As a pet parent, you do everything you can to keep your dog happy and healthy. That often includes purchasing tasty treats! While you might be cautious about giving your dog fresh meat, fruit and vegetables – have you ever stopped to think about their packaged treats?
We’ll break down what dog treat expiration dates mean and how to keep your dog safely enjoying their favorite treats.
Do dog treats expire?
In a word, yes. Just like any food product your dog’s treats will come with an expiration date. However, does that mean that as soon as the date printed on the package rolls around those treats are now completely inedible? That’s up for much debate. Just like if you were to eat some crackers a few days after they expired, they’d probably be fine.
The more complicated answer depends on the treat’s ingredients. Another thing to consider is that there are two types of dates you will find on your dog treats, one is a true expiration date and the other is a best before date. An expiration date might be the date after which an ingredients shelf life has lapsed and a best before date just refers to the date by which your dog treats should be enjoyed for the best quality.
How long do common dog treats last?
If you have concerns about treat storage or just want to make sure you are giving your dog the freshest possible treats, here is the shelf life for some common treats.
Bully sticks
Generally…
