Freeze-Dried vs. Dehydrated Dog Treats: Which One’s Better?

Have you ever found yourself in the middle of the treat aisle at the pet store overwhelmed with all the options, wondering which one’s better for your dog? 

How do you know which one your dog will like? How do you figure out which treats are healthy? 

Even though they share the same aisle in pet stores, they are very different. Understanding the difference isn't about figuring out which one is the "winner." They both have pros and cons, and it comes down to what you and your dog prefer!

The Core Difference: How Moisture Gets Removed

One of the reasons meat spoils quickly is high moisture. In order for dog treats to be shelf stable without preservatives, the moisture must be removed. Freeze drying, dehydrating, and baking remove moisture in different ways.

Dehydration: This method is simple and cheap. The meat is placed in a warm environment with circulating air for many hours or even days, and moisture evaporates with the warm temperature. 

• What happens to the treat: Because it is exposed to heat, the treats cook, albeit at a lower temperature than what most people consider to be cooking temperature. It becomes dense, and turns tough and leathery. This is how beef jerky gets made!
• What happens to the nutrition: Due to the warm temperatures, ~60% of nutrition remains depending on the temperature.

Freeze-Drying: This process is complex and costly. Dog treats are frozen prior to entering a vacuum chamber in which ice turns directly into vapor through a process called sublimation. Unlike dehydration, which relies on warm temperatures, freeze-dry relies on cold temperatures and a vacuum to remove moisture.

• What happens to the treat: Because moisture escapes as a gas, tiny air pockets are created, which results in a light and airy dog treat. Freeze-dried dog treats crumble easily even with their biscuit-like texture. 
• What happens to the nutrition: Due to low temperatures, ~95%+ of nutrition remains if freeze-dried raw.

When to Choose Dehydrated Treats

• Lasting Treat: Thick jerky lasts longer than freeze-dried dog treats. As long as they aren't sliced thin, dehydrated treats like dried sweet potato slices or jerky are perfect for younger dogs, and may also help preoccupy high-energy dogs. 
• Budget-Friendly: Freeze-drying requires expensive, energy-heavy machinery, which means freeze-dried treats cost more per ounce. Dehydrating is a much simpler process, resulting in more budget-friendly treats.

When to Choose Freeze-Dried Treats

Because freeze-dried meat is airy, it crushes easily and has a melting type of sensation. Freeze-dried treats also rehydrate perfectly for a soft texture, perfect for senior dogs. 

• High-Value Rewards: Freeze-dried treats retain scent very well, so dog parents with picky eaters may find their dogs prefer freeze-dried over dehydrated. And because the treats easily turn into powder, they can be sprinkled on top of meals to entice dogs to eat their meals.
• Older Dogs and/or Dogs With Health Issues: If your dog is old or has health issues such as a collapsed trachea, softer treats are necessary. Because freeze-dried treats crush easily, most older dogs with fewer teeth can easily consume the treats as-is. However, the safe and best option is to rehydrate with a bit of water or bone broth. The treats rehydrate in a matter of seconds. Rehydrating also helps release meat scent and, for Poplin’s gut-friendly treats with probiotics, awakens live probiotics. 

So Which is Better?

Personally, I’m a big fan of freeze-dried treats because:

1. My dogs are senior.
2. The nutrition to calorie ratio is superior. 

With Poplin, it was a priority for me to create tasty functional treats, so I made decisions that maximize the nutritional value of treats while taking into account sensitive stomachs and picky eaters!