Dog treats are a fantastic reward for your canine friend. Whenever they successfully do something or respond to your commands, you’ll typically give them a tasty treat as a way to say “good job!” and encourage more of the same behavior. However, it’s worth keeping in mind that with so many dog treats on the market, it can often be difficult to pick one that’s suitable for your pooch.
So how exactly do you pick a dog treat? What are the differences between treats, and what should you really be looking for?
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Try to avoid scraps of food
It can be tempting to give your dog scraps from the dinner table or share some meat with them, especially if they look at you with their puppy eyes and start whining. Unfortunately, a lot of food that we eat can be dangerous to dogs. Chocolate is a great example of food that dogs should never eat. They also have other common food intolerances such as soy and corn, both of which are present in a lot of foods we eat.
So the next time you consider sharing your dinner with your dog, consider the potential health consequences!
Look at the calorie count of the treat
Calories are just as important to your dog as they are to you. Too many calories will make your dog big, slow, and put them at risk of developing health problems. In fact, feeding too many treats is one of the reasons why many people have overweight pets that eventually develop long-term health conditions.
Overindulging your dog can be a bad thing, so make sure you look at the calorie count of your treats and ensure that you’re not overfeeding your dog. If you’re unsure how many calories your dog should be getting, we suggest looking at a basic calorie counter. If that doesn’t work out, then you could try speaking to your local veterinarian for assistance.
Choosing dog treats at the store
So here are a couple of tips to help you pick the right dog treats at the store:
- Look for additional health benefits in the treat. For example, ginger treats for dogs can assist with conditions such as cardiovascular issues. They’re tasty, healthy, and have additional benefits, making them well worth considering.
- Prioritize food and treats that are made with natural ingredients. Some dog treats can be loaded with sugar, salt, and other unhealthy things that contribute to high-calorie counts.
- Always look at calories and fat count so you don’t end up overfeeding your dog.
- Don’t be afraid to try new treats to see how your dog reacts. Buy small packs of different treats to add some variety to your dog’s treats!
Whether you’re thinking of bringing a pet home soon or want to take better care of your canine companion, we highly recommend that you put more consideration into choosing their treats and food. This will help your dog be much healthier in the long run and will also make you a more informed pet owner.
