Giving your dog a treat and watching them loving it is one of the best things about owning a dog.
Seeing them go nuts when they hear the rustling of the pack, their ears pricked up, the overwhelming smell of dried meat filling their nostrils with every breath…
For us, watching them enjoying a treat like this is a great thing.
But, is there a limit on how many treats you should be feeding per day?
In today's post, we answer that question as we look into each treat type and some common problems.
Dental Chews
It's important to find out the minimum viable dosage to keep your dog's teeth clean and breath fresh.
We always recommend starting with 1 dental chew per day for the first 30 days.
Check your dog's teeth weekly, to see if it is working.
Especially the back teeth. If their teeth are not improving after 3 weeks you need to increase to 2 dental chews every other day.
Daily dental chews are a great way to keep plaque levels under control, but it is still a good idea to get regular dental checkups at the vet in case your dog has hidden issues you cant see.
Dehydrated Treats
One of the big mistakes that new Pet Snacks customers make is overfeeding.
We always recommend starting with 1-2 treats per day for the first 30 days.
As tempting as it is to give them more and more treats, your pup will be better off with less to start with, especially if they are not used to a high protein diet.
Just like humans changing a diet, some dogs have zero issues transitioning, while others can get the runs. Diarrhea is due to the high protein concentration.
If your dog gets the runs from eating high protein treats, don't give up, this is normal for some dogs. Give him 2-3 days off and then reintroduce slowly.
Dogs on low fat diets (Pancreatitis)
If your vet has told you that your fur child needs to shed a few Kg’s, you should definitely monitor the number of treats you feed.
A lot of people write in and ask us about whether a dog with weight issues or pancreatitis can eat our treats.
Since our dog treats are low fat (Under 4%) I’m always happy to say yes, but this recommendation is always followed by telling them to not go overboard.
Think about overall food consumption for that day, Vs activity level.
In fact, our treats will actually help with weight loss as they are loaded with CLA, and Omega 3’s which are both known for reducing and assisting fat loss.
Many vets in Australia recommend pet parents supplement their dog's food with omega 3’s as it helps with weight loss.
