Dog treats every day is what most dog parents give their canine and more popular among healthy dog treats are feed-grade biscuits and teeth care sticks. However, appropriate treats for your canine will depend on the age of your dog, health status, type of treat, size and activity level. According to a recent study, most dog owners go by the instructions given on the label on the treat. But, this could be wrong since treat labels tend to notoriously overestimate the number of treats a dog gets.
A thumb rule, however, is to keep dog treats at about 10% of the daily food that you feed your dog. Healthy dog treats are whole foods and fresh food which will give valuable nutrition for your dog while also doubling up as a specially attractive treat too. Among the ideas are cashews, raw almonds, berries, carrots, cucumbers and a small bite or two of cheese. Just like humans, dogs also enjoy treats but you should be careful with the indulgence since you could potentially be aiding overweight or obesity. It is not just the number of treats that present a problem but also the quality of most of the highly processed treats which are nearly junk food.
Think of what happens if you are giving your child or an adult member in your family a continuous supply of candy and potato chips. Obviously, the individual will gain weight and even attract chronic diseases. If you are not careful with the quality and quantity of dog treats, your canine will also suffer the same way. Therefore, we need to find answers for at least two questions to determine how many treats should be given to your canine every day and what type suits him/her best.
How Many Treats Your Dog Should Get Every Day?
Honestly, there can be no straightforward answer to the question since we need to consider the age of the dog, type of trets, activity level, size, health and other factors to arrive at a near-perfect answer. But, in general, as we stated earlier, it should not exceed 10% of all the food that you provide to your dog in a day. Spreading out this 10% across the day for varying reasons and results is another factor you should be careful with. More importantly, resist the temptation to please your dog with more treats for the same reason and at the same time. This could become counterproductive and he could end up expecting that extra bit every time. Similarly, you should also keep an eye on the calories your dog gets and adjust the dog treats to meet the overall goal. Giving more treats cannot compensate for a regular meal since that could trigger nutritional deficiencies.
What Are Healthy Dog Treats?
Healthy dog treats include whole foods and fresh foods that can provide significant nutrition to the canine while also being presented in the form of a special treat. Organic vegetables and fruits can be a great option and so are sunflower seeds (raw) for your small dogs. Cashew, raw almonds and cheese (small bites) work well for the bigger dogs. However, all the foods on your table do not constitute healthy dog treats. Most junk food that humans eat, including crackers, pasta and bread is not healthy dog treats. Unfortunately, many dog owners provide a wide array of dog foods that are not reckoned as balanced for the canine’s nutritional needs and give them as treats. A good percentage of dog owners also feed their pets with treats bought from the store shelves on a day-to-day basis.
Be Wary Of Commercial Dog Treats
Most of the commercially available dog treats do not constitute desirable options for your dog, even when great claims about the ingredients are made. Some of the treats that claim to be grain-free replace grains with lentils, peas, tapioca, potato etc which are similar to grains as fillers and can promote inflammation in the dog and offer precious little nutritional value. If you lean more towards the treats from the stores you should make doubly sure that they are reliable brands and safe for your dog. You would also do well to avoid dog treats containing animal by-products, honey, added sugar, molasses, synthetic preservatives, artificial colours and flavours, and grains.
Homemade Dog Treats Are Preferable
The best among healthy dog treats that you can provide to your canine are homemade treats. Making some homemade treats should not be a big challenge and you can take to the digital world for quick recipes. Your focus should be on creating a complete and balanced treat with essential nutrients that can support body functions of your canine through the day and night. Generally, these nutrients are classified into 6 groups which are important for every dog. Proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, fats and water are the 6 groups.
Conclusion
Pampering your pets is an essential part of raising pets. But, using treats every time you expect your pet to behave can potentially become counterproductive. Just as too many chocolates are never good for our kids, too many treats in a day can impact the well being of your canine. Understanding where the lines are drawn is one way you can help your pet and save lots of bother too.
