Picking Healthy Dog Treats

Treats are an essential part of doggie life—ask any dog.

Not only great for every teachable moment and training session, treats can help you build a positive reaction in your dog to something new or scary. But by definition, they are delicious and desirable, and treat makers often achieve this with extra fat, salt, and sugar.

Here are some rules of thumb when picking dog treats to help you avoid undermining your dog’s health:

• Only buy products that contain named meats (e.g. “chicken” or “chicken meal,” not simply “meat” or “meal”) and vegetables
• If grains appear on the ingredients panel, make sure they’re whole
• Look for whole-food ingredients such as carrots, blueberries, beef, and whole wheat
• Some preservatives are necessary, especially in chewy treats, so opt for natural ones like vitamins C and E and avoid BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin, sodium nitrate, and other chemicals
• Don’t forget that many dogs consider a cube of cheddar or a bit of leftover chicken a big treat

Here are a few links to some healthy dog treats we like:

Dr. Jodie’s Natural Pets

Zukes

Dr. Becker’s Bites

Once you’ve found your dog’s currency…whether they are treat or toy motivated, bring them in to try a new class!