Choosing the Best Treats for Your Dogs

He is such a good dog and besides playing, walking, and cuddling up on the couch, you are always tempted to give him a treat. You want to see him all happy and jumpy from every handful treat you reward him with, right?

Who doesn’t!

“Anything for my dog…” Dog lovers swear.

That’s sweet but you have to be careful on what you serve your dog for a treat and how often—same way you gnaw your mind over the healthiest snack to pick and avoid overindulging.

There are healthy treats and any dog food shop e.g. TLC Pet Food could come to your rescue in matters dog treats.

I am a big fan of dogs and I recently had a long conversation about dog treats with one of the guys at TLC Pet Food – Kenya.

One of the questions I shot was: how much [treat] is too much?

“According to dog experts, treats should only make about ten percent of your dog’s total calories in a day. So, you not only need to watch the portions but also pay attention to details on the calories.” He says.

The Worst Dog Treats

It feels good to see a dog go jump at a treat, roll his tongue to catch any leftovers around his mouth, and wag his tail begging for more.

Some people find this irresistible and sometimes, thinking it harmless, they share their own snacks with pets. For example while finishing up the last piece of a chocolate bar, they offer their doggo a piece.

Some even go to the extreme of pouring their furry friend some alcoholic drink!

That’s harmful.Unfortunately, even the people you would expect to know better do harm dogs—dog food manufacturers. They rarely disclose the real ingredients in their dog treats. Often, they provide vague descriptions.

Then, there are those that prey upon dog owners’ lack of knowledge. If you are not furnished with the right information—what’s good for your dog and what’s not…an attractive dog treat packaging promising good health could sway you to buying a treat that actually bad for your dog.

Most of the manufactured dog treats are highly artificial with little to no healthy organic ingredients. Some are explicitly tagged “Salmon” which is known to be very healthy for dogs.

However, on turning to the list of ingredients you find it’s just salmon-flavored, it does not contain a single salmon fish.

In short, you will be feeding your dog artificial flavorings, a concoction of preservatives, and loads of other bad stuff that could lead to obesity, diabetes, kidney problems, and even cancer.

I bet that’s not your idea of a good treat, is it?

The Best Dog Treats

Personally, I reserve mind raking stuff like ‘what healthy snack should I fix doggo today?’ so my first option would be the manufactured treats.

Grab the dog treat boxes . . . pour some on the bowl and watch him smile.

Knowing too many manufacturers don’t consider whether what they have in their packet as dog treat is really healthy or not, a quick search of manufacturers who are known to stock on organic and human-grade ingredients would be the first step.

In Nairobi Kenya, for example, TLC Pet Food is a perfect go-to for dog treats. Their foods and treats are always made from natural, fresh ingredients.

DIY Dog Treats

Alternatively, try healthy fruit or vegetable treats like baby carrots, broccoli, green beans, pieces of an apple, slices of a banana, or even watermelon.

You can also prepare and offer your dog air-popped popcorn or rice cake.

Conclusion 

Whatever you do, however harmless it seems, never offer chocolate, raisins, grapes, or . . . pour your furry friend some coffee.

Unlike us, dogs eat anything and they don’t crave the bad things we do. Keeping your dog healthy is simple.

Ditch the bad dog treats, keep your doggo happy and healthy! Get TLC Pet Food – The best Pet Food in Kenya