All dogs deserve the occasional treat. Dog treats provide motivation for your dog during training and in encouraging good behaviour. If you’ve ever opened the treat jar or packet while your dog was busy doing something else, you’ll know how quickly you can grab his attention with this simple gesture. The act of treating also strengthens the bond between you and your dog, as your dog feels good about pleasing you and you feel good about rewarding him. A treat symbolises a whole lot of love between owner and dog.
What is the perfect treat for your dog?
First of all, choose a treat that is specifically formulated for your dog. While it could be tempting to reward your dog with human food, you might be doing more harm than good. Educate yourself on which human foods are suitable for dogs, and especially avoid the ones that aren’t! If you’re not sure, follow the golden rule and treat your dog with something that was purposely made for him or her.
Dog treats are designed to please your dog’s palate without upsetting his tummy. Offer your dog a treat that is filled with added nutrients and vitamins, and that is good for his teeth. Make sure that your dog has a nutritionally balanced meal before you fill him up on treats, and rather save the doggy rewards for between mealtimes.
Don’t allow your dog to overindulge in treats as this will probably affect his appetite and even make him gain unnecessary weight. Most dogs will keep eating and accepting treats as long as you’re dishing them out, so resist those puppy-dog eyes and know when to cut off the yummy supply. If you feel your dog really deserves more than his daily quota, you should break the treats into smaller pieces, which will make both of you feel like you are giving him more treats, but his calorie intake remains the same.
Consider your dog’s health
Knowing the condition of your dog’s health is a vital part of choosing the right treat. If your dog has kidney, heart or liver disease, or if he has any allergies or intolerances, it will affect which treats you can or can’t give him. If you need to get him checked out or have any queries about which treats you should or shouldn’t feed your dog, ask your vet for recommendations.
A variety of treats
There are all kinds of treats for dogs! Consider the following:
- Dog biscuits – these are dried kibble type treats that come in a variety of flavours and sizes.
- Dental treats – these sometimes come in the shape of a toothbrush or even an alligator. These treats contain ingredients and textures that require more chewing and thus aid in cleaning your dog’s teeth.
- Chewy treats such as jerky, which is typically made out of dried strips of beef, chicken or pork.
- Natural treats such as pig ears and dried vegetable leathers.
- Rawhide, which is made from dried strips of animal hide, usually from cows, that have been pressed and bent into various shapes.
- Hard pieces of bone, typically from ostriches.
Treat with care!
Again, it is vital to consider your dog’s health condition in choosing the perfect treat. Don’t let your dog chew on rawhide or ostrich bone unsupervised! These both represent choking hazards, especially for ‘big chewers’ who bite off bits and pieces that can get stuck in their throat.
Remember that treats should not supplement too much of your dog’s daily food intake. Follow the 10% rule; treats should not exceed 10% of your dog’s daily calorie intake. There are hundreds of delicious treats to be found on our website. Have a look, do a little bit of research and know that each one of these products is formulated to bring out the best in your dog. The benefits are endless and not only will your dog be a happier dog for it, but it will improve the crucial bond between you two.
