Appetizing dog treats are a very useful part of a dog’s diet. Delicacies are used by owners to solve several problems at once, from an effective stimulus during dog training to important support for their dog’s overall health.
In this article, we will give you some basic tips that will tell you what to look for when choosing such treats in pet stores.
Examine the ingredients of the treats
- Choose only safe and natural ingredients for pet treats. They should be made from high-quality products, such as meat, offal, cereals, vegetables, and fruits. Natural preservatives are allowed, including vitamin C, vitamin E in the form of tocopherols, citric acid, and rosemary extract.
- Make sure that dog treatsdo not contain any harmful additives. Avoid flavors, preservatives, flavor enhancers, sweeteners, and artificial colors. After all, synthetic additives can negatively affect the animal’s immune system and cause allergies. For small dogs, they can cause hyperactivity or excitability.
- Make sure that the treat contains enoughprotein , as it is essential for proper physical development and rapid growth of the animal.
Choose treats of different shapes and sizes according to the breed:
- For large and medium-sized dogs
Thanks to their powerful jaws and large size, these pets can easily handle large, hard treats and hold them comfortably with their front paws. They especially like a variety of meat pieces, bones, and cartilage.
High- or medium-hard treats can keep a dog occupied for a long time – from a few hours to a whole day. However, for older dogs of the same breeds, you should choose softer and more nutritious types of treats.
- For small dogs
Smaller shapes and sizes are best for these pets, as they are easier to chew and are comfortable and safe to swallow. Small pets are very sensitive to food ingredients, so it is important to choose treats only with carefully tested ingredients. This will help to avoid food reactions and problems with the animal’s stomach, liver, and kidneys.
- For puppies
Delicacies for the little ones are usually enriched with vitamins and have a high nutritional value. This has a very positive effect on the growing body of the baby and supports its proper development. Pet stores offer a wide range of shapes and types of puppy treats: chicken or fish cubes, creamy treats, meat sticks and strips, rolls with filling, and miniature sausages.
Check the calorie content of treats
Determining the energy value of a dog’s food is not just a matter of counting numbers, it’s a matter of taking into account many factors. If your pet leads an active lifestyle, running and jumping every day, he will need more energy to compensate for the cost of mobility. Large breeds of dogs, of course, need more calories to meet all their vital functions and maintain their physical activity.
In general, an animal’s energy needs depend on various factors, such as size, overweight, age-related changes, pregnancy, disease, and activity level. They should be taken into account when calculating the required diet.
To determine the right amount of calories for your pet, we recommend that you consult a veterinarian, who will calculate the appropriate daily allowance. And it’s worth remembering that treats, even the highest quality ones, increase the calorie content of a dog’s diet, so they should not exceed 10% of the total daily allowance.
Choose functional treats for teeth and coat
In general, the idea of creating treats for dogs was born to improve their quality of life and simplify their care. Thanks to its balanced composition, including a carefully selected amount of proteins and amino acids, the food improves the quality of the animal’s coat, helps to reduce the formation of tear stains and promotes better digestion.
But it should be noted that not every pet store treat is good for your dog’s teeth. There are special treats labeled Dental – sticks, bones, snacks with chicken, rabbit, duck flavors that not only delight your pet, but also take care of its oral cavity. Dietary fiber gently cleanses plaque from your pet’s teeth, minerals strengthen enamel, antiseptics and antioxidants reduce gum disease, and herbs freshen breath.
It is known that dogs with red and white coat color have not only a bright appearance, but also special needs due to their sensitive skin, vulnerable immune system, tendency to allergies and tear spots under the eyes. That’s why dog nutritionists have developed a special Superior Care line of foods that contain innovative ingredients to provide quality nutrition and promote better skin and coat health.
Choosing hypoallergenic treats
If your pet is diagnosed with an allergy or chronic disease by a veterinarian, it is vital to give up some foods in the diet and choose hypoallergenic treats. We’ll tell you exactly when to do this.
- If your dog has a confirmed food allergy or intolerance to a product, such as a certain protein (chicken or beef), ingredient (cereal or soy), choose treats that do not contain these allergens.
- Ifyour pet has skin and coat problems, such as persistent itching, redness and flaking of the skin, hair loss, or discoloration, choose hypoallergenic treats.
- If your pet has gastroenterological diseases, such as hypersensitivity of the stomach and intestines, choose hypoallergenic foods to avoid provoking digestive upset and inflammation.
- Ifyour pet belongs to a breed prone to allergies (e.g., bulldogs, Yorkshire terriers, Labradors, Shar-Pei) and suffers from food intolerance, choose treats that do not cause allergies.
Pay attention to the quality standards and certification of treats
Mandatory certification and compliance with quality standards play a key role in the production of dog treats. Reliable manufacturers focus only on international standards. Among them are FEDIAF (European Federation of Pet Food Manufacturers) and AAFCO (American Association for Food Control), which guarantee safety, nutritional value, and the absence of harmful ingredients. These certificates prove that the food has passed veterinary and sanitary control, meets labeling and composition requirements, and does not contain GMOs, preservatives or artificial colors.
We hope that the information provided will help you choose not only delicious and functional treats for your pets, but also healthy and safe for their health.
We recommend buying such treats only in specialized pet stores. For example, in our pet store, which is located on the territory of one of the V.O.G DOG SALONs in the village of Kriukivshchyna. It is here that you can find everything you need for your dog, including delicious and affordable premium treats tailored to breed and age.
