Dog treats are recommended especially when your dog is undergoing a training process, to reward and reinforce desirable behavior. Praises and treats can be given to the dog whenever he does something good, or just as simple snacks. Many manufacturers on the market offer different types of dog treats.
They come in different shapes, colors and flavors and are only to be used as rewards, not as the main source of food. When you choose what food to feed your dog, you should pay attention to what it is made of. Same goes for dog treats since it is important that your dog ingests only good quality treats.
Types of Dog Treats
Nowadays you can find different types of dog treats on the market. Some of them are just snacks and others are meant to help with treating or preventing diseases, containing medicine used to help treat or prevent parasites, antibiotics or pain killers.
Some other dog treats can help clean your dog’s teeth and prevent tartar deposits. If you are careful with what you feed your dog, you should also pay attention to what dog treats are made of.
If you want to get the best for your pet, make sure that his food and treats are not made of low quality by-products and do not have high amounts of preservatives.
Human Grade Dog Treats
Human grade dog treats are made of high quality ingredients which could also be acceptable for humans. These treats respect the same quality standards as food sold for human consumption. The value of human grade dog treats resides in the fact that they:
- Do not contain any by-products of food not approved for human consumption for various reasons
- Do not have any ingredients based on fruits or vegetables which were genetically modified
- Are made of organic ingredients
- Do not contain toxins which could be harmful for the dog
- Have been tested for harmful chemical substances, yeast, mold, parasites, bacteria or other pathogens
- Have a normal balanced pH
- Contain high quality proteins, based on meat with no frozen water added to it, not the low quality proteins derived from corn, soy or wheat
- Have fats that are easily digestible by the dog’s system
- Have insoluble fibers, which are better for the overall health of the pet
- Have vitamins and minerals that are needed by your dog, but won't cause kidney or bladder stones
- Have the proper moisture, so that the dog won't get constipated
- Are not colored using artificial or toxic chemical substances; there are natural colorants
Whatever type of food your dog eats will be essential for his well-being. Therefore, if you want to offer him the best care possible, you should also pay attention to what you feed him as treats and protect him from conditions which he might develop as a result of low quality nutrition.
You should be aware that preservatives and low quality proteins can harm your dog, cause kidney problems or even allergic reactions that are difficult to detect and manage.