TIPS ON CHOOSING HEALTHY DOG TREATS
THE BEST DOG TREATS ARE ALWAYS HOMEMADE. THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO BE ABSOLUTELY SURE WHAT YOUR DOG IS INGESTING. If cooking for your dog is not something that sounds appealing, then there are definitely other choices.
My favourite alternative to making my own homemade dog treats is to have someone else do it for you. There are many excellent small companies that sell their own natural oven-baked dog food and gourmet dog treats.
Highly recommended because they use only natural human grade ingredients is: “ORGANIC DOG TREATS.”
Then there are commercially made dog treats to buy, and some are actually healthy for your pet.
Make sure there are absolutely no additives, chemicals, or artificial preservatives and colouring, as these are extremely unhealthy and unecessary.
Also treats which contain massive amounts of sugar are not good for your dog as this can cause obesity or diabetes.
A treat should have high concentrations of fiber and protein. The best natural dog treats available commercially have human grade ingredients, and reputable companies who make these types of treats will definitely advertise this.
Look on the label and if it sounds as though all the ingredients are something you would eat, then it is a good bet that it is healthy and appropriate for your dog.
BELOW IS A SIMPLE COMPARISON OF A GOOD COMMERCIAL DOG TREAT AND A BAD COMMERCIAL DOG TREAT. Use this to guide you when choosing store bought treats.
Which one of these do you think is edible by both humans and dogs? Which one would you think should be thrown in the garbage?
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GOOD DOG TREATS MA SNAX ORGANIC CRANBERRY APPLESAUCE BISCUITS INGREDIENTS:
THAT’S ALL – Everything in this treat can be found in our own pantry. So always check the ingredients list for something with minimal, easy to understand ingredients. These will always be the best dog treats, rather than the chemical laden treats with loads of preservatives and additives.
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BAD DOG TREATS PURINA T BONZ PORTERHOUSE FLAVOUR: INGREDIENTS:
*SEE EXPLANATION HERE ABOUT WHY THESE ARE UNDESIRABLE INGREDIENTS. |
Also check the calorie and fat content. They shouldn’t be extremely high.
Salt is necessary in small amounts in a dog’s daily diet, but should not be in their treats.
Use dog treats sparingly, as training props or occasionally just because your dog is so adorable you just can’t help it.
Do not use treats as a meal replacement, or give more than 10% of his daily diet in treats.
Use fresh veggies for treats, as this is the absolute best dog treat option. Use carrot sticks, or green beans (my dog’s fav!). I started with my labradors as puppies giving them carrots and they now get all wiggly and happy when this is offered to them. It is low calorie, low fat, high fibre, healthy and if you start when they are young they will love it.
Table scraps, cookies, ice cream and other “people food” should not be fed as dinner or treats to your dog.
Older dogs may not take to fresh veggies and refuse them altogether. This is okay as you can make your own homemade dog treats and control sugar, fat, etc., and give good healthy treats to your dog.
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