Do You & Your Dog Follow The 10% Rule?

Like humans, dogs love treats and they can add on the pounds if you don't keep track or watch what they are eating. To avoid overdoing it, stick to the 10% rule - only 10% of your dog's diet should consist of treats and snacks. The other 90% should be the foods that keep their body working well, basically their dry kibble or wet food.

While it's a great bonding moment for you and your dog, avoid giving more than one treat at any given moment. If you just can't help yourself, measure out the amount of treats you can give your dog each day. This way, you stay strong and your dog doesn't get too many.

Greatly limit giving your dog those table scraps. They will only add up, especially if you are already giving them their allotted treats. I know it's difficult, especially if you don't want to waste food. Always a good excuse, right? Don't use it, my fellow dog parents.

Dogs can quickly become used to being fed your leftovers, which can start an issue with begging - or the belief that they eat whenever you do. No one enjoys having a dog starting them down, or worse whining loudly when trying to enjoy a meal.

There is an abundance of treats available in stores. While convenient, they often contain unnecessary fat, sugar, calories and preservatives. See if your dog approved by my own dog are dates and popcorn, air popped without salt or butter. He will drool whenever we have it, so I know it's a winner!

If they aren't "falling" for the healthy treats, smear a tiny bit of pure peanut butter on it. I haven't met a dog yet that doesn't like peanut butter. Have you?

Soft Treats

Treats from a store can be chosen, but take a look at the ingredients. Are they natural or loaded with preservatives? Choose those with easy-to-read ingredients that don't fill up the back of the package. Once you start doing this, you'll become a pro at spotting the good from the bad. It will only take moments to determine what's will enjoy fruits and vegetables instead. Carrots, dried strips of sweet potato and apples make excellent, healthy snacks.

Tried and a healthy option for your pet.

You want snacks to be easy on their teeth as well. Choose those that are soft or flexible. Hard bones, antlers and hooves can chip or crack teeth, which can lead to dental issues.

Overall, be mindful of your dog's diet as you would your own. Your dog will be thankful and share a long, healthy life with you.

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The Best Treats For Dogs

One of the best things in the world is being able to make your dog dance around in happiness when you give him a treat he loves. Unfortunately, some owners give their dogs way too many treats. The treats may taste great but they can cause a lot of health problems if you give too many, or the wrong ones.

I'm not telling you to stop giving treats entirely. Certainly you should reward your dog for doing things you like, and it's great to indulge your dog a little occasionally. But some treats can be good for your dog in ways other than just emotionally.

Foods to Avoid

There are some treats and foods you should not give your dog. For instance, don't give your dog table scraps for treats. Table scraps can be bad for your dogs in some ways. Even something as harmless as garlic powder can cause your dog to have some digestive problems.

Additionally, human food often has a lot of fat in it that your dog doesn't need and it can lead to problems for your dog's organs such as fat in your dog's liver or an enlarged or weakened heart. Your dog can even develop diabetes. In general, if a food is not developed for a dog then you probably shouldn't feed it to him.

Besides table scraps, inexpensive dog biscuits and cookies that are high in fat are often fed once in a while, but if you feed them every day they can lead to health problems for your dog. You should avoid giving your dog treats that are high in fat or which are full of corn and wheat fillers.

Other things you should avoid giving your dog include pig ears (because of the risk of salmonella), ham bones, and cookies that are high in fat, especially if your dog is allergic to the grains which are often used in cookies.

Good Things for Your Dog

So, what kind of treats should you be giving your dog? There are some treats that I have found dogs love and which are healthy. Here is my list:

Kongs with Frozen peanut filling

Stuffed Kongs: Kong toys are great because your dog can chew on them literally for years and they won't be destroyed. Even better, you can put treats, peanut butter, and even chunks of meat inside them to keep your dog interested in chewing on them.

Frozen and Ice Treats: Most dogs love ice, unless they have some dental problems. Have you ever see a dog run at a snow bank? Somewhere inside your dog he is programmed to love eating frozen water. And here's the best part of all: frozen and ice treats are free and they're healthy for your dog, though they can get messy sometimes.

Pet Factory Rawhide chews

Rawhides Made in America: Dogs love rawhides and they make a great treat but you do need to be careful about giving them to your dog. Make sure you buy pressed rawhide so big chips won't tear off when your dog chews on it. And, secondly, make sure the rawhide you buy is American-made as there has been some discussion from news sources that rawhides from other places may contain arsenic.

Heavy, Big Bones: It's okay to give your dog some bones, as long as you watch and supervise your dog. These include large, heavy beef bones. But don't give your dog small bones that can chip or break, especially ham bones.

Top Chews Chicken Jerky

Jerky: Dried meat, like jerky, is a great treat for dogs. Jerky doesn't usually have a lot of additives, dogs don't choke on it, and they are usually safe to feed to your dog. They can make good training treats, too, because they are easy to break up into smaller pieces.

When you're looking for treats for your dog you should look for treats that don't have a lot of fillers or artificial ingredients. Look for treats that have organic, grain-fed meats from the U.S. That way you'll know they have been handled properly and they don't contain ingredients that might make your dog ill.

Finally, every dog owner needs to have good treats for their dog, so take care, do your research, and always choose a treat that your dog will like.

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