Fare Game Wild Pet Treats vs Inaba vs RedBarn: Best Novel Protein Dog Treats in Canada 2026

Novel protein dog treats are single-ingredient or limited-ingredient treats made from protein sources your dog hasn't eaten before — such as elk, venison, bison, rabbit, or wild boar. As of 2026, they're one of the fastest-growing treat categories in Canada, largely because they help owners manage food sensitivities without a full diet overhaul. If you've been browsing shop dog treats options and wondering which brand actually delivers on the novel protein promise, this head-to-head comparison of Fare Game, Inaba, and RedBarn will help you decide.

At Ashario Pets in North York, our team fields questions about novel protein treats almost every day. Pet owners come in frustrated — their dogs are itching, their vets have suggested an elimination trial, and they don't know where to start with treats. We put this comparison together to give you a clear, factual answer based on ingredients, protein content, and real-world use cases. All three brands are available in our store at 1111A Finch Ave W, Unit 2, North York, ON M3J 2P7, open 7 AM to 11 PM daily, 365 days a year.

Key Takeaway: Fare Game is the standout choice for true wild-game novel protein treats featuring elk, venison, and bison sourced from Canadian and North American wild or free-range animals. Inaba excels as a low-calorie, moisture-rich treat for dogs with palatability challenges. RedBarn delivers high-value chews and bully sticks for dogs needing extended chew time. The "best" pick depends on your dog's allergy history, life stage, and chew preference.

What Are Novel Protein Dog Treats — and Why Do They Matter in 2026?

Novel protein treats are formulated with a single animal protein source that your dog's immune system has had no prior exposure to. According to AAFCO, a protein source is considered "novel" when it has not been a regular part of the animal's diet history. This matters because dogs with food sensitivities — which the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) notes affect an estimated 10–15% of dogs presenting with chronic dermatological or gastrointestinal symptoms — often react to common proteins like chicken, beef, or salmon due to repeated exposure over time.

The logic is straightforward: if your dog has never eaten elk, their immune system has no antibodies primed against elk proteins. Feeding a true single-ingredient elk treat during an elimination diet won't contaminate your results. This is why veterinary dermatologists frequently recommend novel protein diets and treats together — the treats matter just as much as the food. A single chicken-based biscuit given mid-trial can reset the entire protocol.

Canadian dog owners in particular have embraced wild-game treats because Canada's wilderness provides natural access to elk, venison, bison, and rabbit — proteins that are genuinely rare in commercial pet food history. Brands like Fare Game have built their entire identity around this geographical advantage.

Fare Game Wild Pet Treats: Canadian Wild Game, Single Ingredient, Zero Fillers

Fare Game is a proudly Canadian brand that produces single-ingredient dehydrated and freeze-dried treats from wild and free-range animals including elk, venison, bison, and rabbit. Each treat contains one ingredient — the named meat — with no added grains, fillers, artificial preservatives, or flavour enhancers. This is as close to a pure novel protein source as you'll find in the Canadian market.

Our nutrition team at the North York store frequently recommends Fare Game to customers whose dogs are mid-elimination-diet, because the ingredient panel is completely unambiguous. There's no "natural flavour" catchall that might contain trace chicken or beef. A Fare Game elk lung treat contains elk lung, period. For dogs undergoing a hydrolyzed or novel protein trial, this level of transparency is genuinely valuable.

From a nutritional standpoint, Fare Game wild game treats are high in protein — typically 65–80% crude protein on a dry matter basis, depending on the cut — and low in fat, usually between 5–12% depending on whether it's a muscle meat or an organ. Elk and venison are particularly lean proteins, making them appropriate for dogs who need novel protein without excess fat intake. They're also low in calories per piece: most Fare Game treats come in at 3–8 kcal per piece, which makes them suitable as training treats even for weight-sensitive dogs.

Fare Game is also one of the few brands that sources specifically from Canadian wild or free-range game populations, giving it a genuine regional identity. For owners in Ontario who want to support Canadian producers, this is a meaningful differentiator. We also covered how Fare Game compares to classic dehydrated options in our post on Fare Game vs Crumps' Naturals Dog Treats Canada 2026 if you want a deeper dive into training treat use cases.

Inaba Dog Treats: Moisture-Rich, Palatable, and Low-Calorie

Inaba is an internationally recognized Japanese pet food brand best known for its Churu line — squeezable, lickable, moisture-rich treats that come in a wide range of protein flavours. Inaba's dog-specific treats are formulated with a focus on palatability and hydration, making them particularly useful for senior dogs, picky eaters, or dogs recovering from illness who need encouragement to eat.

Inaba treats are not single-ingredient by design. Most Inaba dog Churu formulas combine a primary protein (chicken, tuna, duck, or salmon) with tapioca starch as a binder and added taurine for cardiac support. Crude protein in Inaba Churu dog treats typically runs around 8–12% as fed (reflecting the high moisture content), with fat content around 0.5–1.5% as fed. Each tube is approximately 14g and delivers roughly 10–15 kcal — making it genuinely low-calorie per serving.

The key consideration for novel protein use is that Inaba's ingredient panels, while simple, aren't always single-source. If you're managing a chicken allergy, you'll need to select specifically from Inaba's non-chicken formulas, and you'll want to verify no cross-contamination flags on the packaging. Inaba does offer duck and salmon variants which may serve as semi-novel options for dogs who've only eaten chicken and beef. However, Inaba wouldn't be our first recommendation for a strict elimination diet — it's better suited to dogs who need palatability support or a low-calorie reward that won't disrupt weight management.

Where Inaba genuinely shines is as a pill-hiding tool, a food topper to encourage eating, or a high-value lickable reward during grooming or nail trims. Our customers at Ashario Pets in North York consistently tell us that Inaba Churu is the only treat that gets their anxious dog through a bath. That's a real, specific use case where it outperforms freeze-dried or dehydrated treats entirely.

RedBarn Dog Treats: High-Value Chews for Extended Engagement

RedBarn is a US-based brand with strong distribution in Canada that specializes in natural chews, bully sticks, and rolled food treats. RedBarn's chew lineup includes bully sticks, tendons, tripe chews, and rolled meat logs made primarily from beef, but they also carry less common proteins like lamb and rabbit in select SKUs. Their treats are minimally processed, typically air-dried or naturally preserved.

RedBarn's protein content in their chew products is high — bully sticks, for example, are approximately 80–85% crude protein on a dry matter basis, with 5–8% fat. They're dense in calories relative to their size: a 6-inch bully stick can deliver 80–130 kcal depending on thickness, which means they're not a training treat — they're an occupational chew meant to keep a dog engaged for 15–30 minutes. This is an important distinction. RedBarn excels for enrichment and dental benefit; it doesn't replace a Fare Game elk lung for quick-reward training reps.

For novel protein purposes, RedBarn's lamb and rabbit chew options are worth noting. These aren't as exotic as Fare Game's wild elk or venison, but lamb is genuinely novel for a significant portion of Canadian dogs raised on chicken and beef kibble. If your dog tolerates Fare Game treats but needs longer chew engagement, pairing a Fare Game daily treat with a RedBarn lamb tendon for enrichment is a practical, allergen-conscious combination.

RedBarn's rolled food logs are a different product category entirely — these are flavoured, soft roll treats designed for slicing and training. They're not single-ingredient and aren't appropriate for elimination diets, but they're enormously popular with trainers who need a high-value, malleable reward for shaping complex behaviours. Know what you're buying. Browse our full selection when you shop dog treats at Ashario Pets to see which RedBarn SKUs are currently in stock.

Fare Game vs Inaba vs RedBarn: Side-by-Side Comparison

Here's how the three brands stack up across the criteria that matter most to Canadian dog owners managing food sensitivities or looking for premium single-ingredient treats in 2026:

• Fare Game — Best for: elimination diets, food sensitivity management, training treats | Protein source: wild elk, venison, bison, rabbit | Protein content: 65–80% dry matter | Calories per piece: 3–8 kcal | Single ingredient: Yes | Available at Ashario Pets: Yes
• Inaba — Best for: picky eaters, senior dogs, pill hiding, grooming rewards | Protein source: chicken, duck, tuna, salmon (multi-ingredient) | Protein content: 8–12% as fed | Calories per tube: 10–15 kcal | Single ingredient: No | Available at Ashario Pets: Yes
• RedBarn — Best for: extended chewing, dental engagement, high-value enrichment | Protein source: beef, lamb, rabbit (by SKU) | Protein content: 80–85% dry matter (chews) | Calories per chew: 80–130 kcal (6" bully stick) | Single ingredient: Varies (chews yes, rolls no) | Available at Ashario Pets: Yes

According to nutrition guidance from NCBI / PubMed, dietary elimination trials in dogs require strict adherence to novel protein sources across both meals and treats for a minimum of 8–12 weeks to yield reliable diagnostic results. This is why single-ingredient treat selection matters clinically — it's not just a marketing preference.

For more options on dog health and wellness products that complement a novel protein diet, explore our dog health and wellness collection at Ashario Pets, which includes supplements that support skin and coat health during an elimination trial.

Which Novel Protein Treat Is Right for Your Dog?

The right choice depends on three factors: your dog's allergy history, their treat-use context, and their chewing preference. Here's how to think through it.

If your dog is actively on an elimination diet or has confirmed food allergies to chicken and beef, Fare Game is the clear first choice. It's the only brand of the three that offers true single-ingredient wild game treats with full Canadian sourcing transparency. Choose elk or venison as your starting novel protein, and keep the bag sealed away from your dog's regular food to avoid cross-contamination.

If palatability is your primary challenge — your dog is a picky eater, recovering from illness, or extremely anxious during handling — Inaba fills a gap that dry treats can't. The lickable format is uniquely effective for counterconditioning during grooming, vet visits, or nail trims. Just don't use it during an elimination trial unless you've confirmed the specific protein isn't one your dog reacts to.

If your dog is a power chewer who destroys plush toys in minutes and needs enrichment, RedBarn's chew line is worth adding to your rotation. A RedBarn lamb tendon alongside a daily Fare Game training treat gives you both occupational engagement and clean novel protein reward work. Our team at the North York store often recommends this exact combination for large-breed dogs with food sensitivities who also struggle with boredom-driven destructive behaviour.

You can also find a broader selection of made in Canada pet products at Ashario Pets, including Fare Game and other Canadian treat brands that prioritize single-source novel proteins.

Frequently Asked Questions: Novel Protein Dog Treats Canada 2026

What makes a dog treat "novel protein" — and does the label always mean it?

A novel protein treat contains a single animal protein source that your dog has never regularly consumed before, such as elk, venison, bison, or rabbit. The label only truly holds if the ingredient panel lists one protein with no hidden "natural flavour" additives, which can contain trace amounts of common allergens like chicken or beef. Always read the full guaranteed analysis and ingredient list, not just the front-of-bag claim. As of 2026, AAFCO does not have a formal regulatory definition for "novel protein" as a label claim, so brand transparency matters more than certification.

Can I use Fare Game treats during a veterinary elimination diet trial?

Yes — Fare Game's single-ingredient wild-game treats are among the most elimination-diet-compatible options available in Canada, provided the protein source (elk, venison, bison, or rabbit) is genuinely novel for your dog. Always confirm with your veterinarian which proteins are approved for your dog's specific elimination protocol before introducing any treat. A minimum 8–12 week trial period with zero deviation is typically required for accurate diagnosis, according to published veterinary dermatology guidelines.

How many novel protein treats can I give my dog per day without upsetting the diet balance?

Treats should account for no more than 10% of your dog's total daily caloric intake, per standard veterinary nutritional guidance. For a 25 kg (55 lb) adult dog eating approximately 900–1,000 kcal per day, that's a treat budget of roughly 90–100 kcal. Fare Game treats at 3–8 kcal each allow 10–20+ reps within budget. RedBarn bully sticks at 80–130 kcal each would consume most or all of the daily treat allowance in one chew. Adjust your dog's meal portion on heavy-chew days to maintain caloric balance.

Is Inaba safe for dogs with food allergies?

Inaba Churu dog treats are generally low-allergen by volume due to their minimal ingredient lists, but they are not single-ingredient products and are not formulated specifically for elimination diets. Dogs with confirmed chicken allergies should avoid chicken-based Inaba SKUs and opt for duck or salmon variants instead. Always check the full ingredient list for each specific Inaba flavour, as formulations vary. If your dog is mid-elimination trial, consult your veterinarian before introducing any multi-ingredient treat, including Inaba.

Where can I buy Fare Game, Inaba, and RedBarn treats in North York or Toronto?

All three brands — Fare Game, Inaba, and RedBarn — are available at Ashario Pets, located at 1111A Finch Ave W, Unit 2, North York, ON M3J 2P7. The store is open 7 AM to 11 PM daily, 365 days a year, including holidays. You can also order online for delivery across the Greater Toronto Area via Uber Eats, DoorDash, SkipTheDishes, Instacart, and Fantuan. Call us at +1-647-564-4433 or visit our contact page for stock inquiries.