I’ve seen so many people buying dogs over the last 6 months or so. Dogs have long sealed their place as man’s best friend. It doesn’t take long for us to feel they are one of the family. To show them we care we often like to give them little treats which they will happily accept and learn to do tricks for. But, with the number of treat options available it is hard to know which are the best for our pampered pooches. It is important to know what to consider when treating your dog.
Why Are You Giving Them Treats?
We treat dogs for a range of reasons, it might be because they’ve been very good and listened and followed a command. Many of us use treats to teach dogs tricks. Each time they perform the trick correctly they will get something as a reward. You may even give your dog treats when you’re watching a movie together, you get snacks they get treats.
Some dog treats have a dual purpose, for example, teeth cleaning, or breath freshening, we know they’ll need that!!! Others are a great way to ease boredom and avoid them chewing on your new pair of shoes or sofa.
What is important to remember is not to overdo the treats.
Types of Treats
You can treat your dog in various ways, not all involve food. praise can work well and a belly rub too. Taking your dog for a walk is also a great way to treat them as well as playing fetch or a car ride, we all know dogs love those!
Feeding your dog a single kind of treat can be boring and might lead to loss of appetite. Dogs enjoy diversity in their meals. Try combining vegetables, grains, and some protein in your dog’s diet as well as treats. That way, they’ll get a good range of vitamins and minerals.
Food treats can be shop bought or homemade. Chopped, vegetables such as spinach, carrots, cucumber, green beans and kale. Some are served raw, others lightly steamed to preserve the nutrients. Meat is often popular as a treat but it is important to avoid fatty meat. This needs to be chopped and you can add in grated vegetables for extra flavour and nutrients. It’s best not to feed them food from your plate as some of the foods we eat can be harmful to dogs.
Shop bought items such as soft biscuits, and jerky specifically for dogs can be great to have available for a quick and easy way to treat. What you will need to consider when making a purchase is:
What’s in the Treat?
Ingredients should be checked when getting treats for your dog. Your dog shouldn’t take treats that have more than 10% of their total calorie intake.
Check for nutritional contents on the treats, particularly proteins, fats and oils, carbohydrates, and minerals. Carbohydrates are vital for dogs because they offer your dog the energy needed to train and boost their mental capacity. Avoid anything high in sodium.
Also, check for preservatives used in the making of the treat; these preservatives might cause allergies to your dogs. Some treat producers like Burgess Pet Care provide vital information on ingredients that are likely to result in dog allergies. Having bought their products on numerous occasions (in bulk – we’re Greek we always bulk buy) I know that their products are great.
Consider Your Dog’s Size?
Consider the size of your dog before getting them treats. If you have a small dog, giving a large treat might be a bad idea and could be dangerous. Also, getting very tiny treats for large dogs can be extremely boring for them.
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Conclusion
It’s important to know the various options for treating your dog. Now you’ve read my post, What to consider when treating your dog you will have a good idea of what treats to use and what to avoid. Keep these tips in mind to ensure your dog stays happy and healthy.
What do you think makes the best treats for dogs?
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I find it really interesting how pet care changes. In the same way that child safety such as car seats changes. The things we used to feed my dog when I was a kid would be totally frowned upon now! Apart from the carrots. He loved carrots.
That’s very true. There is so much more knowledge about what they can and can’t eat now which is helpful.
We have small biscuit treats for our dogs. He tend to use them when we are training them. Or they have dentastix for their teeth but that’s about all.
Treats are a great reward when training. I’m sure he loves them.
Fantastic tips as always, Mel! Buddy gets treats when training and like Sabina, Dentasticks for teeth but that’s it really.
when i give mine treats i adjust their food intake acordingly , especially when i train ours
What an informative post! My sister has a dog, will share this article with her. She will definitely find the tips super helpful 🙂
We have just got a puppy and he’s a sausage dognwon have to be really careful what we feed him plus he’s allergic to grain so getting treats isn’t always easy. But when we do give him treats is when we train with him.
I have a cat and often give her a bath. After her bath, I always give her treats and now she jumps in the bath herself, as she can’t wait to get her treats after.
My little pooch loves her treats, she is my absolute bestie. I won’t give her anything containing rawhide, horrible stuff!! she quite likes munchies natural pet treats, innocent hound, doggy delights (I think thats what they are called, they are a small independant business) they do homemade biscuits
So agree, I always read what’s on the treat package. My dog is allergic to grains and chicken – it’s not easy to find treats for her. If I am careful she can have a few chicken treats, but very limited.
Poor little thing. The good thing is you know what to steer clear of.