Healthy Dog Treats
Who’s a good boy?
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that your dog is the goodest dog ever. Everyone knows it, even if they won’t admit it. And naturally, you want to shower the goodest dog ever with healthy dog treats. We do need to exercise some caution here, because it is possible to kill with kindness (literally), and it is crucial that you know how to give your dog treats in a beneficial way, and when it can actually become detrimental.
How many treats should I give my dog in one day?
This is like asking how long is a piece of string? There are a few variables which you need to consider. Firstly, how big is your dog? How much of a treat are you giving them at a time? Something the size of a fingernail is going to differ from something the size of your first. The general rule of thumb is that your dog shouldn’t be getting over 10% of their daily caloric intake in the form of treats. It does vary on your pet’s age and weight however, so if you are looking for something more specific, check out this graph for further reading.
When should I be giving treats?
You want to save them for when your dog has done something good. Dogs learn through positive association, and if you give them treats for no reason, you take away from their power. There are some treats which might be considered ‘super treats’: the big ticket items which makes your dog salivate. These include cheese, or dried liver. We recommend saving these for when your dog has just rescued a child from a burning building, or perhaps just listened to your call in a chaotic environment. You will be consolidating that behaviour in a really powerful way. Then there are the everyday treats, dried chicken or vegetables. These should be given when your dog has followed basic commands at home and you are looking to bed these down.
Finally, there are the dried dog biscuits. They give your dog something to chew on, and are relatively tasty. If you ever wanted to give your dog something ‘just cos’, these might be your safest bet.
What should I NOT give my dog as a treat?
We want to make sure that we give healthy dog treats to our noble hounds rather than something which might actually harm them. Avoid avocado, onion, grapes, milk, ice cream, nuts, sugar, and - as the old Oreos ad taught us - chocolate isn’t good for dogs. Essentially, anything which you have a hankering your dog might like, but hasn’t been specifically designed for them should raise some red flags. Given the range of options for healthy dog treats, you have so many options and have no need to guess.
The goodest dog deserves the goodest treats. We have a wide range of treats available, ranging from the super delectable all the way down to those more appropriate for the ‘everyday’. Treat your dog. They deserve it.
