The Effects of Treats on Your Dog's Diet

You already know how important it is for your dog to have a healthy diet. You have consulted with your vet about a nutritious and healthy dog food. Whether you decided to go with dry food, canned food, or even make your dog's food from scratch, you might still be missing something very important concerning your dog's diet.

Do you sometimes give your dog a treat of rawhide to chew on or something from the dinner table? These treats might seem like simple snacks, but they actually can add up. You might not have thought about it before, but any treats you give your dog are now a part of the dog's diet. Now the question is, how important of a part are the the treats in your dog's diet? Do you only give one treat a day to your dog, or do you toss your dog a treat for every trick and adorable look?

The kind of treats your dog receives make an impact on your dog's diet. Do you give your dog some cookies, table scraps, or maybe some popcorn as a treat? If it's junk food for humans, then it is definitely junk food for dogs. Actually, even some foods that are healthy for humans are not for your dog. Raisins are a perfectly healthy food for people, but can be damaging to your dog's health. Think before you treat.

There is a bit of a debate concerning rawhides as a treat. Some vets and dog owner's feel that rawhides are a bad treat for a dog. Others are of the opinion that rawhides create good dental health and entertainment for a dog. Talk it over with your vet and see what they have to say about it. If you come to the decision that rawhides will be included in your dog's diet, try to avoid giving your dog too many. Rawhides are full of empty calories and can make thin stools.

Your dog sees a treat as just a treat and, for the most part, doesn't really care if it gets a Milk Bone, rawhide chew, or even a baby carrot. Your dog is simply happy to get the treat. Giving your dog a lot of treats can be fun for the both of you, but can cause some serious health issues for your dog.

Small pieces of apple, baby carrots, and ice cubes make great healthy treat ideas to think about when deciding on your dog's diet. These treats make a small difference altogether and make it easier for you to keep track of the daily intake of your dog. Now you can concentrate completely on the food your dog eats at their scheduled mealtimes. In order to ensure a happy and long life for your pet, your dog's diet must be a healthy one.