7 Best Freeze-Dried Dog Treats [2024]

The freeze-dried pet food market is growing, and it's easy to understand why. Pet owners want the best for their furry friends–and there are many reasons freeze-dried dog treats fit the bill.

Whether you are accommodating specific diet requirements of a dog with food allergies or simply aiming to offer an enriched, healthier add-on to your pet's daily meals, freeze-dried dog treats are delicious, high in protein, and full of nutrition. 

Here are our top picks for this year’s best freeze-dried dog treats.

 

What are Freeze-Dried Dog Treats?

Freeze-dried dog treats are a kind of pet food product that undergoes a process called freeze-drying or lyophilization. This method combines the benefits of frozen and dried foods, maintaining the maximum nutrient content and assuring a long shelf life without needing artificial preservatives. 

How does it work? Freeze drying is a three-step process that involves freezing, primary drying, and secondary drying.

1. Freezing: The raw material, in this case, the food to be turned into dog treats, is deep-frozen at extremely low temperatures, usually below -35°C (-31°F).
2. Primary Drying (Sublimation): Once frozen, it's exposed to a high vacuum. This process allows the frozen water in the material to sublimate directly from the solid phase to the gaseous phase, bypassing the liquid phase.
3. Secondary Drying (Desorption): The last step is applying heat to the material, which removes any unfrozen water molecules. During this time, the vacuum is generally maintained, and the temperature is increased to accelerate sublimation.

Throughout the entire process, the structure of the food remains intact and the nutritional content remains largely unchanged. 

Freeze-drying is popular for preserving food since it reduces the water content while retaining the food’s nutritional value, color, shape, and texture, making it perfect for dogs with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) because freeze-dried treats are usually grain-free, meaning they won't upset your dog's stomach.

Are Freeze-Dried Dog Treats Healthy?

Indeed, they are! Freeze-dried foods retain up to 90% more nutrients than food cooked traditionally or dried using hot air. 

While the specific nutrients you’ll find in your dog treats vary depending on the recipes, here are some nutrients that freeze-dried foods generally maintain:

1. Macronutrients: Like proteins, carbohydrates, and fats which are essential for energy, growth, and various body functions.
2. Vitamins: Most notably, freeze-dried foods can retain important vitamins such as A, C, and the B-complex which are crucial for a variety of body functions including immunity, energy production, and tissue health.
3. Minerals: Essential minerals like calcium, potassium, magnesium, and iron are well-preserved in freeze-dried foods. These minerals are critical for bone health, fluid balance, metabolic processes, and oxygen transportation.
4. Fiber: Natural fibers found in the food remain intact during the freeze-drying process. Dietary fiber is important for digestive health.
5. Phytonutrients: These are naturally occurring compounds found in plant foods that contribute to their color, flavor, and health benefits. They have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
6. Omega-3 Fatty Acids: If the freeze-dried food source is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, these beneficial fats are retained in the freeze-drying process.

The freeze-drying process locks in all the nutrition from the raw ingredients—beef liver, chicken, salmon—ensuring your dog gets a maximum load of the good stuff it needs to keep it healthy.

 

Best Freeze-Dried Dog Treats

As devoted dog owners, we're continually striving to provide the best for our pets, and freeze-dried dog treats are a great choice. They offer excellent nutritional content, are easy to digest, and are loved by our canine counterparts. 

Let’s take a look at some of the best!

 

1. KOHA Freeze-Dried Raw Bites

In pursuit of providing the absolute best nutrition for our canine companions, KOHA has innovated a line of freeze-dried dog treats and toppers that offer robust taste along with critical health benefits. 

Their Freeze-Dried Raw Bites combine delicious taste with the serving convenience of kibble. Each bag comes packed with 14 ounces of nutrient-dense meat, organs, and bones that are locally sourced and processed in small batches right here in the USA for guaranteed quality and safety.

KOHA's Freeze-Dried Raw Toppers offer a simple and efficient way to supplement your dog’s diet with the nutrition of raw protein, taking ordinary meals to extraordinary heights with just a few shakes. 

Freeze-Dried Dog Treats

• Freeze-Dried Raw Bites: Available in tantalizing beef, chicken, and pork flavors, these bites are more than just treats. They're complete meals, offering a high-protein diet with added pre and probiotics imperative for healthy digestion. Importantly, they’re completely free of peas and potatoes–ingredients that can exacerbate food sensitivities and digestive issues in dogs. Raw Bites are excellent for picky eaters, providing a nutritional punch with each bite that dogs find irresistible. For pet parents looking for nutrient-loaded, hassle-free feeding, these bites have all the nutrition of raw food with the accessibility of kibble.
• Freeze-Dried Raw Toppers: Available in elk & venison, chicken, and beef varieties, 

Each 8oz Bag contains 96% meat, including organs and bones, and is loaded with probiotics to promote digestive health. Like Raw Bites, this product is soy, pea, and potato-free, excluding any common allergens or fillers. Raw Toppers make any meal irresistible. Even the pickiest eaters look forward to their food when you sprinkle a bit of this delectable powder on top!

When it comes to raw nutrition, KOHA's Freeze-Dried Raw Bites and Toppers are trailblazers. Make the switch to these nutritious additions and treat your dog to the freeze-dried goodness they’re bound to love.

Shop KOHA’s Freeze-Dried Dog treats

 

2. Pure Bites

Purebites offers freeze-dried dog treats in many flavors that contain only 1 to 3 human-grade ingredients. Their offerings are freeze-dried in the USA, with ingredients from the USA or New Zealand. Touting simplicity and transparency in their ingredients, their single-ingredient treats serve as a viable hypoallergenic option for dogs with allergies.

Freeze-Dried Dog Treats 

• Gut & Digestion Freeze Dried Dog Treats
• Hip & Joint Freeze Dried Dog Treats
• Skin & Coat Freeze Dried Dog Treats
• Fall Turkey & Sweet Potato Freeze Dried Dog Treats
• Holiday Turkey & Sweet Potato Freeze Dried Dog Treats
• Chicken Breast Freeze Dried Dog Treats
• Beef Liver Freeze Dried Dog Treats
• Salmon Freeze Dried Dog Treats
• Lamb Liver Freeze Dried Dog Treats
• Duck Liver Freeze Dried Dog Treats
• Cheddar Cheese Freeze Dried Dog Treats
• Turkey Freeze Dried Dog Treats
• Chicken Breast Freeze Dried Mini Dog Treats
• Salmon Freeze Dried Mini Dog Treats
• Lamb Liver Freeze Dried Mini Dog Treats
• Beef & Cheese Freeze Dried Dog Treats
• Ocean Whitefish Freeze Dried Dog Treats

 

3. Vital

Vital Essentials provides freeze-dried meals and treats for dogs and cats. They offer raw food nutrition, sourcing ingredients from farmers in the U.S.A. They promote high-protein diets, with no added hormones or antibiotics.

 

Freeze-Dried Dog Treats 

• Freeze-Dried Raw BEEF BITES
• Freeze-Dried Beef Liver Dog Treats
• Freeze-Dried Bully Sticks Dog Treats
• Freeze-Dried Chicken Breast Dog Treats
• Freeze-Dried Chicken Hearts Dog Treats
• Freeze-Dried Duck Bites Dog Treats
• Freeze-Dried Minnows Dog Treats
• Freeze-Dried Raw MINNOWS DOG TREATS
• Freeze-Dried Rabbit Bites Dog Treats
• Freeze-Dried Raw RABBIT BITES
• Freeze-Dried Salmon Bites Dog Treats
• Freeze-Dried Raw SALMON BITES DOG TREATS
• Freeze-Dried Turkey Giblets Dog Treats
• Freeze-Dried Raw TURKEY GIBLETS
• Freeze-Dried Chicken Necks Dog Treats
• Freeze-Dried Duck Hearts Dog Treats
• Freeze-Dried Beef Tripe Bites Dog Treats
• Freeze-Dried Raw BEEF TRIPE BITES
• Freeze-Dried Beef Tripe Nibs Dog Treats
• Freeze-Dried Raw BEEF TRIPE

 

4. Fresh is Best

 Fresh is Best produces freeze-dried meat treats, food, and toppers for dogs and cats. Their meat comes from pastured, grass-fed, cage-free, crate-free, antibiotic-free, and wild-harvested sources. Each freeze-dried treat maintains a high nutritional value and natural taste because they're prepared in small batches and packaged in vacuum-sealed bags to retain freshness.

Freeze-Dried Dog Treats 

• Freeze Dried Beef Heart & Liver Filets
• Freeze Dried Beef & Veggie Morsels
• Freeze Dried Chicken Breast Tenders
• Freeze Dried Chicken Giblet Treats
• Freeze Dried Chicken Heart Bites
• Freeze Dried Chicken Livers
• Freeze Dried Whole Chicken Necks
• Freeze Dried Duck Breast Tenders
• Freeze Dried Duck Heart Bites
• Freeze Dried Duck Giblet Treats

 

5. Whole Hearted

WholeHearted, a Petco brand, aims to provide a balanced blend of affordability and nutritious choices for pet owners. Veterinarians and nutritionists designed the WholeHearted range to support pet health. Their emphasis is on quality ingredients: WholeHearted uses real meat as the first ingredient in their recipes, andA it’s the only ingredient in their freeze-dried dog treat range.

Freeze-Dried Dog Treats 

• WholeHearted Beef Liver Freeze-Dried Dog Treats
• WholeHearted Chicken Breast Freeze-Dried Dog Treats
• WholeHearted Salmon Freeze-Dried Dog Treats

 

6. Stewart Pet

Stewart Pet produces dog treats, food toppers, and meals. Their products contain raw ingredients that are freeze-dried to lock in flavor and freshness. Stewart Pet offers a diverse array of treats catering to the specific health needs of dogs, such as anxiety relief, healthy coats, hip health, gut health, and immune system maintenance. 

Freeze-Dried Dog Treats 

• Healthy Gut with Probiotics Chicken & Vegetable Recipe
• Healthy Hips with Glucosamine Beef & Sweet Potato Recipe
• Immunity with Vitamins & Antioxidants Chicken & Vegetable Recipe
• Focus with Shiitake Mushroom Salmon & Vegetable Recipe
• Shine with Omega-3 Fatty Acids Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe
• Zen with Passionflower Beef & Pumpkin Recipe

 

7. ACANA

 

Acana crafts pet food with locally sourced ingredients. The company's selection includes food for all life stages, from puppies to adult and senior animals. Acana's recipes focus on protein and incorporate fresh or raw animal ingredients, whole fruits, and vegetables.

Freeze-Dried Dog Treats 

• Duck & Pear Freeze-Dried Treats
• Lamb & Apple Freeze-Dried Treats
• Beef & Pumpkin Freeze-Dried Treats

 

Feed Your Pup the Best Freeze-Dried Dog Treats

With numerous quality brands on the market, choosing the right freeze-dried dog treat for your pet can be a daunting task. Each company strives to cater to a variety of pet dietary requirements, offering an assortment of ingredients and flavors to appeal to your pet's palate.

However, when it comes to nutritional balance, flavorful selections, and exceptional quality, KOHA stands out. The freeze-dried raw bites and toppers entice the pickiest eaters without compromising on health benefits. With a transparent ingredients list and strict quality control, KOHA delivers a product you can trust.

Healthy, delightful, and readily accessible, KOHA's freeze-dried treats are the perfect choice for your pet's nutritional needs.