We Found A Treat That Actually Made A Dent In Our Dogs' Horrible Breath

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Let’s face it: Your dog’s breath is bad. (It’s OK, most dogs’ breath isn’t exactly delicious.)

It hits your nose every time he licks your mouth or pants in your face, but trying to get him to (willingly) let you put a toothbrush in his mouth is such a struggle.

Luckily, Greenies Dog Dental Treats are supposed to help clean your pup’s teeth and freshen his breath while he eats them.

So, we decided to test them out on our own Dodo dogs to see if they actually made a difference.

The verdict? Here’s why they earned our Paw of Approval.

Greenies Dog Dental Treats may look like they’re going to be hard and crunchy (like other dental treats), but these actually have a chewy texture that’s designed to fight plaque and tartar, giving your pup cleaner teeth and fresher breath.

While they shouldn’t be used as a replacement for routine dental checkups or regular brushing, Greenies dental treats are another tool that can help keep your dog’s dental issues under control.

According to the company, Greenies are made with highly soluble ingredients, so they should be super easy on your dog’s digestive system.

They offer different treats for pups of different sizes:

We picked four office dogs — one teenie, one petite, one regular and one large — to give Greenies Dog Dental Treats a shot.

Like a lot of pups, our judges’ breath can stink pretty bad, which is why we were so impressed to discover that Greenies dental treats for dogs made it actually bearable.

“After a week I noticed that the strong breath smell was less intense. Before, I could smell Tina’s breath even if she was breathing 4 feet away from me, and now it’s less intense and I can only notice it when she's next to me.” — Andrea D.

“Nico’s breath definitely seems better after he eats his treats. I think it's a temporary improvement, almost like a mint. But his breath is pretty unbearable … smells like fish. And after I give him a Greenie, I feel like that fishy smell goes away.” — Vittoriana C.

“We did notice Cooper’s breath became less musty after continuous use of the Greenies, especially immediately after he chewed them.” — Melanie D.

All four of our judges were so impressed with the way Greenies Dog Dental Treats taste that they couldn’t stop themselves from begging.

“Pretzel absolutely loves them and starts licking his lips as soon as he sees the bag. I believe he knows them by name now, as if I ask if he wants a Greenie, he is more excited than if I simply say 'treat.’” —  Rachel G.

“Nico is obsessed with it. He looks forward to it every night, and even knows when it's time to get a treat. I swear he can read time. If we don't give him one by 9 p.m., he starts getting very vocal and pushing us with his paw. It's hilarious.” — Vittoriana C.

“Tina loved this product right away. If I forget, she literally comes to me and takes me to where I keep them to ask for one.” — Andrea D.

“With his Greenies, Cooper immediately grabbed it and began chewing it up. He finished it in record time for him!” — Melanie D.

The chewy texture of Greenies dental treats for dogs made it so we didn’t have to worry about our pups hurting their teeth when they bit down.

“The treats are about the size of my thumb and they feel like they will be easy for my dog to chew, which is a great concern for me since he lost his chewing molars.” — Vittoriana C.

“I like them for Pretzel because he's cracked a tooth in the past and can no longer have the really hard bones he likes, so they are something chewy that he can't wolf down in one bite.” — Rachel G.

The chewiness also helped keep our dogs busy.

“I actually thought they were going to be smaller, but it actually was better for Tina since she got entertained for a bit longer chewing the treat.” — Andrea D.

And they were easy on our pups’ systems, too.

“Tina also didn't have any issues digesting them.” — Andrea D.

Our pet parents were also super thankful that Greenies dental treats for dogs don’t completely stink, unlike a lot of dog treats on the market.

“Comparing it to other dog treats, it's definitely a more pleasant smell than most.” — Vittoriana C.

“It's good that they don't leave their smell on my hand like other treats do when I give them to her.” — Andrea D.

“I like that they don't leave any strange smell behind on fingers or surfaces.” — Rachel G.

“They smelled pretty good, too, but I did not personally try them, haha.” — Melanie D.

And staining wasn’t an issue, either.

“They didn't stain my carpets or their dog beds, an issue we've always had with chews.” — Melanie D.

We also love it when we don’t have to worry about treats going stale, so the packaging was a hit as well.

“The packaging has a seal on it, so it keeps the treats fresh so that they don't go stale.” — Vittoriana C.

“The packaging is sturdy and resealable, which is always good.” — Rachel G.

While one of our pet parents thought the Greenies Dog Dental Treats were a tiny bit expensive, all of our pet parents said they’d buy them again.

While they worked wonders for almost all of our judges’ breath, one pet parent felt the Greenies didn’t do much for plaque and tartar buildup.

“It didn't exactly clean Tina’s teeth, but it sure improved her breath as it promised.” — Andrea D.

Still, all four of our human testers plan to continue using Greenies dental treats for dogs, and said they’d recommend them to other pet parents.

When dog breath is bad, it’s really bad. That’s why it’s such a relief that Greenies Dog Dental Treats actually fix that problem.

Not to mention, our dogs are completely obsessed — which is much more than we can say about their toothbrushes — so it’s never a fight to get our pups to eat them.

They’re also nice and chewy, so we don’t have to worry about Greenies being too tough on their teeth. (Plus, all that chewing keeps our dogs entertained.)

Bringing your pup in for regular dental cleanings is still super important, but these are a huge help for that nasty breath between visits.

The Dodo may receive complimentary samples to test in our Paw of Approval program, but all our opinions are 100 percent our own. We only publish endorsements of products we (and our dogs and cats) absolutely love! You can find out more about our testing process here.

If you have a product you love that you want to share with other pet parents, send a tip to dodopaw@thedodo.com.