Before you head out the door for work every morning, you likely toss your pooch a tasty treat as a consolation prize for being home alone all day. We often use treats to show our love and affection for our pets, and also to alleviate our guilt over leaving them alone. Treats are also great ways to keep your dog entertained and occupied while you’re gone, but too many treats can pack on the pounds, leading to a variety of health issues. When treating your pet, ensure you choose healthy options, keeping the following tips in mind. 

#1: Consider the portion size of your dog’s treat

The general rule is that a dog’s treats should make up no more than 10% of her daily caloric intake. It’s likely easy for you to mindlessly eat through an entire bag of chips, and not properly portion out serving sizes, and the same goes for your pup’s treats. For example, a 50-pound spayed dog should have about 1,000 calories per day, meaning that she should have no more than 100 calories of treats. If this dog receives a standard Beggin’ Strip each time she comes inside after a bathroom break, she will quickly reach her daily three-Strip limit. To stretch your pooch’s treats further, break them in half. Dogs may be able to count, but they can’t divide, and they won’t realize their treat is halved—they’re simply happy to have a snack.  

#2: Read the label on your dog’s treats

An impressive variety of pet treats is available, with everything from junk-food treats to premium, high quality snacks. Before loading up your cart, read the ingredient label and nutrient analysis. Some treats are designed to be irresistible to dogs, like donuts are to people, placing them firmly in the junk-food category. These treats are loaded with sugar, fat, and calories, and often packed with preservatives, dyes, and artificial flavors. Ideally, your dog’s treats should be low in calories, with minimal fat and zero sugar content. 

#3: Why do you want to give your dog treats?

While showing love and affection is the underlying reason for giving your dog treats, consider other reasons for treats. Are they for training purposes? Dental health? Maybe you want something long-lasting to entertain your dog while you’re at work. If you’re looking for training treats for your pup, choose small, soft items that can be fed quickly, keeping an eye on calorie content, as training treats add up rapidly. For dogs who could use some dental-hygiene help, read the feeding instructions on dental chews. Most dental chews and long-lasting treats are meant to be given once per day, so ensure you don’t give your pet too many.

#4: Watch out for dog treats that are too hard

Indestructible chews and bones are popular treats for powerful chewers, but these hard chews can easily damage your dog’s teeth. Although finding another chew that your pooch doesn’t inhale may be difficult, stay away from bones, antlers, and hooves, which can break your dog’s teeth, and require expensive emergency oral surgery to relieve your pet’s pain. If you bang your dog’s treat on your knee, and it hurts, the product is likely to damage your pup’s teeth. 

#5: Swap out your dog’s commercial treats for healthy alternatives

Commercially produced dog treats are convenient as tasty snacks for your pup, but they can easily fall into the junk-food category. Instead of worrying about ingredients, or sugar and fat content, swap out store-bought treats for fresh foods. Many dogs enjoy small pieces of fruit, such as apples, bananas, melons, and berries. Some also like fresh veggies, and baby carrots, green beans, broccoli, and cauliflower are healthy treat choices for those dogs. If you want to spoil your pup, offer small pieces of lean meat, such as shredded, baked chicken breast. 

When giving your dog people foods as treats, keep these tips in mind:

  • Avoid raisins and grapes, which can cause kidney failure.
  • Remove seeds or pits before offering fruit to your pet.
  • Give your dog fresh, raw veggies instead of cooked options slathered with butter and seasonings.
  • Do not give your dog onions or garlic, or use these foods in seasonings, as they can cause anemia.
  • Always cook meat, remove any fat, and do not use spices as seasoning, before giving your dog a small piece.

Are you unsure if your dog’s favorite treat is a healthy option? Give us a call to chat about canine snacks.