Best Methods for Storing Dog Treats

Author: Keren Dinkin
Co-author: Phoebe Cooper

If you’re a dog owner, there’s a good chance you have a variety of dog treats on hand for rewarding your pet, and you, and certainly your pup, want to keep them fresh and edible for as long as possible.

Stowing treats away is also a great way to keep your clever dog from sneaking one for itself while your attention is elsewhere.

Continue reading to view our recommendations on the best methods for storing dog treats.

Different Ways to Store Dog Treats

#1. Resealable Bags & Choosing the Right Treats

As a dog owner, it can be difficult finding treats that you feel comfortable sharing with your beloved companion.

While many brands use copious amounts of chemicals and preservatives to ensure the longevity of their products, Natural Farm bones, treats, and chews have created a new standard for the industry by offering safe, natural, healthy, and high-quality products without the use of anything harmful in the formulation or production process.

While our products are safe and wholesome, they still have an excellent shelf life of two years! Not only that, but they’re sold in eco-friendly resealable pouches that do a wonderful job of keeping treats fresh from the moment they’re received.

Natural Farm uses only premium, sustainable, and ethically sourced ingredients from trusted suppliers, and every batch is thoroughly lab tested to ensure their quality and safety, so it’s a no-brainer!

Click the button below to view our full range today:

#1. Freezing & Refrigerating

If resealable bags aren’t your desired form of storage or you’re looking to prolong the life of your treats even more, freezing and refrigerating treats offer great options to achieve that.

Freezing and refrigerating acts to keep treats and chews fresher longer, and they also increase your dog’s chew time while providing them a more exciting overall chew experience.

As freezing and refrigerating treats makes them denser, more so in the case of freezing, dogs may enjoy or even prefer the experience of a chew that begins harder and colder that thaws and becomes softer over time. In fact, this process is mentally stimulating for dogs!

Furthermore, most DIY dog treat makers make treats in larger batches and store a portion for later consumption. Freezing the excess offers a cost-effective way to ensure your dog always has their favorite treats at hand, or… at paw.

It's important to note that while the US Food and Drug Administration endorses that food frozen at 0 degrees can stay safe indefinitely, we don’t recommend keeping them frozen forever, and a longer stint inside the freezer can negatively impact the flavor and quality of the goodies.

If you have homemade treats with meat in them, it’s important to note that 3-4 days are all they’re good for when stored in the fridge.

Baked dog treats with peanut butter can last a bit longer when chilled – about a week is good for these.

But, regardless of whether you’re freezing or chilling your dog treats, do ensure that they’re not warm before being placed inside the fridge or freezer as it can breed moisture. Moisture can shorten the treats' lifespan, and your dog will also have a soggy, undesirable biscuit .

Also keep in mind that because freezing and refrigerating makes treats denser, this may impact your dog’s preferred chew strength. A chew that’s fit for a dog with a moderate chew capacity could become too hard for them after being frozen, at least temporarily.

#3. Air-Tight Containers

Air-tight containers are a great method for keeping dogs treats fresh, especially if you lose or damage the resealable bags they came in.

If you opt to partition and store chews, treats, and food in separate air-tight containers, check that your container is dry and clean and that the lid is a tight fit.

Always remember to save the lot number, UPC, brand, manufacturer, and "best by" date. You can write this information on a piece of tape, place it on the outside of the storage containers, and replace them as necessary.

General Tips When Storing Dog Treats

• Keep your dog’s treats and unopened canned wet treats in a cool and dry place. These should be stored at temperatures below 80°F.
• Do not automatically transfer your dog treats to a "just-emptied" container. To eliminate the crumbs and residual fat from the previous batch, wash and dry the containers first.
• Know when you place pouches or leftover canned treats inside your refrigerator and dispose of them correctly if it’s been more than three days.
• If you have one, use a vacuum sealer before refrigerating or freezing the treats if using resealable plastic bags.
• Do not mix different dog treats together. Group them based on flavor, treat type, and batch.
• If your dog doesn’t like their treats to be cold, then give the treats time to thaw and reach room temperature when fresh from the freezer or fridge. Heat it if possible so it will be more appealing to your dog.
• It’s incredibly handy and practical if all treats are labeled. This is especially helpful when you have several dogs in the house – you can easily see which treat is for the picky eater and which is for the one that is satisfied with anything.

Final Thoughts

Keep your dog happy by having a ready supply of treats. Rewarding them in real-time is part of positive reinforcement and a way to show your love.

By storing dog treats properly, you don't waste any dog food and keep your house organized – a win-win for you and your pet.

And remember, you can choose the very best for your pet by selecting Natural Farm.