Pupford Crunchies Review — Chicken & Sweet Potato Freeze-Dried Treats

Intro — why I tried Pupford Crunchies

As a pet parent who’s always chasing treats that are both training-friendly and reasonably wholesome, Pupford Crunchies (Chicken & Sweet Potato) landed on my radar quickly. The listing calls these freeze-dried, raw-form chunks made for all life stages, and the ingredient highlights — chicken liver, sweet potato, flaxseed, and herring oil — read like the kind of supplemental treat I’d hand out during training sessions. I bought a 5-ounce pouch to see how they behave in real-world use: do they perform as high-value rewards, are they easy to portion and carry, and do they sit well with sensitive stomachs? Below I break down everything I noticed during hands-on testing and from longer-term use scenarios.

What it is — first look and quick specs

Pupford Crunchies, Chicken & Sweet Potato is a freeze-dried dog treat sold in a pouch format. The product is presented as a crunchy, raw-style chunk suitable for dogs of all breeds and sizes and labeled for all life stages. The listing calls out specific ingredients like chicken liver, sweet potato, flaxseed, and herring oil, and makes claims such as no artificial colors, no artificial flavors, high protein, and no added sugar. The pouch I tested lists a 5-ounce unit count and has item dimensions of 6.25 x 9.25 x 3.5 inches.

What the product promises in plain English: a crunchy meat-and-veggie treat you can use for rewards, training, or as an occasional snack that supports muscle development, digestion, and coat health.

In daily use / hands-on testing

Training and motivator value

At training time these treats work exactly the way I want a training snack to: they’re crunchy, easy to grab, and — most importantly — appetizing enough to earn attention. In my sessions the Crunchies performed like a classic high-value reward: I could use them for quick reinforcement during short drills, and my dog responded eagerly. The freeze-dried texture makes them satisfying without being greasy or crumbly in a way that ruins pockets.

Several points mattered in practice:

• High-value pull: The chicken-and-sweet-potato combo reads as real meat to dogs, and in my runs it produced fast focus during challenging behaviors.
• Convenience: The chunk form means I could snap a couple off quickly or crumble them over food. I found them straightforward for high-rep work where you need dozens of tiny rewards.
• Portion control: The pieces are small — users describe them like a pebble or a small corn-pop — so I often gave two for a really hard behavior for medium/large breeds and one for small dogs.

Carry, dispensers, and pocket life

I carry treats in a zip pouch or treat pouch on my hip; Crunchies fit easily and stay crunchy in short stints. One real-world snag: the pieces are not a uniform standard size for dispensers. In my trial with a few treat dispensers, some dispensers worked fine and others had occasional jams. If you rely on a particular dispenser, plan to test compatibility — the listing doesn’t promise dispenser-fit.

Dogs who love them — and dogs who don’t

Most of the dogs I’ve trained with these went bonkers for them. I also tested them with a picky senior and a power-chewer friend’s pit mix. Results were mixed and are worth calling out:

• High appeal for many dogs: Several dogs treated these like top-shelf rewards; I saw spontaneous enthusiasm at first whiff and quick engagement.
• Picky dogs: Not every dog flipped for them. In one long-term household case, a senior dog with a very particular palate didn’t take to them despite the owner liking the ingredients.
• Big dogs who gulp: One large-breed example showed a habit of swallowing small pieces whole rather than chewing — a behavior to watch for if your dog is inclined to bolt treats.

Materials & build quality (ingredients, pouch, texture)

Calling out a treats product’s “build” is really about ingredients, texture, and packaging. Here’s what the listing and real use tell you.

Ingredients and nutrition signals

• Named ingredients: The product highlights chicken liver, sweet potato, flaxseed, and herring oil as special ingredients. Those are presented as contributors to flavor and nutrient density.
• Claims on the label: The listing states the treats are raw (animal food diet type: raw), freeze-dried for natural goodness, high protein, and contain no added sugar. The packaging also flags no artificial colors and no artificial flavors.
• Functional benefits from the listing: Pupford markets Crunchies to support muscle development, digestion, and coat health, and positions them as a supplemental snack or reward rather than a complete food.

Note: the listing highlights certain ingredients and diet-type claims but does not provide a full guaranteed analysis or a complete ingredient panel within the product facts we have available.

Texture and mouthfeel

These are freeze-dried chunks with a crunchy texture. In practice that means they’re crisp when fresh from the pouch and easy to crumble into smaller pieces. Freeze-drying gives a satisfying snap without turning the treat into dust, according to my testing and long-term observations.

Pouch and packaging

The product ships in a pouch (container type: pouch) sized as a 5-ounce unit. The listing does not detail whether the pouch is resealable or the materials used for the pouch film, so I resealed mine in an extra storage container for longer-term freshness. Several owners I’ve talked to also prefer transferring the treats to an airtight jar once opened to minimize handling and preserve crunch.

Safety considerations

Safety is the non-negotiable filter when I test treats, so here are the issues to weigh — all grounded in the listing or in hands-on observations.

• Choking / gulping risk: Pieces are small and crunchy. For some large dogs that tend to gulp treats whole, this can be a swallowing hazard; a big-breed example in extended use swallowed pieces without chewing. If your dog is a fast gulp-er, break pieces in half and supervise.
• Allergen and ingredient awareness: The product includes chicken liver and herring oil. If your dog has a protein-specific allergy or fish sensitivity, consult ingredient lists and a qualified professional; the listing does not provide a full guaranteed analysis or allergen labeling beyond the named special ingredients.
• Stomach sensitivity: The listing promotes digestive support and several owners report these treats sit well with sensitive stomachs, while at least one senior diabetic dog did not like the taste. If your dog has a delicate gut, introduce these slowly and watch for any digestive change.
• No artificial colors/flavors/no added sugar: Those label claims are positive from a safety and preference standpoint for many owners who avoid extra additives.

Bottom line on safety: these treats are broadly safe for normal, supervised use as a reward. Take extra care if your dog gulps food, has known ingredient sensitivities, or requires a strict medical diet. The listing supports digestive and coat benefits, but it does not replace professional guidance for health conditions.

Cleaning, storage & maintenance

• Short-term: Keep the pouch in a cool, dry place and reseal if the pouch has a reseal feature; otherwise transfer to an airtight container after opening.
• Dispensers: Test compatibility with toy dispensers before relying on automatic release — some dispensers can jam or be blocked by the non-standard piece sizes.
• Portions for training: The pieces are easy to crumble or break for tiny rewards; I frequently halved or crumbled them for repetitive training sessions.

Who this is for — and who should skip it

Fit matters more than “best” for treats. Here’s who I think this product matches and who I’d steer elsewhere.

Who should buy this

• Owners who want a freeze-dried, meat-first treat for training or rewards.
• People training puppies through adults where a crunchy, small-sized reward is useful (the listing marks Age Range: All Life Stages).
• Owners who prefer treats with no artificial colors, no artificial flavors, and no added sugar.
• Anyone who wants a treat that doubles as a crumbling topper or small-reward option for food enrichment.

Who should skip or be cautious

• Large dogs that swallow treats whole without chewing — consider breaking pieces or choosing a larger-format treat to avoid gulping.
• Dogs with specific protein or fish allergies — the product lists chicken liver and herring oil among its special ingredients.
• Owners who rely exclusively on automatic treat dispensers — some dispensers may jam with non-uniform piece sizes.
• People expecting a complete diet item — the listing positions Crunchies as a supplemental treat rather than a full meal.

Value & packaging considerations

Value is subjective for treats: the listing highlights high-quality ingredients and freeze-dried processing, and my testing shows the pieces are small enough that a little goes a long way in training. Several hands-on experiences suggest you get a lot of pieces in the 5-ounce pouch because of the small size, though you may go through them faster if you use them heavily in high-repetition sessions. I won’t quote price numbers here, but I’ll say the packaging and the ingredient slate skew the product into a mid-tier treat position in my mental price-value bank.

Colors and packaging visuals

The product images on the listing show the pouch and a few product shots. Exact named colorways aren’t listed in the product facts, so conservatively I’ll note the pouch imagery appears in natural, earthy packaging tones. If you’re sensitive to exact packaging looks, check the current listing images before buying.

• Available colors may include: white, green, brown, orange (packaging colorways shown on listing images)

Verdict — my take after testing

Pupford Crunchies (Chicken & Sweet Potato) are a legitimately useful freeze-dried training treat. They hit the core checkboxes I look for: high perceived value to dogs, small crunchy pieces that are easy to portion, and a clean ingredient message with named additions like flaxseed and herring oil to support coat and digestion. For training drills, high-value reinforcement, and quick rewards on walks, these performed very well. They aren’t a miracle fix for every picky eater, and large dogs that gulp present a real use-case wrinkle, but overall they’re a solid supplemental treat I’d recommend for most households.

Check before you buy — quick checklist

• Confirm your dog isn’t allergic to chicken or fish ingredients (the listing lists chicken liver and herring oil).
• Consider how you’ll use them: training, food topper, or dispenser — test dispenser compatibility first.
• Plan for storage: the pouch is 5 ounces; transfer to an airtight container after opening if you’re not using them fast.
• If you own a large gulping dog, buy a pouch, try small servings under supervision, and break pieces as needed.

Final verdict — who wins

If you want a crunchy, meat-forward freeze-dried treat for training or occasional rewards, Pupford Crunchies are worth trying. They’re especially good for small and medium dogs and for owners who prefer treats with no artificial colors/flavors and no added sugar. For large gulpers or strict-allergy households, be cautious and test usage under supervision.