Blue Buffalo is a well-known brand of pet-food in the United States, which is characterized by the use of natural ingredients and the absence of artificial additives. Their Blue Buffalo Health Bars are particularly common as crunchy and baked treats. But are they any good to dogs? And do you want to buy them to your pup?
This is a complete guide that separates the ingredients, the nutritional value, the safety issues, the advantages and the possible disadvantages to help you make a wise choice.
What Are Blue Buffalo Health Bars?
Crispy, Baked Doggie Biscuit
Blue Buffalo Health Bars are crispy cookies produced using healthy components.
They are available in various flavors including:
- Bacon, Egg & Cheese
- Pumpkin & Cinnamon
- Banana & Yogurt
- Apple & Yogurt
- Chicken & Liver.
The purpose of these treats is to be a healthier alternative to extremely processed dog cookies which have fillers and artificial colors.
Made for Everyday Treating
Health Bars do not substitute normal dog food. They instead serve as rewarding snacks, training snacks or other infrequent biscuits that complement a healthy diet.
Are Blue Buffalo Health Bars Good for Dogs?
Generally, yes, the Blue Buffalo Health Bars are usually good to the dogs. They are made of easy to digest wholesome foods, do not use harsh additives and they offer crunchy texture which promotes dental health. Nevertheless, they are not necessarily ideal with every dog, just like any treat.
Below, we evaluate them in detail.
Ingredient Quality
Natural, Whole-Food Ingredients
The devotion to real food is one of the largest strengths of Blue Buffalo Health Bars.
Most recipes include:
- Whole grains such as barley and oats.
- Actual fruits like bananas, apples or pumpkin.
- Good quality proteins such as chicken meal or eggs.
- Healthy fats like flaxseed
- Added support of vitamins and minerals.
These are ingredients that most dogs tend to accept and are typical of what pet owners tend to seek: simple, familiar and natural ingredients.
No Artificial Preservatives or Colors
Blue Buffalo avoids:
- Artificial colors
- Artificial flavors
- BHA or BHT Chemical preservatives.
This is an additional big plus to the owners who are in favor of cleaner ingredient lists.
Potential Concern: Grains
Most dogs may well digest grains perfectly, but certain dogs can be sensitive. Health Bars contain wheat (depending on the recipe), which may be a problem to dogs that are allergic to grain. Nevertheless, the percentage of dogs that are really sensitive to grain is very low.
Nutritional Value
A Treat, not a Meal
Health Bars are snacks, and thus their nutritional value is not as full as dog food.
They contain:
- Moderate calories
- Moderate protein
- Healthy fats
- Important vitamins including Vitamin C and B-complex.
They are suitable for:
- Rewarding during training
- Adding variety to snack time
- Additional support of a healthy diet.
Calories Are Reasonable for Treats
Each biscuit has approximately 35-50 calories depending on the taste. This suits medium or large dogs, but small dogs should be fewer per day so that they do not gain weight.
Digestibility & Gut Health
Mostly Easy to Digest
The snacks consist of healthy grains such as oats and barley, which do not cause much strain to the digestive system to a majority of dogs. The ingredients such as pumpkin and yogurt also aid in healthy digestion.
Possible Issue: Wheat or Dairy
Others Health Bars are made using wheat flour or yogurt, which may be problematic to:
- Dogs with grain allergies
- Intolerant dogs to lactose.
These ingredients are not a problem to most dogs but it is something to be aware of in case your dog has food sensitivities.
Safety & Brand Reputation
Made by a Trusted Pet-Food Brand
Blue Buffalo is a popular brand that is available in big retail stores such as PetSmart, Petco, and Walmart in the U.S. They have a good reputation of natural pet food.
Past Recalls
Blue Buffalo has already recalled certain products previously, but not Health Bars. The majority of the recalls were some years ago and concerned the moisture problems or frequent mislabelling of the ingredients. The quality control processes have since been upgraded by the brand.
Nevertheless, other pet owners choose the brands that have no recalls. In that case, it may be a priority to do some research, but to the majority of the dog owners, Blue Buffalo is a brand that is not to be doubted.
What Are the Benefits of Blue Buffalo Health Bars?
Support Dental Health
The crunchy texture helps:
- Remove plaque
- Reduce tartar buildup
- Strengthen jaw muscles.
Although it does not substitute brushing, they certainly do not oppose a dental care routine.
Made With Natural Ingredients
Most of the treating firms apply fake dyes, sugar, and dubious fillers. Blue Buffalo is free of all that so these treats are healthier to the health-conscious pet owners.
Great Flavor Options
The dogs are fond of such treats since they are good and smell nice. The diversity also assists the owners to discover a taste that is palatable to the pickle eaters.
Affordable Compared to Other Natural Treats
Although they are not the most affordable snack in the market, they are good value in terms of the quality of the ingredients and brand name.
American-Made
Blue Buffalo produces their treats in the United States, and this fact is significant to a great number of pet owners as they tend to favor domestic production standards.
What Are the Drawbacks?
Not Dog-Friendly with Allergies to Grain
Wheat or other grains are some of the ingredients of some of the recipes of Health Bar.
Allergic dogs can have:
- Itching
- Ear infections
- Digestive upset
An alternative, in this instance, could be a grain-free treat.
Can Be Hard for Older Dogs
The crunchy texture is very good to the health of the teeth, but not to the elder dogs with dental issues. Elderly dogs can also like soft-baked products.
Treat Size May Be Large for Small Breeds
The size of bars is relatively large and toy-sized dogs might require them to be cut into smaller pieces.
Moderate Calorie Content
They are biscuits and therefore can be over fed. The number of treats that a dog eats should not surpass 10 percent of daily calories.
How Do Blue Buffalo Health Bars Compare to Other Dog Treats?
Vs. Milk-Bone
- Health Bars are healthier and they are not using artificial colors.
- Milk-Bone is cheaper though with more processed ingredients.
- Health Bars are available in fruit-based and yogurt-based options.
Vs. Wellness or Zuke’s
- Similar quality of ingredients.
- Wellness medications are more expensive.
- Zuke has smaller training-sized soft treats, whereas Health Bars are tough cookies.
Vs. Grain-Free Treats
- Health Bars have more nutritious grains.
- Dogs that are prone to allergies are better with grain-free treats.
In general, Blue Buffalo is positioned in the mid-premium segment, i.e. natural and still affordable.
Are They Good for Puppies?
Blue Buffalo Health Bars are safe in puppies who are above the age of 6 months, however, since it is crunchy it might be too hard to the very young puppies. Give them to a puppy, and cut them in smaller bits.
How Many Should You Give Your Dog?
A general guideline:
Small dogs: 1/2 – 1 bar per day
Medium dogs: 1 – 2 bars per day
Large dogs: 2 – 3 bars per day
You should always make adjustments depending on the weight, the level of activity and the total calorie consumption of your dog.
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