CAN HEALTHY DOG TREATS REALLY BE UNHEALTHY???We think so!!! Even the most healthy dog treats in the world can become horribly unhealthy if your dog eats more than they need. Too much of any good thing can be bad – this is especially true with dog treats. To prove my point, there are estimates ranging from 45 to 60% of all dogs are OBESE. So if you are spending your energies looking for healthy snacks for your pup, please remember the key to truly keeping your dog healthy is TREATS IN MODERATION!!!Most vets recommend that less than 10% of your dog’s total calories come from treats or snacks. This is nice to know, but really becomes near useless with the current pet treat labeling guidelines. Dog treat labels simply do not tell you and are not required to label how many calories are in each treat. People foods are required to have nutritional information, ingredient statements, and also reference % daily values. Pet food and treat labels are not required to have the same detailed information.My point – it is difficult to know how many calories you are giving your dog when all of their foods and treats fail to list calories. Below is a table of some of the common commercial treats and the approximate calories per treat.
But what if you don’t want to use commercial treats? What if you want healthy dog treats from a local dog treat baker or healthy pet store? Finding out how many calories are in those treats may require a complicated calculation. Our recommendation is to work with your vet to understand what your dog’s caloric needs are. Each breed of dog has different caloric needs. Depending on how active your dog is, his or her needs may differ from another dog of the same breed. And if your dog is pregnant or lactating, her needs may be totally different than her normal base needs. Follow this link to learn more about feeding recommendations and how to gauge your dog’s weight. 
We typically give our dogs treats because we love them and care for them. It makes them happy and makes us feel good too. Making sure that your treating is truly contributing to your dog’s health is the best way to love your dog. Again, we believe that they’re not just pets, they’re family. Buying healthy dog treats is great. May we also offer these
zero calorie healthy dog treats
options to supplement in case your pup is packing on some extra unwanted pounds.
By using zero calorie treat options and healthy dog treats in moderation, you are making sure that your furry family members are happy, healthy, and will be with you for many years. And chances are excellent that they won't suffer needlessly from painful joints and other diseases that are common with overweight dogs.
Back to DOG OWNER'S Page.
|
