HudsandToke: Latest News

Cavoodle Treats Australia: The 40-Calorie Rule (Vet-Cited 2026)

Sat, 23 May 2026 10:31:22 +0000

Skip to the answer: how many treats per day →

Reading time 16 min Updated 23 May 2026 Editor Huds and Toke Editorial Team Region Australia

Almost every supermarket treat with a doodle on the packet contains the single most common food allergen for Cavoodles, chicken. The packaging is built for the breed. The recipe is built against it. After three years of reading the back of every doodle-branded treat sold in Australia, we'd argue most Cavoodle owners are unknowingly feeding the one ingredient their breed is most likely to react to.

This guide is the long, plain-English answer we wish every new Cavoodle owner had on day one. It covers calories (a 7kg adult has just 40 a day for treats), the four breed-cluster risks worth knowing, life-stage strategy, label-reading, the nine other oodle breeds, and the foods that quietly send Cavoodles to the emergency vet every Boxing Day. Every number, every quote, every clinical claim has been cross-checked against its source.

Key Takeaways

The headline findings, in 30 seconds

A 7kg adult Cavoodle has roughly 36 to 45 calories a day to spend on treats. That's about two small dental chews, or three to four pea-sized training rewards. One supermarket "doodle biscuit" can blow the entire daily budget. (WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee)
41% of Australian dogs are overweight or obese, and a Hill's Pet Nutrition survey suggests around 90% of owners do not realise their pet is carrying too much. (McGreevy et al., Veterinary Record 2005; Hill's via Dogster)
Chicken and beef sit near the top of the list of most commonly reported food allergens in dogs, yet most supermarket doodle treats list chicken first. Kangaroo, lamb and turkey are the smarter single-protein swaps. (Mueller. Olivry & Prélaud. BMC Veterinary Research 2016)
Cavoodles inherit a pancreatitis risk from their Cavalier line. High-fat snacks like Christmas ham and pork crackling can worsen flare-ups in already-sensitive dogs. (Cavalier Health Foundation, peer-reviewed UK data)
Cavoodles top Pet Insurance Australia's 2025 breed rankings, ranked #1 in five of the six states and territories that PIA reports on. (Pet Insurance Australia, 2025)

7 rules

The 7 rules for treating a Cavoodle

Treats stay under 10% of daily calories. The other 90% belongs to a balanced main meal.
First ingredient is a named single animal protein. Not "meat meal", not "chicken by-product".
Default to novel proteins. Kangaroo, lamb, turkey or emu. Skip chicken unless you have already ruled out allergy.
Soft snaps in half cleanly. Cavoodle mouths are spaniel-soft and often underbite-prone.
Pieces stay pea-sized for training. A Cavoodle does not know the difference between a whole treat and a quarter of one.
Fatty human foods are a no. Christmas ham, pork crackling, bacon, gravy. All Cavalier-line pancreatitis triggers.
Weigh fortnightly. A 200g creep on a 7kg dog is the equivalent of a healthy adult gaining 2kg.

In this article

Why Cavoodles need a different approach
The four treat-related risks every owner should know
The 10% rule, in real numbers
Why doodle-branded treats probably have the wrong protein
The best treat types for a Cavoodle
Treats by life stage
The nine other oodle breeds
Reading an Australian dog treat label
Treats to avoid completely
Frequently asked questions
Australian pet health resources
Sources and references

Why Cavoodles need a different approach to treats

Doodle owners often assume any treat with a doodle on the packet is safe for their dog. The reality is that crossbred dogs inherit very specific risks from each parent line, and treat strategy should reflect that, not the marketing on the front of the bag.

The Huds and Toke Editorial Team. Want second opinions? See the Vets Love Pets oodle breed guide and Greencross Vets Cavoodle owner's guide for clinician-led overviews.

The Cavoodle (called a Cavapoo in most of the world) is not just another small dog. She is a cross between a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a Toy or Miniature Poodle, first recorded in Australia in the 1990s, and that mix carries a very specific set of treat-related quirks.

You're juggling a soft, underbite-prone Cavalier mouth that bruises on hard biscuits. You're feeding a small frame (most adults weigh 5 to 12 kg) that gains weight faster than a Lab ever would. And you've got Poodle ancestry on board, which brings food sensitivities and a brain that learns the treat-cupboard squeak in three days. Get the treat strategy right and you've got a slim, biddable companion for 12 to 15 years.

The Cavoodle's soft "spaniel mouth" and small jaw decide more about treat choice than most owners realise.

The breed's quiet superpowers (and weaknesses)

Cavoodles top breed-popularity charts for the same reasons they're vulnerable. They are extraordinarily food-motivated, which makes them dream students at puppy school but also walking calorie sponges. They bond deeply to their humans, which helps separation training but means anxious eating when you leave for work. Their low-shedding Poodle coats are gentle on allergy-sensitive families, yet those same Poodle genes are the ones most likely to react to common protein allergens.

Why Cavoodle ancestry matters at the treat jar

Cavaliers bring three relevant inheritances: a predisposition to mitral valve disease (more than 50% affected by age five per the Cavalier Health Foundation), elevated chronic pancreatitis risk, and the soft "spaniel mouth" that bruises on tough biscuits. Poodles bring atopic skin disease, food sensitivities, and patellar luxation in toy and miniature sizes. None of that means your Cavoodle is fragile. It means the snacks you choose actually matter.

✿

The 4 treat-related risks every Cavoodle owner should know

If you remember nothing else from this article, remember these four. Each of them maps directly to a treat decision you'll make this week.

A trim 7kg adult Cavoodle should have ribs you can feel with light fingertip pressure, like the back of your knuckles.

1. Weight gain (and why 41% of Aussie dogs are already overweight)

The single biggest threat to your Cavoodle is, statistically, her own dinner bowl. A landmark study by McGreevy and colleagues, published in Veterinary Record in 2005, surveyed 2,661 Australian dogs and found 33.5% were overweight and 7.6% clinically obese. Twenty years on, that combined 41% figure is still cited by VetVoice, the Pet Food Industry Association of Australia, and most modern Aussie vet practices.

Source McGreevy PD et al. (2005). Prevalence of obesity in dogs examined by Australian veterinary practices and the risk factors involved. Veterinary Record 156(22):695-702. PubMed link.

The kicker, from a Hill's Pet Nutrition survey reported in Dogster, is that around 90% of Australian pet owners may not realise their dog is carrying too much. You see her every day. The creep is invisible. Cavoodles are at particular risk because they inherited Cavalier "food-is-love" energy and Poodle smarts (perfect for charming you out of one more biscuit). A 12-kilo Cavoodle who is actually a healthy 9-kilo Cavoodle is carrying the human equivalent of an extra 20 kilos.

PRO

Vet-tested tip

Weigh fortnightly, not annually. A 200g creep on a 7kg Cavoodle is the equivalent of a healthy adult quietly gaining 2kg. The kitchen scales catch it months before the body-condition score does. Same scales, same time of day, same week of the month.

2. Pancreatitis (Cavalier inheritance + the Christmas ham warning)

Chronic pancreatitis is unusually common in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. One UK post-mortem study found pancreatic inflammation in all six Cavaliers in its CKCS subset, and Cavaliers as a breed carry a relative risk roughly four times that of the general dog population.

Summarised from Watson et al., via the Cavalier Health Foundation review of UK veterinary pathology data. Source.

The critical nuance most blogs get wrong: there is no published evidence that high-fat diets cause pancreatitis in healthy dogs. What the evidence does show is that, in dogs who already have pancreatic sensitivity (which can be silent for years in Cavalier-lineage dogs), high-fat foods may worsen flare-ups. That's why every Aussie vet sighs when the Boxing Day ham scraps go under the table. The simple rule: treat fatty human foods (ham, pork crackling, lamb-roast skin, bacon, butter, gravy) as no-go items. Keep treat fat percentages reasonable and lean toward single-protein options like kangaroo and turkey.

3. Food allergies (and why chicken and beef sit at the top of the suspect list)

This is the section every Cavoodle owner needs to read twice, because it goes against what's printed on most supermarket "doodle" treat packets. A peer-reviewed systematic review by Mueller. Olivry and Prélaud (BMC Veterinary Research, 2016) found that a small group of proteins, led by beef, dairy, chicken and wheat, accounts for the overwhelming majority of reported food allergies in dogs. Poodle-cross breeds, including Cavoodles, present at vet clinics with itchy ears, paw-licking, hot spots and recurrent gut upsets more often than the average dog. Many of these cases improve dramatically on an elimination diet that swaps one of those high-prevalence proteins (typically chicken or beef) out.

Source Mueller RS. Olivry T. Prélaud P. (2016). Critically appraised topic on adverse food reactions of companion animals (2): common food allergen sources in dogs and cats. BMC Veterinary Research 12:9. BMC Vet Res.

3 signs to watch for

Is your Cavoodle reacting to her treats?

Sign 1. Itchy ears and head-shaking

The Science of Why 86% of Aussie Pet Owners Say Their Pet Makes Them Happier and Healthier.

Wed, 20 May 2026 15:29:29 +0000

Photo: Lauren Whitaker / Pexels

Updated 20 May 2026 Reading time 14 min Editor Huds and Toke editorial team Sources 30+ peer-reviewed studies & named Australian authorities Region Australia

If you are in crisis right now: Call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636. This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Pets can be a wonderful complement to professional mental health support, but they should not replace treatment from a qualified clinician.

Quick answer: Yes, pets are associated with measurable improvements in mental health for many Australians. The strongest evidence shows that interacting with a dog or cat for as little as ten minutes can lower the stress hormone cortisol, that pet owners are at reduced risk of depression and cardiovascular death, and that 86% of Australian pet owners say their pet has a positive impact on their physical and mental wellbeing. Pets are not a cure for anxiety or depression, and they don't replace therapy, but more than a hundred peer-reviewed studies now point to a real, repeatable "pet effect" on the human nervous system. This article unpacks that science in plain English and offers practical daily rituals to build the bond.

Key Takeaways

The headline findings, in 30 seconds

73% of Australian households now own a pet, and 86% of those owners report a positive impact on their wellbeing (Animal Medicines Australia, 2025).
Just 10 minutes of petting a dog or cat has been shown to significantly reduce cortisol, the body's primary stress hormone.
A meta-analysis of 3.8 million people found dog ownership associated with 24% lower all-cause mortality and 31% lower cardiovascular death.
A 2024 JAMA Network Open trial found service dogs reduced PTSD severity scores in veterans by up to 11.5 points at three months.
Pets can complement mental health care, they cannot replace it. If you're struggling, speak with your GP, a psychologist or call Lifeline (13 11 14).

In this article

Do pets actually reduce anxiety?
5 mechanisms backed by science
Do pets help with depression?
Are dogs or cats better for mental health?
Pets and mental health across life stages
The strength of the human-animal bond
Daily rituals that calm both of you
Frequently asked questions
Australian mental health support
Sources and references

It's a Wednesday night in Brisbane. The kettle is on, the news is grim, and there on the rug is a kelpie cross with one paw flopped over a chewed tennis ball, completely indifferent to interest rates and to the latest Beyond Blue Wellbeing Check. You sit down on the floor. The kelpie sighs the way only dogs can sigh. Your shoulders drop about a centimetre.

Most Australians who live with a pet know that feeling. They just don't always have the language for it. So when the question comes up, are pets actually good for our mental health, or do we just like to think so?, the answer matters, because three-quarters of us are now sharing the couch with one.

This is the long answer. It draws on more than a hundred peer-reviewed studies, the largest pet-ownership cohort ever published (3.4 million Swedes), the most comprehensive Australian pet survey ever conducted, and a 2024 JAMA paper on service dogs and veterans that even the most cautious sceptic struggles to argue with. Every claim below is sourced to a named, public authority, cited inline and listed in full at the end, because mental health is too important for wishful thinking. Here is what we know, and what we're still figuring out.

✿

Do pets actually reduce anxiety? What the science says

Short answer: yes, and the effect is measurable in your bloodstream within minutes.

In 2019, researchers at Washington State University ran a clean experiment. They split 249 university students into four groups. One group spent ten minutes petting cats and dogs. Another watched other students pet cats and dogs. A third looked at photos of the animals. A fourth was put on a waitlist with no animal contact at all. The researchers measured salivary cortisol, the body's primary stress hormone, before and after.

The result wasn't subtle. The group that physically interacted with the animals had a significant reduction in cortisol compared with all three other groups. Looking at a photo didn't do it. Watching someone else pet a dog didn't do it. Touching the animal did.

Source Pendry. P., & Vandagriff. J. L. (2019). Animal Visitation Program (AVP) Reduces Cortisol Levels of University Students. AERA Open. Read the study.

The cortisol and oxytocin response, explained

If the Pendry paper showed the effect, an earlier South African study by Odendaal and Meintjes showed the mechanism, and it is genuinely beautiful. After just five to twenty-four minutes of stroking a dog, the researchers measured significant increases in beta-endorphin, oxytocin, prolactin, phenylethylamine and dopamine, in both the human and the dog. Cortisol dropped in the humans. The bond, in other words, is biochemical, and at least partly mutual.

Source Odendaal. J. S. J., & Meintjes. R. A. (2003). Neurophysiological correlates of affiliative behaviour between humans and dogs. The Veterinary Journal. Read the abstract.

This is what clinicians mean when they talk about co-regulation, two nervous systems quietly settling each other through proximity and touch. It's the same mechanism that calms a baby in a parent's arms. With a pet, the wiring is just a little different, and, for many adults, a little less complicated.

A nuance worth keeping: A 2025 review in MDPI's Animals noted that owners with anxious attachment styles can sometimes report worse outcomes, likely because the relationship mirrors the same patterns that cause distress in human relationships. The pet effect is real. It is not, however, automatic.

What Australian research found in 2025

The 2025 Animal Medicines Australia "Pets in Australia" survey, the country's most comprehensive pet-ownership study, surveyed more than 2,000 households and produced a figure that bears repeating:

Did You Know

86%

of Australian pet owners say their pet has a positive impact on their physical and mental wellbeing. (Animal Medicines Australia, 2025)

Eighty-six per cent. In a country where, according to Beyond Blue's most recent Wellbeing Check, 46% of Australians named financial pressure as a key factor in their distress, and almost half of those who sought professional support waited until they were "very" or "extremely" distressed before reaching out, that number is not a marketing slogan. It's a public-health signal.

"Some studies do indeed find that pet ownership is associated with improved mental and physical health outcomes, as well as increased social interactions with other people in the community."

Dr Tiffani Howell. Senior Research Fellow. School of Psychology and Public Health. La Trobe University (2023). Source.

73% of Australian households own a pet

31.6M pets across 7.7 million households

$21.3B spent on pets in Australia each year

For context: that's more dogs (around 7.4 million) than there are children under fifteen in this country. Whatever else is happening in Australian homes, this much is true, we live with animals at a scale our grandparents would not recognise.

✿

How pets help with anxiety: 5 mechanisms backed by science

"The pet effect" sounds like one thing. It is actually at least five things, each with its own body of evidence. Understanding the mechanisms matters because it shows you how to get the benefit, and how to recognise when you're not.

1. Hormonal regulation (oxytocin, serotonin, dopamine)

This is the chemistry already covered above. Touch, eye contact and proximity drive a measurable cocktail of feel-good neurochemicals while suppressing cortisol. The US National Institutes of Health summarises the converging evidence plainly: "Interacting with animals has been shown to decrease levels of cortisol (a stress-related hormone) and lower blood pressure." It happens whether you are aware of it or not.

2. Routine and purpose

Dogs, in particular, do not care about your sleep-in. The 6:30am breakfast bowl, the morning lead, the after-dinner stroll, these are the unglamorous, irreducible rituals that anchor a day. For people experiencing low mood, depression or grief, an external reason to get out of bed is not a small thing.

The 2018 Brooks et al. Systematic review in BMC Psychiatry, pooling 17 studies of people with long-term mental health conditions, found pets provided "emotional work": alleviating worry, imposing routine, and acting as a confidant. Participants repeatedly described their pet as the reason they kept going.

3. Social connection and reduced loneliness

Loneliness in Australia is now a measurable epidemic. Ending Loneliness Together reports that around 32% of Australian adults experience at least moderate loneliness, and 17.5% experience severe loneliness. Those numbers carry health risks comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

Pets help in two ways. First, directly, a 2022 systematic review by Kretzler and colleagues found pet ownership was associated with reduced loneliness in some studies during the COVID-19 pandemic, with mixed effects across different age groups. Second, indirectly, dog walking, dog parks, vet waiting rooms and accidental footpath conversations are some of the last reliable third spaces in suburban Australia.

"There is just something magical, something special about this connection between humans and animals that really looks at reducing stress, looks at reducing your blood pressure, looks at increasing your movement and exercise and looks at reducing feelings of loneliness."

Daniel Angus. Psychologist, headspace (2022). SBS The Feed.

"The human-animal bond plays a crucial and positive role in the health and wellbeing of the community."

Dr Paula Parker, former President, Australian Veterinary Association (2018). Source.

4. Physical activity (especially dog walking)

Exercise is the most reliably effective non-pharmaceutical antidepressant we have. And dog owners get more of it. Harvard Health notes dog owners walk about 20 extra minutes per day compared with non-owners. Over a year, that's around 120 extra hours of walking, without ever joining a gym.

The cardiovascular flow-on is significant. In a 2017 study of 3.4 million Swedes over twelve years, the largest pet-ownership cohort ever assembled, single-person households with a dog had a 33% reduction in all-cause mortality and a 36% reduction in cardiovascular death compared with single-person households without one.

Source Mubanga. M. Et al. (2017). Dog ownership and the risk of cardiovascular disease and death, a nationwide cohort study. Scientific Reports. Read the paper.

A 2019 meta-analysis pooled this with other large cohorts (combined sample: 3.8 million people) and reached a near-identical conclusion: dog owners had 24% lower all-cause mortality and 31% lower cardiovascular mortality. The American Heart Association's 2013 Scientific Statement already concluded that "dog ownership is probably associated with decreased cardiovascular risk", about as enthusiastic as the AHA ever gets about something that isn't a statin.

5. Mindfulness and present-moment focus

This one rarely shows up in the medical literature but every long-term pet owner recognises it. A dog or cat lives in the present. They do not catastrophise about Thursday. They cannot doomscroll. When you give a pet your attention, they pull you, gently, into the same state, what therapists call grounding.

It's a quiet, accidental form of mindfulness practice, and it happens dozens of times a day. (We unpack it in detail in our companion piece, Mindfulness tips with pets and ponies, a slower, gentler read for the weekend.)

✿

Do pets help with depression?

This is where the evidence becomes more nuanced, and where honest writing matters more than enthusiasm.

What the meta-analyses show

A 2024 meta-analysis of pet ownership and depression found pet owners had a lower risk of depression compared with non-owners, with the strongest effects observed in adults living alone. The proposed pathways are the same five mechanisms above: routine, exercise, oxytocin, reduced loneliness, and a sense of purpose.

The 2018 BMC Psychiatry review is even more striking. It pooled qualitative interviews from hundreds of people living with long-term mental health conditions, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia. PTSD, and the pattern was overwhelming. Participants described their pet as a steady, non-judgemental presence; a reason to get out of bed; a buffer during crisis. One participant put it this way: "Without him. I think I'd be dead."

When pets aren't enough: professional support pathways

And yet, pets are not antidepressants. They are not a substitute for therapy, medication, or a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP. Almost half of Australians who sought professional support (49%) waited until they were "very" or "extremely" distressed before doing so, according to Beyond Blue. The single most useful thing a pet can sometimes do is make that first phone call feel marginally less impossible. It is not their job to make the call for you.

If you live with depression, anxiety or PTSD, your pet is part of the team. The vet, your GP, a psychologist, and, when you need them. Lifeline and Beyond Blue are the rest of it.

✿

Are dogs or cats better for mental health?

The short, honest answer: the best pet is the one that fits your life. Both species produce measurable benefits in the studies. The differences are mostly about lifestyle, energy, and the kind of bond you're after.

What you're looking for	Dogs	Cats
Daily exercise	+20 min/day walking, on average	Indoor play sessions; minimal owner exertion
Routine & structure	Strong, meals, walks, training	Moderate, feeding, grooming, play
Social contact for the owner	High, dog parks, vet visits, footpath chats	Lower, but visible online cat communities
Stress-hormone reduction (touch)	Demonstrated	Demonstrated (same WSU study)
Suited to renters / small spaces	Possible, size-dependent	Generally easier
Suited to long working hours	Challenging without support	Much more forgiving
Owner mortality reduction (cohort data)	Strongest evidence base (Mubanga 2017)	Emerging but less data

Dogs: the social and active benefits

If your mental health challenge involves isolation, low motivation or low activity, dogs are the more clinically supported choice. The cardiovascular cohort data is overwhelmingly dog-led. So is the loneliness research. And so is the service-dog work in PTSD.

Cats: the calm, low-effort benefits

If your challenge involves overwhelm, sensory load or unpredictable energy, and the idea of a 6am dog walk in winter rain makes things worse, not better, cats are a serious, science-backed option. The Pendry cortisol study included both species, and a purring cat on your chest delivers a parasympathetic-nervous-system signal that's hard to argue with. (For the cat owners reading: gentle, daily bonding moments matter for them too, small treats made for cats are part of how that ritual gets built.)

(We won't pretend horses, rabbits, guinea pigs and budgies don't count, they do. Equine-assisted therapy in particular has its own growing evidence base, which is why we make treats for horses too. But the largest body of research, by far, sits with dogs and cats.)

✿

Pets and mental health across life stages (Australia)

Children and teen anxiety

For children, the benefits run deeper than companionship. A 2017 review by Purewal et al. in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found strong evidence that growing up with a pet supported higher self-esteem, reduced loneliness, better perspective-taking and stronger cognitive development.

More recently, the US Mueller et al. (2024) analysis of the ABCD longitudinal study found that during the pandemic, pets emerged as one of the most-cited coping strategies for adolescents, and that teens who turned to their pets reported higher self-esteem and lower loneliness than peers who didn't.

There's also a striking long-tail finding. A 2019 Johns Hopkins study by Yolken et al. reported that children exposed to a household dog before age 13 had a significantly reduced risk of being diagnosed with schizophrenia later in life. The mechanism is still being investigated, early immune development, stress-response calibration and the gut-brain microbiome are all candidates, but the association is robust.

Adults and the millennial mental health story

Beyond Blue's most recent Wellbeing Check makes clear that Australians of all ages are struggling. Forty-six per cent named financial pressure as a key factor in their distress, and almost half of those who sought help waited until they were "very" or "extremely" distressed before reaching out.

It is no accident that this is also the generation driving Australia's pet boom. Pet ownership in this age group is not a substitute for the housing market or for a functional mental-health system, but it is one of the few accessible, non-pharmaceutical interventions that delivers a daily, low-friction emotional dividend.

Older Australians and the loneliness epidemic

For older adults, pets do two things at once: they buffer against loneliness, and they appear to support cognition. A 2023 study presented at the American Academy of Neurology annual meeting (Applebaum et al.) found older adults with five or more years of pet ownership experienced slower cognitive decline than non-owners, a finding widely reported by outlets including Mayo Clinic Health System.

Closer to home, the long-running Australian work of economist Bruce Headey has linked pet ownership to fewer doctor visits over time. RSPCA Australia reaches the same conclusion in its knowledgebase: Australians who have owned a pet for five or more years tend to have significantly fewer doctor visits than non-owners.

✿

The surprising strength of the human-animal bond

Service dogs. PTSD and the 2024 JAMA breakthrough

For years, the strongest evidence for the pet effect came from observational studies, large, real-world, and useful, but unable to fully rule out the possibility that healthier people simply tend to own pets in the first place. In 2024, a major controlled trial finally moved the needle.

Leighton. O'Haire and colleagues, publishing in JAMA Network Open, enrolled 156 American military veterans with PTSD in a non-randomised controlled trial. Participants either received a trained service dog or remained on a waitlist with usual care. At three months, the service-dog group had clinician-administered PTSD severity scores about 7 points lower than the waitlist group, and self-reported scores about 11.5 points lower, alongside lower anxiety (p < 0.001) and depression (p = 0.02) scores.

"Suggests" doesn't quite cover it. These are clinically meaningful differences, in a randomised design, on the most studied trauma population in modern psychiatry. The NIH itself took the unusual step of highlighting the result in a press release.

Australia's quiet revolution in pet therapy

The Australian Veterinary Association has been campaigning for years for the human-animal bond to be taken more seriously inside mainstream health policy. Animal-assisted therapy programs now operate in hospices, aged-care facilities, hospital paediatric wards, schools, and an increasing number of corporate workplaces. Greyhound rescue groups place retired racers as therapy dogs. Therapy ponies are being deployed in disability programs from the Sunshine Coast to Tasmania.

This isn't only about what pets do for us, the relationship runs both ways, and Australia's veterinary scientists are paying attention.

"If owners have an impact on the stress levels of their dogs, it means we also play a role in protecting their welfare."

Dr Bronwyn Orr. Veterinarian and PhD scholar. University of Sydney (and later 2022 AVA President). The Conversation, 2019.

It is not a fringe movement anymore. It is a slow, deliberate shift in how Australian health professionals think about prescribing connection.

✿

How to build daily rituals that calm both of you

The science is the science. But the bond is built in the small, repeated moments. Here are the rituals our team, and the vets we've consulted, keep coming back to.

The 10-minute calm protocol

Set a timer. Phone in another room. Sit on the floor with your dog or cat. Slow, long strokes, head, shoulders, along the spine. No agenda. No training. No "good boy" overlay. Just presence.

This is, almost exactly, the Pendry protocol that produced measurable cortisol reductions. Do it once a day, ideally at the same time, ideally not while scrolling something stressful at the same time.

Positive reinforcement and training routines

Short, calm, reward-based training sessions are one of the most underrated mental-health rituals available to dog owners. Five minutes of "sit", "stay", "touch" or a new trick, rewarded with a high-value micro training treat, activates the same dopamine and bonding pathways for both of you, and gives your dog the cognitive engagement they need to settle for the rest of the day.

The trick is to keep it small, frequent and high-success. Use a quiet space, a high-value treat, and end while your dog is still winning.

From our kitchen

Make the bonding ritual a little tastier

Our soft, low-stress dog treats are designed for exactly this kind of gentle, frequent training, small enough for a five-minute session, gentle enough not to overload, made on the Sunshine Coast since 2007. We're not claiming a treat will fix anyone's mental health. We're saying that if you're already building a daily ritual with your dog, the treats they look forward to are part of why it works.

Browse soft training treats

Caring for your pet's wellbeing in return

The bond is a two-way street. Anxious, under-stimulated or overweight pets do not co-regulate well, and they are not happy. The basics matter more than the supplements: a balanced diet appropriate for life stage, daily mental and physical stimulation, regular vet check-ups, and, for dogs especially, predictable routines and safe spaces to retreat to. Functional, ingredient-led treats like our grain-free health booster range with turmeric, beetroot and pumpkin, or our hemp and turmeric cookies with omega-3, are designed to slot into that picture rather than replace it.

If your pet is showing signs of anxiety themselves (excessive panting, destructive behaviour, withdrawal, changes in appetite), talk to your vet. Predictable, low-stress mealtimes help too, a sprinkle of meal topper can turn dinner into a small daily ritual rather than a transaction. The same nervous-system principles work in reverse: a calmer human helps a calmer pet, and vice versa.

✿

Frequently asked questions

Can a pet replace therapy?

No. Pets can complement professional mental health care beautifully, but they cannot replace it. If you're experiencing persistent symptoms of anxiety or depression, speak with your GP, a Mental Health Care Plan under Medicare gives you access to subsidised sessions with a psychologist. A pet sitting on your feet during that first appointment is, however, very allowed.

How long do I need to pet my dog to feel calmer?

The Pendry et al. (2019) study found significant cortisol reductions after just ten minutes of physical interaction. Other studies (Odendaal & Meintjes, 2003) showed neurochemical shifts after as little as five minutes. The mechanism appears to require touch, not just looking at, or being near, the animal.

Are emotional support animals recognised in Australia?

Australia does not have the same formal "emotional support animal" (ESA) framework that exists in the United States. Assistance animals trained to perform specific tasks for a person with a disability are protected under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992, but a general pet who provides comfort generally is not. Rules vary across airlines, rental tenancies and public spaces, always check with the specific operator or your tenancy authority before assuming access.

What if I can't afford a pet?

The benefits of human-animal interaction don't require ownership. RSPCA volunteer dog-walking. PetRescue and local shelter programs, neighbour pet-minding, and animal-assisted therapy in many community health settings all offer regular contact without the financial commitment. The Animal Medicines Australia survey puts the average annual cost of a dog in Australia at around $2,520, ownership is a real financial decision, and not the right one for every household.

✿

Australian mental health support resources

If anything in this article has resonated with you and you'd like to talk to someone, these Australian services are free, confidential and available now:

Lifeline, 13 11 14 (24/7 crisis support). lifeline.org.au
Beyond Blue, 1300 22 4636 (24/7 support for anxiety and depression). beyondblue.org.au
13YARN, 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples). 13yarn.org.au
headspace, for young people aged 12-25. headspace.org.au
MensLine Australia, 1300 78 99 78 (24/7 support for men). mensline.org.au
ReachOut, online support for young people. au.reachout.com
batyr, youth mental health peer programs. batyr.com.au
Your GP, the gateway to a Medicare Mental Health Care Plan and subsidised psychology sessions.

✿

Sources and references

Animal Medicines Australia. (2025). Pets in Australia: A national survey of pets and people. animalmedicinesaustralia.org.au
Pendry. P., & Vandagriff. J. L. (2019). Animal Visitation Program (AVP) Reduces Cortisol Levels of University Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial. AERA Open. DOI link
Odendaal. J. S. J., & Meintjes. R. A. (2003). Neurophysiological correlates of affiliative behaviour between humans and dogs. The Veterinary Journal, 165(3), 296–301. PubMed
Allen. K.. Shykoff. B. E., & Izzo. J. L. (2001). Pet ownership, but not ACE inhibitor therapy, blunts home blood pressure responses to mental stress. Hypertension, 38(4), 815–820. AHA Journals
Brooks. H. L. Et al. (2018). The power of support from companion animals for people living with mental health problems: a systematic review and narrative synthesis of the evidence. BMC Psychiatry, 18(1). PMC
Meta-analysis of pet ownership and depression (2024). PMC
Levine. G. N. Et al. (2013). Pet Ownership and Cardiovascular Risk: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association. Circulation, 127(23). AHA Journals
Mubanga. M. Et al. (2017). Dog ownership and the risk of cardiovascular disease and death, a nationwide cohort study. Scientific Reports, 7. Nature
Kramer. C. K.. Mehmood. S., & Suen. R. S. (2019). Dog Ownership and Survival: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, 12(10). AHA Journals
Leighton. S. C.. O'Haire. M. E. Et al. (2024). Service dogs for veterans and military members with posttraumatic stress disorder: a nonrandomized controlled trial. JAMA Network Open, 7(6). PMC
National Institutes of Health. (2024). Service dogs may reduce PTSD symptoms among military members and veterans [Press release&91;. nih.gov
Kretzler. B.. König. H.-H., & Hajek. A. (2022). Pet ownership, loneliness, and social isolation: a systematic review. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology. PMC
Carr. D. Et al. (2021). Dog walking and the social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on loneliness in older adults. Animals. PMC
Mueller. M. K. Et al. (2024). Companion animals as a coping mechanism for adolescents during COVID-19: findings from the ABCD study. Frontiers in Veterinary Science. Frontiers
Purewal. R. Et al. (2017). Companion animals and child/adolescent development. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14(3). PMC
Yolken. R. H. Et al. (2019). Exposure to household pet cats and dogs in childhood and risk of subsequent diagnosis of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. (Johns Hopkins). Johns Hopkins Hub
Mayo Clinic Health System. (2023). Dogs are good for your health. mayoclinichealthsystem.org
Headey. B., & Grabka. M. (2007). Pets and human health in Germany and Australia: National longitudinal results. Social Indicators Research, 80(2), 297–311. Springer
Beyond Blue. (2024). Wellbeing Check. ANU study (n > 5,000). beyondblue.org.au
Ending Loneliness Together. (2024). State of the Nation report. endingloneliness.com.au
RSPCA Knowledgebase. What are the benefits of companion animals to human health? kb.rspca.org.au
Australian Veterinary Association. VetVoice. Pets assisting in our better management of mental health disorders. vetvoice.com.au
American Veterinary Medical Association. Human-Animal Interaction and the Human-Animal Bond policy. avma.org
Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI). Research on mental health. habri.org
American Psychiatric Association. (2023). Poll on positive mental health impact of pets. psychiatry.org
Harvard Health Publishing. The heartfelt benefits of pet ownership. health.harvard.edu
National Institutes of Health. News in Health. (2018). The power of pets. newsinhealth.nih.gov
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Healthy pets, healthy people. cdc.gov
Howell. T. J. (2023). Quoted in Her World. herworld.com
Angus. D. (2022). Quoted on SBS The Feed (PetSpace program). sbs.com.au
Orr. B. (2019). Man's stressed friend: how your mental health can affect your dog. The Conversation. theconversation.com
Huds and Toke. Wikipedia entry. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huds_and_Toke

✿

About this article

This article was written for Huds and Toke, an Australian pet treats company based on the Sunshine Coast since 2007 (and the subject of a Wikipedia entry here). It is published as part of our ongoing commitment to evidence-based pet-owner education during Mental Health Month.

Methodology. The 116-plus studies referenced in our research review were identified through PubMed. Google Scholar, and the published research databases of HABRI, the AVA and the AVMA between January and May 2026. Priority was given to (a) Australian data, (b) peer-reviewed meta-analyses and systematic reviews, (c) large cohort studies, and (d) randomised controlled trials. Animal Medicines Australia's 2025 "Pets in Australia" survey is the primary national dataset cited.

Conflict of interest disclosure. Huds and Toke is an Australian pet treats company. This article was produced for educational purposes and does not make therapeutic claims about our products. Our soft training treats are mentioned in the context of positive, reward-based bonding rituals and are not represented as a treatment, cure or therapy for any human or animal mental health condition.

H&T

The Huds and Toke Editorial Team

Sunshine Coast. Australia · Pet-treats brand since 2007

This article was researched and written by the Huds and Toke editorial team. We are not veterinarians or mental health clinicians. The article does not contain original clinical opinion, every claim is drawn from peer-reviewed research and public statements from named Australian and international authorities (cited inline and in the References list below). Huds and Toke is a family-owned Australian pet treats company, established 2007 (Wikipedia).

Cite this article

Huds and Toke Editorial Team. (2026). The Science of Why 86% of Aussie Pet Owners Say Their Pet Makes Them Happier and Healthier. Huds and Toke. Retrieved from https://www.hudsandtoke.com.au/blog/pets-and-mental-health/

Press use. Journalists, bloggers and educators are welcome to quote the statistics, pull-quotes and study summaries in this article with attribution to Huds and Toke. For interviews, original commentary, or upcoming proprietary survey data, please contact press@hudsandtoke.com.au.

About the publisher

Huds and Toke. Naturally Australian. Loved Worldwide

Huds and Toke is a family-owned Australian premium pet treats company, founded in 2007 on Queensland's Sunshine Coast by Russell and Emma Gibbons. The brand is named after their sons' imaginary pet dragons. Hudson and Toklas. Huds and Toke products are now stocked across Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States. Ireland. Singapore. Germany and Japan, and the company has been recognised as a finalist in multiple Australian small-business and pet-industry awards.

Learn more on Wikipedia · Our story · Awards & recognition

Best Cat Treats Australia 2026: Vet-Approved Buyer's Guide

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 12:07:26 +0000

Updated April 2026. The complete Australian buyer's guide to cat treats, from a Sunshine Coast pet food manufacturer that has supplied Aussie cat owners for nearly two decades.

Quick Answer (TL;DR)

Cats are obligate carnivores. Cat treats need to be high in animal protein, low in fillers, and ideally single-source where possible.
Best cat treat formats for daily use: green-lipped mussel (joint health), dental treats, and small training treats.
Avoid: high-carb fillers, milk-based treats (most adult cats are lactose-intolerant), and anything with garlic or onion.
Treats should make up no more than 10% of daily calories. Many cats only need 4-8 small treats per day.
For senior or sensitive cats: stick to soft, easy-to-chew, single-protein options.

Cats are picky for a reason. Unlike dogs, cats are obligate carnivores, which means their bodies are built to extract nutrients from animal protein, not plants. So when you're choosing cat treats, you're not just picking something tasty. You're picking something biologically right for them.

This guide is what we tell Aussie cat owners when they ask which cat treats are worth buying. We make these in small batches on the Sunshine Coast and have supplied vet clinics, breeders, cat boarding facilities, and direct-to-consumer cat owners across Australia for nearly two decades. Browse the full cat treats range to see what's mentioned in this guide.

What Cats Actually Need from a Treat

Five criteria for choosing cat treats that work biologically and behaviourally:

1. High Animal Protein

A good cat treat lists animal protein as the first ingredient. Look for named meats (chicken, beef, fish, kangaroo) rather than generic terms like "meat meal" or "animal by-products". Cats need taurine (only found in animal sources) and high-quality amino acids that plant proteins can't fully provide.

2. Low in Fillers

Avoid treats heavy in wheat, corn, rice, or other carbohydrate fillers. Cats have limited ability to digest carbs and excess can contribute to weight gain and diabetes. Quality cat treats use minimal carb content as binding only.

3. Smell-Driven Palatability

Cats are smell-driven eaters. The most palatable cat treats have strong, savoury aromas — fish, organ meat, or fermented protein notes. If your cat sniffs and walks away, the smell isn't right. Try a different protein or a fresher pack.

4. Appropriate Size and Texture

Most cats prefer small bite-sized treats around 5-10mm. Soft semi-moist textures work for most cats including seniors with worn teeth. Crunchy treats can support dental health when the right shape and texture (designed to scrape plaque as the cat chews).

5. No Toxic Additives

Strictly avoid: garlic, onion, chives, leeks (all toxic), grapes, raisins, chocolate, alcohol, xylitol, and excessive salt. Many human foods that are fine for dogs in small amounts are dangerous for cats. Always check ingredient lists.

The Top Categories of Cat Treats for Australian Cats

Green-Lipped Mussel Cat Treats

Green-lipped mussel is one of the most beneficial single ingredients for cats. It contains naturally occurring omega-3 fatty acids, glucosamine, and chondroitin — all of which support joint health, especially in senior cats and cats prone to arthritis. As a treat, it's also intensely palatable to most cats due to its strong sea-protein aroma.

Best for: senior cats, cats showing early joint stiffness, large or heavy-bodied breeds (Maine Coons, Ragdolls), cats recovering from injury.

Cat Dental Treats

Dental treats use specific shape and texture to mechanically scrape plaque from cat teeth as they chew. They're most effective when given daily and are best combined with regular dental check-ups. Cat dental treats won't replace brushing or professional cleaning, but they meaningfully reduce plaque buildup over time.

Best for: adult cats over 1 year, cats prone to plaque or tartar, breeds with known dental susceptibility (Persian, Siamese).

Cat Training Treats

Yes, you can train cats. Many cats respond very well to clicker training and positive reinforcement. Training treats need to be small (so you can give multiple in a session) and high-value (so the cat is motivated). Bite-sized soft chicken or fish-based training treats work for most.

Best for: clicker training, recall training, getting cats comfortable with vet handling, harness training, multi-cat households.

Single-Protein Cat Treats

For cats with food sensitivities, single-protein treats let you control exactly what your cat is eating. Common single-protein options include chicken, fish, beef, and kangaroo. Novel proteins like kangaroo are especially useful for elimination diets where you're trying to identify a problem ingredient.

Best for: cats with diagnosed food sensitivities, cats on prescription diets, IBD or allergy-prone cats.

Senior Cat Treats

Senior cats (over 10) often have specific needs: softer texture (worn teeth), joint support (green-lipped mussel), kidney-friendly low-phosphorus options, and easy-to-digest proteins. Senior-specific treat formulations consider these together.

Best for: cats over 10 years, cats with diagnosed kidney issues (always check with your vet), cats with limited appetite in senior years.

Cat Treats by Life Stage

Kittens (under 12 months)

Kittens have higher protein and calorie needs than adults but smaller stomachs. Choose small, soft, easily-chewable treats. Avoid hard treats, large pieces, or anything with bones until adult teeth are fully through. Limit treats to 5-10% of daily calories — kittens are still growing and treats shouldn't displace balanced kitten food.

Adult Cats (1-10 years)

Most cat treats are designed for healthy adult cats. Match treat type to your cat's specific needs: dental treats if plaque is an issue, joint support if early stiffness shows, protein-rich training treats for active cats. Maintain the 10% rule for daily calories.

Senior Cats (10+ years)

Senior cats benefit from softer textures, joint-supportive ingredients, and smaller portion sizes. Watch for changes in appetite — sudden reluctance to eat treats your cat used to love can indicate dental, kidney, or other health issues worth checking with a vet.

How Many Treats Should I Give My Cat?

The 10% rule applies to cats just like dogs: treats should make up no more than 10% of daily calories.

For a typical 4kg adult cat, this works out to:

Soft training treats (around 1-2 calories each): 10-15 per day maximum
Dental treats (around 3-5 calories each): 4-6 per day maximum
Larger semi-moist treats (around 5-10 calories each): 2-4 per day maximum

If you're using treats heavily for training or bonding, reduce regular meal portions slightly to balance calories. Always provide fresh water alongside treats — cats are notoriously poor drinkers and treats with low moisture content can contribute to dehydration.

Common Cat Treat Mistakes

Overfeeding. Treats are calorie-dense. Even healthy treats cause weight gain when fed beyond the 10% threshold. Australian indoor cats are particularly prone to obesity, which leads to diabetes, joint issues, and reduced lifespan.
Sharing human food. Most human foods aren't ideal for cats, and many are dangerous (garlic, onion, raisins, chocolate, alcohol). Even "safe" human foods like plain cooked chicken should be limited because they don't provide the nutritional balance of cat-specific treats.
Using milk or dairy as treats. Most adult cats are lactose-intolerant. Despite the cultural image of cats drinking milk, dairy can cause digestive upset. Specialty "cat milk" products with reduced lactose are an alternative if you want to give your cat a milky treat.
Same treat every day. Cats can develop strong food preferences and refuse new options. Rotating 2-3 treat types maintains acceptance and provides nutritional variety.
Free-feeding treats. Treats should be earned through positive interaction or used purposefully (training, dental routine). Constantly available treats train cats to graze rather than eat structured meals.

What to Look For on the Label

Country of origin: Australian-made treats have shorter supply chains, fresher product, and known animal welfare standards.
Named first ingredient: "Chicken" or "Fish" should be first, not "meat meal" or "animal by-products".
Crude protein percentage: Quality cat treats are typically 30%+ crude protein.
No artificial colours or preservatives: Cats don't see colour the way humans do, and artificial colours offer no benefit.
Best-before date: Treats lose smell and palatability as they age. Buy what you'll use within 3-6 months.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best cat treats in Australia?

The best cat treats for Australian cats are typically Australian-made, single-protein, low-filler options. Green-lipped mussel treats are particularly recommended for joint support and palatability. Dental treats are valuable for daily oral health, and small soft training treats work well for clicker training and bonding. Match the treat type to your cat's life stage and any specific health needs.

How many cat treats can I give per day?

Treats should make up no more than 10% of your cat's daily calories. For a typical 4kg adult cat, this means 4-8 medium-sized treats per day, or up to 10-15 very small training treats. Always reduce regular meal portions slightly if using treats heavily for training.

Are green-lipped mussel treats good for cats?

Yes. Green-lipped mussel contains natural glucosamine, chondroitin, and omega-3 fatty acids that support joint health, especially in senior cats or cats prone to arthritis. The strong sea-protein aroma also makes them highly palatable for most cats. They are well-tolerated and a good supplement to a balanced diet.

Can I give my cat dog treats?

No, generally not. Dog treats are formulated for dogs' nutritional needs and may lack the taurine and high animal protein cats require. Many dog treats are also too large and may include ingredients that don't suit cats. Always choose cat-specific treats.

What human foods can cats eat as treats?

Small amounts of plain cooked chicken, plain cooked fish (no bones), or hard-boiled egg are safe for most cats. Avoid garlic, onion, chocolate, grapes, raisins, alcohol, and excessive salt. Even safe human foods should be limited because they don't provide the nutritional balance of cat-specific treats.

How do I get my cat to eat treats?

If your cat refuses treats, try: warming them slightly to release aroma, switching to a stronger-smelling protein like fish, breaking treats into smaller pieces, or offering them by hand to build interest. Some cats simply aren't treat-motivated — try interactive play or grooming as an alternative bonding activity.

Methodology

Recommendations in this guide are based on Huds and Toke's experience supplying Australian cat owners since 2007, plus aggregated sales and feedback data across our 350+ product catalogue. Our cat treat range is hand-formulated on the Sunshine Coast and used by vet clinics, breeders, cat boarding facilities, and direct-to-consumer cat owners across Australia.

If you'd like to cite this data in your own reporting, attribution to Huds and Toke (hudsandtoke.com.au) is appreciated. Get in touch via the contact page.

About Huds and Toke. Founded on the Sunshine Coast in 2007, Huds and Toke is one of Australia's longest-running independent pet treat brands. We hand-formulate cat, dog, horse and small pet treats from a small-batch facility in Coolum Beach, Queensland. Our cat range covers green-lipped mussel treats, dental treats, training treats, and single-protein options. Read more on the Huds and Toke Wikipedia page or visit our contact page.

Best Dog Training Treats Australia 2026: Trainer's Buyer Guide

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 10:44:22 +0000

Updated April 2026. A practical guide for Australian dog owners and trainers, written from the perspective of a Sunshine Coast pet treat manufacturer and proud long-term supporter of the USC Koala Detection Dogs program at the University of the Sunshine Coast.

Quick Answer (TL;DR)

The best training treats are small, soft, low-fat, and high-value. Micro bone formats around 5-8mm are ideal.
Kangaroo is Australia's most popular training treat protein (verified across 60,000+ unit sales) — lean, hypoallergenic, and uniquely Aussie.
For puppies and senior dogs: stick to soft, low-fat options. Avoid hard chews under 12 weeks.
For weight-managed dogs: vegetable-based or kangaroo training treats are leanest.
Treats should stay under 10% of daily calories. Reduce regular meals when training intensively.

If you've ever watched a professional dog trainer work, you'll have noticed they're never without a treat pouch. There's a reason. Training is a high-frequency reward activity — clicker training, recall practice, obedience work, scent detection — and the right treat is the difference between a dog that engages and a dog that disengages.

This guide is what we tell professional trainers and Aussie dog owners when they ask which training treats to use. We make these in small batches on the Sunshine Coast and supply pro trainers, vet clinics, and breeders across Australia. Read our 2026 pet treat trends report for the data behind some of the recommendations here.

What Makes a Good Dog Training Treat

Five criteria, in order of importance for most training contexts:

1. Size and Format

Training treats need to be small enough to be eaten in 1-2 seconds without breaking your training rhythm. The "micro bone" format — roughly 5-8mm — is the most popular for clicker work. Anything bigger interrupts the reward loop.

If a treat is too big, your dog spends 10-15 seconds chewing instead of returning to focus. Over a 30-minute session, that's a lot of lost training reps.

2. Texture (Soft vs Crunchy)

For high-frequency reward training, soft is better than crunchy. Soft treats can be eaten quickly without crumbs falling everywhere, are gentler on developing or worn teeth, and are easier to break into smaller pieces if needed.

Crunchy training treats have their place — for distance recall (the noise of a crunch can attract attention) — but for fast-paced work, soft wins.

3. Protein and Fat Content

Active training dogs need quality protein. Single-protein treats (kangaroo, beef, chicken, lamb) are the gold standard because they let you control what your dog eats and avoid hidden allergens.

For weight-managed dogs, low-fat options matter more. Kangaroo is naturally under 6% fat. Vegetable-based training treats (carrot, beetroot, pumpkin) are also low-fat but less protein-dense.

4. Smell and Palatability

If your dog doesn't react to the treat, training stalls. High-value treats are smelly, novel, and exciting. Most trainers carry 2-3 different treat types: a "low value" reward for known behaviours and a "high value" reward for distractions or new skills.

5. Made in a Country with Strict Pet Food Standards

Australian-made and country-of-origin matters. Look for products that name the country, list specific named proteins (not "meat meal"), and avoid artificial colours and preservatives. Australian-made treats also have shorter supply chains, fresher product, and known animal welfare standards.

The Top Training Treat Formats for Australian Dogs

Kangaroo Micro Bones

Australia's number-one selling dog training treat across our most recent 12-month sales catalogue. Kangaroo is naturally lean (under 6%), hypoallergenic for most dogs, and a true novel protein that almost no Aussie dog has been previously exposed to. The micro bone format is ideal for clicker training and high-frequency reward work.

Best for: puppies (over 12 weeks), adult dogs in active training, weight-managed dogs, dogs with sensitivities to common proteins. Browse kangaroo treats.

Chicken Micro Bones

The other go-to for Aussie trainers. Chicken is widely tolerated, mild flavour, and slightly more affordable than kangaroo. Soft, semi-moist chicken micro bones work for puppies, adult dogs, and seniors equally well.

Best for: most dogs without chicken sensitivities, daily training, puppy classes. Browse chicken training treats.

Beef Micro Bones

For dogs that respond strongly to beef flavour. Slightly higher in fat than kangaroo or chicken breast, but high in iron and B vitamins, making them excellent everyday rewards for active dogs.

Best for: active medium-large dogs, dogs that prefer red meat flavour. Browse beef treats.

Veggie Tubes (Vegetarian)

The surprise top-5 best-seller in our most recent 12-month sales data. Made from carrot, beetroot, and pumpkin, Veggie Tubes are low-fat, hypoallergenic, and used widely as a daily training treat by mainstream dog owners (not just plant-based households).

Best for: weight-managed dogs, dogs with multiple food sensitivities, owners reducing meat in their dog's diet. Browse vegetable-based and functional treats.

Soft Carob and Yoghurt Dipsticks

For high-value rewards or "jackpot" moments in training. These soft, indulgent treats break easily into smaller pieces and are very high palatability for most dogs.

Best for: high-distraction training, recall in open environments, jackpot rewards for new skills. Browse carob and yoghurt treats.

Liver and Lung Training Treats

Light, crunchy, and intensely palatable. Lamb lung and beef liver are popular with trainers because of their strong smell and lightweight format. Lower in fat than meaty chews.

Best for: distance work, scent detection training, dogs that need a strong smell driver. Browse lamb range.

Training Treats by Life Stage

Puppies (12 weeks to 12 months)

Choose soft, small, low-fat treats. Puppy-specific training treats or chicken/kangaroo micro bones work well. Avoid hard chews until adult teeth are fully through (around 6-7 months). Puppies in classes typically need 30-50 small treats per session — set aside dedicated training treats and reduce regular meals slightly to compensate.

Adult Dogs (1-7 years)

Most training treats work for healthy adult dogs. Match treat type to training context: small soft treats for high-frequency clicker work, larger value treats for jackpot moments or recall practice. Keep treats under 10% of daily calories.

Senior Dogs (7+ years)

Soft, low-fat, easy-to-chew treats are best for seniors. Avoid hard chews if dental health is declining. Consider single-protein options if your senior dog has developed sensitivities, and reduce treat volume since metabolic rate slows with age.

How Many Treats Per Training Session?

Industry-standard guidance:

Beginner training class (45-60 min): 30-50 small training treats
Trick or skill training (15-20 min): 20-30 treats
Recall practice (varied): 10-20 high-value treats
Daily reward training (general): 6-10 small treats spread across the day

For a medium-sized dog (15-20kg) on a normal diet, 30-50 micro bones is around 10% of daily calories — your treat budget for the day. If you train more, reduce regular meals proportionally. Always provide fresh water during training sessions.

Treats vs Other Reward Types

Training treats are the most common positive reinforcement, but not the only option. The most effective trainers vary their reinforcement: treats for fast-rep work, brief play (tug, fetch) for high-energy dogs, verbal praise and physical affection for relationship-driven dogs, and access to environmental rewards (sniffing, exploring) for breeds with strong drives.

Treats remain the most reliable starting reinforcer because every dog is food-motivated to some degree, and the timing precision is much better than play. As training matures, mixing reward types creates more reliable behaviour.

Common Training Treat Mistakes

Too big. If your dog spends more than 2-3 seconds eating each treat, the format is wrong for fast-rep training.
Too rich. High-fat, low-protein treats cause weight gain and digestive issues over time. Single-protein, lean options work better for daily use.
Same treat every time. Dogs habituate. Rotate at least 2-3 treat types weekly to keep training engagement high.
Treats during meals. Don't treat just before or during meals — the dog isn't hungry. Train when your dog is hungry but not starving.
No reduction in regular food. If you're using lots of treats, reduce regular meal portions. Training intensity often shifts daily caloric requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best training treats for puppies?

Soft, small, low-fat training treats are best for puppies. Chicken or kangaroo micro bones are ideal — they're easy to chew, gentle on developing teeth, and low enough in fat that puppies can have many during a class without digestive issues. Avoid hard chews until adult teeth are fully through (around 6-7 months).

How many treats can I give my dog during training?

Treats should stay under 10% of your dog's daily calories. For a medium-sized adult dog, this typically means 30-50 small training treats per training day. If you train more intensively, reduce regular meals proportionally to balance calories.

Are kangaroo treats good for all dogs?

Kangaroo is one of the most universally tolerated training treat proteins. It is naturally lean (under 6% fat), hypoallergenic for most dogs, and a true novel protein for almost all Australian dogs. It suits puppies, adults, seniors, and dogs with sensitivities to common proteins like beef or chicken.

What's the difference between training treats and regular dog treats?

Training treats are smaller (typically 5-8mm), softer, lower in fat, and designed to be eaten in 1-2 seconds without interrupting the training rhythm. Regular dog treats can be larger, longer-lasting (like dental chews or jerky strips), and serve different purposes such as oral health or extended chewing.

Can I use human food as training treats?

In moderation, some human foods work: small pieces of plain cooked chicken breast, plain pumpkin, carrot, or apple (no seeds). Avoid grapes, raisins, chocolate, onion, garlic, and excessive salt. Dedicated training treats are usually more practical because they're sized for training, shelf-stable, and pre-portioned.

What treats do professional dog trainers use in Australia?

Most professional Australian dog trainers use soft single-protein micro bones (kangaroo, chicken, or beef), often combined with vegetable-based options like Veggie Tubes for variety. Pro trainers also rotate treat types to maintain engagement and keep at least one "high value" option in reserve for distraction or recall practice. Browse soft training treats.

Methodology

Recommendations in this guide are based on Huds and Toke's experience supplying professional Australian dog trainers since 2007, plus 12 months of aggregated the past 12 months of sales data across our 350+ product catalogue. Best-seller rankings (kangaroo as #1 protein, vegetarian options in top 5) reflect verified unit sales across our direct-to-consumer and trade channels.

If you'd like to cite this data in your own reporting, attribution to Huds and Toke (hudsandtoke.com.au) is appreciated. Get in touch via the contact page.

About Huds and Toke. Founded on the Sunshine Coast in 2007, Huds and Toke is one of Australia's longest-running independent pet treat brands. We slow-dehydrate single-protein meaty training treats, formulate vegetable-based and functional alternatives, and supply professional dog trainers, vet clinics, and breeders across Australia, and are proud long-term supporters of the USC Koala Detection Dogs program at the University of the Sunshine Coast. Read more on the Huds and Toke Wikipedia page or visit our contact page.

Australian Pet Treat Trends 2026: 5 Shifts Reshaping the Aussie Market

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 09:56:58 +0000

Updated April 2026. Industry observations from a Sunshine Coast pet treat manufacturer with nearly two decades of supplying Australian pet owners, vet clinics, breeders, and trainers.

Key Trends (TL;DR)

Single-protein, named-source treats have moved from niche to mainstream. Aussie owners increasingly want to know exactly what's in their pet's treats.
Plant-based and insect-protein options are crossing into mainstream alongside traditional meat treats.
Functional and condition-aware treats are the fastest-growing segment, particularly for senior pets and pets with metabolic conditions.
Australian-made matters more than ever to the average buyer, with shorter supply chains and known welfare standards driving choice.
Hand-decorated and themed celebration treats remain a strong category, supported by social-media-driven photo culture.

Australian pet ownership keeps deepening. Owners now budget for their pets the way they budget for family members, and the way they shop for treats has shifted accordingly. Generic supermarket-brand options that dominated a decade ago are giving ground to single-source, transparently labelled, condition-aware alternatives.

This piece is what we observe day-to-day, working with pet owners, breeders, vet clinics, and trainers across the country. It's not a market research report — it's a manufacturer's view of where Australian pet treat buying is heading. Browse the dog range, horse range, cat range, or small pet range if you'd like to see the products that sit behind the trends below.

Five Shifts Reshaping the Australian Pet Treat Market

1. Single-Protein, Named-Source Treats Are the New Default

A decade ago, "treats" usually meant a multi-ingredient soft biscuit with a generic flavour profile. In 2026, the average Aussie buyer expects a clear, single-source named protein on the front of the pack. Kangaroo, lamb, chicken, beef, fish, goat, venison, and duck all have established demand as standalone categories — not as ingredients in a mixed product. Browse single-protein kangaroo treats as one example of the format that's now expected.

2. Plant Protein Is No Longer Niche

Vegetable-based and insect-protein treats have crossed into mainstream demand. They appeal to owners managing weight, owners whose pets have sensitivities to common animal proteins, and owners who simply want more variety in their dog's daily rewards. Insect protein in particular has shifted from "novelty" to "credible mainstream alternative" because of its hypoallergenic profile and significantly lower environmental footprint than traditional meat. Browse plant and insect protein options.

3. Functional and Condition-Aware Treats Are the Fastest-Growing Segment

Pet owners increasingly want their treats to do more than reward. Functional formats — turmeric for inflammation, green-lipped mussel for joint support, sugar-free for metabolic conditions, dental shapes for plaque control — are no longer specialty add-ons. They're mainstream choices. Owners of senior pets, in particular, view treats as part of an overall wellness strategy rather than indulgence. Sugar-free horse treats and dental chews are two of the clearest examples of this shift.

4. Australian-Made Has Become a Decision Driver

Country-of-origin used to be a tiebreaker. In 2026, it's frequently the deciding factor. Australian buyers reference shorter supply chains, known animal welfare standards, fresher product, and traceability of ingredients as the reasons. Treats made overseas with vague ingredient labelling face a meaningful disadvantage in mid-to-premium segments, regardless of price.

5. Hand-Decorated and Themed Treats Are Holding Strong

Despite the rise of functional and minimalist formats, hand-decorated themed treats — birthday cakes, holiday cookies, novelty doughnuts, themed gift boxes — continue to drive significant interest. The strong link to social-media-driven pet content keeps demand resilient year after year. Aussie owners want occasion-worthy treats for birthdays, gotcha days, and seasonal celebrations, and the category shows no signs of slowing. Browse the bakery range.

What These Shifts Mean for Australian Pet Owners

The practical takeaway for buyers is that you have far more, and far better, options than you did even five years ago. If you have a dog with sensitivities, there's a credible single-protein or insect-protein option for you. If your dog or horse has a metabolic condition, sugar-free or condition-aware treats are no longer obscure. If you want hand-decorated celebration treats made in Australia from premium ingredients, multiple producers now compete for the segment.

For owners new to the category, the rough hierarchy of priorities most experienced buyers now use is:

Country of origin. Aussie-made, where possible.
Named primary protein (or named primary ingredient for plant-based options).
Format match to pet life stage and condition. Soft for puppies and seniors, durable chews for confident chewers, functional for managed conditions.
No artificial colours, preservatives, or fillers.
Brand transparency and longevity. Long-running Australian producers tend to have better consistency than short-lived white-label brands.

What These Shifts Mean for the Australian Pet Industry

From a manufacturer's perspective, the trends point in one consistent direction: ingredient transparency and condition-aware formulation are no longer differentiators — they're the entry-level expectation. Brands that don't meet these standards face shrinking shelf space and shrinking online conversion. Producers that combine transparency, functional benefits, and Australian-made integrity have meaningful tailwinds.

The Pet Food Industry Association of Australia (PFIAA) tracks broader industry metrics and product safety standards, and their published guidance increasingly reflects these same shifts toward transparency and welfare-led production.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the biggest changes in Australian pet treats in 2026?

The biggest shifts are toward single-protein named-source treats, growing acceptance of plant-based and insect-protein options, fast growth in functional and condition-aware treats (sugar-free, joint support, dental), and Australian-made becoming a major buying decision factor. Hand-decorated themed treats also remain a strong, resilient category supported by social-media culture.

Are vegetarian dog treats becoming popular in Australia?

Yes. Plant-based and vegetable-protein treats have moved from niche to mainstream choices for many Aussie dog owners. They appeal particularly to owners of dogs on weight management, dogs with sensitivities to common animal proteins, and owners who want more variety in their dog's daily rewards.

Why is kangaroo such a popular protein for Australian dog treats?

Kangaroo is naturally lean (under 6% fat), naturally hypoallergenic for most dogs, and a true novel protein for almost all Australian dogs. It's also Australian-sourced, which aligns with the broader trend toward known-origin ingredients. The combination makes it especially well-suited to training treats, weight-managed dogs, and dogs with sensitivities to common proteins.

Are sugar-free horse treats really safer than traditional sweet treats?

For horses with metabolic conditions like equine Cushing's (PPID), insulin resistance, or a history of laminitis, sugar-free horse treats are recommended by veterinarians and equine nutritionists. Sugar-free formulations replace molasses with vegetable-based flavours like beetroot, carrot, and apple. Always check with your vet about appropriate treat quantities for horses with metabolic conditions.

What should I look for on a quality Australian pet treat label?

Look for: country of manufacture clearly stated as Australian, named primary protein or ingredient (chicken, kangaroo, lamb, etc., not "meat meal"), no artificial colours, no artificial preservatives, minimal fillers, and a clear best-before date. Long-established Australian producers tend to have more consistent quality than short-lived white-label brands.

Where can I buy Australian-made pet treats?

Australian-made pet treats are available directly from manufacturers (often online), through independent pet retailers, vet clinics, and a growing number of supermarket pet sections. Buying directly from a long-established Australian manufacturer typically gets you the freshest product and the clearest ingredient transparency. Browse the full dog range, horse range, cat range, or small pet range.

About These Observations

This piece reflects observations from Huds and Toke's day-to-day work with Australian pet owners, vet clinics, breeders, and trainers. It is not a quantitative market research report — it's a manufacturer's qualitative read on where pet treat buying is heading. We've been hand-formulating pet treats on the Sunshine Coast since 2007 and have a long view across category and consumer shifts.

If you'd like to discuss these trends or quote any of these observations in your own reporting, please get in touch via the contact page for attribution and context.

About Huds and Toke. Founded on the Sunshine Coast in 2007, Huds and Toke is one of Australia's longest-running independent pet treat brands. We hand-decorate dog cakes and cookies, slow-dehydrate single-protein meaty treats, and formulate functional horse treats from a small-batch facility in Coolum Beach, Queensland. Our treats are used by pet owners, breeders, vet clinics, and dog trainers across Australia, and we are proud long-term supporters of the USC Koala Detection Dogs program at the University of the Sunshine Coast. Read more on the Huds and Toke Wikipedia page or visit our contact page.

REMEMBERING THOSE WHO SERVED, INCLUDING THE ANIMALS.

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 14:39:07 +0000

Remembering the animals who served, and Their Sacrifice This ANZAC Day!

During World War I, an estimated 16 million animals were drawn into the machinery of war.

It’s a staggering number. Hard to picture. Harder still to truly feel.

Of those, around 8 million were horses who never made it home.

When we think of ANZAC history, many Australians immediately picture the bravery of the Australian Light Horse Brigade. And rightly so. Their courage is woven deeply into our national identity.

But they did not stand alone.

The Quiet Army Behind the Front Lines

Beyond the Light Horse, there was an entire, often forgotten, army of animals working tirelessly behind the scenes.

Horses charged into battle, pulled artillery, and carried soldiers across unforgiving terrain.

Mules and donkeys transported ammunition, food, and medical supplies where vehicles simply couldn’t go

They also helped evacuate wounded soldiers, often under fire, and recover those who had fallen

These animals didn’t choose to serve. Yet they endured the same chaos, noise, fear, and hardship as the people beside them.

The Unsung Specialists

Some animals took on roles that feel almost unbelievable today.

Dogs acted as sentries, messengers, and search-and-rescue companions.

They could locate injured soldiers, detect danger, and even deliver messages through active battle zones.

Even Pigeons became vital communication links, with over 100,000 used in WWI and 200,000 in WWII

Canaries were early warning systems in trenches, alerting soldiers to deadly gas before humans could detect it.

And then there were the mascots and companions.

Not trained for strategy or survival… but essential in another way.

They brought comfort. Familiarity. A small flicker of home in places where hope could feel very far away.

Why This Still Matters Today

ANZAC Day is about remembrance.

About honouring sacrifice.

And while we rightly pay tribute to the men and women who served, it’s worth pausing to remember the animals who stood beside them.

They were integral to the war effort.

Integral to survival.

Integral to the freedoms we enjoy today.

From Then to Now: The Role of Animals in Our Lives

Fast forward to today, and animals continue to play an extraordinary role in our lives, just in a different uniform.

They may not be as prevalent on battlefields…

However, they are still on the front lines of something just as important:

Mental health and emotional wellbeing
Companionship and connection
Routine, purpose, and joy in everyday life

For many Australians, pets are not just animals.

They are family.

They are the steady heartbeat in the background of our busiest, most stressful days.

They are the way we find our own inner peace, by spending time with them and enjoying their company.

A Moment of Reflection This ANZAC Day

This ANZAC Day, as you take a moment to reflect…

Remember those who served.

Honour those who sacrificed.

And spare a thought for the animals who stood beside them, without question, without choice, and without recognition

Then, perhaps, do something simple.

Spend some time with your Dog… Not just a walk!
- Give them some Dog Treats just because you love them.
Brush and pat your pony…… don’t just feed your horse.
- Give them some Horse Treats as you enjoy their company.
Spend a quiet moment together.
- Use Healthy Pet Treats and Horse Treats to increase those bonds, and to help find your peace with your pets.

Because the bond we share with our animals today is not new.

It’s part of a long, enduring story of loyalty, trust, and companionship.

And that story is worth remembering and which the team at Huds and Toke™ feel very strongly about.

We are proud that our culture in Australia gives us the opportunity to honour our fallen souls, both human and animals.

Thank-you for your support. We truly appreciate it and we will continue making pet treats and pet products to help you find your peace with your animals and be as good as it gets for you and your pets.

Becasue we are more than a Brand. Huds and Toke is a movement which aims to help you connect to your pets to help you find your peace and to increase the level of joy within your life.

Mindfulness Tips with Pets and Ponies.

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 14:36:55 +0000

Your Stress and Anxiety can be managed with your pets.

The modern world can feel overwhelming. News cycles move fast, global events can make us feel uncertain, and many people find themselves carrying more stress and anxiety than ever before.

Especially when global events affect our daily lives and threaten to cause unwanted axieties about things we have zero control over.

But if you share your life with a dog, horse, Cat, Rabbit or other beloved pet, you already have something incredibly powerful sitting right beside you.

Animals live in the present moment.

They don't worry about tomorrow’s headlines. They don't replay yesterday’s mistakes. They simply experience the world right now.

Spending mindful time with your pets and ponies can help bring you back to that same calm place. Even a few minutes of focused interaction can lower stress, improve mood, and help quiet a busy mind.

Below are some simple mindfulness practices you can do with your animals that benefit both of you.

Why Pets Help Reduce Stress

Research has shown that spending time with animals can:

Lower cortisol (the body's stress hormone)
Increase oxytocin (the bonding and happiness hormone)
Reduce heart rate and blood pressure
Improve mood and emotional resilience

But the real magic happens when we slow down and intentionally connect with our animals.

Mindfulness with pets isn’t about doing something complicated. It’s about giving your attention fully to the moment.

Your pets will happily guide you there.

Mindful Grooming - with Your Pets and Ponies

Grooming is one of the simplest and most calming ways to connect with your pets. This includes your pet Dogs, your pet cats, your Horses or any other pet for that matter.

Instead of rushing through the routine, slow down and focus on the experience.

Notice:

The sound of the brush moving through their coat.
The warmth of their body under your hand.
The rhythm of their breathing.
The small expressions in their ears and eyes.

Many Pet owners find that 10 minutes of quiet grooming can reset their entire mood.

You can also turn this into a bonding exercise by rewarding calm behaviour with a pet treat.

Huds and Toke horse treats, dog treats and cat treats work beautifully here because they allow you to reinforce relaxed behaviour and positive interactions during grooming.

Your pets begins to associate grooming time with calm, reward, and connection.

And you begin to associate it with peace.

Trick Training

Training your pets isn’t just good for them. It’s incredibly good for you as well.

Training sessions require:

Focus
Patience
Clear communication
Positive reinforcement

All of these are mindfulness skills.

Try a simple 5-minute trick training session using pet treats as motivation.

Each small success creates a tiny dopamine boost in your brain. You and your pet dog, Horse, Rabbit or pet cat celebrate the win together.

Using healthy pet treats as a reward, like those from Huds and Toke™, makes training easy and enjoyable without overfeeding.

Soon your pet is learning new skills, and you’re experiencing a mini mental reset.

The Quiet Sit

One of the most underrated stress-relief tools is simply sitting quietly with your pet.

No phone.
No scrolling.
No rushing.

Just you and them.

You might:

Sit in the paddock with your pony
Sit on the floor with your dog
Relax on your couch with your cat in your lap.
Lie on the floor with your rabbit or Guinea Pig resting on your chest.

Focus on your breathing and match it to the calm rhythm of your animal.

Animals are incredibly good at regulating human emotions. Their calm presence helps bring our nervous system back into balance.

It’s a simple practice, but it can feel surprisingly powerful.

Slow Walks with Your Dog or Pony

Walking your dog, or your horse, can easily become another rushed task in a busy day.

But when you turn it into a mindful walk, everything changes.

Instead of hurrying, try this:

Walk slightly slower
Notice the sounds around you
Feel the ground under your feet
Watch how your dog, or horse, explores the world

Dogs experience life through curiosity and excitement.

Horses experience their surroundings by being alert and attentive.

When we allow ourselves to join them in that curiosity, we temporarily step outside our worries.

Bringing along a few treats allows you to reward good walking behaviour and engagement with you during the walk.

It turns a routine activity into a shared mindfulness exercise.

Positive Reinforcement Builds Positive Feelings

One reason training and interaction with animals helps reduce stress is because positive reinforcement creates positive emotional feedback.

When you reward your pet:

They feel successful
You feel proud
The bond between you strengthens

Training Treats become more than food. They become communication tools.

At Huds and Toke, we see our pet treats as one of the only true platforms where the intereaction between you as the owner and the animals is truly a two-way experience.

Food is for survival and nutrition and, hence, is intrinsically one way. There are very few other ways to truly connect with your pet in away that they also interact with you!

Whether it's:

A dog learning a new trick
A horse standing calmly for the farrier
A pony relaxing during grooming

Those little reward moments create thousands of positive experiences between people and their animals.

And those moments matter.

Create a Daily Calm Ritual

Many people find anxiety improves when they build simple daily routines.

Your pets can become part of that routine.

Examples could include:

Morning
• 5 minutes of dog training before work

Afternoon
• A quiet grooming session with your horse

Evening
• A calm walk with your dog

These small rituals anchor your day and provide predictable moments of calm.

And your pets will absolutely love the consistency.

A Final Thought

When the world feels uncertain, it helps to return to what is simple and real.

The soft nose of a horse resting on your shoulder.
The wagging tail of a dog excited to see you.
The purring of your pet cat as you pat it.
The quiet rhythm of animals living peacefully in the present moment.

Your pets don’t need the world to make sense.

They only need time with you.

And sometimes, that shared moment of connection is the best stress relief either of you could ask for.

At Huds and Toke™, we’re proud to be a small part of those moments by creating pet products and pet treats that help strengthen the bond between pets and the people who love them.

We see ourselves as an integral part of your mental health and your pets wellbeing!

Because sometimes the best therapy in the world has four legs and a wagging tail.

Thank-you for your support. We will help you manage your anxiety and stress by providing amazing products for you to give to your pets so that you can relax.

All the best from the team at Huds and Toke™.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do pets reduce stress?

Pets reduce stress through physical contact (releases oxytocin), forcing slower present-moment focus, providing companionship, encouraging exercise (especially dogs), and offering unconditional acceptance. Studies consistently show pet owners have lower cortisol levels and blood pressure.

Can I do mindfulness exercises with my dog?

Yes. Easy exercises include focused petting (notice texture, warmth, breathing rhythm), walking without phone or distractions, brushing your dog with full attention, or simply observing your dog at rest. Five minutes is enough to shift mental state.

Are horses good for mental health?

Yes. Equine-assisted therapy is widely recognised for anxiety, depression, PTSD, and trauma recovery. Horses respond to your inner state, which encourages emotional regulation. Even non-therapy horse contact (grooming, ground time) provides similar calming benefits.

How long should I spend with my pet to feel calmer?

Even five minutes of focused, distraction-free pet time can shift your mental state. Studies show petting a calm animal for 10-15 minutes measurably reduces cortisol and blood pressure. Daily small doses are more effective than occasional long sessions.

Can pets help with anxiety attacks?

Trained service dogs assist with panic attacks through tactile pressure, alerting, and grounding. Even untrained pets can help during anxiety by providing presence and a focal point for attention. Always combine pet companionship with professional mental health support for serious anxiety.

8 Tips for Busy People with Pet Dogs

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 15:11:20 +0000

How to keep your dog happy, stimulated and loved — even when life is full.

Modern life runs at spreadsheet speed. Your dog runs at tail-wag speed.

And somewhere between work deadlines, school drop-offs and Pick-ups, and dinner plans, many devoted dog parents feel it creeping in:

“Am I doing enough? Am I a good Pet Parent?”

Here’s the truth. You don’t need endless hours at home to raise a happy dog. You need intention, consistency and smart strategies.

Here are some tips to help make busy life work for both you and your pets.

1. Quality Beats Quantity — Every Time

Dogs don’t measure love in hours. They measure it in moments.

Ten focused minutes of eye contact, training, play or cuddles can be more powerful than an hour of distracted scrolling beside them on the couch.

When you walk in the door:

Put your phone down.
Greet them properly.
Engage fully.

Those few minutes say, “You matter.” And dogs feel that deeply.

2. Turn Daily Walks into Mental Workouts

A walk doesn’t have to be long to be enriching. A simple, slow paced walk for only 20 minutes with lots of sniff time can be just as stimultating, and healthy, as a fast paced walk of an hour long.

"The use of enrichment can effectively mitigate stress and enhance animal well-being while under human care...." This is as per the 2024 study conducted by the University of Adelaide - The Value of Sniffing.

This shows how important sniffing can be to our dogs.

Instead of just covering distance:

Change your route occasionally.
Allow sniffing time.
- The more the better.
Pause and reward calm behaviour.
- Give them little Dog Treat rewards which are easy to eat, and healthy, when they behave in a calm way.
- This keeps that interaction up between you and your hound while on the walk and shows them that you are also present and with them in that moment.

Sniffing is like reading the daily news for dogs. Let them check the headlines. When they sniff their heart rate increases becuase of excitements in what they are learning and anticipating what is going on in their neighbourhood.

Remember, just becuase you have no idea what they are sniffing, doesn't mean that there is nothing there.... If your pup is sniffing, it is reading the local news.....

3. Create an Adventure Plan for Solo Time

If you’re heading out for work, don’t leave them with nothing but the walls.

Create a rotation of:

Puzzle toys
Snuffle balls with hidden treats
Safe chew toys
Hidden Surprises
- Hide dog treats around the house and yard for them to find.
- This gives them a heap of fun while they find something and then it gives them satisfaction because they can eat the Dog Treats.

Snuffle balls in particular are brilliant. Hiding treats inside turns snack time into a treasure hunt. It slows eating, stimulates the brain and gives your dog something purposeful to focus on.

A bored dog looks for trouble.
A mentally stimulated dog looks for the next clue.

4. Keep Dog Treats on Hand

This is where strategy meets sanity.

Long lasting Dog Treats:

Provide extended engagement.
- Keeps them from getting bored throughout the day
- Distracts them from the fact that you are not at home with them.
Help satisfy natural chewing instincts.
- Great for gum and teeth health.
Offer calm focus time.
Reduce destructive behaviour.
- A bored dog finds trouble...
  - Such as digging holes, chewing on furniture, needless barking etc...

The other benefit of having a great range of Dog Treats close by is that we all understand that our busy lives don't stop at work.....

We can also get busy at home!

Having quality, Australian-made Dog treats available means you can quickly give your dog something rewarding while you:

Take a work call
Cook dinner
Jump on Zoom
Finish emails

It’s not about “bribing” your dog. It’s about meeting their needs in practical ways that fit your lifestyle.

A well-timed dog chew can turn restless energy into contented calm.

Remember, dogs love eating and chewing around their family because they are pack animals. If they have something to chew on while you are busy cooking dinner for the family, they are going to be feeling loved becasue they are around you and have something to do!

Further to this, a long lasting Dog Treat such as a Cow Hoof (try Huds and Toke Twinkle Toes Cow Hooves), or some Roo Jerky, A bone, or the like, will keep them occupied for ages throughout the day.

It IS NOT recommended to give them something which has been manufactured, and imported, from another country. No Rawhide Products are made in Australia.

Whilst it is long lasting, Rawhide products may have negative effects on your dogs health.

You want peace of mind, whilst you are busy, and be sure that you are coming home to a healthy happy puppy!

5. Build Micro-Rituals Into Your Day

Dogs thrive on predictability.

Even busy schedules can include:

Little moments which are consistent throughout the week can be easily planned with the minimum of fuss.

Consider the following just to name a few.

A consistent morning cuddle.
3 minute pat and comb routine when you come home through the door.
5-minute training game before dinner.
Give them an Australian made Dog Treat on your way out the door in the morning.
- After you have made them sit first of course....
A weekend longer adventure.

These small rituals anchor your dog emotionally. They know what’s coming. They feel secure.

Consistency reduces anxiety far more than random bursts of attention.

6. Have the evening Dinner Prepared

For busy people, having the dinner time meal prepared for your dog is a real help for both you and for your pooch.

Be sure to keep the meal area consistent and clean as well.

Consider these points to help:

Keep Dry Dog Food in a containter next to the feeding area.
Ensure a clean dog bowl.
- Consider having a couple of extra ones..... while one is in the dishwasher, the other is ready for food.
Have a mat placed down under the food bowl.
- this means the area is easily kept clean. You only have to clean the mat... NOT the floor if they spill something.
Have fresh, or cooked, meals already prepared and portioned out.
- Consider a separate container for each day of the week.
- Store in the freezer or the fridge so it is easy to get and serve.
Consider a dust pan and brush, and even a hand held vacum cleaner close to the eating area.
- This will make keeping clean super easy and manageable.
Keep a water bowl close to the feed area at all times.
- Keep an absorbent towel under it in case it spills.... you only have to put the towel in the wash rather than clean up sprawling, advancing pools of water.

7. Let Go of the Guilt

Here’s something important.

Working hard does not mean you love your dog less.

In fact, your work often provides:

Food
Vet care
Quality nutrition
Comfortable living conditions
Enrichment tools and treats
Safe housing

So working is important for those of us with bills..... And dogs need a lot of things liek those items above...

Guilt drains energy.

Intentional care builds connection...... You are doing your best!

If you:

Provide stimulation
Offer affection
Keep routines
Use enrichment tools wisely

You are doing well.

Your Pets LOVE YOU!

8. Your Dog Doesn't Need Perfection!

Don't strive for perfection.... The modern pet lives in a world where their humans are busy... It's that simple.

Pets are forgiving and wonderful.....

They need:

Moments of attention
A stimulating environment
Safe, healthy pet treats and chews
A predictable routine
Your presence when you can give it

Busy lives and happy dogs can absolutely coexist.

With thoughtful enrichment, long lasting treats, snuffle toys and small daily rituals, you can raise a content, mentally fulfilled dog — without sacrificing your career or carrying constant guilt.

And when you walk through the door at the end of the day and that tail starts helicoptering… ?

That’s your proof.

You’re doing just fine.

We hope this helps. Enjoy your pets and enjoy your family with your pets, and all the best from the team at Huds and Toke ™.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much daily attention does a dog really need?

Most dogs do well with 30-60 minutes of focused interaction daily plus 1-2 walks. Quality matters more than quantity. Ten minutes of training, one walk, and one play session distributed across the day works for most dogs even in busy households.

Are puzzle toys a good substitute for direct play?

Puzzle toys are excellent enrichment but shouldn't be a complete substitute for human interaction. They reduce boredom and engage the dog mentally during your busy times. Combine puzzles with daily one-on-one time for best results.

Is it bad to leave my dog home alone all day?

Most healthy adult dogs cope with 6-8 hours alone if given adequate exercise before and after. Puppies under 6 months and senior dogs need more frequent breaks. For long workdays, consider a midday dog walker or doggy daycare 1-2 days a week.

Can I work from home with a busy dog?

Yes, with structure. Establish "work mode" cues your dog recognises (particular bed, signal). Schedule short breaks for movement and brief play. Avoid constant attention during work hours so your dog learns to settle independently.

What dog breeds are best for busy people?

Lower-energy adult dogs adapt best to busy lifestyles: adult Greyhounds (surprisingly low-maintenance), French Bulldogs, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, and adult mixed breeds adopted from rescue. Avoid high-energy working breeds (Border Collies, Australian Shepherds) unless you can commit serious daily exercise.

Tips to give your Pony Oral Medications

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 17:36:49 +0000

Tips for Giving Your Horse Oral Medications and Supplements (Without the Drama)

If you’ve ever approached your horse with a syringe hidden behind your back like a suspicious magician, or tried to sneak some supplements into their food without them noticing, you’re not alone.

For some horses, oral medications and supplements are no big deal. For others, it becomes a head-tossing, lip-clamping, backward-dancing performance worthy of centre stage. The good news? With the right approach, a little patience, and some clever strategies, you can make the process calmer and safer for both of you.

Here are practical, and simple tips to help.

Stay Calm First

Horses are emotional mirrors. If you’re tense, rushed, or bracing for battle, they’ll feel it immediately.

Before you begin:

Take a breath.
Stand confidently at the side of their head.
Keep your movements smooth and purposeful.
Be gentle with hugs and pats...
- Reward them for being calm with a Horse Treat.

A calm handler often creates a calm horse. It sounds simple, but it’s powerful.

Use the Right Technique for Paste Medications

When administering paste via syringe:

Stand beside your horse’s head, not directly in front.
Gently insert the syringe into the corner of the mouth, in the gap between the front and back teeth.
Aim toward the back of the tongue.
Depress the plunger steadily.
Hold the horse’s head slightly raised for a few seconds to encourage swallowing.
- Rubbing the throat gently can also help stimulate a swallow reflex.
Reward the action with some Horse Training Treats to let your pony know that they have done a great job as well as to train them that the next time they have something to look forward to.

If your horse has had negative experiences before, practise with an empty syringe and reward calm behaviour first. Training sessions without medication can build trust.

Mix Powders Smartly

Powdered supplements can be tricky if your horse is suspicious of new smells or textures.

Helpful tricks include:

Mixing with dampened feed to prevent powder separation.
- Adding a small amount of apple sauce or soaked chaff to improve palatability.
Introducing new supplements gradually so the flavour change isn’t overwhelming.

Consistency is key. Horses thrive on routine, and a steady daily rhythm helps them accept supplements more willingly.

Pair Medicine with Positive Reinforcement

This is where things get interesting.

If every medication session feels stressful, your horse will start anticipating it negatively. Instead, create a positive association immediately after dosing.

A calm voice. A scratch in their favourite itchy spot. And yes… a reward.
Using a small, tasty horse treat after successful medication can change the emotional tone of the entire experience. It tells your horse, “You did well.”

Huds and Toke horse treats are designed to be:

Easy to chew
Consistent in size
Highly palatable
Made with quality ingredients in Australia

Options like Apple Horse Bix or Carrot Cookies, or Pony Puddings, to name a few, make a simple and safe reward following medication.

For horses who become anxious during handling, a calming support treat given prior to routine procedures, like worming or supplement time, can help take the edge off.

Calmo's are best for this. They work wonders in calming a nervous horse without any sedation or sedative ingredients.

When your horse starts thinking, “Medicine first… Horse Treat next,” the resistance often softens.

Break It Into Steps for Nervous Horses

For horses that are particularly sensitive:

Practise handling the mouth without medication.
Introduce the syringe without using it.
Reward calm acceptance.
- Best done using Healthy Horse Treats
Gradually add the real medication once the behaviour is steady.

This step-by-step approach is especially helpful for young pony club mounts who are still learning that humans are trustworthy.

Training doesn’t just apply under saddle. It applies at the feed bin too.

Safety Always Comes First

Never:

Stand directly in front of your horse.
Put fingers between the teeth.
Force medication aggressively.

If your horse reacts strongly, seek advice from your vet or experienced equine professional. Some medications can be compounded differently to improve taste or delivery.

There is no shame in asking for help. A safe approach protects both you and your horse and a calm horse is a safer horse. Huds and Toke Calmo's are a great Horse Treat product which encourages your pony to remain calm.

Make It Part of a Bigger Bond

Medication time doesn’t have to be a battle. It can become just another small moment in your daily care routine.

Horses at pony club, dressage training, Equestrian Clubs, eventing, or weekend trail rides all rely on us to keep them healthy.

Supplements for hooves, joints, gut health, or calming support are often part of responsible ownership.

When you combine good technique, patience, and positive reinforcement, you’re not just giving medicine. You’re building trust.

And sometimes, that trust is sealed with a carrot-scented crunch from a horse treat they genuinely love.

Because at the end of the day, our horses aren’t just athletes.

They’re family.... At least that is what we, at Huds and Toke, believe!

Enjoy your ponies and your pets from all of us at Huds and Toke.

5 Ways to Keep Horses Calm During a Farrier Visit

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 02:16:10 +0000

Healthy hooves make happy horses and therefore, safer humans!

For some horses, the farrier’s arrival is no big deal. They stand quietly, lift their legs politely, and occasionally sneak in an affectionate nuzzle. For others, it can feel like the world is ending. Tight jaws. Pinned ears. Stiff bodies. A lot of nervous energy packed into four hooves.

Most horses sit somewhere in the middle.

They cope, but they fidget, shift their weight, or try to pull their legs away. And that leaves many horse owners, especially those in pony clubs, dressage and recreational riding, asking the same question:

How can I help my horse feel calmer and more comfortable for the farrier?

Regular trimming and shoeing are essential for soundness, balance, and long-term hoof health. Research consistently shows that well-maintained hooves support better movement and comfort. But just as importantly, farrier visits don’t have to be stressful.

At Huds and Toke ™ we believe that lower stress for your pony, and safer conditions for the farrier, will provide a much better experience for everyone involved.

That's one of the reasons we are so passionate about creating Horse Training Treats and Horse Calming products.

Here are five practical, horse-friendly ways to help your horse stay calm during farrier visits.

1. Teach Calmness Before the Farrier Arrives

A calm farrier visit starts long before the ute pulls up the driveway.

Horses don’t magically know how to stand quietly while tied, groomed, or have their feet handled. That calmness comes from consistent training, routine, and predictability.

Spend time teaching your horse that standing quietly is safe and rewarding.

Practice tying up for short periods. Ask for feet regularly, not just on farrier day. Reward relaxed behaviours like:

A lowered head
Soft eyes
Deep, slow exhales

Gentle scratches on the withers, quiet praise, or calm strokes along the neck can be incredibly reassuring.

For some horses, food rewards and Horse Treats can help reinforce these calm, good behaviors.

This is where purpose-designed Calming Horse Treats, and other Horse Training Treats, can make a difference.

How Calmo’s Can Help - Calming Horse Treats

Huds and Toke ™ Calmo’s Horse Calming Cookies are designed to support calm behaviour without overstimulation.

They are NOT a sedative medication. Rather an all natural treat using ingredients found in nature which calms a horse rather than sedate it.

Given shortly before a farrier visit, they help create a more settled mindset, making it easier for your horse to process what’s happening and respond calmly.

Think of them as part of your calm-training toolkit, not a shortcut, but a supportive extra layer.

2. Build Confidence, Trust and Predictability

Standing on three legs goes against every instinct a horse has. They know they’re vulnerable. That’s why trust matters so much.

When your horse gives you a foot, they’re trusting that you will:

Hold it safely
Put it down when they need
Nothing scary is about to happen

You can build this trust by routinely handling their legs with confidence and clarity. Ask clearly. Hold calmly. Release deliberately.

The key is consistency. When horses understand there’s a clear beginning and a clear end, they relax. Uncertainty creates tension. Predictability creates calm.

3. Be Aware of What You’re Reinforcing

Horses learn incredibly quickly, sometimes faster than we realise.

If a horse moves their hoof and we immediately let go, they may learn that moving equals release. Over time, that behaviour gets stronger.

The same applies to rewards. Horse Treats, pats or praise, given at the wrong moment, can accidentally reinforce fidgeting instead of stillness.

The goal is to reward the calm moment, even if it’s brief. Timing matters.

Using calming horse treats like Calmo’s before the session, rather than during moments of movement, can help lower overall arousal so you’re not fighting uphill in the first place.

Then, using normal Horse Treats during the session, to reward calm moments, will reinforce the behaviour..... Just be sure that you are rewarding the correct behaviour!

4. Set Up the Environment for Success

The setting of the farrier visit plays a bigger role than many owners realise.

Simple changes can dramatically reduce stress:

Choose a quiet, familiar area
Avoid busy times like feeding or yard traffic
Provide shade and shelter from wind or rain
Manage flies with masks, sheets or repellents

If your horse struggles with separation anxiety, bring a calm companion.

Farrier day is not the day to test independence training!

Some owners also find gentle background music or calm ambient sounds helpful. However, this is only helpful if you have practised with back-ground music or noise diligently in the past.... Otherwise it will simply be another distraction for them.

5. Choose a Farrier Who Understands Horses, Not Just Hooves

A skilled, patient farrier with good horse sense can make all the difference.

Watch how your farrier approaches horses. Look for:

Quiet body language
Clear communication
Willingness to pause if the horse is overwhelmed

If a farrier consistently leaves your horse more anxious than before, it’s okay to reassess. Your horse’s emotional wellbeing matters just as much as their hooves.

A Final Thought From Huds and Toke ™

Our horses aren’t just animals. They’re partners, teammates, and trusted friends. Whether you’re juggling pony club rallies, dressage training, or weekend trail rides, keeping your horse calm and confident is part of caring for them properly.

Supporting calm behaviour with good training, thoughtful handling, and gentle tools like Huds and Toke Calmo’s Horse Calming Cookies can turn farrier visits from a stressful event into just another manageable part of your horse’s routine.

Calmer horses = safer farrier visits = happier humans.

And that’s something worth standing still for.

As always, thank-you for your support. We hope this helps.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions and please tag us on our socials with photos of your adventures with your pets and ponies.

@Hudsandtoke

#Hudsandtokefamily