Rachael Ray’s name is on a lot of pet-aisle shelves, and a famous face can make a bag of treats look healthier than it is. This review looks past the front of the package. We compare three popular Nutrish treats on their ingredients, texture, feeding guidance, and who each one suits, so you can decide whether they belong in your cart.
Quick Verdict
- Soup Bones (Chicken & Veggies): a long-lasting chew, but wheat comes before chicken on the ingredient list.
- Burger Bites (Beef Burger with Bison): the most useful of the three, as a soft, grain-free training treat.
- Turkey Bites (Hickory Smoke Bacon): a tasty grain-free option, but check the label if your dog needs to avoid sugar.
What Is Nutrish?
Nutrish is the pet food line inspired by TV chef Rachael Ray and made by J.M. Smucker. The packaging says each bag helps support animals in need through The Rachael Ray Foundation. That is a nice touch, but it tells you nothing about what is inside the treat, so we focus on the labels.
How We Judged Each Treat
We looked at four things: what the ingredient list says, the texture and size, the brand’s feeding guidance, and who the treat fits. We did not rely on marketing phrases like “real chicken” without checking where that ingredient actually sits on the list.
1. Nutrish Soup Bones, Chicken & Veggies
Soup Bones are firm, bone-shaped chews with a softer center. The brand says they are made with real chicken and garden veggies and contain no meat by-products or artificial flavors.
What the label shows: The first ingredient is wheat flour, followed by glycerin, rice syrup, and potato starch. Chicken meal and chicken appear further down, after wheat gluten and rice flour. The guaranteed analysis lists at least 13% protein and at least 4% fat. The ingredients also include titanium dioxide and iron oxide, which are added for color.
Feeding rules worth knowing: The package says these chews are not for dogs under one year old or under 10 pounds, and it warns that they may not suit toy breeds. It also sets weekly limits by weight. A 20-pound dog gets about two a week, and a 60-pound dog about five.
Pros: Dogs tend to chew them for a while, and they work as an occasional reward.
Cons: The ingredient list is mostly grain and starch. Dogs with wheat sensitivities should skip them.
Best for: Healthy medium and large dogs with no grain issues. If your dog destroys everything, our guide to long-lasting chews for aggressive chewers covers other options.
2. Nutrish Burger Bites, Beef Burger with Bison
Burger Bites are soft, chewy, one-inch treats. The brand says they are made with real beef and bison and are free from grain, corn, soy, and by-product meals.
What we liked: The small, soft size makes them easy to use as rewards and easy to break into smaller pieces. Many buyers say even picky dogs go for them. One reviewer says soft treats of this kind can have a strong smell and crumble easily, which is common for the category.
What to check: We could not confirm the full ingredient list or calories per treat, so read the bag before buying. Calories add up fast when you reward often, and counting them matters most for small or overweight dogs.
Best for: Training sessions, recall practice, and hiding pills. For more soft options, see our roundup of soft training treats that break apart easily.
3. Nutrish Turkey Bites, Hickory Smoke Bacon
These are also soft and grain-free. The brand says they contain no grains, meat by-products, or artificial flavors, and it markets them as suitable for dogs with sensitivities.
What we liked: Turkey is a lean, popular protein, and the bacon flavor is a strong draw for dogs. Some owners stuff them into hollow chew toys to keep dogs busy.
What to check: One buyer reviewing this treat noted it contains sugar. We could not verify the full label, so check it yourself if your dog is diabetic, overweight, or prone to stomach upset. Rich, smoky flavors can also bother sensitive digestive systems, so introduce them slowly.
Best for: Healthy adult dogs that need extra motivation, or that are bored with plain treats.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Treat | Texture | Grain-Free | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soup Bones | Firm chew | No (contains wheat) | Healthy medium and large dogs |
| Burger Bites | Soft, chewy | Yes | Training and pill hiding |
| Turkey Bites | Soft, chewy | Yes | Picky eaters |
Good Food or Good Marketing?
The answer is a little of both. Grain-free soft treats made without by-products are a reasonable choice, and the Burger Bites and Turkey Bites earn their place as occasional rewards. Soup Bones are less impressive once you read past the chicken-and-veggies description, because wheat leads the list. Ingredients appear in order of weight, so the first few lines tell you the most. For more on what to look for, read our guide to the healthiest dog treat ingredients.
Tips for Buying Any Store-Bought Treat
- Read the first five ingredients, not the front of the bag.
- Keep treats to about 10% of your dog’s daily calories.
- Choose the right size for your dog, and watch every chew.
- Introduce new treats slowly, one at a time.
- Ask your vet before changing treats if your dog has allergies, diabetes, or a sensitive stomach.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Rachael Ray dog treats safe?
Used as directed, they are sold as ordinary dog treats. Follow the feeding guidance, and supervise chewing.
Are they good for puppies?
Soup Bones are not recommended for dogs under one year old. For the soft treats, check the package and ask your vet.
Do they contain grain?
Soup Bones contain wheat. Burger Bites and Turkey Bites are marketed as grain-free.
Final Thoughts
Nutrish treats are a convenient, widely available choice, and the soft grain-free bites are the strongest of the three. They are not magic, though, and the best test is always the ingredient list and how your own dog responds. Start with a small amount, watch for any reaction, and choose what fits your dog’s health and size.
