When it comes to dog treats, I always ask my clients why they feel their dog needs them. Unfortunately, a large percentage of the dog treats out there really aren’t that good for your dog and don’t provide any nutritional value. In fact, most of them contain things you would never allow in your dog’s food, but you still give the dog a treat that contains that ingredient.
One thing to keep in mind when shopping for a treat is the choking hazard. You want to make sure you choose a treat that is the right size for your dog, something that he can easily chew and swallow without having a choking problem.
Very often I see people giving their dogs greenies and for some people the greens work well. However, other people have told me that their dogs actually become aggressive towards greenies and I have even seen it in my own experience. Greenies at one point had a real choking problem and after some lawsuits they actually changed their formulation to prevent that from happening.
When choosing a treat, try to get one that is more nutritious and also stay away from those that are made abroad. There has been a lot in the media lately about chicken jerky treats actually killing dogs and making hundreds or even thousands of other dogs sick. Most of these products that they had problems with were made in China. I don’t think I would ever give my dog a treat that wasn’t made right here in the US. In the US we have stricter requirements on what can be used as ingredients.
Another thing to consider about using treats, use them sparingly. Using too many treats can really cause weight problems with your dog, and as we all know, weight can cause all kinds of health problems.
Rawhides aren’t actually a treat, but dogs consume them when given to chew. I always tell my clients that rawhides are really dangerous for your dog and let me give you a few reasons why. The first reason why your dog breaks a piece while he chews and it is small enough that he can swallow it without choking. However, he gets into the intestine. In the stomach, rawhide expands with the liquid in the stomach and can then block your dog’s intestines. Another cause for concern is basically a dog choking and breaking off a piece that is a little too big to swallow and choking on it.
In fact, I saw a vet on the national news a few years ago who was talking about these exact issues and how he had clients whose dogs had either died of choking or had surgery to remove the blockage.
So what should you give your dog as a treat? Do some homework and choose something that is good for your dog, has the right ingredients, and is nutritious. In fact, the ideal treat for my dog is a few pieces of his kibble. He feels that it is a gift and I know that it is good for him.