A TikToker thought it was any other day as she fed her boyfriend’s dog Trader Joe’s dog treats. But when the dog started eating them, it became apparent something was wrong.
Trader Joe’s customers have gone viral after finding unwelcome surprises in the store’s steak and canned chilli. But this time around, it’s products of the canine variety that are causing a stir.
In the video, which has garnered 40,700 views, user Natalie Stokes (@contentbynat) says, “Quick PSA: If you don’t want your dog to die, then listen up.”
What Was Wrong With This Trader Joe’s Dog Treat?
In the clip, she pointed out the dog lying on the couch, explaining that she was taking care of him for her boyfriend.
“Clearly, he’s not in the mood to entertain and quite frankly I wouldn’t be either, so I don’t blame him,” she said.
Stokes then described how she went to Trader Joe’s and picked up the “Nothing But Sweet Potato” dog treats. Taking the large treat out of the bag, she explained that it was a hardened sweet potato made to look like a dog treat.
“And I give him half of the sweet potato and he’s chewing and I have the camera in his case cause he’s like [chewing sounds] and I think he’s enjoying it,” she said. “He is not. He’s actually dying and I’m just videoing and laughing. But after a second I’m like, ‘OK, why are you coughing it shouldn’t be that hard to chew.”
She said he continued coughing, so she had to reach her hands in there “to the depths of his throat and pulled out the whole half of the sweet potato that I gave him, because he couldn’t chew it because it’s hard.”
“So, Trader Joe’s count your days,” she concluded. “You would have had a fat lawsuit coming your way if you would have made me kill my boyfriend’s dog.”
She then showed the treats again to the camera and said, “Just don’t get these. Get like something else, maybe softer, I don’t know. Clearly not an expert.”
She ended the video addressing her boyfriend directly, assuring him the dog was fine and “lively” as he lay on the couch.
Viewers Share Their Own Bad Experiences With The Dog Treat
Some commenters had similar experiences.
“This happened with my dog too!” one wrote. “They are definitely hard and then get gummy too when chewing, making them even more of a choking hazard!”
“True story. I have a GSD who partially obstructed on one of these,” a second added. “She ended up being fine after an overnight stay, they had to pump her full of fluids and it eventually passed through.”
How Common Is This Problem?
Alongside the TikToker and commenters, this situation also happened to the dog Bear. His owner runs the Instagram account @goodboybear, which has 130,000 followers. In an Instagram post from August 2024, the user shared how the exact same treats proved problematic for Bear.
“I love Trader Joe’s, but these were unfortunately harmful to Bear,” they wrote.
“The treats felt quite tough/hard, so I tore one into smaller pieces, thinking it’d be ok since he chewed on them for a while,” they explained. “Soon after, Bear seemed a little restless. He was panting, drooling, and gulping air every so often. Luckily, he was eating and drinking fine, and digestion was normal, so I monitored him for the rest of the day. Overnight, he seemed more agitated. I woke up every couple hours to check on him, heard lots of stomach gurgles, breathing seemed more labored, and lots of drooling and gulping. I wasn’t sure if a piece got lodged somewhere and I worried about bloat.”
They continued, “He went to the vet, and fortunately the radiologist said his thoracic X-ray was unremarkable. She said the treats likely scratched things up on the way down, causing esophagitis. The irritation and inflammation was making him drool and swallow excessively, and the gulping of air made him bloated.”
@contentbynat yeah maybe don’t get these!
BroBible reached out to Stokes via Instagram direct message and Trader Joe’s via media contact form.