When it comes to our furry friends, one of the most universal behaviors across all breeds and backgrounds is the love of treats. We’ve all seen the adoring looks of our pups as they watch us get out that special snack. But why do our four-legged friends love treats so much? In this blog post, we’ll explore the science behind why dogs love treats and discuss the importance of giving your pup a healthy, balanced diet. We’ll also go over the types of treats available and provide some tips on how to use treats to train and reward your pup. So, if you’ve ever wondered why your pup’s eyes light up when they see a treat, read on and find out.
Why do dogs love treats so much?
First and foremost, dogs adore treats because they are created with their senses of taste and smell in mind. They are frequently made with savory, high-protein ingredients that appeal to your dog’s omnivorous nature, such as chicken, lamb, fish, beef, and turkey.
Although we might not be aware of it, our dogs’ typical dog food can taste incredibly bland, especially after a few mouthfuls. Treats can offer a fun and tasty alternative.
Similar to how most dog treats are made intentionally to be extremely pungent. This means that even before you take the treats out of the packaging, your dog can smell them from a distance.
Surprisingly, it is precisely because of this potent smell that treats are so effective for training. Nearly all dog trainers keep them in their pockets and use a combination of commands and rewarding their dogs with treats to train them to become well-behaved and obedient dogs.
Additionally, almost all treats differ significantly in texture and flavor from conventional dog food, giving dogs an alternative to their routine boring kibble.
Additionally, the right treats can keep dogs entertained for a very long time. With the tough and hard textures of the treats often taking them hours to finish, pig ears, jerky, and chews offer dogs a fun and safe way to exercise their chewing abilities.
Similar to people, working dogs always benefit from an additional challenge for their mental health, and rewarding them with treats once they complete a trick can go a long way in keeping them content and happy.
Dogs place great importance on unusual flavors, textures, and aromas because they are a big part of their daily lives. For instance, while taking your dog for a walk, you have probably noticed their keen sense of smell.
Additionally, you have probably already witnessed his skill at finding food, whether it be scraps from the kitchen or a hamburger that was left behind and lying in a park corner. Dogs appear to never want to stop eating.
When dogs are bored, they frequently look for novel foods (or at least try to sneak or beg for them).
Finally, every dog enjoys receiving something that is typically off limits. Most homes keep treats hidden in a cabinet or jar, only occasionally letting them out.
Similar to human food, treats are exciting because they are in short supply and difficult for a dog in need to obtain.
Giving treats to mischievous or energetic dogs can feel like a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Additionally, our animal friends may learn to associate treats with good behavior and become ecstatic when they realize they have been a good dog for their owners.
I’m not sure what else could explain why dogs love treats so much if those aren’t enough justifications!
How many treats should you give your dog a day?
Contrary to popular belief, most dog treats are relatively nutritious and contain essential vitamins and nutrients that are necessary for a dog’s health. However, there are some guidelines you should adhere to to keep them in good health.
For instance, even though dog treats are nutritious, you should only ever give them to your dog as a “treat” and never as a regular occurrence or as a meal replacement. Many treats have a lot of calories, so if they’re given too frequently on top of meals, they can make dogs overweight or obese.
Therefore, whether it’s from yourself, your partner, or your child, you should always try to be aware of how many treats they receive each day.
Generally speaking, experts advise that treats make up no more than 10% of a dog’s diet in order to maintain a healthy weight.
Treats are essential for training, so it can be challenging to keep track of how many you are giving your dog. But as long as you exercise your dog vigorously while training and do not use excessive amounts of praise, this shouldn’t be a problem.
Similarly, it should not be shocking that older dogs or those who are unable to exercise should receive fewer treats. Instead, you can give confined dogs healthier alternatives lower in calories, like carrot sticks, apple slices, and bananas.
Due to the amount of calories they burn each day, treats can be given out much more frequently to dogs who are very active (such as those who live on farms or work in physically demanding jobs). Watch the video below to see my dog trying to catch his favorite treats!
They don’t just taste in their mouth.
Many people think that because dogs frequently gulp down their food without pausing, they don’t enjoy the flavors. However, these pups actually have taste receptors in both their stomachs and esophageal tracts, so they can continue to taste food even after they have swallowed it whole. We might be jealous.
FAQ
Why are dogs so obsessed with treats?
Dogs have a natural desire to eat. They can go hunting for their dinner and are also perfectly content to eat the leftovers of some other animals’ prey, regardless of how long the animal has been dead. Given that they are unable to predict when their next meal will be, wild dogs gorge themselves when they eat. This explains why our pet dogs are so driven by hunger.
Do dogs love us or do they just want treats?
The majority of dogs responded to praise and food equally when Berns and his team compared their responses and examined the rewards center of their brains, he says. “Now, about 20% responded more strongly to praise than to food.” That leads us to the conclusion that the majority of dogs adore us at least as much as they adore food. “.
Is it okay to give treats to dogs everyday?
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 OK for dogs to eat a lot of treats?
As a general rule, you should limit treats to no more than 10% of your dog’s daily caloric intake. Overindulging may result in stomach problems (and unsanitary stools) in the short term and weight gain in the long run. Due to the fact that obesity is arguably the No. 1 cause of serious health issues in dogs,