Healthy Dog Treats For Your Pooch

Dog treats play an essential role in maintaining the balance of your pets' diet and something that they anticipate everyday because they differ in taste than the common meals you provide to them. But, you should understand that not all treats are equal in all aspects and not all of them are healthy for your pets. With these factors in mind, it is vital that you attentively choose the treats you pamper your pets with to ensure that they are benefiting from them, or if you are to formulate your dog's treats right in your own kitchen, it would be wise to know the healthiest ingredients to include in your recipes. Below are some helpful guidelines that you could use to pick the right treats for your four-footed friends.

In choosing dog treats, the first things that you would have to consider are the personality and health of you pets. Think about how active your pooches are and if they have allergies or health issues that you have to attend to. There are some dog food lines that make treats for specific dog breeds, life stages and weight and frequently these specifically formulated treats are composed of ingredients that are warranted safe for the type of dog you have. Though they often carry a premium price tag, you could surely get the worth of your money from these products as they are safe and suitable for the dietary needs of your pets.

Suppose that your pets are active and participate in dog competitions, it would be wiser to opt for dog treats that have higher levels of protein and fat than normal canine pets would eat. This is because the additional fat and protein in such treats would fuel your pets' energy that would allow them to accomplish their routines. But, if your pets have sensitive stomachs, making them prone to bloating, gas and diarrhea, you must pick treats that have low allergen contents and are made from pure vegetables, meat and poultry that contains vitamin E and devoid of grain ingredients. Avoid purchasing treats that are flavor based because frequently such treats have chemical flavoring that could upset your pets' stomachs.

As much as possible settle for natural treats just to be sure about your pets' health. Natural treats are high in antioxidants and fiber that could help balance your pets' diet especially if given in right amounts. There are lots of canine food brands out there that offer natural treats, but it would be advisable to settle for companies that have been known to specialize in natural dog products such as Wysong. Wysong dog food is one of the pioneers in natural and holistic canine food products, established in 1979 by Dr. R. Wysong, a health professional. They offer an assortment of treats and nutritionally complete dog meals that complement all dog breeds and life stages and are made from chicken, beef, venison, fish and vegetables that are all human-grade in quality.

As an approximate principle in choosing treats, table scraps have no place in a holistic canine food diet and should not be considered as treats. No matter how appealing it appears to share food from your table with your pooches, refrain from this practice because aside from throwing away the balance of your pets' diet, you are also encouraging them to beg for food scraps, which could lead to other bad habits. Instead of doing this activity, try concocting the treats of your pets in your kitchen--a cost efficient option that you and your pet will definitely enjoy. Homemade dog food treats are perhaps the best treats you could spoil your pets with because you can decide which ingredients are appropriate for their diet and you could monitor that quantity of servings that you will feed to them.

When going for homemade dog food and treats, avoid using ingredients like fast food leftovers, chocolates, macadamia nuts and walnuts, onions and garlic, cheese and milk, potato parts, raisins and grapes, salt and any forms of sweeteners and other low quality grains because these items could be detrimental to the health of your pets. Beyond the aforesaid ingredients you could use brown or whole wheat flour, regular oatmeal and not the instant ones; broth from boiled poultry, meat and vegetables; meat, chicken and fish; and other optional ingredients like wheat germ, flax seed, beaten eggs and cod liver oil among others. You could always change the treats you give to your pets, but try to make sure that you properly store them so that they won't easily decompose. Allow treats to cool before you pack them and store them in airtight containers to retain their freshness and moisture. For treats and biscuits that have meat ingredients, keep them in airtight containers in the refrigerator to prevent premature spoilage. Of course, before you serve your pets with homemade meals, it is advised to consult first with your pets' veterinarian to know the right ingredients to include in your pets' treats or you could also refer to canine food cookbooks written by animal professionals for healthier recipes.

When purchasing dog treats, consider the personality and health of your pet to make the right choice. As much as possible settle for a reliable dog food brand acknowledged for healthy treats like Wysong dog food. If you have some time to spare, why not concoct your pet's treats in your kitchen? Homemade dog food treats are the best snacks you can provide to your dog as you could personally select the ingredients that you would include in your recipe.

-Brigitte Smith