Single ingredient dog treats, explained

Single ingredient dog treats are treats whose ingredient list has exactly one item, such as a piece of dried beef or a piece of dried turkey. Nothing is added: no filler, no flavoring, no binder. If the label reads one word, the treat is one thing. That is what the phrase means, and it is the easiest kind of label to check before you hand a treat to your dog.

How to read the label

The ingredient list is the first thing to look at, and on a single ingredient treat it should be short enough to read in one glance.

• One item in the list. "Beef liver" is one ingredient. "Beef, rice flour, glycerin, natural flavor" is four, even if the front of the bag says "meaty".
• Front-of-bag wording is marketing. Phrases like "simple" or "natural" do not tell you the count. The ingredient panel does.
• The ingredient can be a whole food or a part. Muscle meat and organ meat are single ingredients. Some of our treats are not: they use a base such as Greek yogurt or cheese, so read the label on those like any other.
• Check it every time. A brand can change a recipe, and a box that rotates its lineup means a new label each month.

Single ingredient is not the same as "complete food". These are treats, meant for intermittent or supplemental feeding, not a whole diet.

What single ingredient does and does not tell you

It tells you how many things are in the treat. It does not tell you that a treat is right for every dog. A dog that has never had duck or lamb should meet it in a tiny piece, and a dog with a food allergy, a sensitive stomach or a prescription diet needs a conversation with the vet first. We cannot promise any treat is free of an ingredient your dog reacts to, so read each label.

Is a single ingredient treat grain free? By definition, a treat made only of meat or cheese has no grain in it, because it has nothing else in it. Still read the label rather than assuming, since some "meaty" treats are not single ingredient at all.

Chicken free and other proteins to skip

Many owners search for single ingredient treats because they want to leave out one protein, often chicken or beef. The simplest way to do that is to read the one word on the bag. In Modified Monthly you name the proteins your dog loves and the ones to skip, and we use that when we choose treats. Treat contents vary by month, so we ask you to check every label when the box arrives and not to rely on a preference note to manage an allergy.

Using single ingredient treats for training

Training treats need to be small, quick to eat and interesting to the dog. Single ingredient treats suit that for a plain reason: the dog is rewarded with a strong smell and taste, and you know exactly what you just fed.

1. Break them small. A piece the size of a fingernail is enough for most rewards. Freeze-dried pieces snap apart with your fingers.
2. Mix the lineup. Use a favorite for hard exercises and a lower-key piece for easy ones.
3. Count them. Small pieces add up. VCA Animal Hospitals notes that a general rule is 90 percent of a dog's daily calories from complete and balanced food, with the remaining 10 percent from treats and snacks (VCA, Dog Treats). Your vet can tell you your dog's daily calorie target.
4. Introduce new ones slowly. The same VCA article recommends introducing new treats one at a time and starting with a small piece.

How ours are made

Our box is made of our own treats, mostly single ingredient, freeze dried or air dried in small batches in our Malvern, Pennsylvania kitchen. Some have a non-meat base such as Greek yogurt or cheddar. We explain the difference between the two methods in our freeze-dried dog treats guide. Contents, sizes and quantities change every month, and photos on this site are examples.

Where the box fits

If you already have a favorite single ingredient treat, keep buying it. If you like the idea but want a new one now and then without hunting for it, the dog box is a monthly lineup built around that idea, with a theme that changes each month. See how it works for the steps, or read more on the Modified Monthly page. You can also shop all our treats one at a time.