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We love to give out dog treats and chews because it makes our pups so happy, but what could be better than watching your dog respond to the question, “Do you want a treat?” whether it’s a perk of the ears or full-on freakout. Aside from being amusing, occasionally giving your dog a treat has practical advantages.
Dog treats and chews can be used to teach your dog new behaviors and tricks, sneak in a prescription pill (whisper it), help your dog brush its teeth, or improve digestion. What are the best dog treats, then? That depends on your dog, their diet, and the goals you have. Read on to learn more!.
The secret to a floor free of poop may just be in the training rewards. (Patience and positive reinforcement help too, of course). The best dog treats for training are small and dry because some behaviors are harder to learn than others and you may be giving out several treats in a single session. For extra-long sessions, cut treats into smaller pieces.
A great way to reduce the guilt that comes with having a life (as well as your dog’s separation anxiety and boredom) is to keep your dog busy while you’re away. Give your dog something to focus on for a few hours, like comfort dog treats and chews, such as a chew, “bone” treats (actual treats, though, as real bones can splinter and hurt your dog! ), peanut butter treats, or other comfort treats that won’t be consumed in two seconds. Additionally, this will benefit dogs who enjoy chewing on shoes and teething puppies.
Make sure the item you select is suitable for your dog’s size, chewing ability, and is free of choking hazards. Bully sticks or compressed rawhide from Raw Paws are suggested by the company’s president, Shelli McDonald. “Bully sticks are great for mental stimulation. Additionally, our rawhide chews don’t have knots that your dog could choke on, unlike some other brands. ”.
All animals have dietary requirements to maintain their strength and health. The term “functional food” refers to healthy dog treats that are a great way to give your dog a little extra nutrition without giving them actual vitamins. For an upset stomach, consume pumpkin dog treats or other tummy-pleasing foods. Single-ingredient treats are especially gentle on your pet’s system.
For an older puppy to maintain mobility comparable to that of a dog half their age, treats with joint or hip formulas may be beneficial. Functional food is available in a range of formulas and flavors to suit your preferences and those of your dog. Look for coconut oil, kelp, raw goat milk and more!.
Even dogs on special diets don’t have to miss out on treats because there are gluten-free, grain-free, vegetarian, or grass-fed options available. There is no shortage of treats available, from bake-at-home to freeze-dried to dehydrated to peanut butter treats.
There are numerous ways that understanding when and how to use treats can improve your dog’s happiness and health. Additionally, a happy dog makes for a happy dog owner. Knowing everything there is to know about treats, be sure to keep them in a covered, dry area. Treats that have been dehydrated should last for a few months, especially if you store them in the refrigerator. And you’ll be ready with the appropriate treat the following time you ask your dog that question!
Clubs Offering:
I frequently encounter the 10% rule as a dog owner. It sounds simple. Treats shouldn’t comprise more than 10% of your dog’s diet, according to veterinarians worldwide.
I must have quoted this countless times, but recently, as I was working with my dog during a training session while armed with a treat bag full of tiny treats, I experienced a crisis of faith.
What exactly does 10% of a dog’s daily diet entail?
It is easy to make general assumptions about quantity.
I became aware that I was unsure of how to calculate 10% when it came down to it.
Like many human dietary plans, the calories are where the solution lies. However, unlike humans, the size variation between dogs makes it impossible to rely on a fixed amount, such as the 2,000 daily calories most human nutritional labels use. This implies that you will have to determine that figure on your own.
The caloric content of your dog’s food should be listed on the bag (based on your dog’s weight), but upon inspection, you may notice that the caloric content is listed in kcals rather than the usual calories. This is often confusing.
Scientifically speaking, a kcal is a kilocalorie, or 1,000 calories. However, dog food manufacturers must have discovered that “kcal” doesn’t sound as good on the tongue as “calories,” as the calories listed on food packages are actually kcals.
For example, Hills Science Diet Active Longevity’s labeling of 364 kcal/cup simply refers to the food’s 364 calories per cup. In this instance, “kcal” and “calories” are used interchangeably, so 364/kcal is equivalent to 364,000 calories.
If the label on your dog’s food does not list the number of calories per cup, you will need to conduct additional research, such as contacting the manufacturer and asking your veterinarian how many calories your dog should consume daily.
After that has been clarified, let’s move on to the math. To determine the 10% of your dog’s daily diet, you must first determine how many calories your dog consumes daily.
If I feed a senior German Shepherd Dog four cups of Hills Active Longevity per day in accordance with the directions on the package, and my veterinarian approves of her weight, That’s 1,456 calories a day.
Ten percent of 1,456 is 145. 6, which gives me, at last, a number.
Unfortunately, I still had questions. Was this the maximum number of calories I could give my dog on top of her four cups of food, or did I need to change the amount of food I gave her to compensate for these calories?
The answer, according to veterinarians, requires a little more math.
While your veterinarian is the best source for calculating the number of calories in treats you can give your dog, most veterinary articles I read suggested that treats shouldn’t make up more than 10% of your dog’s total diet, which includes treats and snacks.
In other words, you must reduce some kibbles to make up the difference if you feed your dog a lot of high-calorie treats. But if you take away too many dog food kibbles, your dog will lack essential nutrients. That would be equivalent to counting the calories in ice cream and then deciding to reduce the calories in fruits, vegetables, and protein to make up for it.
You should also keep in mind that your dog’s total caloric requirements might not reflect the feeding guidelines of your dog’s food bag. My veterinarian, for instance, recommended feeding more than was advised by the food company to one of my dogs and significantly less to my other dog. For the most accurate estimate, talk to your veterinarian about your dog’s nutritional and caloric needs.
Now let’s talk about cheese. Due to its high calorie content, cheese may not be the best treat for all dogs, but it serves as a good example in this case.
Cheddar cheese cubes (one cubic inch) have about 69 calories each. That represents approximately 5% of an 80-pound German Shepherd’s daily calorie intake. This is not necessarily a problem if fed sparingly, but what if your 5-pound Yorkshire Terrier was fed just one cube of cheese?
Only 182 calories are consumed daily if your 5-pound Yorkie consumes one-half cup of Hills Active Longevity per day. Ten percent of his diet is 18 calories. That one cheese cube has nearly four times the recommended calorie intake, which is equivalent to eating a Big Mac for us.
On the other hand, a medium-sized carrot has only 25 calories, and one-half cup of thinly sliced cucumbers has just 8. As low-calorie treats, you can also think about using cooked asparagus and green beans.
To better understand why low-calorie treats are better for your dog, consider a cube of cheese. If vegetables are unsuccessful in motivating your dog, you can always use your dog’s food and simply deduct the treats you give him from his overall diet, or you can look for a meat-flavored training treat with a low calorie content.
It is a good idea to be aware of the caloric content of the human foods or dog treats you might be tempted to feed your dog, even if you don’t count calories for your own diet.
By limiting our dog’s food intake, we can reduce the risk of health issues like joint disease, diabetes, and pancreatitis that are brought on by obesity in dogs.
It is also challenging to scale down our thought processes. For instance, when I learned how many calories a single cube of cheese could add to a small dog’s diet, I was astonished. Things like cheese, hot dogs, rawhide chews, and leftover meat can have serious consequences over time even though we might not consider them to be high in calories.
The good news is that you can estimate the maximum number of treat calories your dog should consume each day by doing a little math and learn how to modify his diet accordingly.
If your dog is already overweight, consult your vet about the most effective weight loss strategy for her as well as the kinds and quantities of treats that will be most beneficial to her needs.
According to studies, dogs form closer relationships with people who exercise them than those who feed them. Therefore, what makes us believe that giving our pets treats is necessary to forge a strong bond is, in large part, guilt, in my opinion. We are aware that they invest much more of themselves in the connection than we do.
This desire to spoil our pets has not diminished in the wake of recent controversy over potentially toxic jerky treats from China. But why do we feel the need to humanize and overly pamper our pets, why do we insist on giving gourmet or store-bought treats if they are potentially harmful and encourage unhealthy weight gain, why don’t we just refrain from giving our pets purchased treats, rather than worrying about the safety of purchased treats or spending energy chastising sellers and bashing nations?
Almost 60% of all pets are overweight. Much of this problem is created by treats. And it is not only the high end, special occasion variety treat. A major dog food company makes a dental treat for a 50 lb. dog that contains 1,057 calories. That 50 lb. dog only needs 1,000 calories for the whole day! One treat is not a balanced diet. And homemade dog treats are also high in calories. As the recipes get tastier, the calorie counts sky rocket.
What these studies fail to show is that when trainers are near the dogs, the dogs react to praise and petting just as they would to treats of any value. Pets, especially dogs, want our companionship, not our treats. They are pleading with us, and we give them food. We are setting the table by substituting food for attention.
Thus, the notion that rewarding our pets with high-value, tasty treats (i.e., more calories) is preferable was created. Never mind that most of us are only purchasing the love of our pets rather than teaching them any specific behaviors or tricks In fact, because the reward is so satisfying, it seems like all we are practicing is begging behavior. When I suggest low-calorie fruits and vegetables as rewards, pet owners react as if I’m suggesting starving their puppies and robbing them of love. Forget that they already have these wholesome treats in their refrigerators, which means they would be saving money.
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FAQ
Should dogs get treats every day?
There is no restriction on how frequently you can distribute them, provided that you keep treats to 10% of their daily calorie intake. Some owners choose to give one large biscuit each day. Others feed their pets a small amount of kibble (maybe 20 or 30 pieces) throughout the day, one or two pieces at a time. Giving no treats is fine, too.
Is it okay to not give treats to dogs?
Pets, especially dogs, want our companionship, not our treats. They are pleading with us, and we give them food. We are setting the table by substituting food for attention. According to studies, dogs form closer relationships with people who exercise them than those who feed them.
What can I use instead of dog treats?
A healthy treat option for dogs is fresh fruit and raw vegetables; these foods don’t contain any additional chemicals, artificial flavors, or colors, and your dog will benefit from the extra vitamins and minerals.
Can you train a dog without treats?
The majority of expert dog trainers advise dog owners to start their dogs’ obedience training with tasty treats before weaning them later. Although it is possible to train your dog without treats, starting with food rewards ensures you have your dog’s attention. Treats are an effective training tool.