Concerned With Unhealthy Dog Treats?

We all love our little companions, so why should you waste money on treats that could be potentially harmful. If you are reading this now then like me you are concerned with the type of dog treats you are buying. In my post, I will be discussing the types of dog treats and what treats are best for your specific breed of dog so you can properly feed your little one, continue reading for a whole new world of knowledge.

What Is In Your Dog's Food:

The basic ingredients in any normal and healthy dog treat or food mostly include some type of protein like beef, chicken, or lamb, along with oats and other natural flavors to provide vitamins. Dogs are often looked over when it comes to their nutrition and like humans, if you pump artificial colors and flavors into them their body will reflect that negatively. In my personal experience, treats with bright unnatural colors then to hurt Kota's stomach and cause him to use the bathroom unexpectedly. Due to this correlation I tend to stay away from the sugar-filled treats of the ones with red dye 40 with added bacon flavor which is also a big cause for cancer. Another big additive that has been added to a lot of dog treats is rawhide. This ingredient is not for every dog and could potentially harm their stomach if they are not used to eating treats that contain it.

Feeding Your Dog The Wrong Thing:

Not every dog is the same! There are thousands of different breeds for dogs and while the standard dog food and treats can satisfy the majority of them, not every treat is meant for your dog in particular. Certain treats also contain harmful carcinogens. These can be found in processed meat, which is in a lot of dog treats that are bacon flavored or try to recreate that meat texture to last a long time while packaged. Consuming enough of these carcinogens can directly lead to cancer in both humans and animals. This is why I recommend checking what is being put in your dogs food in order to keep their gut healthy and happy for years to come!

Be Age Cautious:

One big thought to have while feeding your pet treats is the age of your pet. There are age specific kibble and treats to give your dog when they are a puppy and even leading up to being an adult. Being a new dog owner can be overwhelming and you can understanably overlook things. Your dog needs nutrition from the treats and food they are eating in order to grow into a strong adult. My very own vet informed me that some dog treats and kibble could contain way too much fat for a puppy to be consuming. At the time I was feeding my dog "Puppychow", however after looking into how its made and asking my vet, she explained to me that Puppychow is "the McDonalds of dog food". She also stated I should have been moving him towards adult food since he was already a year and a half old, therefore he was missing out on the protein of the adult treats and kibble.

Natural Alternatives:

The best alternatives will be natural ingredients that are not normally found in large retailers. My personal favorites are Fullmoon pet products found here: https://www.fullmoonpet.com/. Chewy is another great choice as it sends specified food based on your dogs needs and is a monthly subscription which can be looked at here: https://www.chewy.com/.

What Can You Do:

As I stated before the best thing to do is to look for clean alternatives in order to feed your dog the best they can possibly have. Try to stay away from harmful dyes and fake flavoring that you would not want in your system either. Be careful of the age recommendations given on your dogs food in order to ensure your dog is getting proper nutrition. In my opinion the best thing to do other than buying alternatives, is to make them yourself! That will be the next post, while we are here, what are your favorite things to feed your dogs? Are there any special ways you prepare their food?