10 Best Dog Treats For Huskies (2023 Guide)

Dog treats are a useful tool for improving your relationship with your Husky. They can be used to reward good behavior, improve dental health, keep them busy, and more! But what treats are okay for Huskies to eat? And how can you choose the best ones?

Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with our recommendations for the 10 best dog treats for Huskies as well as a handy guide for choosing new treats at the store.

In a hurry? Check out our favourite training treat for Huskies below! Be sure to continue reading for more recommendations and advice.

How To Choose the Best Treats For Huskies

The dog treat market is hugely saturated and there are thousands of options to choose from. But how do you choose the right dog treats for Huskies? Take a look at the four things we look out for when buying a new dog treat for our Huskies.

1. Check the calorie content

Although Huskies are not known for being hugely food-orientated, they can still become very demanding when they decide they want a treat. Huskies are a very stubborn breed and if they set their minds to doing something, they won’t stop until they achieve it.

For that reason, it’s not uncommon for owners to end up feeding their Husky too many treat-based calories. Don’t worry, we’ve been there ourselves. When our Huskies decide to sing to their heart’s content, sometimes the only way to stop them is with a tasty distraction.

We therefore recommend making sure you have a supply of low-calorie, low-fat dog treats for them.

Ideally, calories that come from treats should not comprise more than 10% of your Husky’s daily calorie intake. Feeding them more than this can eventually lead to obesity and diabetes. Higher-calorie treats should be given once daily and training treats which are given more often should be as low-calorie as possible.

2. Decide what the treat will be used for

A good habit to get into is to think about what the dog treats you are buying will be used for. This will help to prevent needless overfeeding and stubborn begging behaviors from forming as your Husky will be able to associate certain treats with different actions.

For example:

• We recommend that Huskies are given a once-daily dental chew to maintain teeth and gum health and freshen their breath.
• Small, low-calorie training treats should be used to reward correct actions during training sessions and good behavior on walks.
• Calming treats can be used to reduce stress in frightening situations such as thunderstorms or fireworks.
• Fun treats can be used to enhance playtime and keep their minds stimulated.

Some treats will also contain specific vitamins and minerals to improve aspects of your Husky’s health. These can be used to supplement meals if your Husky refuses to eat supplement tablets.

3. Check where the treat is made

One of the best ways to determine the quality of dog treats is to check where they are made. Some countries, such as the UK and the US, have stricter regulations on pet products which typically leads to higher-quality dog treats being made.

Dog treats that have been made by smaller businesses are also often of higher quality as they are trying to stand out from the market giants. These treats usually come with an added cost but remember that it’s because there are fewer filler ingredients. We always recommend supporting smaller businesses where possible!

If you’re buying meaty dog treats, you should also check whether the brand specifies what country the meat comes from. Brands that use meat from their own country will typically make it clear on the front of their packaging.

4. Look at what ingredients are being added

This might be obvious but you should always check the ingredients of the dog treats you buy before feeding them to your Husky.

Some dog treats are packed full of artificial preservatives, meat by-products, unsuitable grains and essentially the cheapest ingredients they can find. Although some treats might look great from the packaging, they can actually cause a lot of upset for your Husky’s stomach.

It is recommended to avoid the following ingredients:

• Wheat and grains: High amounts of wheat, corn, soy, and rice can upset your Husky’s stomach leading to diarrhoea.
• Artificial preservatives: These include propylene glycol and sodium nitrate. Although they are safe for your Husky, natural alternatives are preferred.
• Calcium-based treats: If your Husky has a zinc deficiency we recommend staying away from dog treats with high amounts of calcium as they could worsen the problem.

In general, we try to look out for grain-free treats made with the fewest ingredients so that we know exactly what we’re feeding our Huskies.

The 10 Best Dog Treats For Huskies

Now that we know what to look out for, it’s time for some recommendations. Below are our top 10 best dog treats for Huskies to meet every need.

1. Wag Expedition Human Grade Organic Biscuit Dog Treats

To train your Husky you’re going to need a high-quality, extra-tasty dog training treat. We’ve found that our Huskies seem to behave extra well If they know they’re going to get a Wag Expedition biscuit!

You’ll notice that most of our treats on this list don’t include grains because we know of the digestion issues that can be caused. We do, however, advocate for these particular treats as they’re packed full of high-quality ingredients and vitamins that promote healthier joints and brain function. As the label suggests – they’re designed to be good enough for us owners to eat!

2. Zukes Mini Naturals Dog Training Treats

Another training treat we love to use are the Mini Naturals by Zukes. These tasty treats are particularly great as they are only 3 calories per treat meaning they’re suitable for regular training sessions. We also love taking a small pouch of these on a walk with us to reward good behavior.

Once again, these treats are packed full of vitamins to support a healthy body and active lifestyle. They’re available in several meaty flavors, but our Huskies seem to love the salmon flavor more than the others.

3. Grain-free Dental Dog Treats by Whimzees

We believe that the Grain-Free Dental Dog Treats by Whimzees are the best dental dog treats, and trust us – we’ve tried them all! They’re full of nutrients to keep your Husky healthy, from amino acids that promote a shiner coat to malt extract which increases their metabolism.

As suggested by the name, these treats are ideal for keeping your Husky’s teeth and gums healthy whilst maintaining fresh breath. These treats are designed to be given once a day and they’re quite big so they’ll keep your Husky occupied for a while. For our smaller Huskies, we occasionally cut the treats into two.

As a final benefit, these treats are grain, gluten and GMO-free making them ideal for Huskies with sensitive stomachs.

4. Daily Original Large Dog Treats by Greenies

Greenies provide another great option for your Husky’s daily dental treat with their Original Large Dog Treats. We know of many Husky owners who have been recommended these treats by their vets and now swear by them.

What makes these treats particularly unique is their bendiness. This helps them to clean your Husky’s teeth right down to the gum line and keep their breath extra fresh. It’s clear to see why so many dog owners love them!

These treats provide a cheaper, but still great, alternative to the Whimzees dog treats and they are available in different sizes to suit your Husky’s size.

5. Real Meat Burger Bite Dog Treats by Rachel Ray

If you live in the US there is a good chance you have heard of Rachael Ray’s dog treat line, Nutrish. Available in over 10 scrumptious flavours, these bites are made with USA-raised meat and no artificial flavours or meat by-products.

Each treat is inspired by one of Rachel Ray’s own home recipes and the care that goes into making them is clear with how much our Huskies adore them. These treats should definitely be used as such – an occasional treat! We like to keep a stock of these for situations where our Husky might need a tasty distraction, such as after a vet visit or during a thunderstorm.

If you need any more reason to purchase these treats, a portion of the proceeds from each sale goes to The Rachael Ray Foundation which provides food, medical supplies and treatments to animals in need.

6. Single Ingredient Chicken Chip Dog Treats by Farm To Pet

These treats really sell themselves. They’re made from a single tasty ingredient – dehydrated chicken. What more is there to know? Our Huskies are big fans of these, so much so that we’ve repeatedly found them trying to take them from the cupboard. Make sure you keep them well hidden!

7. Smartbones Calming Care Sticks

This one’s for those of you with Huskies that struggle to settle down at nighttime. It may seem counterintuitive to give your Husky a treat before bed but trust us, these have great results.

The Calming Care Sticks by Smartbones contain chamomile and lavender to help soothe your Husky and naturally calm them down. We noticed that giving our Huskies the same treat at the same time each night also helped to create a nighttime routine for them.

Now, when our Huskies smell the lavender treats coming to them, they know it’s time for them to settle down for sleep.

8. Kong Easy Treat Paste

If your Husky is starting to get bored of the same treats every day, you might need to try a different approach. The Kong Easy Treat Paste comes in a spray-cheese type of canister and is designed to be sprayed into their flagship chew toy.

We personally use it with any of our Husky’s favourite chew toys. Simply spray the treat onto the toy (we recommend doing this outside!) and watch your Husky be entertained for hours as they try to clean it off completely.

9. SHAMELESS PETS Natural Soft Dog Treats

The Soft Dog Treats by SHAMELESS PETS are our go-to treats for our senior Huskies. They’re designed to be easy to chew and soft enough that they can be broken up by hand if needed.

They’ve paired each of their treat flavors with supplements for joint health, healthy skin and coat, and digestive support. We’ve found that some of our older Huskies get more stubborn as they age and refuse to take supplement pills. This is our way of ensuring they’re still getting the nutrients they need.

These treats are also made from upcycled ingredients. This simply means they’re taking surplus fruits and vegetables and turning them into something that won’t go to waste – an added win for the environment.

10. Blue Buffalo BLUE Bits Natural Soft-Moist Training Dog Treats

Although Husky puppies can have small amounts of any of the treats on this list, there’s one dog treat that our puppies go crazy for. The Blue Buffalo Soft Bits are one of the best training treats for young Huskies thanks to their easy-to-chew size and great taste.

These treats contain DHA which supports cognitive development, an essential for fast-growing dogs like Huskies. They’re also made without artificial preservatives or meat by-products so they’re less likely to upset your puppy’s stomach when they try them for the first time.

These treats are also the perfect size for fitting inside treat-based toys such as snuffle mats and puzzle games.

Husky Treat FAQ

Why won’t my Husky eat the dog treats I’ve bought?

Unlike many other dog breeds, Huskies are known for being picky eaters. If they don’t like the smell or texture of a certain treat, they just won’t eat it! If your Husky turns its nose up at a treat, try giving them a different flavor the next time.

For more information, check out our guide on reasons why a Husky won’t eat by clicking here.

How many dog treats should I give my Husky?

Although there isn’t really a limit, it’s recommended that dog treats shouldn’t make up more than 10% of your Husky’s diet. We typically feed our Huskies a dental treat every morning, a few low-calorie training treats during a training session or long walk, and a nighttime play snack to mentally occupy them.

Some of our more restless Huskies may also have a calming treat before bed each night.

Final Thoughts

Finding the right dog treats for your Husky shouldn’t be a difficult task. Just remember the purpose of the treats and keep an eye out for all-natural ingredients where possible.

If you have any questions please leave a comment below or get in contact at info@themalamutemom.com.