Growing up in rural Maine, spring meant playing outside and weekend visits to my aunt’s house. She had a big country garden that seemed to grow everything—vegetables, berries, herbs, and flowers. Like many women of her generation who lived through the Great Depression, she knew how to live off the land and made it look easy.
One thing that always stood out was the dandelions. Not just the bright yellow flowers that bees love, but the greens and roots. Each spring, we’d dig up dandelion greens to cook with dinner. My aunt knew these so-called “weeds” were actually herbs, full of nutrients, and had been used for generations as food and medicine.
Those spring afternoons unknowingly sparked my lifelong interest in plants and natural health. Years later, when our family dog began having health problems and I started researching herbs, dandelion root wasn’t just an ingredient—it was a natural, meaningful choice. As the first company to include dandelion root in diabetic dog treats, it felt like a way to honor my aunt and the wisdom she had passed down about the healing power of herbs.
Why Dandelion Root?
Taraxacum officinale or dandelion root may not sound glamorous, but it’s one of nature’s powerhouses—especially when it comes to supporting blood sugar and overall health. For diabetic dogs, keeping blood sugar levels in check is absolutely essential. Dandelion root has been shown in some animal studies to help lower blood sugar levels and reduce insulin resistance. That alone makes it a great addition to our diabetic dog treats.
But the benefits don’t stop there:
And for all those pet parents watching their dog’s waistline, dandelion root is low in calories but rich in benefits, making it a perfect ingredient in a healthy dog treat.
Nature Knows Best
It’s funny how something you once saw as just a weed can end up being one of the most valuable plants in your garden—or your dog’s treat jar. Every spring, when I see dandelions pop up in my yard, I think of my aunt in her garden, gathering up a plant most people would pull out and toss away. She knew better—and now, so do we.
So next time you give your dog one of our diabetic dog treats, know that it’s more than just a snack. It’s a little piece of Maine, a nod to a generation that valued what the earth gave us, and a whole lot of love packed into every bite. Because when you treat better, you live better!
Poor dental health impacts diabetes in dogs. Learn how to protect your pup’s teeth and manage blood sugar more effectively.
Discover the story behind the first diabetic-friendly dog treat as we celebrate Jetty, the black Lab who inspired the Old Dog Cookie Company and helped pioneer all-natural, healing-herb treats for healthier, happier pets. Because when you treat better, you live better!
If you have a diabetic dog, you know how hard it can be to find healthy treats. You have to be extra careful about what you feed them. Here are some healthy treats for diabetic dogs that we gave our dog, Jetty.
