If you’re a beagle owner, you’re probably familiar with the numerous tricks and treats used to keep your pooch content. One of the most popular options is jerky: dried meat that’s been seasoned and sealed in a bag or other package.
With so many different varieties available, it can be confusing figuring out whether or not beagles can actually eat it.
In general, beagles can eat beef jerky, particularly if it doesn’t have any added flavors or cures that could upset their stomachs. It can be tricky when deciding to give jerky made for humans to your beagle, because there are a lot of preservatives and artificial flavorings that could even be toxic for dogs.
As a good rule of thumb, I’d recommend sticking to jerky treats that are marketed for dogs specifically. Additionally, I’d aim for dog jerky treats that aren’t flavored, and are easy to chew.
In this article, I’ll explain some of the reasons behind this, and give some good pet-friendly jerky recommendations.
Benefits of Beef Jerky for Beagles
There are a lot of good reasons why you’ll want to consider giving your beagle some beef jerky every now and then. Some of the main benefits include:
-
Beef Jerky Is A Very Dense Source Of Protein
As a snack, beef jerky has a considerable amount of dense protein. This is a great benefit for beagles because it can help them maintain a lean and healthy body.
The average beagle needs about 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight, and a single piece of beef jerky tends to have around 7 grams of protein. Combined with their regular kibble, this makes for an excellent way to hit that macro target.
-
Beef Jerky Has Balanced Nutrition
Beef jerky is also a good source of B vitamins and selenium. These two ingredients are important for your beagle’s health, and make for a solid snack.
Additionally, it has a good macronutrient breakdown, being very low in carbohydrates and fat, while still being high in protein. This is a great way to keep your beagle lean, and help stabilize their blood sugar levels.
A lot of treats can be high in carbohydrates and sugar, which can be bad for blood glucose levels, and can cause spikes in blood sugar related to hypoglycemia. Low-carb treats are a safe and effective way to keep your beagle satisfied without adding too much sugar into their diet.
-
Beef Jerky Can Be A Good Weight Loss Snack Alternative For Dogs
If your beagle is a little chunky, you could try swapping their usual treats for a lower calorie, higher protein option such as beef jerky. This can come in handy if you’re working with your vet to help your pup reach or maintain a healthy weight.
A serving of beef jerky only has about 80 calories in it, making it an excellent treat. Because jerky is so satiating and protein-dense, it will also keep your beagle feeling full for longer, preventing them from potentially overeating throughout the day.
-
Beef Jerky Can Help With Aggressive Chewers
Beef jerky tends to be pretty soft, which makes it a safe option for aggressive chewers.
Sure, depending on the type of jerky they may not be able to eat it all in one sitting, but you can extend the life of your jerky by wrapping it up in plastic wrap or storing it in an airtight container.
Beagles, especially when teething as puppies, can be very aggressive chewers. Jerky can be a great alternative to chew toys and can keep them busy for hours.
Like any chewing behavior with food, you’ll want to keep a close eye on them to make sure they don’t eat too much, too quickly, or choke.
-
Beef Jerky Is An Excellent Source Of Zinc
Beef jerky is also a good source of zinc, which is a mineral that’s very important for your beagle’s health. A serving of beef jerky contains roughly 21% of your dog’s daily requirement for zinc intake.
Zinc helps with their immune system and reproductive hormones, and is particularly key in maintaining thyroid health. This can contribute to your dog maintaining a healthy weight, and can help with hormone regulation as they grow from a puppy into an adult.
Zinc also has the ability to prevent zinc deficiency, which can be very common in dogs. This deficiency is characterized by weight gain, fatigue, and slowed cognition.
Risks of Beef Jerky for Beagles
Unfortunately there are a few risks associated with beagles eating beef jerky, and you’ll want to be especially mindful of them whenever you decide to use it as a treat. Some of the most important dangers to look out for include:
-
Preservatives Can Upset Your Beagle’s Stomach
This is one of the most common risks associated with giving jerky to your beagle. While some preservatives are safe for dogs, others may cause upset stomachs, diarrhea, vomiting, or other negative effects.
This is why it’s generally best to stick with beef jerky products that are either completely natural and organic, or are specifically fortified for dogs.
A lot of brands marketed for humans have preservatives that help them keep a longer shelf life, and won’t necessarily have any warnings for dogs on the packaging.
-
Salt Can Be Hard For Beagles To Digest
Beef jerky can also be high in sodium, which can be tough on your beagle’s stomach if they’re not used to it. A lot of dogs have a very low tolerance for salt, because their kidneys can’t synthesize it as effectively as human kidneys can.
This means that some canines may experience things like bloating, vomiting or diarrhea after eating too much salt.
Even if jerky is natural or organic, salt is a natural preservative that many people don’t take into consideration.
When evaluating jerky for your beagle, you’ll want to see how high the sodium content is, and how high other ingredients like MSG are in order to determine if it’s safe for your dog.
-
Beef Jerky Can Be A Choking Hazard Without Supervision
As previously mentioned, jerky can be risky when left alone with your beagle. They could potentially eat too much too quickly, or choke because they’re gnawing on it so aggressively.
If you’re planning on giving your dog some jerky, make sure you have them under supervision at all times. I’d recommend giving them jerky in small, bite-sized chunks that are easy to swallow.
The risks of chewing on a larger strip of jerky, is that they can break off a piece that’s too big to swallow, but still small enough to get stuck in their throat.
To save you the extra stress and worry, try to make pieces as small as possible, and give them to your beagle when training as a high value treat instead.
-
Added Flavors Can Be Harmful To Dogs
Some brands try to add extra flavorings to their jerky so it tastes more like human treats. While this may be appealing for humans, it’s not good for dogs.
Some of these particularly dangerous added flavors include:
- Garlic
- Onion
- Spicy Peppers
- Xylitol
All of these above ingredients can actually be toxic for dogs when consumed in large enough quantities, and even in small quantities they can definitely cause a lot of digestive discomfort.
For this reason, it’s important to diligently review the nutrition facts on any beef jerky you consider giving to your beagle.
Best Beef Jerky Treats for Beagles
Jerky Treats Tender Strips Dog Snacks
These jerky tender strips are great for all breed sizes, and are made from healthy cuts of dried beef.
They have excellent reviews online, and my dogs personally love the rich smoky flavor. I like to tear them up into smaller pieces and usually give them as high value treats when training.
Some key highlights include:
- They are packed with over 15 kinds of vitamins
- They are an excellent source of calcium and other minerals
- They are high in omega-3 fatty acids
Rocco & Roxie Puppy Training Treats – Slow Roasted Soft Chews
The Slow Roasted Jerky Sticks from Rocco & Roxie Supply co are some of my dog’s favorite treats when it comes to beef jerky.
What I like best about them is their scent is powerful enough to make them great training treats, but they don’t leave any unwanted smells on your hands! That alone makes them one of my go-to choices for hand feeding my beagles during training.
Some key highlights include:
- Beef is slow roasted for over 10 hours to get a chewy texture that dogs love
- No wheat, corn syrup, soy, or gluten are added to these treats
- All treats come from premium grade cuts of American beef
Full Moon Beef Jerky
Full Moon’s beef jerky is an excellent and easy snack for beagles that can be used as treats, or as a hearty and chewy addition for any meal.
I enjoy this brand because they take all dog sizes in mind when it comes to health, and have a convenient set of feeding instructions by weight so that you never have to worry about overfeeding your beagles.
Some key highlights include:
- They are made from 100% USA human grade beef, so you know your dogs are getting high quality meat
- They are made with 100% beef, and no added fillers like gluten, glycerin or corn syrup
- They rely on natural sugars to help keep the treats soft and chewy, not relying on additives or preservatives
Final Thoughts
Beagles love beef jerky, and you can find a ton of different brands that are specifically designed for them.
If you’re looking for a way to treat your beagle to a little extra protein, or a high-value treat to help keep them from overeating throughout the day, beef jerky may be exactly the treat to try.
As long as you take all the necessary precautions and be extra careful with the ingredients, you should be good to start feeding your beagle this tasty snack.