Walk down the pet treat aisle — physical or digital — and you’ll see the word “natural” printed on almost everything. Grain-free. High-protein. Vet-approved. The labels are good. The ingredient lists, less so. Artificial flavour enhancers, salt, maida, synthetic preservatives, and “meat meal” — a catch-all term that rarely means what you hope it does — quietly fill the fine print while the front of the pack sells you a story.
This is the context in which Muttley Crew exists. And it’s why what they’re doing matters.
Brand Born in a Kitchen, Built on Honesty
Muttley Crew was founded by Smriti Thomas in Bangalore — not in a factory boardroom, but in a home kitchen, where the first batch of treats was made the way most of us wish all pet food was made: with real ingredients, real care, and the kind of scrutiny you’d apply to something going into your own body.
That origin shows up in the product. There are no filler carbohydrates padding out the protein numbers. No “natural flavour” — an industry loophole broad enough to include almost anything. Just ingredients you can read out loud without pausing.
Muttley Crew is now on EduPet’s Brands We Trust list — a list we don’t add to lightly. It takes more than good marketing to earn that spot.
Today, we’re looking closely at two of their standout products: the Chicken Liver Biscuit and the Buff & Turmeric Jerky.
“We’re so excited to be featured on a platform that truly makes navigating pet life easy for every pet parent. At Muttley Crew, we make a range of natural treats — our Chicken Liver Biscuit and Buff & Turmeric Jerky are our best sellers for a reason. No fillers, big on flavour and nutrition. Dogs love them and pet parents feel good about giving them every single day.”
— Smriti Thomas, Founder, Muttley Crew
Chicken Liver Biscuit
Crunchy. Nutrient-dense. Built for daily giving.
There’s a reason liver has been a training treat staple for decades. Dogs are biologically wired to seek it out — the smell, the flavour, the richness. What most commercial liver treats do is capitalise on that instinct while delivering very little of liver’s actual nutritional value, using liver powder or liver flavouring alongside cheap binders.
Muttley Crew uses real chicken liver, baked into a biscuit that holds its crunch without artificial preservatives. No chalky residue. No synthetic liver odour. Just the real thing — and the real thing, it turns out, is genuinely impressive.
Why Chicken Liver Is One of the Best Things You Can Feed Your Dog (In Moderation)
Organ meats — and particularly liver — are what nutritionists call “nature’s multivitamin.” Chicken liver, specifically, is one of the most nutrient-dense foods in any carnivore’s diet:
Folate, Copper, and Riboflavin (B2): Liver is one of the few foods where these three co-exist in meaningful amounts. Folate supports cell division; copper supports connective tissue and iron metabolism; riboflavin supports energy at the cellular level.
Protein: Chicken liver is approximately 17–20% protein by weight, with an amino acid profile that supports muscle maintenance, coat health, and immune function.
Vitamin A: Liver is one of the richest natural sources of retinol (preformed Vitamin A), which supports eye health, skin integrity, and immune response. Unlike synthetic Vitamin A supplements, the form found in liver is bioavailable and comes with co-factors that aid absorption.
Vitamin B12: Critical for neurological function and red blood cell formation. Dogs who eat fresh, whole-food diets — including liver — rarely show B12 deficiency. Dogs on heavily processed kibble-only diets sometimes do.
Iron (Heme Iron): The iron in animal tissue — called heme iron — is significantly more absorbable than the non-heme iron found in plants or the ferrous sulphate added to commercial pet foods. Chicken liver is an excellent source, supporting energy levels and oxygen transport.
| A Word on Dosing |
|---|
| Liver is powerful, which means it should be given thoughtfully. Because of its high Vitamin A content, it shouldn’t make up the bulk of a dog’s diet. As a treat — a few biscuits a day — it’s a genuinely enriching addition, not a concern |
Why “Biscuit” Form Works
There’s a reason Muttley Crew chose the biscuit format for this treat:
- The crunch factor matters more than most pet parents realise. Chewing stimulates saliva production, which has mild antibacterial properties. The mechanical action of crunching on a biscuit also provides mild dental scraping — not a replacement for brushing, but a useful daily supplement.
- Biscuits hold their shape and smell better than soft treats in Indian climates. At 28–40°C, soft treats without preservatives can go off quickly. A well-baked biscuit with low moisture content is naturally shelf-stable without needing chemical preservation.
- The bite-sized training treat variant makes portion control easy — important when you’re giving treats multiple times a day during training sessions
Buff & Turmeric Jerky
Chewy. Anti-inflammatory. A treat that earns its place.
Buffalo meat is underused in Indian pet nutrition — which is surprising, given how abundant and culturally familiar it is. Muttley Crew’s Buff & Turmeric Jerky corrects this, pairing one of India’s most available proteins with one of its oldest medicinal ingredients.
Why Buffalo (Buff) Is an Exceptional Dog Protein
Buffalo — or buff, as it’s commonly called in Indian pet circles — is technically a different species from cattle (water buffalo vs. cow), and that distinction matters nutritionally:
- Leaner than chicken, richer in iron: Buffalo meat typically has a lower fat content than beef and most cuts of chicken, making it excellent for active dogs, dogs prone to weight gain, or dogs on raw-adjacent diets where fat content is carefully managed.
- High in zinc: Buffalo is notably rich in zinc, which plays a role in immune function, skin health, and wound healing. Dogs with chronic skin issues — hot spots, dull coats, excessive shedding — are sometimes zinc-deficient.
- Lower allergenic load: While not hypoallergenic in the clinical sense, buffalo is a protein source that many dogs with chicken or beef sensitivities tolerate well, because their immune systems haven’t been as extensively exposed to it. For dogs on rotation feeding or elimination diets, buff is a valuable novel protein.
- Strong amino acid profile: Buffalo is rich in L-carnitine, which supports fat metabolism and cardiovascular health — particularly relevant for working breeds and dogs who get significant daily exercise.
Turmeric: Not a Trend, a 3,000-Year-Old Tool
Turmeric is possibly the most overhyped ingredient in human wellness — and simultaneously one of the most legitimately useful natural compounds in veterinary nutrition. The distinction matters.
The active compound in turmeric is curcumin, and its benefits are not marketing copy — they are supported by a growing body of veterinary and comparative nutrition research:
- Joint health and anti-inflammatory action
- Digestive support
- Immune modulation
- Antifungal and antibacterial properties
Why “Jerky” Format Matters for Dogs
The Buff & Turmeric Jerky isn’t just nutritionally sound — the format itself is a deliberate choice:
- Long chews reduce anxiety. The act of sustained chewing releases endorphins in dogs and activates the parasympathetic nervous system — the “rest and digest” state. Dogs that chew regularly tend to be calmer, less destructive, and better at self-regulation. A jerky strip that takes 5–10 minutes to work through is doing more than just rewarding.
- Low moisture = naturally preserved. Like the biscuit, the dried jerky format resists spoilage without the need for artificial preservatives. Moisture is the primary vector for bacterial growth — remove it, and shelf life extends naturally.
- Keeps dogs engaged. Food enrichment — eating that requires effort — is one of the most underrated tools in behavioural management. A dog that has to work for their treat is a less bored, more mentally stimulated dog.
The EduPet Take
Treats are not just rewards — they are a daily nutritional touchpoint. In the context of a dog who gets 3–5 treats a day, the cumulative impact of what’s in those treats over months and years is real. A treat made with chicken liver delivers Vitamin B12 every single time. A treat made with buffalo and turmeric delivers anti-inflammatory curcumin every single time.
The opposite is also true: a treat made with maida, salt, synthetic flavouring, and liver powder delivers those things every single time too.
Muttley Crew has chosen the harder path — real ingredients are more expensive, more perishable, and more difficult to standardise at scale. The fact that they’ve maintained their standards from home kitchen to commercial production is exactly why they’ve earned a place on our Brands We Trust list.
If you’re looking to upgrade your dog’s treat rotation, start here.
