Most dog treats on a supermarket shelf don’t tell you much beyond “chicken flavour” or a picture of a happy Labrador. It always felt a bit superficial and synthetic. I think dog owners deserve better than that, especially when it’s going into a dog you love.

So here’s the honest, unglamorous version of what goes into a batch of Mutton & Garden Vegetable Trail Mix, and why we make it the way we do.

It starts with real mutton — not mutton flavouring. There’s a difference between a treat that lists “mutton” as a flavour and one that’s actually made from mutton.

We dehydrated our mutton slowly, at a low temperature, which locks in the natural flavour.

No added flavouring, salt, or preservatives to trick your dog into eat it.

Real garden vegetables, not vegetable powder.

Beetroot and carrot is hand chopped and dehydrated in the same the same slow, low-heat way. To lock in the flavour and nutrients we blanch them in a bone broth and lightly mist them with sheep fat infused with rosemary to create a burst of flavour so that even the pickiest dog would love these crunchy veggie chips.

Why dehydration, and why slowly?

Dehydrating at a low temperature (rather than baking hot and fast) is a deliberate choice. It takes longer, but it preserves more of the natural nutrients in both the meat and the vegetables, and avoids the need for artificial preservatives to keep the treats shelf-stable. It’s slower and more hands-on than mass-produced alternatives — but it’s the same process we’d want if we were making something for our own dogs, which, honestly, we are

Who it’s for

This mix works well as an everyday reward treat, a training treat for dogs who need frequent small rewards, or a topper over regular food for fussier eaters. Because it’s a mix of protein and vegetable, it also makes a nice change from single-protein treats if you like to rotate what your dog gets during the week. And by creating a mix of treats you can also keep them guessing and use it to bring variety and novelty to your training sessions that helps keep your dog engaged and motivated.

A note on storage

Because there’s nothing artificial holding these together, they’re best kept in a cool, dry spot, sealed once opened, and used within a reasonable time — much like you’d treat any real, natural food.