Dog Treats: The Purpose And The Rationale
By Joseph Then
Many dog owners love to spoil their dogs once in a while with a special treat. However, with all the different treats to choose from, how do you choose the best treat for your dog? How do you know what is safe and what isn’t? If you decide to make your own dog treats, how do you know what ingredients won’t be harmful to your dog? Should you give your dog new toys for treats, or special food? With so many kinds and types of treats on the market, one can easily become overwhelmed when trying to decide what is best for their dog.
You should choose a dog treat that you think will suit your dog best. All dogs are different, even dogs of the same breed, so you should your dogs individual personality and health in mind when selecting a treat. You should think about how active your dog is, what you plan to use the treats for, your dog’s health, any known food allergies that he may have, and how big he is.
Many pet stores carry treats that are specially formulated for certain dog breeds. They are made with ingredients that are guaranteed to be safe for your dog to consume, and easy for him to digest. Even though they are a little on the expensive side, these are the safest option for giving your dog a dietary treat. You can basically be one hundred percent sure that these treats will cause no problem for your beloved pet.
If your dog is really active, or competes in shows, he may need to have more fat and protein in his diet than normal dogs. Extra fat and protein will help give him the energy he needs to be able to do his routines. So if your dog needs a lot of energy, or is involved in any kind of competitive shows, or exercise regimens, then you probably should choose treats that have extra protein and fat that he can turn into extra energy.
You should keep in mind what purpose you intend the dog treats to serve. Are they just a nice way to spoil your puppy? Are you going to be using them for training purposes? Will they be used as something to help keep your puppy satisfied while you are busy or have to be away? If you are giving your puppy a treat just to be nice, then make certain that the treat you give him is healthy and low in fat, especially if you plan to give them to him on a regular basis. It is very easy for dogs to become obese, which can result in a whole slew of health problems.
Giving your dog treats for training purposes can help reward him for good behavior, just make certain that you get him a small treat, something that he can he in one bite. It should be a treat that he really likes, and can eat fairly quickly, so you can continue training. Only allowing your dog to have this special dog treat as a reward for training will give it extra purpose.
In the event that you are busy, or have to be away from home for a while, it is a good idea to leave your dog a treat that will keep him busy during that time. Small bits of food, will not suit the purpose, as these will probably all be gobbled up before you can get your car out of the driveway. Bones and rawhide chews are usually good for this purpose. It can take some dogs hours to get through a rawhide bone, and while giving him something that occupies his time, you are also giving him something that helps maintain his dental health as well. Try to pick the bone that is the correct size for your dog, if you one that is too small it will not last long, and you also run a risk of him getting it lodged in his throat. If you get a bone that is too big, he won’t be able to manipulate it so that he can chew it. It is important that you choose something that will not break into smaller pieces, as these can be potentially fatal choking hazards for your dog, especially if he will be left alone with his treat.
Always keep your dog’s health in mind when purchasing treats, and remember to read the labels carefully. If you know that your dog is allergic to a particular food, learn how to read labels and all of the possible names that it may be hidden as. Your veterinarian can help you learn what to look for to make sure that what you buy is safe for your dog.
If you are trying to treat your dog but still protect your budget, you may want to consider making your own dog treats from home. Many treats can be made with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry, and that are numerous resources available on the internet that can give you recipes and directions. There are some foods that are very dangerous for your dog, so make certain that you double check all of your ingredients first, just to be on the safe side.
Not only can making your own home made dog treats can save you a considerable amount of money, you will know that all of the ingredients are of high quality, and that there is nothing in the treat that could possibly be harmful for your dog.
Don’t allow your dog to eat table scraps, and never let him have any food that contains onions, garlic, grapes, raisins, chocolate, caffeine, or any kind of dairy products. These can cause a variety of symptoms, ranging from stomach upset, to death. If your dog has any allergies that you know of, be careful not to include anything that could cause a reaction in your homemade treats.
Remember, that treats should be given as they are intended, and are not meant to be a staple in your dog’s diet. Your dog still needs to maintain a healthy diet and weight, to ensure he has a long healthy life. Treats should not be more than ten percent of your dog’s daily diet, less if he already has a weight problem. If you have further questions or concerns, consult your veterinarian.
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Both of my dogs fell ill from chicken jerky dog treats made in China. It was only after they both had to suffer that I found the FDA’s warning. A warning that some dogs have died (mine did not die thank God!). What a sad day when we still have products on the shelf when we know that some dogs have died! Why are these still sold in stores? Mine was bought at my local Sam’s Club and they couldn’t even bother to call me back when I called the corporate office at least four times now. I filed a report with the FDA and anyone else who has had a problem should as well. It’s the only hope these dogs have to get this off the shelf once and for all! 200 dollars later both my dogs are doing well. But talk about a week of hell with the messes on the floor!! It was horrible. My husband and I were going crazy cleaning the floors with two big very sick dogs! UGH! You can bet your bippy I will NEVER buy anything for my pet that is made in China! NO WAY!
I think we all spend a lot of time in well known pet stores but most of the time people (me included at times) often buy things with our eyes completely shut.
After spending a number of years researching these ingredients I started a company creating and baking Organic treats with NO artificial additives http;//www.thedoggydeli.blogspot.com
We buy treats for various reasons often because they are made by well known pet companies or because they either smell nice or look nice. What we don`t however look at the majority of time is the endless amount of ingredients listed or in some cases not listed. Here are just a few with their common sources;
Animal Digest; A material which results from chemical and/or enzymatic hydrolysis of clean and un-decomposed animal tissue. The animal tissues used shall be exclusive of hair, horns, teeth, hooves and feathers, except in such trace amounts as might occur unavoidably in good factory practice and shall be suitable for animal feed. If it bears a name descriptive of its kind or flavor(s), it must correspond thereto.
Animal Fat; Obtained from the tissues of mammals and/or poultry in the commercial processes of rendering or extracting. It consists predominantly of glyceride esters of fatty acids and contains no additions of free fatty acids. If an antioxidant is used, the common name or names must be indicated, followed by the words “used as a preservative”.
Again, the source of the animal (type: horse, cow, pig, dog, etc.) does not have to be specified.
Blood Meal; Blood Meal is produced from clean, fresh animal blood, exclusive of all extraneous material such as hair, stomach belchings and urine except as might occur unavoidably in good manufacturing process. A large portion of the moisture is usually removed by a mechanical dewatering process or by condensing by cooking to a semi-solid state. The semi-solid blood mass is then transferred to a rapid drying facility where the more tightly bound water is rapidly removed. The minimum biological activity of lysine shall be 80%.
Again, the source of the animal (type: horse, cow, pig, dog, etc.) does not have to be specified.
Phosphoris Acid; A clear colorless liquid, H3PO4, used in fertilizers, detergents, food flavoring, and pharmaceuticals.
A harmless but unnecessary ingredient, used in inexpensive, poor quality dog food as flavoring, emulsifier and discoloration inhibitor. Used for example as a flavoring for Coca Cola.
Blue-Artificial Colour; The color additive FD&C Blue No. 2 is principally the disodium salt of 2-(1,3-dihydro-3-oxo-5-sulfo-2H-indol-2-ylidene)- 2,3-dihydro-3-oxo-1H-indole-5-sulfonic acid with smaller amounts of the disodium salt of 2-(1,3-dihydro-3-oxo-7-sulfo-2H-indol-2-ylidene)-2,3-dihydro-3-oxo-1H-indole-5-sulfonic acid and the sodium salt of 2-(1,3-dihydro-3-oxo-2H-indol-2-ylidene)-2,3-dihydro-3-oxo-1H-indole-5-sulfonic acid. Additionally, FD&C Blue No. 2 is obtained by heating indigo (or indigo paste) in the presence of sulfuric acid. The color additive is isolated and subjected to purification procedures. The indigo (or indigo paste) used above is manufactured by the fusion of N-phenylglycine (prepared from aniline and formaldehyde) in a molten mixture of sodamide and sodium and potassium hydroxides under ammonia pressure. The indigo is isolated and subjected to purification procedures prior to sulfonation.
The largest study suggested, but did not prove, that this dye caused brain tumors in male mice. The FDA concluded that there is “reasonable certainty of no harm”, but personally I’d rather avoid this ingredient and err on the side of caution.
I really do plead with owners of dogs to please stop using and buying treats with unnecessary ingredients added and please look at other options. Some of these chemicals will really harm your dog.