7 Things Dog Treat Labels Don't Always Tell You

Treat labels are legally required to say certain things. Nobody said they had to make it easy to understand.

"Natural Flavor" Means Almost Nothing

It's a legal category, not an ingredient. Could come from all kinds of places, and the label doesn't have to say which. If a treat needs added flavor at all, that's usually a sign the main ingredient isn't carrying its own weight.

The Guaranteed Analysis Isn't The Full Picture

Those percentages on the back tell you protein, fat, fiber, moisture. They don't tell you where the numbers came from or whether anyone independent checked them. A manufacturer's own estimate is not the same as lab-verified, and it's worth asking which one you're actually looking at.

Sourcing Is The Part Nobody Puts On The Label

Where it was made, where the ingredient came from, almost never required. Small-batch and local tends to make this an easy question to answer, simply because there aren't many steps between the ingredient and the bag. If a brand can tell you exactly what's in it and where it came from without hesitating, that's usually a good sign.