Best Novel Protein Dog Treats

A small white dog waiting for a novel protein dog treat
As with their food, some dogs need novel protein treats and chews to keep clear of unwanted allergic reactions. We rounded up the best novel protein dog treats, including training treats and chews, so you can reward your pup without triggering their food allergies.

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Dogs with food allergies often need food and treats made with novel proteins to avoid triggering a reaction. If your pup has allergies, you can review the food options in our guide to the best novel protein dog food.

But today, we’re looking at a variety of novel-protein dog treats, so you can train and pamper your allergy-prone pup.

In this guide:

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Best novel protein dog treats

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Novel protein treats

Novel protein training treats

These small bites are made with freeze-dried pork and pork liver. This is a great novel protein snack for dogs with food sensitivities since it contains only a few hypoallergenic ingredients. Contains over 100 million CFU/kg of probiotics to support a healthy digestive system.

These small jerky pieces are made with a single ingredient: wild grassland venison. Other novel protein treat flavors are available, including crocodile, kangaroo, ostrich, and wild boar.

Chews

What are novel protein dog treats?

Novel protein dog treats are treats made with a meat or protein source that is new to your dog; a protein your dog hasn’t eaten before. Novel protein tends to be an unusual kind of meat that isn’t typical in treats, such as kangaroo, bison, or boar. 

Why feed your dog novel protein treats?

Novel protein treats are important for dogs with food sensitivities or allergies to common meats, such as chicken, beef, or certain fish. Novel proteins provide a fresh, new type of protein that a dog’s immune system will be less likely to react to negatively. That’s why many of the treats above are unusual proteins you won’t typically see in dog treats.

Why do some dogs develop allergies to certain ingredients?

The answer is complex and not entirely agreed upon in the scientific community.

Some believe the reason is over-exposure to certain foods. Other experts, like Veterinarian Richard Pitcairn, believe that allergies and oversensitivities are an example of a disturbed immune response, and in his opinion, this is the result of a combination of several things: 

  • Destroyed gut bacteria from things such as antibiotics or herbicides that do damage to the intestinal walls and gut biome.
  • The body’s association of a certain food with a common toxin (e.g. pesticides) that the food contains. The body eventually identifies the food as a toxin itself.
  • Chronic overactive inflammatory response to overvaccination due to the foreign proteins unnaturally entering the body directly into the bloodstream without going through the body’s natural defense system.
  • Inheritance of certain propensities through genetics.  

Ingredients you might find in novel protein treats

Typically, dog treats contain proteins that we refer to as “common” protein, such as chicken and beef. Since these are high up on the allergen list, they are avoided in novel protein or hypoallergenic dog food and treats. 

Novel protein treats can be made with meat like pork, bison, duck, alligator, or kangaroo. You might find unusual proteins like crickets or ostrich. Your dog’s immune system should be less likely to react to these proteins.

Which novel protein should you feed your dog?

The best novel protein won’t be the same for every dog. Each dog has unique needs.

Work with your veterinarian to determine the best course for identifying food sensitivities and finding a food that will eliminate unwanted reactions. Accurate diagnosis of food allergies or sensitivities is a challenging procedure. Be patient and know it can take some time to figure out what is right for your pet.

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Kerri Caughill

Kerri is a pet writer who reviews healthy, natural dog products. When she’s not inside with Max testing dog food or new pet gear, she’s outside enjoying the Florida sunshine.