Dog owners today expect more than just treats—they want nutritious, safe, and flavorful biscuits that support their pets’ health and happiness. For manufacturers, producing diverse biscuit types is both a challenge and an opportunity: how to meet the rising demand for premium, functional, and attractive dog biscuits while ensuring consistent quality and efficiency? The solution lies in modern, automated biscuit production lines that can flexibly handle multiple formulations and shapes to meet global market trends.
A professional dog biscuit production line can produce a wide range of biscuit types, including hard biscuits, soft biscuits, filled biscuits, functional biscuits, and customized shape biscuits for both dogs and cats. Each type differs in texture, moisture content, baking parameters, and nutritional composition, allowing pet food brands to target different market segments from economy to premium.
To help you identify which biscuit types best fit your production goals, let’s explore each main category in detail—covering ingredients, process parameters, machine configuration, and product advantages.
Dog biscuits are made only from flour and water.False
Modern dog biscuits use balanced recipes containing cereal flours, meat powder, fats, vitamins, and minerals for nutrition and palatability.
1. Hard Dog Biscuits (Traditional Type)
Hard dog biscuits are the most common and classic type in the pet treat market. They are characterized by their crunchy texture, long shelf life, and excellent cost-efficiency.
Key Process Features:
- Dough mixing with wheat flour, bone meal, fats, and minor ingredients
- Forming by rotary moulder or cutting die
- Baking at 180–200°C for 20–25 minutes
- Cooling and packaging
Advantages:
- Extended shelf life (12–18 months)
- Supports dental health by reducing plaque
- Low moisture (<10%) prevents microbial growth
| Parameter | Typical Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Moisture | 8–10% | Ensures crispness |
| Fat Content | 6–10% | Enhances palatability |
| Protein | 15–22% | Source: meat or bone meal |
| Shape | Bone, round, square | Made by rotary moulder |
2. Soft Dog Biscuits
Soft biscuits cater to puppies, small breeds, and senior dogs that prefer a tender texture.
Production Process:
- Dough mixed with higher fat and moisture content
- Formed by wire-cut or extrusion machine
- Baked at lower temperature (130–150°C)
- Moisture retention via controlled baking and cooling
Advantages:
- Soft, chewable texture
- Customizable flavor profiles (chicken, beef, cheese)
- Can include glycerin or sorbitol as humectants
| Ingredient | Function |
|---|---|
| Glycerin | Maintains softness |
| Sorbitol | Natural sweetener |
| Rice flour | Improves digestibility |
| Protein source | Chicken/beef powder |
Soft dog biscuits have a higher water content than hard biscuits.True
Soft dog biscuits typically contain 15–25% moisture, while hard biscuits remain below 10%.
3. Filled or Stuffed Biscuits
These are premium treats featuring dual textures—a crispy outer shell with a creamy or meaty filling inside.
Process Highlights:
- Dual-layer extrusion forming
- Outer dough baked until crisp
- Filling injected before or after baking (depending on line design)
Common Fillings:
- Meat paste (chicken, liver, beef)
- Cheese or peanut butter
- Functional blends (omega-3, vitamins)
| Biscuit Type | Filling Core | Market Segment |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken-filled | Meat paste | Premium |
| Peanut butter | Nut cream | All-age dogs |
| Cheese core | Dairy blend | Gourmet |
4. Functional Dog Biscuits
Functional biscuits are developed for health benefits—dental care, joint support, digestion, or skin and coat health.
Examples of Functional Types:
- Dental biscuits with calcium carbonate or chlorophyll
- Joint-support biscuits enriched with glucosamine and chondroitin
- Skin-care biscuits containing omega fatty acids and zinc
| Function | Key Ingredient | Target Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Dental health | Calcium, chlorophyll | Reduce plaque and odor |
| Joint support | Glucosamine, MSM | Mobility improvement |
| Digestion | Probiotics, fiber | Gut balance |
| Skin & coat | Omega-3, zinc | Fur gloss & skin health |
Functional dog biscuits are a growing trend in the global pet market.True
The demand for functional pet treats grows over 8% annually, driven by owners seeking preventive nutrition.
5. Grain-Free and Hypoallergenic Biscuits
Formulated for dogs with food sensitivities or allergies, grain-free biscuits replace wheat with alternative carbohydrates.
Typical Ingredients:
- Sweet potato, chickpea, or tapioca starch as base
- Meat or fish meal for protein
- Coconut oil or flaxseed for fat source
Benefits:
- Reduced allergen risk
- Suitable for sensitive stomachs
- Premium positioning for natural pet food brands
| Ingredient | Function |
|---|---|
| Sweet potato | Carbohydrate & fiber source |
| Pea flour | Plant protein |
| Flaxseed oil | Omega-3 source |
| Rosemary extract | Natural antioxidant |
6. Customized Shape and Decorative Biscuits
With advanced rotary moulders and 3D cutters, biscuit lines can produce virtually any shape—bones, paws, hearts, letters, or brand logos.
Applications:
- Seasonal treats (Christmas, Halloween)
- Promotional products for pet brands
- Dual-color or layered biscuits
Advantages:
- Adds marketing value and differentiation
- Enhances consumer engagement
- Supports OEM/ODM customization
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| 3D cutter | For complex shapes |
| Color split | Achieved via dual dough system |
| Printing | Edible ink for brand logo |
7. Cat Biscuits and Cross-Pet Products
Though optimized for dogs, the same production line can also manufacture small-sized cat biscuits or treats for other animals like rabbits and ferrets with minimal recipe and die changes.
| Species | Biscuit Feature | Adaptation |
|---|---|---|
| Cat | Smaller, high-protein | Adjust forming die |
| Rabbit | High-fiber formula | Change ingredient ratio |
| Ferret | Meat-based | Modify recipe and extrusion temperature |
Dog biscuit lines can only produce canine products.False
By changing molds and recipes, the same production line can make cat, rabbit, or small-animal biscuits.
8. Global Market Trend Comparison
| Biscuit Type | Texture | Moisture (%) | Typical Retail Price (USD/kg) | Market Segment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hard | Crunchy | 8–10 | 1.5–2.5 | Mass |
| Soft | Chewy | 15–25 | 2.5–4.0 | Mid to Premium |
| Filled | Dual-layer | 8–12 | 4.0–6.0 | Premium |
| Functional | Varies | 8–12 | 3.5–6.0 | Health |
| Grain-free | Crunchy | 8–10 | 4.5–6.5 | Natural/Premium |
9. How Darin Machinery Supports Multi-Type Biscuit Production
As a professional manufacturer of pet food machinery, Darin Machinery designs complete Dog Biscuit Production Lines capable of producing all the above biscuit types with modular flexibility.
- Rotary moulder for hard biscuits
- Wire-cut or extrusion system for soft biscuits
- Dual filling extruder for stuffed types
- Automatic baking, cooling, and packaging systems
The line features PLC control, servo precision forming, and hygienic stainless-steel design, ensuring repeatable results across multiple recipes and shapes.
Conclusion
The pet treat market continues to diversify, driven by health awareness and personalization trends. Whether you aim for crunchy classics or innovative filled treats, a flexible, automated biscuit production line ensures consistent quality and profitability.
Contact Darin Machinery Today
For customized dog biscuit line solutions—covering recipe design, production layout, and global after-sales service—reach out to Jinan Darin Machinery Co., Ltd.
🌐 www.petreatsmachine.com
📧 darin4@darin.cn
📞 WhatsApp: +86 156 5000 7983
Darin Machinery – Creating Smart Solutions for Every Pet Treat Manufacturer.
