Dog owners are used to receiving warm feelings of love and kindness from their pets. We know you want only the best for your dog, and when your dog does something special, you want to reward them in a special way. But doesn’t your favorite four legged friend deserve to be healthy? The same stuff that makes processed food bad for us is also bad for dogs. Find some natural and healthy dog treats, or even make your own!
It’s easy to give dogs healthy things that they’ll love. But first you should know some items that should never be in dog treats. This stuff is downright bad—even toxic!—and you’ll want to stay away from it when you’re making Rover smile.
Don’t feed your dog:
• Chocolate is toxic to dogs.
• Raisins and grapes are also poisonous.
• Dairy and yogurt should be used in small quantities and are tolerated by most dogs.
• Walnuts and macadamia nuts contain toxins.
• Onions can cause anemia.
• Salt, sugar, and artificial sweeteners can cause all kinds of problems.
• Look out for meat by-products!
Always read the ingredient labels on dog treats. Look out for the following preservatives and additives:
• Propylene glycol: main ingredient in anti freeze. This causes blood toxicity in cats and is banned by the FDA in Cat food but not dog food.
• BHA (Butylated hydroxyanisole) and BHT (Butylated hydoxytoluene): The World Health Organization openly names both of these as suspicious cancer causing compounds.
• Propylene glycol
• Ethoxyquin
• TBHQ (tertiary butylhydroquinone) & Proply gallate
It is probably not a good idea to place much confidence in the word “natural” when used by itself – as least not as a one-step method for choosing a dog treat. My strongest advice is to simply avoid any dog treat that contains artificial preservatives no matter what.
Natural preservatives are almost always made from certain variations of vitamins C or E. Tocopherol or ascorbate are good natural preservatives.
If you choose to make your own dog treats, or if you’re just looking for healthy treats, we recommend the following items:
• Oats are a great base.
• Dogs love meat! However, the only meat I recommend is Tuna Fish, Salmon or Buffalo.
• Dogs also love peanut butter! This is an old favorite, as it will leave dogs smacking their lips in delight. However, don’t use too much peanut butter in their treats if it contains lots of sugar.
• Help your dog by adding fruits and vegetables. These contain lots of vitamins that dogs need as much as we do. Fruits and veggies with health benefit are: blueberries, cranberries, bananas, peas, carrots, green beans, sweet potato and homemade pumpkin.
You can make your dog happy and healthy by reading labels and selecting the right treats. Making your own dog treats can be a great alternative to store bought stuff. Another great option is to find some homemade gourmet dog treats that uses natural ingredients to get all the vitamins and minerals that your tail waggin’ loved one needs.
