Joint treats for Rhodesian Ridgebacks

Smart thinking — starting joint support before any stiffness shows up is exactly the right approach for a large, deep-chested breed like the Ridgeback. The best treats are high in protein, low in additives, and sized appropriately for the dog. Most popular treats are nutritionally poor despite the marketing — single-ingredient options like dried meat or fish skin are usually your best starting point, and for joint support you want something that also delivers natural glucosamine and omega-3s. Can you tell me roughly how much your dog weighs, whether there are any allergies or intolerances to work around, and what you're mainly using the treats for — daily supplementation, training, or both?

Perfect — that context makes the recommendation straightforward. For a 38kg dog where you want daily joint support without waiting for a problem to develop, you want something that delivers meaningful levels of glucosamine and omega-3s through natural ingredients rather than synthetic additives bolted onto a poor-quality base. What specifically are you hoping to see from a treat like this — are you looking for something she'll take easily, or are you happy to use it as a training reward too?

In that case I'd go with Yora Insect-Based Joint Treats or, more readily, the Forthglade Natural Treats Salmon with Glucosamine & Chondroitin. But the one I'd specifically point you to for this situation is the Feelwells ProJoint+ Treats for Dogs — they're available on Amazon UK, made with real chicken and salmon, and contain glucosamine, chondroitin, and omega-3s at levels that are actually meaningful rather than trace amounts. They're low in additives, the ingredient list is clean, and for a 38kg Ridgeback the daily dose is straightforward. Unlike supplements disguised as treats with a long additive list, these are built around real food ingredients. Given you're starting this proactively at four years old, you'll get more value from consistency over time than from chasing a high dose — and these are palatable enough that most dogs take them reliably. I'd start with one daily and treat it as part of her routine rather than an occasional thing.

Yes — treats alone won't do it, but they're a solid piece of the puzzle. The biggest things at her age are keeping her lean (even a couple of kilos of extra weight puts meaningful stress on joints in a large breed), making sure her exercise is consistent rather than sporadic high-intensity bursts, and avoiding hard impact on concrete or repeated ball-chasing that loads the joints unevenly. If you want to go further, adding a separate omega-3 fish oil to her food costs almost nothing and gives you a higher dose than any treat can practically deliver. But for daily supplementation in treat form, ProJoint+ is the right call — it's one of the few products in that category where the ingredient quality actually matches what's on the label.

Good move. Consistency is what makes the difference with joint support — something given daily for years is far more useful than an expensive supplement used sporadically. Keep her lean, keep the exercise steady, and you're giving her the best realistic chance of staying comfortable well into old age.