When Should We Give Dog Treats?
Dogs can get excited about a number of things. There’s no greater sight than seeing your dog running around and jumping with joy. But although we know that dogs love to eat, we should be careful about how we give dog treats.
Of course, almost anything taken to excess can be a bad thing. So, being careful with how we give dog treats is very important if we want to keep our dogs healthy. In this article, we’ll look into this a little more.
How to give dog treats
There’s a lot of controversy about this. Some people think that we should be liberal with our little furry friends, whereas others think that’s the worst thing you can do. But what’s the truth?
The truth is that dog treats are specially made for them. They go through quality controls to make sure that they’re not harmful, but also to make sure they’re tasty!
Who doesn’t love a treat from time to time? But that’s exactly what it should be – from time to time. Anything in excess is bad for you, and that goes for dogs too.
When to give dog treats then?
Dog treats are just that, a treat. They’re not meant to form a part of their diet, just to complement it.
Treats contain nutritional supplements which can be good for them. But they don’t contain all the nutrients that dogs need. They also contain a lot of calories just like treats for humans do!
So, with this in mind, even if you like to give your dog a treat every day, this should never be more than about 10% of their daily intake.
How to choose the right treats?
Nowadays there are all sorts of shapes, sizes, colors, and flavors on the market.
To find the right one for your dog, try to find ones with some health benefits and avoid ones that contain a lot of sugar or fats.
If you know your dog well enough, you can find out if he prefers bigger, crispier, or softer treats. In fact, the size of your dog will probably have some influence on this.
Try to avoid dog treats that contain cereals. These are a source of unnecessary carbohydrates. If you go to a pet shop, they may be able to offer a few different ones to your dog to see which ones he likes best. They’ll also be ready to tell you about what they contain and any health benefits they might have.
Any other reasons to give dog treats?
As well as being a treat, it can be really useful for training. When you’re trying to teach your dog commands, having some dog treats handy to reward him can be really helpful.
This can also help you to get him to behave when you’re out on walks. If he does, then what better way to reward him than with a treat?
It won’t just help him learn quicker, it’ll strengthen your bond too. Nobody likes being told they’re wrong all the time, and neither does your dog. If you reinforce good behavior with treats, your dog will appreciate it and feel loved.
Just remember not to go overboard. If you do give him a treat, try to moderate his food for the day so that he doesn’t get indigestion and get sick.