The American Pet Products Association (APPA) estimated that pet food and treat sales in America increased by 9.7% in 2020. Treats are handy to have as a dog owner since they are an excellent way to show your puppy love and reward it for good behavior. Nevertheless, what you feed your dog is vital, so it is best to put great thought and effort into selecting the best treats for your furry friend. If you wish to learn more about choosing suitable treats for your dogs, consider the points below.
1. Avoid treats with artificial ingredients
Dog treats are typically designed to catch pet owners’ eyes, so you will undoubtedly come across treats with bright colors and fascinating packaging when searching for snacks for your dogs. Although puppies don’t care what their treats look like, it is your duty as a pet owner to check the nutrient analysis and ingredient list before purchasing any snacks. Treats that come in unnatural colors are likely packing a lot of salt, fat, dyes, and artificial preservatives that make them less healthy diet options. Instead, opt for simple treats with fewer ingredients like those on this web page to ensure that your dog doesn’t consume anything unhealthy.
2. Make treats yourself
Making your puppy’s treats yourself is worth considering to ensure that you know the exact ingredients your dog is consuming. Fortunately, you can keep many treats in your refrigerator for up to one week, so baking once weekly is enough to cover your pup’s snack needs. You can make DIY dog biscuits, dog donuts, and frozen treats as well. However, remember to avoid using chocolate, onion, garlic seasonings, raisins, corn, salt, macadamia nuts, and other ingredients to which dogs typically don’t react well. Therefore, it would be best to check online to see if a particular element is safe for your dog to consume when making treats to keep it in optimum health and wellness.
3. Consider treats with specific health benefits
Your puppy can have its cake and eat it too if you feed it treats with health benefits. Fortunately, many treats have numerous health benefits besides being tasty snacks. As such, there is no shortage of options to select from, regardless of your pup’s unique needs. You can find dog treats for food allergies, anxiety, dental disease, and obesity. In addition, you can purchase treats specifically designed for dogs with joints and hip pain, and sensitive stomachs.
4. Watch out for calories
Obesity is one of the biggest health problems for dogs in America, with data indicating that 55.8% of dogs are overweight or obese. Like humans, obesity in canines can contribute to many health problems like diabetes, heart disease, and arthritis. Overindulgence is perhaps the most significant cause of obesity in many dogs since many owners do not track the number and calorie content of treats they feed their pups. Consequently, feed your dog low-calorie treats only, or break down bigger treats into small pieces that can last throughout the day. Also, consider cutting back on treats if your dog is obese until it reaches a healthy weight.
