Dog Treats Don't Have To Be Bad For Your Dog

It's simple to locate dog treats for sale, but a lot harder to find ones that have real nutritional value for your pet. Make sure to read the labels and see what ingredients are contained in the dog treats. Just as with human food labeling, dog foods legally must list their ingredients, in order from the largest amount down to the smallest.

Consider the top components. They serve as the basis of the treats and should be scrutinized carefully. You don't want gluten, soy, or corn in any form. All three are non-nourishing "filler" substances. You certainly want to avoid meat by-products, which are considered unsafe for humans and by extension for our beloved pets. On the "to be avoided" list as well are BHA, BHT, and ethoxyquin, all of which have been proven to cause cancer. Propylene glycol, better known as anti-freeze, is actually another constituent of many dog treats.

Dog food and treats that are homemade is a great idea. By making your own treats and foods for dogs, you can put what you want to put in them. Plain yogurt with honey and peanut butter and put in a icetray and got frozen is a great idea for a snack for a dog. Vegetables like carrots, tomatoes, and green beans is a very healthy snack for a dog that carries extra weight. Dried sweet potatoes might be another option for something healthy for them. Foods such as grapes, raisins, and macadamia nuts are not good for dogs at all and very harmful, so don't feed those to dogs. Do some research before feeding foods that are not healthy for dogs.

Another option that all dogs love is plain, raw beef bones. Not only is it food in its natural form, raw bones also provide a good way to clean your dog's teeth. Another benefit from this form of dog treat is it will keep your pet occupied for an extended period of time. Feeding a raw diet also means less waste to clean up. The marrow in the bones is also good for your dogs. Do not cook bones in any way, as this is what causes them to splinter. Always supervise your dog when giving raw bones.

Discussing treat options with your vet is something to consider. But do this with some amount of caution. The majority of vets have little training in pet nutrition. Most of their nutritional training is come from information provided by pet food manufacturers that are promoting their products. This is why most vets carry the brands of these companies. Read the labels and you will be amazed at what is actually going into these vet recommended products.

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.

Although there are many dog treats available from the market, the better solution is to discover the most excellent, most wholesome treats you can. Before concerned pet owners protested the change, one company was using fish preserved in ethoxyquin to cut corners. Other examples are less extreme. The canidae dog food 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. Therefore, it may be a good idea to prepare homemade dog food and treats yourself so you can determine precisely what they consist of. Always supervise your dog when giving raw bones.

-Melinda Smith