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We all like to reward our furry friends with a tasty treat from time-to-time, but we also want to make sure that we’re only offering the best dog treats in a way that won’t be detrimental to their health.
Here we provide a run-down on everything you need to know about dog treats so you can make the best decision about how to reward your pooch.
Just as humans each have different tastes and preferences when it comes to food, so do our four-legged companions and there’s a dog treat to satisfy every palate.
Here’s a run-down of the main types of dog treats you can choose from to find the one that best suits your pooch:
Dogs learn the behaviours we want them to demonstrate through positive reinforcement, when they receive acknowledgement for a job well-done—and tasty food treats are an easy way to provide immediate and timely recognition to your dog in a way that is highly-satisfying.
There are a range of ways to provide positive reinforcement to your dog, and while dogs will usually respond well to non-food rewards such as toys, play, walks, ‘happy talk’ or verbal praise and rubs or petting, most dogs consider a tasty food treat as one of the most high-value rewards.
While treats can simply be a great way to show love to your dog, they can also be particularly valuable:
Treats are a valuable tool when training your dog, used as a reward for following your command, or to recognise good behaviour like going to the toilet in the designated spot, allowing you to clean their teeth or have their fur clipped, or remaining calm during a stressful situation.
Treats can also be a great way to help your dog fight boredom. Many of us spend most of the day away from our homes while at work, school or other activities. Dogs are highly social animals and can fast become bored or anxious when left alone for extended periods of time, often leading to negative behaviours such as chewing, pacing or excessive barking.
Treats which take a long time to consume can be a good way to help to keep your pooch busy and occupied to help pass the time until you’re home again.
Treats which require a lot of chewing can be good for your dog’s oral and dental health by helping to remove tartar and plaque from their teeth. This can be particularly valuable for dogs that only consume a wet or raw diet comprising mostly soft foods.
Some treats also include ingredients which may help to keep your dog’s coat nice and shiny, improve the condition of their skin and improve their joint health.
From time-to-time your dog may also need to take medication to treat a medical condition. If your dog refuses to take its medication, sneaking it into a treat is a sneaky way to get them to eat it without even knowing!
It’s important to remember that dog treats should not be provided as a main meal or primary source of food. They are often high in calories, fat and other additives, without providing much nutritional value.
While it’s fine to provide treats as an occasional reward, treats shouldn’t form more than 10% of your dog’s daily calorie intake.
To make sure you’re feeding your dog the best dog treats, here are a few things to look out for when choosing which treats are right for your dog:
When considering the ingredients on dog treat labels, it’s best to avoid anything which includes the following:
If you have the time, making your own treats is also an option that can be a good way to cater to any special dietary requirements or restrictions your dog has, however, there are some things you need to consider before whipping up your first batch of treats.
It’s easy to assume that if you’re providing treats made from the same high-quality ingredients we eat, that it will be fine for your dog to consume—but that’s not always the case. Many ‘human foods’ including cheese, processed meats, biscuits, grapes, raisins, onions, garlic, table scraps or anything with seasoning or sauces should never be served to your dog as they can be extremely harmful to their health.
It can also be difficult to calculate the number of calories when making your own dog treats, making it easy to accidentally exceed their daily calorie limit. While some single foods like apples and peanut butter can make a good dog treat, they are often high in calories and could contribute to unhealthy weight gain.
While making your own dog treats is an option, it’s important to do your research first to make sure the treats you make are safe and healthy for your dog to consume.
At Petzyo, we make it easy to find the best dog treats for your dog by only offering premium-quality, Australian-made dog treat products which are packed with wholesome ingredients and nourishing vitamins, while leaving the nasty artificial additives out.
View our range of dog treats to find the right one for your pooch.