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7 Best Hypoallergenic Dog Treats – 2024 Reviews & Top Picks

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By Nicole Cosgrove

Sweet Potato Dog Treats Recipe

Don’t overlook the ingredients in your dog’s treats if your dog happens to suffer from allergies. Even if you’re making changes to your dog’s food and healthcare routines, you may forget that the occasional treat also can impact your dog’s health.

Fortunately, it’s easy to make a simple change in the tfoype of dog treats you offer your dog. Hypoallergenic dog treats offer all the benefits of hypoallergenic dog food, but in your dog’s favorite flavor.

To help you find the best hypoallergenic dog treats for your dog, we’ve listed the seven best brands and provided you with useful reviews, as well as pros and cons lists. Then, check out our buyer’s guide to learn more practical information before you make a purchase.

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A Quick Look at our Favorites in 2024

Rating Image Product Details
Best Overall
Winner
Hills Hills
  • Made with hydrolyzed proteins
  • Often endorsed by veterinarians
  • Most dogs prefer the taste
  • Best Value
    Second place
    Purina Pro Plan Purina Pro Plan
  • Ideal for dogs with digestive issues and food allergies
  • Many instances of dogs enjoying treats
  • Suitable size for all dog breeds
  • Premium Choice
    Third place
    Dog Nip! Chew Dog Nip! Chew
  • Made from natural, high-quality turkey tendons
  • Minimal ingredients
  • Dogs can easily digest
  • Best for Puppies
    Canine Cravers Single Ingredient Canine Cravers Single Ingredient
  • Ideal for puppies
  • Single-ingredient dog treat
  • Contains premium-quality chicken
  • Petzos grain-free Petzos grain-free
  • Grain free
  • No soy, wheat, or corn
  • Low-calorie treats
  • The 7 Best Hypoallergenic Dog Treats

    1. Hills Hypoallergenic Dog Treats – Best Overall

    Hills HLL-444

    For the best overall hypoallergenic dog treats, we recommend Hills. With ingredients specially formulated for dogs with allergies, we found that most dogs enjoyed the flavor and gained health benefits from eating these treats.

    Hills hypoallergenic dog treats contains hydrolyzed proteins that work to inhibit your dog from having an adverse reaction. These dog treats have ingredients that improve and nourish your dog’s skin and coat. The addition of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, including EPA, along with antioxidants, makes these hypoallergenic dog treats a fantastic choice for your dog.

    Keep in mind that these high-quality dog treats come at a much higher price than regular dog treats. However, it’s often endorsed by veterinarians for its effectiveness with helping dogs who have allergies and food sensitivities.

    Pros
    • Effectively helps dogs with allergies
    • Most dogs prefer the taste
    • Made with hydrolyzed proteins to inhibit adverse reactions
    • Ingredients nourish your dog’s skin and coat
    • Includes omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and antioxidants
    • Often endorsed by veterinarians
    Cons
    • Higher in price than regular dog treats

    2. Purina Hypoallergenic Dog Treats – Best Value

    Purina 11307 Pro Plan

    If your budget requires you to spend less, Purina Pro Plan offers the best hypoallergenic dog treats for the money. These crunchy dog treats are made with your dog’s food sensitivities and overall digestive health in mind.

    Gentle on the stomach, these highly digestible dog treats have been formulated using the same science as Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets HA Hydrolyzed Canine Formula dry dog food. Often recommended by veterinarians for dogs on restricted diets with food allergies, we found many instances of dogs easily digesting and enjoying these treats.

    The size of the treats is approximately a 1-inch square, which makes it suitable for all sizes of dogs. Larger dogs will, of course, go through a bag of treats more quickly.

    Keep in mind that the first ingredient in these dog treats is starch. If your dog has a yeast infection, you’ll want to avoid giving your dog these treats.

    Pros
    • Best value
    • Ideal for dogs with digestive issues and food allergies
    • Formulated to match Purina Pro Plan dry dog food
    • Many instances of dogs enjoying treats
    • Suitable size for all dog breeds
    Cons
    • Larger dogs will consume treats quicker
    • Not for dogs with yeast infections

    3. Dog Nip! Dog Chew Treat – Premium Choice

    Dog Nip

    We selected Dog Nip! Hypoallergenic dog chew treats as our premium choice. These treats are sourced from natural turkey tendons. In fact, they have only three ingredients: 94% turkey tendon, with 5% vegetable glycerin and 1% salt.

    The turkey tendons are dehydrated and give your dog chewing time, which helps with tooth care. There are no artificial additives, hormones, or steroids in these chews, as the turkeys were raised humanely in a free-range environment.

    With no added sugars, starches, or other harmful ingredients, you can feel confident giving these turkey tendon treats to all dogs, including puppies. These tendon chews are a smaller size, making them best suited for small to medium dogs. However, Dog Nip! does offer turkey breast chews intended for larger dogs.

    We found that many dogs digested the chew treats well and seemed to enjoy the soft texture and flavor. Unfortunately, the price is a bit higher.

    Pros
    • Made from natural, high-quality turkey tendons
    • Minimal ingredients
    • No additives, hormones, steroids, starches, or sugars
    • Dogs can easily digest
    • Dogs seem to enjoy texture and flavor
    • Safe for puppies, as well as small to medium dogs
    Cons
    • A bit more expensive
    • Not ideal for larger dogs
    • Contains added salt

    4. Canine Cravers Dog Treats – Best for Puppies

    Canine Cravers

    If you have a puppy with a sensitive stomach, you may want to consider Canine Cravers Single Ingredient dog treats. The single ingredient means that you know exactly what you’re giving your puppy.

    With no added soy, gluten, or grains, as well as no preservatives, additives, or by-products, these chicken flavor treats are made entirely of dehydrated, premium-quality, human-grade chicken. The air-drying method used in production, as opposed to common dehydration, does a better job of locking in wholesome, nutritional benefits while maintaining a flavor that most dogs seem to like.

    While a bit pricey, these solid treats are excellent for using while training. They can be broken into smaller pieces for a quicker treat. Canine Cravers comes in three other meat and fish flavors. While the chicken isn’t too pungent smelling, the other flavors tend to have a strong odor that you may find unpleasant.

    Pros
    • Ideal for puppies
    • Single-ingredient dog treat
    • No soy, gluten, grains, preservatives, additives, or by-products
    • Contains premium-quality chicken
    • Air-dried for better nutrition and flavor
    • Well suited for training exercises
    Cons
    • A bit higher in price
    • May give off an unpleasant odor

    5. Petzos Hypoallergenic Dog Treats

    Petzos

    For dogs who require a grain-free diet, Petzos dog treats have a great taste that most dogs prefer, with the hypoallergenic ingredients that your dog can safely consume.

    These round, crunchy dog treats are baked fresh before being packaged with special care for freshness. They have a tasty and pleasant-smelling cranberry and blueberry flavor, which also provides your dog with helpful antioxidants that aid digestion and boosts a healthy immune system. At only 10 calories per treat, you can reward your dog without worrying about contributing to weight gain.

    You can also feel confident giving your dog these treats because of what they don’t contain. There’s no grain or gluten, including no wheat, soy, or corn. Additionally, Petzos doesn’t include chemical additives, salt, glycerin, waxes, or hydrogenated oils. These treats do contain eggs, which may be an allergen to some dogs.

    As an added bonus, your purchase of a Petzos product supports their donation program for pets in need.

    Pros
    • Grain free, gluten free, with no soy, wheat, or corn
    • Most dogs prefer the flavor
    • Many dog owners appreciate the pleasant smell
    • Contains antioxidants for digestion and healthy immune system
    • Low-calorie treats
    • No additives, salt, glycerin, waxes, or hydrogenated oils
    • Donation program for pets in need
    Cons
    • Contains egg, which may be an allergen

    6. PS For Dogs Jerky Bites

    PS For Dogs Jerky Bites

    These grain-free, high-protein jerky bites by PS For Dogs contains no fillers, antibiotics, preservatives, by-products, or hormones. Instead you’ll be giving your dog free-range, grass-fed New Zealand venison.

    The limited ingredient formula supports your dog’s hypoallergenic diet, making them perfect for dogs with food sensitivities. Their small, flat square shape makes these jerky bites great for training exercises and ideal for all sizes of dogs.

    Even dogs who are picky eaters prefer the taste and texture of these jerky bites. Rather than being dehydrated, these dog treats are air dried, resulting in a softer texture with a meatier flavor.

    These treats come in a 12-ounce bag and are a bit higher in price. While we found that many dogs benefitted from eating these treats, there were some dogs who experienced itching. Also, fish is an ingredient, which can add an unpleasant odor.

    Pros
    • Grain free
    • No fillers, antibiotics, preservatives, by-products, or hormones
    • Contains free-range, grass-fed venison
    • Supports a hypoallergenic diet
    • Ideal size and shape for training exercises
    • Air dried for better texture and taste
    Cons
    • Higher in price
    • Some dogs experienced an itching reaction
    • May give off an unappetizing odor

    7. Smart Cookie Dog Treats

    Smart Cookie

    With limited ingredients, Smart Cookie dog treats are easy for your dog with food sensitivities to digest. Its formula is developed by dog owners who have a mission to provide dogs with nutritious, wholesome, high-quality dog treats.

    These hypoallergenic dog treats are made in small batches with regionally sourced ingredients and ethically sourced protein. They have a soft and chewy texture that your dog will most likely enjoy. At six calories a treat, you won’t have to worry about added calories.

    Smart Cookie dog treats are an excellent grain-free treat for your dog. Ideal in size and shape for most sizes of dogs, these treats come in three flavors, including rabbit and pumpkin, trout and apple, and wild boar and sweet potato.

    The only thing you may not like is the price compared to the package size. A 5-ounce pouch costs nearly as much as a 20-ounce pouch of a similar product.

    Pros
    • Limited ingredients
    • Easy to digest for your dog
    • Made in small batches
    • Regionally and ethically sourced ingredients
    • Soft and chewy texture most dogs enjoy
    • Grain-free
    • Offered in three flavors
    • Ideal size and shape for most dogs
    Cons
    • Small packaging
    • Higher in price

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    Buyer’s Guide – Choosing the Best Hypoallergenic Dog Treat

    This buyer’s guide can help you make a more informed purchase. We’ll cover several topics, from observing your dog’s allergic symptoms to what makes a high-quality hypoallergenic dog treat and how to find the best value.

    Food Allergy Symptoms in Dogs

    If you notice your dog is constantly itching or is repeatedly experiencing digestive upset, your dog most likely is having an allergic reaction to what they’re ingesting. It may surprise you just how influential your dog’s choice of food and selection of dog treats can have on their everyday wellness and overall health.

    Be sure to contact your veterinarian and discuss changing your dog’s food and treats if you notice certain symptoms that could be attributed to a food allergy or a food intolerance. In either case, you’ll notice your dog itching, sneezing, biting their paws, breaking out in a rash or hives, facial swelling, or suffering from gastrointestinal distress, such as vomiting and diarrhea. In some cases, your dog may have frequent yeast infections.

    Common Food Allergens

    As you work to determine which one or several ingredients are causing your dog’s adverse reaction, you should start with the most common food allergens. Beef tops the list, followed by dairy products, chicken, wheat, soy, lamb, and corn. Additionally, some dogs are sensitive or allergic to egg, pork, fish, or rice.

    Knowing exactly what triggers your dog’s symptoms and adverse reactions will be of great benefit. Even treats marketed as hypoallergenic still may contain one or several of the allergens we listed. You’ll need to always double-check the list of ingredients on the bag or box of treats. When you’re rewarding your dog with a treat, you don’t want to be inadvertently creating health issues.

    Air Dried Versus Baked

    Once you’ve found a dog treat that will supplement your dog’s specific diet limitations, you’ll encounter two types of hypoallergenic dog treats. Depending on your dog’s health needs and picky eater preferences, you may choose to purchase either air dried dog treats or baked dog treats. Both types of treats offer similar benefits.

    Air-dried is a better way of processing predominantly meat-based treats. With air-dried, the treats are softer in texture, easier to digest, and better retain their nutritional value. Keep in mind, however, that air-dried treats tend to be higher in protein, which may or may not be beneficial, based on your dog’s specific needs.

    Baked treats may include starches, which are not ideal for dogs who have frequent yeast infections. Otherwise, dog owners tend to prefer offering baked treats due to their more pleasant smell. They also tend to have a more uniform shape, which makes them better suited for all sizes of dogs.

    closeup of a person's hand holding a dog treat
    Image Credit: Lucas Andrade, Pexels

    Taste, Texture, Size, and Odor

    As we mentioned, dog treats come in a variety of tastes and textures. Beyond making sure that they contain only helpful ingredients for your dog, you’ll need to find a product that your dog seems to enjoy. No matter how healthy, if your dog refuses to eat it, you’re wasting your money.

    Additionally, make sure that the size of the treat matches the size of your dog. It’s useful if the treat can be broken into smaller pieces without crumbling.

    Finally, your dog may not mind a pungent odor, but you might not be able to tolerate it. It’s best to find a dog treat that both you and your dog will be happy with.

    Calorie Intake

    If your dog has issues with gaining too much weight or obesity, you may need to consider portion control and limiting the number of treats offered. Fortunately, certain products are low in calories. With a lower calorie dog treat, you can reward your dog without worrying about contributing to their weight gain.

    Yorkshire Terrier dog eats a treat
    Image Credit: Valerie Nik, Shutterstock

    Price Per Ounce

    Finally, let’s discuss your budget. Hypoallergenic dog treats tend to be considerably more expensive than conventional dog treats. Still, if you pay attention to the size of the package compared to the price, you may be able to find a deal. Be sure to check how many ounces are included in a single package. By figuring out the price per ounce, you’ll be able to more effectively compare the values of different dog treats and save money.

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    Conclusion

    Hills Hypoallergenic Dog Treats is our recommendation as the best overall product for effectively helping dogs with allergies. With a taste that dogs prefer and endorsed by veterinarians, it’s made with hydrolyzed proteins to inhibit adverse reactions, along with omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and antioxidants to nourish your dog’s skin and coat.

    For the best value, consider Purina Pro Plan Hypoallergenic Canine Dog Treats, which are ideal for dogs with digestive issues and food allergies because it’s formulated to match Purina Pro Plan dry dog food. Dogs seem to enjoy the flavor, and it comes in a suitable size for all breeds.

    Dog Nip! Hypoallergenic Dog Chew Treat is our premium choice. Made from natural, high-quality turkey tendons and no additives, hormones, steroids, starches, or sugars, dogs can easily digest these treats. Most dogs like the texture and flavor.

    Finally, Canine Cravers Single Ingredient Dog Treats are the best product on our list for puppies with digestive issues. Single-ingredient means only premium-quality chicken with no soy, gluten, grains, preservatives, additives, or by-products. These small size dog treats are air-dried for better nutrition and flavor.

    We hope that you’ve found the best hypoallergenic dog treats for your dog prone to food sensitivities and allergies. Our informative reviews, handy pros and cons lists, and buyer’s guide should provide you with plenty of information to make a more informed choice. The right hypoallergenic dog treats can keep your puppy or full-grown dog healthy and well.

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    Featured Image Credit: pakornkrit, Shutterstock

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