I was recently lucky enough to spend a relaxing, non-working weekend in Memphis, TN. Between running my dog walking business, blogging, taking care of the pups, the house, and falling into the “separated” relationship status group as of late, my life has been eventful to say the least!
Disclaimer: Tukabear Treats provided us with 3 bags of their raw, freeze-dried dog treats in return for an honest review. Tukabear Treats is not responsible for the content of this blog post.
While my weekend away provided a much needed battery recharge (I didn’t even bring my laptop! That’s unheard of!!), I couldn’t help myself but contact Erin from Tukabear Treats.
We follow one another on Instagram and since I know that her treats are Memphis-made, I was hoping to get together at least briefly – which we managed to do at the Bass Pro Shop at the Memphis Pyramid. [You guys, the pyramid is HUGE – if you’re ever in Memphis, you HAVE to check it out!]
Erin Tonning of Tukabear Treats With Barbara Rivers of K9sOverCoffee
Single-And Limited Ingredient Treats
Over the course of the last 12 months, I have become very selective as far as both dog food AND treats are concerned. You probably know by now that I transitioned the pups over to a raw diet via the detour of home cooked meals.
Becoming more aware of the pups’ nutritional intake also resulted in the fact that I no longer want to see a long list of grains, wheat, soy, artificial colors & preservatives on the ingredient label of any treats I pick out for Missy & Buzz.
I have always applied the “less is more” concept in my life, which now also applies to treating with single-and limited ingredient goodies only.
So does Tukabear Treats fall into the category of single- and limited-ingredient treat creators? You bet!!
High-Quality, US-Sourced, Raw Ingredients
Erin, her hubby Dean, & their pup Vegas (aka Tukabear) currently produce 3 different lines of scrumptious treats for both dogs & cats ~ Free Range Chicken, Organic Sweet Potato, & Organic Peanut Butter & Banana.
All treats are Memphis-made in small batches using whole-food, human-grade ingredients (as opposed to feed-grade, which is a lower quality than human-grade).
They are certified all-natural, free-range & organic US-sourced (chicken sourced from Joyce Farms, sweet potatoes sourced from a mid-south farm, peanuts sourced from Virginia).
Freeze-Dried For Optimal Nutritional Absorption
Here’s what sets these treats apart from conventional dog treats – Tukabear Treats are freeze-dried, which is a very gentle, natural way of preserving raw food without having to add any chemical additives to keep it from spoiling.
It works by removing over 95% of the food’s moisture without damaging the nutrients: it is frozen first and then placed into a vacuum chamber under low heat which causes the ice to evaporate.
Benefits Of Single-And Limited Ingredient Treats
Peace of mind is certainly the most important benefit of single-and limited ingredient treats in my book. I know exactly what goes into the pups’ bodies and don’t have to worry about deciphering those hard-to-pronounce items on the ingredient list of conventional dog treats.
They are great for dogs with sensitive stomachs & allergies, as treats with a plethora of ingredients have a larger chance of containing something which will disagree with the dog’s digestive system. If you already know what your dog is allergic to, you’ll be able to avoid buying any treats containing the known, specific allergen.
By the way, did you know that grains are one of the main ingredients that cause allergic reactions in dogs? You’ll be glad to hear that Tukabear Treats are 100% grain-free!
If your dog is unfortunate enough to be allergic to many different foods, give the sweet potato treats a shot. They are naturally gentle on a dog’s tummy because of their high fiber content, and make a great treat for obese dogs because they are low in fat.
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8 Enthusiastic High Paws From Missy & Buzz!
Missy & Buzz had just as much fun sampling the tasty, Memphis-made Tukabear Treats as I had fun exploring the colorful city! They thoroughly enjoyed all 3 flavors, which is why we give them 8 enthusiastic high paws!
P.S. Tukabear Treats offer free shipping on all US orders!! That’s become a rarity these days ~ one more reason to support their small business 🙂
Has your pup tried freeze-dried treats? As always, we’d love to hear from you in our comment section!
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12 comments
In the past we’ve used freeze dried treats (I believe they were liver treats). Today we mostly get treats that are pellet sized and use them in training. As I recall the freeze dried treats we had weren’t good for training (they took too long to chew and crumbled when broken up). Do the Tukabear Treats come in smaller pellet size? If not, would they break up into smaller sized treats that would work for training?
Hi Colby, thanks for stopping by 🙂 These particular freeze-dried treats don’t come in a smaller size, but they do break up into smaller pieces (not pellet size though!). I use them as a big reward for holding a down-stay with an open front door or for coming back inside from the yard when being called.
Sounds like they’d be good for a jackpot! 🙂
HA, absolutely 😉
Those sound like yummy treats.
The pups sure think so 😉
The treats look so healthy and tasty. My dogs are familiar with freeze-dried treats and I think they would love these.
Hi Sharon, I have a feeling your pups would enjoy them 😉 Very cool that you’ve treated with freeze-dried goodies before!
The treats look very good. And healthy!! I hope you had a wonderful time having some fun!!
Thank you, Julie, I had a fantastic time 🙂 I’m such a sucker for healthy dog food & treats that I get excited like a little kid whenever I find out about some we haven’t tried yet!
I love mom and pop companies, especially ones like this!
Oh gosh, yes, me too! I’m all for supporting small businesses – I have one myself, after all 😉