Wholehearted Dog Treats: Reviewed

Written by Judie Sigdel
Updated: July 26, 2022
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Introduction

If you’re looking for wholesome dog treats look no further! WholeHearted dog treats are a great value and they’re available in a variety of types and flavors that are sure to delight your pup’s taste buds.

Since most dogs are food motivated, you can use bite-sized treats as part of your positive reinforcement training program. When your pup performs the desired behavior on command, give her a treat.

Of course, you can also give your dog a treat just to tell her that you love her!  

WholeHearted dog treats are made by Petco, one of the world’s biggest pet stores, which has been in business for over 50 years.

We’ve reviewed and ranked our favorite WholeHearted Dog Treats so you can easily select the ones that your dog will enjoy the most.    

A-Z-Animals Top Picks for Wholehearted Dog Treats

  1. Petco Brand - WholeHearted Culinary Cuts Jerky Dog Treats
    • Made with only six wholesome, natural ingredients
    • Don’t contain corn, wheat, or grains of any kind
    • Comes in resealable bags
    • High-protein snack for all types of dogs
    Check Amazon
  2. Petco Brand - WholeHearted Tender Tidbits Peanut Butter
    • Designed to be the perfect training reward
    • Has less than three calories
    • Excellent source of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals
    • Don’t contain corn, wheat, or grains
    Check Amazon
  3. Petco Brand - WholeHearted Beef Recipe Dog Stick Treats
    • Contains beef, vegetable Glycerin, pea protein
    • Does not contain grain, artificial colors, or artificial flavors
    • Available in 6-ounce and 1-pound resealable bags
    • Soft and chewy stick-shaped dog treats
    Check Amazon
  4. Petco Brand - WholeHearted Grain Free Peanut Butter Dog Treats
    • Feature a satisfyingly crunchy texture
    • Made with real peanut butter
    • Ideal for dogs of all sizes
    • Available in 10-ounce, 20-ounce, and 2.5-pound bags
    Check Amazon
  5. Petco Brand - WholeHearted Lamb & Salmon Flavor Puppy Treats
    • Made with DHA to support your puppy’s cognitive development
    • Delicious lamb and salmon are the first ingredients
    • Perfect size to use for treat training
    • Available in 3-ounce and 6-ounce resealable bags
    Check Amazon
  6. Petco Brand - Wholehearted Smart Smiles X-Small Dog Dental Treats
    • Care for your dog’s teeth between dental visits
    • Help to reduce plaque and tartar
    • Freshen your pup’s breath with peppermint
    • Available in Small, Medium, and Large
    Check Amazon

#1 Overall Best WholeHearted Dog Treat: WholeHearted Culinary Cuts Bacon Jerky Dog Treats

In our review, the best overall dog treat is WholeHearted Culinary Cuts Thick Cut Bacon Recipe Jerky Dog Treats. They’re sure to be one of your dog’s favorites. After all, who doesn’t love bacon?

These high-protein snacks are suitable for dogs of all breeds in every life stage. The first ingredient is pork, and they’re slow-cooked for savory flavor in every bite.

They’re made with only six wholesome, natural ingredients, so you can be sure that you’re feeding your pet real food. And they don’t contain corn, wheat, or grains of any kind.

They’re available in 4-ounce and 1-pound resealable bags.

Overall Best
Petco Brand - WholeHearted Culinary Cuts Jerky Dog Treats
  • Made with only six wholesome, natural ingredients
  • Don’t contain corn, wheat, or grains of any kind
  • Comes in resealable bags
  • High-protein snack for all types of dogs
Check Amazon

Best Treats for Training: WholeHearted Tender Tidbits Peanut Butter Training Treats

WholeHearted Grain-Free Tender Tidbits Peanut Butter Recipe Dog Training Treats are designed to be the perfect training reward. They’re tiny, so your dog can eat them in one bite. And they’re yummy, so your dog will want more.

Each Training Treat is less than three calories, so you don’t have to worry about them spoiling your dog’s appetite. Peanut butter is the first ingredient. They also contain chickpeas, which are an excellent source of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

These treats don’t contain corn, wheat, or grains of any kind. They’re available in 6-ounce and 1-pound resealable bags.

Best for Training
Petco Brand - WholeHearted Tender Tidbits Peanut Butter
  • Designed to be the perfect training reward
  • Has less than three calories
  • Excellent source of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals
  • Don’t contain corn, wheat, or grains
Check Amazon

Best Soft and Chewy Dog Treats: WholeHearted Soft and Chewy Beef Recipe Dog Stick Treats

If your dog prefers treats that are soft and chewy, they’ll love WholeHearted Grain Free Soft and Chewy Beef Recipe Dog Stick Treats! These grain-free, stick-shaped dog treats are made with real beef as the first ingredient and they’re made in the U.S.A.

They include only seven wholesome ingredients that you’ll feel good about feeding to your dog: Beef, Vegetable Glycerin, Pea Protein, Natural Smoke Flavor, Mixed Tocopherols (preservative), Citric Acid (preservative), and Rosemary Extract.

What you won’t find in the bag is any kind of grain, artificial colors, or artificial flavors. They’re available in 6-ounce and 1-pound resealable bags.

Best Soft and Chewy
Petco Brand - WholeHearted Beef Recipe Dog Stick Treats
  • Contains beef, vegetable Glycerin, pea protein
  • Does not contain grain, artificial colors, or artificial flavors
  • Available in 6-ounce and 1-pound resealable bags
  • Soft and chewy stick-shaped dog treats
Check Amazon

Best Crunchy Dog Treats: WholeHearted Grain Free Peanut Butter Dog Treats

These treats feature a satisfyingly crunchy texture and are made with real peanut butter for a taste your canine pal will love.

WholeHearted Grain Free Peanut Butter Dog Treats are ideal for dogs of all sizes. And you can easily break them apart for treat training or smart portioning.

They’re available in 10-ounce, 20-ounce, and 2.5-pound bags so you can always have your dog’s favorite treats on hand.

Best Crunchy Dog Treats
Petco Brand - WholeHearted Grain Free Peanut Butter Dog Treats
  • Feature a satisfyingly crunchy texture
  • Made with real peanut butter
  • Ideal for dogs of all sizes
  • Available in 10-ounce, 20-ounce, and 2.5-pound bags
Check Amazon

Best Puppy Treats: WholeHearted Lamb & Salmon Flavor Puppy Treats with DHA

WholeHearted Lamb & Salmon Flavor Puppy Treats are made with DHA to support your puppy’s cognitive development. Delicious lamb and salmon are the first ingredients, so your pup is sure to love them.

These savory treats are slow-cooked in the U.S.A. They contain real fruit, vegetables, and chickpeas, so every bite is packed with nutrition.

These bites are the perfect size to use for treat training the newest member of your family. They’re available in 3-ounce and 6-ounce resealable bags.

Best Puppy Treats
Petco Brand - WholeHearted Lamb & Salmon Flavor Puppy Treats
  • Made with DHA to support your puppy’s cognitive development
  • Delicious lamb and salmon are the first ingredients
  • Perfect size to use for treat training
  • Available in 3-ounce and 6-ounce resealable bags
Check Amazon

Best Dental Treats: WholeHearted Smart Smiles Original Flavor X-Small Dog Dental Treats

Care for your dog’s teeth between dental visits with WholeHearted Smart Smiles Original Flavor X-Small Dog Dental Treats. These delicious dental chews help to reduce plaque and tartar with a powerful blend of ingredients and flexible design.

Smart Smiles will freshen your pup’s breath with peppermint while prebiotics supports their healthy digestion.

X-Small Smart Smiles are available in 6.5-ounce, 13.1-ounce, and 26.2-ounce bags. Smart Smiles are also available in Small, Medium, and Large so dogs of every size can enjoy these Dental Treats.

Choosing the Best: What to Look for

When choosing the best dog treats there are four factors that you need to consider. Price, Purpose, Texture, and Flavor. Here is how to consider the best dog treats across each of these factors:

Price

All WholeHearted products are value priced so you can always keep their high-quality dog treats on hand. Larger bags of treats cost less per piece than smaller bags, so they’re a better value if you can use them in a timely manner.   

Purpose

In general, there are three types of dog treats. All-purpose treats (any treat not labeled “training” or “dental”) are used just to tell your dog that you love her. These tend to be larger than training treats, which your dog should be able to eat in one bite without chewing. The final type is dental treats, which help to clean plaque and tartar from your dog’s teeth.

Texture

Most treats are either crunchy or soft and chewy. Dental treats have a unique texture that will remove plaque and tartar when they’re chewed.

Flavor

The flavor is strictly a matter of preference. Some dogs go nuts over peanut butter while others prefer meat-flavored snacks.

The Different Types of Dog Treats: Pros and Cons Compared

When choosing the best type of dog treat for your pup, first you need to understand the different types. There are “all-purpose treats,” training treats, and dental treats. Each type is suited for a different purpose, with clear pros and cons.

All-purpose treats (any treat not labeled “training” or “dental”) – These treats can be crunchy or soft and chewy. You can give one of these to your dog just to make her happy. They are not intended to be eaten in one bite, so they do not make good training treats. Nor will they remove tartar and plaque-like a dental treat does.

Training treats are bite-sized tidbits that a dog will eat in one bite without chewing. As the name implies, you should give one to your dog as a reward when she follows a command during training. Since these treats are tiny, they are not meant to be savored.

Dental treats will help to remove plaque and tartar through their ingredients, texture, and design when your dog chews them. Because they take a while to eat, they do not make good training treats.

Verified Review: User Experience

Most reviewer complaints had to do with the condition of the treats when they were delivered. One said, “The treats came crushed and broken-the entire bag.” Another succinctly stated, “Stale.”

Most reviews from buyers, however, were extremely positive. One exclaimed, “I have a 17-year-old mix breed who has become very picky in her older age and she LOVES these treats. She can only tolerate grain-free formulas now. I love the WholeHearted brand! Definitely recommend!”

Another satisfied reviewer stated, “Some of my pup’s favorite training treats! I love them too because they don’t smell quite as strongly, but are still super appealing. I buy these pretty frequently and am satisfied each time!”

Products For This Review

About the Author

My passion is writing about animals. I’ve published articles on pet parrots, birds, and small animal care and reviews about pet food and products. I have an ever-evolving aviary and menagerie that has included cockatiels, parakeets, conures, European starlings, a chukar partridge, guinea pigs, dogs, and cats. I’m also the author of Faith without Labels: a Guide to Eclectic Spirituality.

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