Dog snacks are, after the food we give our pets daily, a regular part of their diet, although they are not only limited to giving them a little joy from time to time, but they have other uses that can help us improve their behavior and even strengthen our relationship with them.
In this article we are going to talk about the best dog snacks available on pages like Amazon, as well as the different uses we can give these treats, what human food we can use as a reward and what food we should never give them. And if you want to continue along this line, we recommend that you take a look at this other article on best bones for dogs.
The best snack for dogs
Dental snacks that freshen breath
There is nothing more beautiful than waking up in the morning with your dog's breath on your face because he wants to go for a walk. These snacks for dogs, although they will not prevent your dog's breath from smelling like dogs, they do refresh to a certain extent and leave breath fresher. In any case, they are great for cleaning their teeth, as they take care of the gums and remove up to 80% of tartar thanks to their shape. This product is for medium dogs from 10 to 25 kilos, although many more are available.
Soft and delicious snacks
Vitakraft makes some snacks for dogs and cats that they simply love. In this case, they are very soft paté-based snacks, with 72% meat, without dyes or antioxidants. They are undoubtedly a delight and dogs go crazy with them, although you have to keep in mind that you can only give them a few a day depending on their weight (a maximum of 10 in a 25-kilo dog). They are also somewhat more expensive than the average, something to take into account.
Salmon soft treats
Arquivet is one of the leading brands in natural food for animals that also has an extensive selection of snacks for dogs of all kinds. These bone-shaped ones are very soft and good, and while these are salmon-flavored, lamb, beef or chicken are also available. You can also choose the amount of the package so that it comes out more on account if your dog eats them very quickly.
Beef and cheese squares
Another of Vitakraft's trinkets, this time with a much harder texture of beef and stuffed with cheese, but if you are not convinced they have another one with liver and potato. Although it is somewhat more expensive than the average, the truth is that they love the sweets of this brand. In addition, they do not have grains, additives or preservatives or artificial sugars and they come in a practical bag with an airtight seal so you can take them everywhere. Check how many pieces you can give him per day according to his weight.
big hard bone
If your dog is more of hard snacks and you want to give him something with substance, this bone, also from the Arquivet brand, will delight him: hours and hours of chewing fun that will also help keep your teeth clean and provide you with calcium. You can buy the bone alone or in packs of 15, they are all made of ham and treated naturally.
Snacks for small breed dogs
Trixie is another brand specialized in pets that on this occasion offers a plastic jar full of heart-shaped dog treats. They are neither soft nor hard and, due to their small size, they are specially designed for smaller breed dogs. They are ideal for training and taste like chicken, salmon and lamb.
Natural snacks for dogs
To finish, a natural snack from the Edgar & Cooper brand, which assures us that it only uses beef, lamb, potato to replace cereals and apple and pear in these snacks (which by the way have other versions of chicken, among others). Dogs love it and on top of that it is a product that is very committed to the environment, not only because of its natural ingredients, but also because, for example, the packaging is made of paper.
Are dog snacks necessary?
In theory, If your dog follows a balanced diet and eats enough, snacks are not necessary. However, this point of view is limited to a nutritional approach, since snacks can have other uses than just giving your dog a joy.
For example, the most widespread use of snacks is to use them to train our dog or accustom him to some unpleasant situation. In this way, it is common to use them to make them better withstand trips to the vet, get them used to bathing them or even putting them on a leash or making them enter the carrier: knowing that at the end of a hard process for them there will be a prize helps them endure .
The idea is to reward your dog every time he does something right. In a more positive sense, dog snacks also help reinforce behaviors that we want them to carry out or repeat, for example, if we are training our pet to give the paw or to use the pad. Every time he does it, and he does it well, he is rewarded with caresses, kind words and treats.
However, do not abuse these treats, since they can cause weight gain, although there are always healthier options than others.
Are there human snacks for dogs?
There is human food that dogs can eat and that they can interpret as a treat, although we must also be careful with the foods that we should not give them at the risk of making them feel bad or even worse.
Thus, Among the human foods that we can give our dog, although always in very moderate amounts, we find:
- Carrots, which also have vitamins and help them keep tartar at bay.
- Apples, which also provide vitamin A, although we must ensure that they are not rotten or we could inadvertently poison it.
- Popcorn, as is, without butter, salt or sugar.
- Fish such as salmon, prawns or tuna, although you have to cook it first, as raw fish can make you sick
- Carne such as chicken or turkey, lean or cooked. They can also eat pork, but in very small quantities, since it contains a lot of fat and is difficult for them to digest.
- The dairy such as cheese or milk can also be a snack for dogs, although in very small quantities. Also, if your dog is allergic to lactose, don't give it or it will make him sick.
What can't dogs eat?
There are many human foods that may seem like snacks for dogs, and nothing is further from the truth: these foods can do a lot of harm and even worse, with which you do not even think of giving them:
- chocolate or coffee, and anything that contains caffeine. They are toxic for the poor doggies, they feel horrible and can even kill them, in addition to causing vomiting and diarrhea
- Nuts. Although the toxic ones are the macadamia nuts, the nuts can cause the dog to choke.
- Fruits such as grapes, citrus fruits, avocado or coconuts are unpleasant for them and can cause vomiting and diarrhoea.
- La cinnamon it also contains substances that are not good for them, especially in large quantities.
- onions, garlic and related foods also contain substances that are toxic to your pet.
- Finally, as we have said, if you are going to give meat or fish must be cooked so that they feel good, otherwise the bacteria present in these raw foods are very harmful to them.
Where to buy dog snacks
There are a lot of different places where you can buy dog treats., although the quality of these will vary quite a bit. For example:
- En Amazon You will find a wide variety of snacks from the best brands. In addition, you can buy them in packages or on a recurring basis for a cheaper price. The internet giant is also known for bringing your purchases home in no time.
- En online shops such as TiendaAnimal or Kiwoko you will find only the best brands, in addition, if you go to the physical version of one of their stores, their clerks can help you choose the one that your dog will like the most, as well as see what options it has if, for example , have any allergies.
- En big surfaces like Mercadona or Carrefour you can also find a wide variety of snacks for dogs. Although they lack a bit of variety, especially regarding the more natural snacks, they are comfortable because we can get a few when we do the weekly shopping, for example.
Dog snacks are not only a treat to make our dog happy in a timely manner, but they are also helpful if we are training it. Tell us, do you give a lot of snacks to your pet? What are your favourites? Do you think it is better to opt for an industrial solution or something more natural?
Source: medicalnewstoday