Choosing Your Pet's Treats Wisely!

When people treat themselves, nutrition and calories usually get pushed to the side in favor of taste and desirability. That’s because we know our favorite treats – like chocolate, pastries, ice cream and candy – don’t have much to offer except a short-lived but delicious experience. The good news is, the same thing doesn’t apply to your pet!

Of course, the pet treat market is filled with unhealthy treats that your dog or cat would probably love. These products have tons of artificial colors and flavors, excessive sweeteners and cheap fillers. However, it isn’t hard to find a tempting treat that will also benefit your pet nutrition-wise. Cats and dogs are crazy about their natural meat-filled diet, which also happens to be what is healthiest for them.

How to Make the Best Choice for Your Pet

As with all of your efforts to keep your four-legged friends diet natural and healthy, It’s important that your dog’s reward during training or daily tidbit not only make their tail wag but are just as nutritious as their meals. When deciding which treat to choose, keep in mind that a grains should never be the main ingredient. This way you know you’re getting something delicious for the right reasons – it’s filled with meat! Better yet, choose grain free. There are tons of great options out there!

It is also a good idea to make your choice with your pet’s activity level in mind. Just like their food, highly active pets can handle treats with higher calorie levels without gaining weight. Pets that don’t burn a lot of calories on a regular basis, and those that are older should be given lower calorie treats. Check out some of these healthy treat options for ideas:

For the Active Pup:

Fruitables Pet Food Roasted Chicken Tenders Jerky Dog Treats – This treat is not only grain free, it’s free of anything other than chicken and some added natural flavor! Slow cooked chicken served in jerky form is an ideal treat for your busy canine.

Kona's Chips Pet Treats - Made in the USA, this entire line of all natural pet treats are not only healthy for your pup, but they are good for them as well!

Primal Freeze Dried Lamb Nuggets for Dogs – All the benefits of a raw diet and none of the work! The organic ingredients in these treats have been freeze dried from raw and include 77% lamb meat, organs and bone. At 180 calories per ounce, these are definitely best for the active pup.

For the Couch Potato (No Judgement Here!):

Fromm Family Foods Four Star Cranberry Liver Recipe 2 Calorie Dog Treats – Simple, delicious ingredients like antioxidant-filled cranberries and protein-packed liver make this treat a great motivator for your more sedentary pup. And with 2 calories each, you can’t really go wrong!

Fruitables Pet Food Skinny Minis Grilled Bison Flavor Soft & Chewy Dog Treats – Packed with the meaty aroma and taste of real bison, these chewy bites are only 3.5 calories per treat and are perfect for small dogs.

Treats and Teeth

Dental health is another important consideration when choosing a treat. Unlike many human treats, pet treats are a great way to strengthen and clean your dog’s teeth. It’s not hard to find a treat that works for your dog’s teeth instead of against them. Here are just a few ideas:

Fruitables Pet Food BioActive Fresh Mouth Dental Chews – The shape and texture of this chew is scientifically proven to clean the entire tooth, top to bottom. Organic sea kelp is a bioaccumulator that helps absorb bacteria while decaffeinated green tea and parsley fight bad breath.

StarMark Everlasting Chicken Treat Dog Treat – Tartar fighting and perfect to put in a treat dispenser and watch your dog have the time of his life! This long lasting chicken treat chews like a real bone but is rawhide free.

Go With Who You Trust

If you’re still stumped about what treat is best for your dog, a good rule of thumb is to choose a pet food company that your dog loves and you know you can trust. A highly reputable and popular brand, ACANA, makes 100% natural and freeze dried treats that are filled with meat and only 4 calories each. In fact, right now you can try out a bag of these premium treats for free when you purchase select brands of dog food from K9 Cuisine:

 

Selecting a treat for your pet definitely doesn’t have to be rocket science, but it is important to consider all the factors and choose as carefully as if you were choosing pet food. Start with some of our suggestions and keep making healthy choices for your dog!

 

* Free Treat With Purchase Good For 1 Free Treat Per Order