Vegan Dog Treats: Do They Actually Work? (An Honest Answer)
Share
Your dog doesn't care about your dietary philosophy. But they do care what their treats taste like.
Vegan dog treats have become a real category in the past few years, driven by pet owners who want to extend their own values to their pets' diet, or who simply want treats with fewer animal-derived ingredients. Here's an honest look at what vegan dog treats actually are, whether dogs tolerate them well, and when they make sense.
What makes a dog treat "vegan"?
A vegan dog treat contains no animal-derived ingredients — no meat, dairy, eggs, gelatin, or honey. Instead, plant-based ingredients provide the protein, fat, and flavor. Oat flour, peanut butter, nutritional yeast, sweet potato, chickpea flour, and flaxseed are all common in vegan treat recipes.
Can dogs do well on plant-based treats?
For treats specifically, yes. Dogs are omnivores and can digest a wide range of plant-based foods well. The question of whether a fully vegan diet is appropriate for dogs is more complex and worth discussing with your vet, but for occasional treats, plant-based options are generally well-tolerated.
Why non-vegan owners choose vegan treats
- Dairy sensitivity. Many dogs are lactose intolerant. Vegan treats skip dairy entirely — important for dogs who get digestive issues from dairy-based treats. Read more in our guide to dog treats for sensitive stomachs.
- Wheat sensitivity. Many plant-based recipes use alternative flours like oat flour, which are gentler on sensitive dogs. We explain the difference in detail in our wheat-free vs. grain-free guide.
- Ingredient transparency. Vegan products tend to have shorter, more legible ingredient lists. For dog owners who want to know exactly what they're feeding their pet, that matters.
Our plant-based kits
All three Scratch Treats kits are fully vegan. The Vegan Cheeze kit gets its rich, savory flavor from nutritional yeast. The Purple Pup kit uses beet powder and purple sweet potato for its distinctive color. The Peanut Butter Original is the most familiar of the three. See exactly what goes into every kit.
