Treat time is an important opportunity to nourish your pup. But with endless treat options at the pet store, how do you identify truly healthy picks?
Favor Real Food Ingredients
A healthy snack starts with high-quality ingredients. Unfortunately, many mass-market treats contain wheat, soy, artificial preservatives and other cheap fillers with minimal nutritional value. Some even use ingredients that are toxic to dogs, like xylitol or onion powder.
Always check the ingredient label, looking for whole food components. Actual chicken, sweet potato, peanut butter, coconut oil, Greek yogurt, bananas, blueberries, applesauce and other fresh components provide real protein, vitamins, minerals and energy.
Factor In Macronutrient Needs
You also want to account for protein, fat and carbohydrate ratios when reviewing snacks. Some treats emphasize fillers like corn, rice and sugars that spike blood sugar without sustaining energy. And too many fatty treats make it difficult to manage weight and digestion.
Looking for a better balance is key. For example, lean protein snacks like plain chicken, sweet peas, carrots sticks or cottage cheese fuel activity while yogurt coats provide healthy probiotic fat. Mixing it up with gut healthy treats for dogs from a brand like Nextrition enhances overall diet quality, so treats become nutrition boosters.
Focus On Digestibility
Treat digestion greatly affects tummy troubles like diarrhea, gas and constipation. Some common culprits notorious for irritation include corn, soy, wheat, onions and certain veggies.
Focus on gentle, gut healthy ingredients like sweet potato, oatmeal, eggs, Greek yogurt, applesauce, bananas, blueberries, and coconut products. Their fiber and probiotics aid healthy digestion and regularity.
Avoid Empty Calories
It’s also crucial to evaluate nutritional value based on your individual dog. For example, treats for overweight or elderly dogs demand different macros than high energy, growing pups. The wrong treats become empty calories rather than functional food.
Discuss specific health goals with your veterinarian to identify ideal treats. Options like air dried salmon, sunflower seeds, cottage cheese and cucumbers target needs from immune support to joint health to weight control. With mindful selection, treats enhance your dog’s whole diet with purposeful nutrition.
Control Portions
Even healthy treats require controlled portions. Excessive quantities still imbalance overall diet needs. As a general rule, treats should not exceed 10% of daily calorie intake for weight management. Pay attention to signs your dog is full and resist puppy dog eyes manipulating extra treats. Pick small or mini sized options that allow a couple bites to prevent overconsumption.
Confirm Safety First
Before purchasing any new snack, confirm safety reviews and advisories. For example, the FDA issued warnings in recent years tying certain jerky treats with illnesses in canines. Recalls may remove concerning products, but being vigilant remains key.
Additionally, evaluate sizes and shapes posing potential choking hazards for your specific dog’s muzzle and throat capacity. What may delight a Great Dane could dangerously lodge in a Yorkie’s tiny airway. Always put safety first when evaluating suitability.
Quality Over Quantity
Homemade treats seem appealing but often lack complete nutrition. And excess human food scraps quickly spike calories while missing key nutrients long-term. Instead, save the homemade gifts for occasional variety.
Focus everyday snack routines on commercial options rigorously formulated to deliver comprehensive, balanced nutrition in smaller quantities. Paying a little more for quality over quantity ultimately sustains your dog’s needs safely while preventing weight issues.
Conclusion
Approaching treats as supplemental boosts between balanced meals lets your pup thrive for years. Analyzing labels for quality ingredients, nutritional value and digestibility leaves them satisfied without disrupting their diet. Controlling portions, confirming safety and focusing on quality over quantity sets your dog up for lasting success with every tasty bite.