When it comes to the love language between you and your dog, we bet treats are on the list. Dog treats offer a valuable reward while your dog is learning and as a way to show your furry best friend just how much you care.
But when it comes to picking out the best dog treats, you may find yourself overwhelmed by the selection. You may have even wondered what the difference is between a rawhide treat and a jerky chew. Furthermore, if you’re worried about which treats are the healthiest option, you may find yourself even more confused.
Choosing the right treat for your dog is doggone easy when you understand the difference between the types of dog treats. It’s even simpler when you learn how wildly different treats can be when it comes to their health benefits–or negative effects.
If you want to learn more about dog biscuits, cookies, chews, and more, this article will be a real treat to read.
Why Does the Quality of Your Dog’s Treats Matter
The world of dog treats can feel like the wild west in some ways. Because owners pay less attention to what goes into their dogs’ treats, compared to their main diet, and some treat companies take advantage and cut corners.
How to Evaluate Dog Treats
The first defence a dog owner can take against bad dog treats is checking the ingredients. Looking into where the treats are packaged and made can also help you determine if treats are good enough for your dog.
The Good
High-quality dog treats will have short ingredient lists that are easy to read [1]. The first ingredient will often be meat and the product will not contain a lot of fillers. One way to think about it is that you want your dog’s treat to taste naturally good.
In addition to the ingredients, look at where the treats were made. Try to choose treats made domestically.
The Bad
Do not buy treats that have questionable ingredients. Some of the most dangerous ingredients include artificial colouring and flavours, corn syrup, sorbitol, BHT, BHA, TBHQ, propylene glycol, and salt. These questionable elements could harm your dog’s health in the long run.
The worst ingredients can lead to behavioural issues, diabetes, excess weight, and even cancer. Just like you want your dog’s treats to be naturally good, you also don’t want them to be artificially flavorful.
Avoid treats made from China, since many pet food products from there have been recalled for subpar safety [2]. And be wary of treats that are made elsewhere and only packaged in Australia. While these may seem safe, their ingredients may have been imported from China.
The last thing you want to do is give your dog positive reinforcement that may wind up harming them years later.
