These are Sweet Potato & Fish Formula Treats by Dick Van Patten’s Natural Balance. They are quite possibly the worst dog treats ever mass produced. Sure, they consist of “fresh salmon, a premium quality protein source not commonly used in pet foods.” And there may finally be a reason why: These treats offer a pungent odor of dead fish and burnt toast, and they will actually deter your dog from eating its food. If your dog’s been packin on the pounds, these bone-shaped treats might actually have some sort of use.

Here’s what happened to Beary. Trial 1: “Beary, lie down!” Beary lies down. “Good boy!” I hand over the treat, Beary takes a whiff, holds it in his mouth and drops it down onto the floor. Awesome. Trial 2: Beary is hungry, so I top off his dinner with a couple of Sweet Potato & Fish treats. Beary walks over to his bowl and eats AROUND the treats. Great.

Out of the hundreds of dog treats still preserved in the 8-ounce bag, Beary had a total of three – on those three occasions, having completed his daily run around the neighborhood, his adrenaline was rather high, which may have clouded his judgment for these would-be snacks. In all honesty, I thought “Sweet Potato & Fish” sounded exotic and exciting, but hindsight tells me that it just seems as appealing as caramelized tires for breakfast. So…. if you’re at a pet store, looking at something “exotic and exciting” for your dog, do yourself a favor and stick to his favorite treats, no matter how boring they might sound to you.

Pros: If you want to put your little terrier on a diet, feel free to sprinkle them all over the dog chow

Cons: Taste and smell N-A-S-T-Y

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