MerrickOven Baked Cowboy Cookout Beef & Bacon Dog Treats

A whole grain used as a carbohydrate and fiber source. Oats are well digested, higher in protein than rice, and contain beta-glucan, a soluble fiber linked to steadier blood sugar. They are a common choice in sensitive-stomach and weight-control foods. Oat fiber is the hull, which is mostly insoluble fiber; oat flour and oatmeal are the whole grain milled. Grain allergy is rare in pets.

A red-meat protein, higher in fat and iron than poultry. Fresh or deboned beef is mostly water and ranks higher on the label than its dry contribution; beef meal is the concentrated form. Beef is among the most common food allergens reported in both dogs and cats, probably because it has been fed so widely for so long. Beef by-products such as liver and heart are listed separately.

A plant oil, low in saturated fat, added as a source of the omega-6 fat linoleic acid with some plant omega-3 as well. It is inexpensive and stable. The plant omega-3 in canola is not converted efficiently to the forms pets use, so it does not replace fish oil. Canola is often genetically modified, which some owners prefer to avoid; there is no evidence that matters for the pet.

Almost always rosemary extract, used as a natural antioxidant to keep fats fresh, usually alongside mixed tocopherols. The amounts are tiny. A persistent internet claim links rosemary to seizures in dogs; there is no published evidence for it at food levels. If your dog has epilepsy, ask your neurologist rather than avoiding foods on this basis alone.