Health Dog Treats

Healthy dog treats are a good way of rewarding your dog when it has behaved well or obeyed you.



The special types of dog food given as a reward are known as dog treats. Here are some steps to keep in mind when giving your dog these treats.

• Dog treats are usually made from rawhides, pig ears, cow hooves, greenies and cereal. These can result in excessive weight gain, intestinal blockages and even poisoning. Raw hides are difficult to digest and cause blockages in the in the throat and stomach as well.
  
  
  
  Pig ears are very high in fat.
• Avoid feeding your dog chicken and pork bones as they can splinter and damage the intestines. A better choice would be raw beef bones with the excessive fat removed. Marrow bones or beef knuckle bones are good options too.
  
  
  
  Bones should be an occasional treat as they are high in fat content.
• Treats should be high in protein. Turkey strips or freeze dried liver are good. Dog biscuits which are high in carbohydrates lead to obesity.
• Refrain from feeding table scraps or leftovers. These are high in sugar, sodium, fat and carbohydrates.
• Read the labels of commercial products and check for unhealthy ingredients such as sugar, sodium, saturated or trans fat, artificial colors or propyl gallate.
• Give small amounts of fresh high protein foods like salmon, chicken, turkey, sardines or Omega-3 eggs.

Natural dog treats are affordable and can easily be made at home. Invest in a home dehydrator as this helps in the preparation. Dogs love jerky - place chicken or turkey strips in organic apple cider vinegar and leave overnight. Drain the strips and cook in the dehydrator. Ensure that the chicken or turkey do not have added hormones or antibiotics. Sweet potato chips are a good source of carbohydrates. Simply slice the sweet potatoes and place on the dehydrator and follow the instructions. Other treats include organic apple rings, white fish strips or garlic salmon. Use only naturally farmed salmon for the strips. All dehydrated treats should be kept in small, tightly sealed bags. The sealed bags will keep the treats fresh for several weeks. Refrigerating the treats will make them last longer. Prepare each type of food individually. Put one food at a time in the dehydrator. Clean the dehydrator trays thoroughly between sessions.

Your pet is sure to enjoy these dog treats!