Feeding Your Dog Healthy Treats!

Introduction

When you buy dog treats, you will need to avoid some ingredients as they are not healthy for dogs. Scan the ingredient list to ensure they are healthy for dogs.

As the pet owner, you control what treats you are going to feed your dog. By being a sharp shopper, you can carefully look at the ingredient list first before making a purchase.

When you check the ingredient list be sure that none of the following ones are listed:

• Corn Syrup: Even though this ingredient is not toxic, it does contain a high sugar content which is not recommended for dogs. This can lead to obesity and diabetes in dogs.
• Artificial Colors: These ingredients have no nutritional value for your dog and can be toxic to them. Be careful of artificial colors like Blue No. 2, Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5, and Yellow No. 6 as their effect on dogs is not well established.
• Xylitol or Any Other Sugar Alcohols: The ingredients xylitol and sorbitol can be fatal in dogs and needs to be avoided at all cost. It can cause liver failure and a risk for developing hypoglycemia, seizures, and even death.
• Excessive Salt: Too much of this ingredient can cause their muscles to lose moisture, shrivel, and become stiff. This can create shaking and jerking. Salt poisoning symptoms are neurological. Some can cause convulsions, coma and death.
• Propylene Glycol: This ingredient is found in many household products and has a significant toxic risk to dogs if ingested. It is found primarily in anti-freeze products.
• Brewer’s Rice: This grain is can make dogs allergic and should be avoided.
• Nitrates or Nitrites: This ingredient is used as a preservative in dog food. It keeps food fresh longer, but can be dangerous for dogs if taken in large amounts. It can cause a blood disorder known as methemoglobin.
• Vegetable Oil: The issues in giving your dog vegetable oil is it can contain both corn and soybean byproducts. If your dog has allergies, these ingredients can trigger a negative reaction.
• Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA): This ingredient is used as a synthetic antioxidant used as a preservative. While there are no cases of it causing cancer in dogs, just remember you are feeding your dog the same treat day after day with this ingredient and expose them to this artificial ingredient. Just avoid BHA and BHT (Butylated Hydroxytoluene).
• Dicalcium Phosphate: Used primarily as a calcium supplement and tartar control agent, DCP is another additive used for improving texture in cat and dog food. It cannot absorb water and is virtually insoluble. It can cause calcification of soft tissue and research has shown it leads to kidney stones, as well.
• Sodium Metabisulfite: According to the research, sodium metabisulfite destroys thiamine, B1, an essential nutrient for dogs that helps support the brain and nervous systems.
• Titanium Dioxide: The European Food Safety Authority which said titanium dioxide should not be consumed by pets due to its potential to affect DNA and cause chromosomal damage an assessment has discovered.

Rawhide: Even though this is not an ingredient, we mention it here because this is a popular treat. However,  it can contain some toxic chemicals like formaldehyde, bleach, sodium sulfide, and glue. Check the ingredients list carefully that none of these chemicals are listed on the package.

It is best that if you should any of the above ingredients on the food label that you should avoid purchasing the product. Look for more healthy treats. Remember, the life of your dog is at risk and is in your hands.

Choosing Organic Dog Treats

Just like the organic foods you buy for your own meals, the ingredients used in organic dog treats are grown without pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. Thus, keeping the toxic chemicals out of your dog’s diet which is healthier for your dog. We need to warn you here. Not all organic ingredients are safe for your dog. You can check out our article on toxic foods to avoid by clicking on the link.

For any food to be considered organic, the ingredients need to be non-GMO and may contain no hormones and antibiotics. The organic treats are free of synthetic preservatives, colorants, artificial flavors, and industrial solvents. This makes for a healthier and more nutritious treat for your dog, which leaves them with good skin and beautiful coats.

If a product is organic you should see the USDA Organic seal on the package. This means that the food is made with 95% of organic ingredients, and the remaining ingredients are considered safe by the FDA.

If you fail to see the USDA Organic seal on the brand of treat you are considering, call the manufacture to ensure it’s organic before purchasing.

If you feel ambitious, you can make your own organic treats. Before making your own treats for your dog, you need to be sure that the ingredients you use are safe for your dog. Check out our article on which dog food ingredients to avoid. Just because the ingredients are organic and safe for humans, they might not be safe for dogs to consume.

Conclusion

As pet parents you want to give your dog only the most healthy and beneficial treats. This is natural. Some treats may not be healthy for your dog because of certain ingredients used in their process. We shared which of these ingredients you need to look out for on the treat label that could be harmful to your dog.

Organic dog treats not only are the best for your dog’s health, but do not contain any GMO’s, fillers, artificial colors or preservatives.

We did mention that not all organic foods are good for dogs as some of them can be harmful to your dog’s health.

Remember, feeding your dog treats should be limited to not more than 10% of his total daily caloric intake. Giving him more than that can cause him to gain weight and become obese.

There are all types of organic dog treats on the market. You need to know which flavor your dog likes best. This will come in handy with his training sessions so he can be rewarded when he performs the correct behavior.

Shop Organic Dog Treats

You can shop for the organic dog treats below by selecting or clicking on any image of interest. You will be taken to Amazon where you can place the order. While you are there, you can read the customer reviews and answered questions.

As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualified purchases.

Full-Moon Dog Treats

Riley’s Treats

Grandma Lucy’s Treats

Superfood Science Treats

Cookie Pal Treats

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