Treats, for many dog owners, are the language of love. A little scoop of ice cream says, \u201cI adore you.\u201d A spoonful of peanut butter murmurs, \u201cYou\u2019re my baby.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dogs, for their part, beg us to give them what they want, even if \u2013 especially if, it seems \u2014 what they want isn\u2019t good for them. They tap dance on the kitchen floor when you eat a bit of bacon. They refuse to come inside unless you offer that wedge of cheese. And they lay their jaw on your leg, with a string of drool for good measure, until you share your hamburger.<\/p>\n
But the truth is, spoiling a dog with treats has a way of spoiling their diet, too. And if lean dogs live an average of two years longer than chubbier ones, isn\u2019t trimming calories \u2014 and possibly helping your dog live longer \u2014 the most loving thing you can do?<\/p>\n
OK, OK, we\u2019re not saying you can\u2019t give a dog any<\/em> treats. But treats shouldn\u2019t account for more than 10 percent of your dog\u2019s total calories each day. Not sure how many calories your dog should eat? Ask your veterinarian. They can calculate the number for you.<\/p>\n If those daily treat calories rise above the 10 percent range, the numbers on the veterinarian\u2019s scale will probably inch up, too.<\/p>\n Too many treats can make your dog\u2019s diet nutritionally unbalanced. It can also teach dogs to become shameless beggars. You may think it\u2019s cute, but your dinner guests might not.<\/p>\n Treats that are given too freely can lose their power as training tools. And if your dog is on a limited-ingredient diet for food sensitivities, treats can thwart the whole point of the special diet. Even if your dog doesn\u2019t have a food sensitivity, too many treats can result in vomiting, diarrhea and, in some cases, pancreatitis.<\/p>\n It is really best if you do not feed your pet table scraps. Some individuals choose to add human foods to their pet\u2019s diet for variety, freshness and flavor. This is not necessary, but is not necessarily harmful as long as you choose wisely and your pet still eats adequate amounts of a complete and balanced.<\/p>\n Do yourself and your pet a favor and feed a healthy, balanced diet that is designed for pets and stick with it. If you want to give a treat, try a spoon of canned food, a treat or biscuit, or even a dental treat to help keep the teeth clean.<\/p>\n You know what else your dog craves? Spending time with you. So instead of a treat, why not reward your dog with a walk or a game of tug-of-war?<\/p>\n Dogs love to learn new tricks and commands, too. And they\u2019re usually as content to receive praise or a belly rub as a treat.<\/p>\n Or look into agility or flyball, two sports that can help your dog drop some pounds. Just check with your veterinarian first to make sure your dog doesn\u2019t have any underlying health issues or isn\u2019t carrying too much weight for these activities.<\/p>\n Who knows \u2014 a little exercise with your dog might do you a world of good, too.<\/p>\nStick to what\u2019s for them<\/h3>\n
Treat your dog to more time with you<\/h3>\n