyday treat to carry around in my pocket are the little Charlee Bears. They look like oyster crackers for soup, they never go stale or crumble, and a bag lasts forever. Better some wheat flour than Chinese jerky.

 

[oldhounddog]

I know they have been around forever, but for a treat do you think they are OK?

My family bought Milkbone for our dog to help clean their teeth after eating canned dog food and our dog loved them and that was 60 years ago. Today I am still using Milkbone and my Redbone Hounds love them so I guess they are OK for treats.


Best , oldhounddog

 

[Abbylynn]

I use them. I find them to be the only treat I will allow my dogs that come from the grocery store shelf. I have been using them for over 50 years also. They really aren't all that bad as a treat. They have the ones now ... mini size and only 5 calories each. I do however not use the multi flavored ones because of the food coloring. BHT is something I cannot avoid in any of them. I use the original flavor ... and my dogs love them!

http://www.milkbone.com/products/biscuits

 

[kafkabeetle]

These are the only grocery store treats I buy, and only occasionally. They're surprisingly decent considering what horrible treats surround them on the shelves, full of high fructose corn syrup and whatever else. I don't have a bag now to look at the ingredients and they apparently aren't listed anywhere on the internets but the first ingredients I could read on a picture of the container were chicken liver, chicken, chicken by-product meal... Decent for treats that cost $1.

 

[Donna5503]

Thanks guys! Chubby will be happy to keep his Milk-Bones!

 

[InkedMarie]

I have a dog with food sensitivities and/or allergies and can't have milkbones. I've told this to family members yet they still buy them for Christmas. Sigh.

 

[kadylady]

I buy the "Heathy Favorites" varitey for my dogs. They usually get 1 a day at bedtime. Or also something quick to toss in the crate when we are leaving for a short while. They love them, its really the only dry biscuit type treat I buy.

 

[kafkabeetle]

I buy the "Heathy Favorites" varitey for my dogs. They usually get 1 a day at bedtime. Or also something quick to toss in the crate when we are leaving for a short while. They love them, its really the only dry biscuit type treat I buy.

Those actually seem much better than the "normal" red box Milk Bones. If only they would toss brown sugar as the second ingredient, I would feel ok about buying them myself.

Ingredients: Beef, brown sugar, soy flour, dried potato, rolled oats, dried carrots, dried apples, glycerin, salt, caramel, natural flavor, garlic, citric acid (used as a preservative), minerals (calcium propionate, zinc propionate), natural mixed tocopherols (used as a preservative), rosemary extract.

Actually, I guess those ingredients are for the soft kind. The hard kind are not much different from the original milk bones.

Ingredients: GROUND WHOLE WHEAT, WHEAT FLOUR, CARROTS, ROLLED OATS, FLAXSEED, BEEF, POULTRY FAT (PRESERVED WITH NATURAL MIXED TOCOPHEROLS [A NATURAL SOURCE OF VITAMIN E]), NATURAL FLAVOR, SALT, CARAMEL COLOR, ROSEMARY EXTRACT.

 

[kadylady]

Those actually seem much better than the "normal" green box Milk Bones. If only they would toss brown sugar as the second ingredient, I would feel ok about buying them myself.

Ingredients: Beef, brown sugar, soy flour, dried potato, rolled oats, dried carrots, dried apples, glycerin, salt, caramel, natural flavor, garlic, citric acid (used as a preservative), minerals (calcium propionate, zinc propionate), natural mixed tocopherols (used as a preservative), rosemary extract.

I get the granola biscuits (vs the chewy treats) and they look like this:

Ingredients (Beef Flavor): Ground Whole Wheat, Wheat Flour, Carrots, Rolled Oats, Flaxseed, Beef, Beef Fat (Preserved with Natural Mixed Tocopherols), Natural Flavor, Salt, Caramel Color, Rosemary Extract

Ingredients (Chicken Flavor): Ground Whole Wheat, Wheat Flour, Sweet Potatoes, Rolled Oats, Flaxseed, Chicken, Beef Fat (Preserved with Natural Mixed Tocopherols), Natural Flavor, Salt, Rosemary Extract

http://www.milkbone.com/products/healthyfavorites

So pretty close, less sugar more wheat? Either way I figure they have less ingredients than the regular Milkbones and I can pronounce everything so that's better?! lol

 

[Amaryllis]

I like the Healthy Favorites ones. No sugar or BHT (which other varieties do have), I can easily break one treat up into 10+ bits for a low calorie treat, they're inexpensive and I can get them at any grocery store.

Kabota's favorite thing, though, are dehydrated sweet potato slices. The groomer sells them. They're a lot more expensive than milk bones and she doesn't always have them, but he loves them.