How Treats Affect Your Dog's Diet

You know the importance of choosing a healthy diet for your pet.  You have taken the time and effort to consult with the veterinarian about a healthy and nutritious dog food.  Whether you choose dried food, canned dog food, or make it from scratch, you may be overlooking something extremely important in your dog's diet.

Do you occasionally give your best friend a treat from the table or a rawhide to chew?  These treats may seem like a simple snack or tidbit, but they really can add up.  You may not have considered it before, but any and all treats that you give your pet are a part of your dog's diet.  The question now becomes, how significant are treats in your dog's diet?  Do you give your dog a treat once a day in the evening while watching television, or do you scatter Milk Bones throughout the day for each cute look or adorable pet trick?

The type of treats you give your dog also makes a difference in your dog's diet.  Do you pass out cookies and scraps from dinner, or maybe a piece of popcorn or two?  Junk food for you becomes junk food for your pet.  In fact, some healthy foods for you are not good for your dog.  Raisins are a healthy snack for humans to munch on between meals, but they can be detrimental to the health of your dog.  Keep your dog's diet healthy even during snack time with treats.

Rawhides are an area of controversy.  Some pet owners and vets feel they do not make a good treat for your pet.  Others feel that rawhides provide entertainment and good dental health for your dog.  Find out what your vet recommends.  If you decide to allow rawhides in your dog's diet, avoid them in excess.  They can create thin stools and provide many empty calories.

Your dog views a treat as just that, a special treat between meals.  For the most part, dog's don't care if you give them a baby carrot, rawhide chew, or Milk Bone.  They are happy to get the snack.  If you find you provide numerous treats during the course of the day, you may need to modify your dog's diet to avoid maintaining a healthy weight.  Giving your pet a whole bunch of treats sure is fun for both you and your dog, but can lead to serious health troubles. 

Consider altering your dog's diet by giving him or her less treats.  Instead of a large Milk Bone, for example, break the treat into several smaller pieces and distribute them one at a time.  This will have your dog eating less between meals.

Ice cubes, small bits of apple, and baby carrots are terrific healthy treat ideas to consider when choosing a healthy diet for your dog.  Such treats make little difference overall and make monitoring your dog's daily intake much easier for you.  This way, you can focus solely on the food consumed during mealtime.  A dog's diet needs to be healthy to ensure a long and happy life for your pet.