Many pet owners give these small gifts to their animals as rewards or tokens of their affection without considering how many calories are contained in each gift. More than half of pets in the US may be overweight due to foods like these.
Follow these recommendations to prevent adding too many calories to your pet’s diet if you want to be wise about feeding those treats.
Limitations on Treats for Pets
Pet treats aren’t nutritious enough for dogs or cats to make up a sizable portion of their food, just as cookies don’t contain enough nutrients to constitute the majority of your diet.
More than 10% of a pet’s daily calories shouldn’t come from treats. This includes table scraps or food that you might use to provide medication to your pet, as these items weren’t created for a nutritious canine diet.
Your veterinarian can provide you with the daily caloric requirements for your pet, from which you can calculate 10%. Look at the package to discover how many calories are in the treats.
When Should You Give Treats to Your Pets
Some individuals use treats to discipline a pet or commend appropriate conduct. Others make use of them to express their affection or to fortify their connection with the animal.
As long as you keep rewards to no more than 10% of their daily calories, there is no restriction on how frequently you can provide them. Some proprietors opt to provide one substantial biscuit per day. Others feed their pets a small amount of kibble throughout the day, one or two pieces at a time.
Giving no treats is also acceptable. Keep in mind that other rewards and affectionate gestures, such as more time spent playing with you or kind words, work well for both cats and dogs.
Food Scraps
You could like giving your pets a couple dinnertime bites. Your pet may put on too much weight if you neglect to account for those calories in their diet.
Feeding your pet table scraps can occasionally drive them to beg since they understand that food can be a reward. If you feed a pet who is begging and they perceive it as a reward for their behavior, they will beg again.
Put your pet in a different room when you eat if you find it difficult to say no to those large eyes or those whimpers and meows. To avoid them feeling left out, consider serving them their meal at the same time that you eat your own.
Key Elements to Think About When Purchasing Dog Treats
The healthiest dog treats have a moderate amount of fillers and empty calories and have a balanced nutritional profile. Choose treats prepared with allergies and intolerances in mind for dogs with unique dietary requirements.
1. Age of Your Dog
There is a unique reward that is ideal for the age of your dog. While senior treats are easy on aged teeth and provide a variety of vitamins and minerals, puppy treats are frequently small and protein-rich.
2. Needs for Your Dog’s Health
Treats can provide your dog with health benefits that may not be present in a regular meal, such as relief from allergies, sedation, dental and breath care, support for diabetics, digestive health, eye care, joint support, itch and redness treatment, and many more.
3. Calories
Follow the treat’s serving recommendations and be cautious of the calories in each treat. Only 10% of your dog’s daily food should be treats, and this percentage should be significantly lower if your dog is overweight.
The Best Dog Treats for Your Dog
Milk-bone Maro snacks
- Brand: Milk Bone
- Flavor: Beef
- Best for: small dogs
- Ingredients: Meat and Bone Meal, Sugar, Digest of Dried Poultry By-Products, Red 40, Sodium Metabisulfite, Cooked Bone Marrow Beef Fat, Annatto Color, Red Iron Oxide, Corn Starch, and Salt.
Contains one 40-ounce container of little bone marrow treats for dogs. Dog biscuits with a real bone marrow center inside the shell are delectable treats you can feel good about feeding.
Our Maro Snacks dog treats are a delightful combination of texture and delectable flavor. They are crunchy on the exterior and meaty on the inside. Savory treats with calcium that are ideal for all sizes of dogs. Made with love in Buffalo, New York, USA, using only natural food coloring.
Wag Dog Treats Chicken
- Brand: Wag
- Flavor: Chicken and Yoghurt
- Best for: Baby
The Wagg Puppy & Junior Meaty Bites are oven-baked, soft, and tasty dog treats made with chicken and yogurt, specially formulated for puppies and young dogs. These 125g bite-sized treats provide a delicious and nutritious reward, perfect for training or daily snacking.
Enriched with essential vitamins and minerals, they support healthy growth and development while being gentle on young tummies. Made with no artificial colors or flavors, these treats are both wholesome and delicious. This pack of 7 ensures you always have a tasty, protein-rich treat on hand to keep your puppy happy and motivated.
Milk Bone Soft and Chewy Dog Treats
- Brand: Milk Bone
- Flavor: Chicken
- Best for: All dogs
- Form: Treats
- Ingredients: Chicken, Soy Grits, Sugar, Corn Starch, Salt, Rice Flour, Guar Gum, Dicalcium Phosphate, Propylene Glycol, Natural Smoke Flavor, Garlic Powder, Potassium Sorbate, Minerals, Manganous Oxide, Copper Sulphate, Vitamins.
Contains one 25-ounce Milk-Bone cartons. Dog treats made from a soft and chewy chicken recipe with chicken breast
Real chicken breast is used to make the soft and chewy dog treats. 12 vitamins and minerals added in it to give best to your dog. You can use it for all sizes of dogs. This dog treat is cherished since 1
Brutus & Barnaby All Natural, Whole Cow Ears for Dogs
- Brand: Brutus and Barnaby
- Flavor name: Pork
The Brutus & Barnaby All-Natural Whole Cow Ears for Dogs are a healthy, protein-rich chew made from free-range, grass-fed cattle with no added hormones or chemicals. These 100% natural dog treats are USDA/FDA approved, ensuring premium quality and safety for your pet.
With a chewy yet digestible texture, they help promote dental health by reducing plaque and tartar buildup. Perfect for dogs of all sizes, these single-ingredient treats provide a long-lasting, satisfying chew without artificial additives. This bulk pack of 100 ensures a steady supply of wholesome, natural treats for your furry friend.
Wrapping It Up: Dog Treats and Healthy Pet Diets
To encourage various behaviors, most trainers blend high-value goodies with lower- or medium-value treats. For challenging training tasks and when introducing a new behavior, special high-value rewards like freeze-dried meat dog treats, and treats with a strong, appetizing odor are typically employed.
Lower-value goodies like dried dog biscuits and lower-calorie rewards are more frequently employed to reinforce learned behaviour. You can find everything you need for a well-trained puppy on Chewy, which includes a wonderful assortment of dog treats you can use for training.
