Dog Treats Can Be Healthy
Although there are a lot of dog treats obtainable from the market nowadays, the solution is to discover the most excellent, most wholesome treats you can. To do this, you have to read the product labels and check dog treat components. Dog treats and foodstuffs are obligated to list ingredients from the most amounts down to the least like in human foods.
Look mainly at the first four ingredients. These are the core of the treats and should be examined closely. Try to avoid things such as corn of any type, meat by-product, glutens, and soy. Corn, glutens, and soy are just filler and have no nutritional value. Meat by-products are just what it says, by-products, meaning, animal parts that are unfit for human consumption. Other things to avoid are butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), and ethoxyquin, known carcinogens. Propylene glycol is also often used in dog treats. This is anti-freeze!
An excellent way to go is homemade dog food and treats, because you can determine exactly what ingredients you want to put in them. Foods such as plain yogurt mixed with honey or peanut butter can be frozen and placed into an ice cube tray. For a dog that is overweight, it is nice to use fresh vegetables such as carrots, cherry tomatoes, or steamed green beans. These are good, nutritional, filling alternatives to other treats. Dried sweet potatoes are a favorite with some dogs. You must learn which foods are safe, because some foods, such as grapes, raisins, and macadamia nuts, may be toxic to dogs.
An alternate food option that most all dogs like is raw beef bones. They are a good food source in their natural form, raw bones are also a good way to clean your dog’s teeth . Other benefits from this form of dog snack are keeping your pet occupied for an extended period of time. Feeding a raw diet also means less clean up after the dog. The marrow in the bones is also a healthy delicacy for your pet. Do not cook bones in any way, as it could result in splintering. Always keep an eye on your dog when giving raw bones, so as they don’t choke.
You may want to consider talking with your pet’s doctor about your choice of treats. However, you should be aware that the majority of veterinarians haven’t received much training in pet nourishment. They have come by most of their relevant information via the reps and handouts from the makers of certain pet foods, which is why they sell those firms’ items in their offices. Scrutinize the labeling and you might be truly surprised at what some vet-recommended food items contain.
It is pertinent that you continuously read the labels on the back of your pet foods and treats; even if it’s something you’ve done before. Even manufacturers of premium pet foods are changing their ingredients in an effort to cut costs. For example, one company started using fish that had been preserved in the chemical ethoxyquin, arguing that it was perfectly safe. They finally discontinued this practice after a deluge of complains from their customers. Canidae dog food, as another example, has recently changed the ingredients in their lamb and rice formula. While the product is certainly comparable, the ingredients — which were somewhat inferior to begin with — are now even more so.
Conscientious pet owners should always read the labels of their pet’s food and dog treats. You want to concentrate on the first four ingredients. These are the most important components of the treat. Try to avoid ingredients like any type of corn, meat by-products, glutens, and soy. It’s a good idea to prepare homemade dog food so you can determine precisely what it’s made of. Another option that all dogs love is plain, raw beef bones. Canidae dog food has changed some of the ingredients in its lamb and rice variety, lessening the quality of what was not a premium dog food to begin with.
- Melinda Smith