Dogswell Jerky Bars – reader’s review

Dogswell Jerky Bars review

Note: A company called Dogswell gave away some Jerky Bars to one of my readers through a contest on ThatMutt.com. Sean was the winner, and the following is what he had to say about the treats. 

My dogs are not super fussy about treats and can be trained using their own (dry) kibble, and even consider a different dry kibble rewarding. So we’re not dealing with picky eaters.

Of course, there is a continuum in treats with super great stuff (raw meat, fish, hot dogs) and more lame stuff (Charlie bear crackers, kibble).

The jerky bars fall somewhere in the middle of that. Less desirable than the stinkier mass-produced treats (Zuke’s) or freeze-dried liver but more on par with Wellness Wellbites bars and maybe a little ahead of Natural Balance rolled dog food used as treats.

Of course, not all of these items are the same nutritionally. Many have wheat, other grains, or preservatives, which I limit in their diet, so I like how the treats compare to other options of commercially produced treats. From the perspective of what’s in it, I am a big fan.

These are good quality treats that I feel good about feeding to the dogs.

My biggest knock against the treats is that the Dogswell Jerky Bar treats do not break apart neatly either by hand or when cut with a knife.

I am a master at turning 1 unit of dog treat into many small pieces because most of the time, I’m using treats for training purposes.

So far, I’m finding the treats to be a little too crumbly when I break them up and a little bit too sticky in handling. They are ok for training but not something I’d seek out over other neater options for training treats.

In our house, there are really only a few kinds of “reasons” why the dogs get treats: for training, for chewing (antlers, bully sticks, etc.), for specific health reason (dental treats), or for taking up time/good quiet behavior (Kongs or most chew items). 

Some people give their dogs more treats at home just “because,” and for them, the bars would be a good fit. I run a pretty tight ship on keeping the dogs at a healthy weight and able to get more of their calories from a food their stomach is accustomed to, so the jerky bars don’t really fill a need I have for treats at home if they don’t work well for training.

I could see taking the jerky bars along on outings or trips when the dogs are hiking or expending a lot more calories with activity, and I’d want a treat with nutritional value and substance.

They pack well and neatly, easy to put in a people or dog backpack. They also smell good for dogs, not bad for people (like some other dog treats), and won’t stink up your bag where you put them.

The jerky bars remind me of Cliff Bars for people. Good to have around for activity and meal supplementation, especially when we’re traveling, but not something you’d really snack on around the house.

We were very excited to try the jerky bars out. The dogs have no complaints, and I’m happy recommending them with the noted explanation about the treats not being the easiest to break apart neatly.

Thanks to Sean for his willingness to share this review! I realize I can’t mention the word jerky without someone asking if these treats are made in China. The Dogswell Jerky Bars are not made in China, according to a representative of Dogswell.

What types of treats do you tend to buy for your dog?