PICKY PUPS: Choosing The Right Dog Treat

There are so many treats out there (spoiler alert: we make some of them) that it can be hard to know which one is ideal for your dog. Good thing we wrote this article to give you the lowdown on how to find one that’ll make your dog’s whiskers quiver and their mouth water.

SHARING ISN’T CARING

First things first: never feed your dog table scraps. New owners might think it’s generous to allow their best friend to participate in family meals. Unfortunately, it tells your dog to expect food from the table. This has the unintended effect of training them to beg and may even encourage aggression or a tendency to steal food. After all, they may think the food on the table is theirs too. Sharing table scraps can even be dangerous. Many common human foods are toxic to dogs, including onions and garlic. Dogs can also be injured by bones from cooked chicken piercing their throat or stomach lining.

NUTRITIOUS IS DELICIOUS

There’s no reason a crave-worthy treat can’t be healthy too. Start with a simple checklist: you want simple ingredients, lower calories and, ideally, a mix of vitamins and nutrients. Look for high-quality sources of protein like bison, duck, turkey and salmon, plus fruits and veggies that can support your dog’s health.

TREAT YOUR DOG DIFFERENTLY

It can be helpful to have a range of treats, with escalating levels of reward, ready for your dog. Especially when training, tiered rewards allow you to save the most crave-worthy treats for behaviors that are especially important— recall, for example. How do you know which treats your hound will like most? They’ll beg for more! Also, a good rule of thumb is that moist treats are most desirable, followed by dry ones.

TASTE AND LEARN As with any new introduction to your doggo’s diet, it’s best to go slow and see how they handle it. It can take two to three weeks for a pup’s system to adjust to new foods, so be patient and don’t overdo them during the introductory phase. Luckily our pumpkin treats help minimize this risk by utilizing the natural gut friendly fiber found in pumpkin, so if your dog has a sensitive tummy be sure to check them out.  Treat on!