Come. Sit. Stay Healthy - Little Treats and Their Big Impact

We can’t help that we’re wired to show love through snacks and treats. Our pets can’t help but take advantage of that! They know they’re the very best and that if they stare long enough or sigh hard enough that even the strongest resolve will come crashing down! 

The problem with that is, commercial treats are LOADED with calories – sometimes as much as a whole cup of food – and that’s not good for your pet’s health at all.

Treat	# of Calories (Small Size)	# of Calories (Large Size)
Milk Bones	20	200+
Busy Bones	300	600+
Denta Bones	100	300
Rawhides*	20	500+

*There are other health concerns with these treats as well, but that is for another article. The average cup of dog food has 300 calories. If you’re feeding food recommended by your vet, then you know they’re getting all the nutrition they need in those calories. 100 calories snack packs are great for humans, but 100 calories in a dog treat amounts to more than 40% of an 18-pound dog’s recommended intake. If all of those calories arrive in the form of a one-bite wonder whose nutritional value is “iffy” at best, it’s starting to sound like McDog Treats and we all know a Happy Meal every day isn’t good for anyone!

So, what do you do? Your pet wants treat and you want to give them! Here is a list of alternatives – let us know what your pets think – and don’t forget that many of these are wonderful summer treats when frozen!!

Treat	Quantity	# of Calories
Air Popped-Popcorn	½ cup	15
Apple Slices	½ apple	32
Baby Carrots	1 piece	4
Broccoli Florets	½ cup	20
Canned Pumpkin	½ cup	40
Cantaloupe Cubes	½ cup	30
Cheerios	¼ cup	28
Green Beans	½ cup	23
Peas	1 piece	1

This is just a few options to get you started, but keep in mind there are some foods that are safe for humans, but should NEVER be given to dogs as treats. These include grapes, raisins, cooked or raw bones, anything cooked with onions or garlic, rich or fatty foods, walnuts, macadamia nuts, anything sweetened with xylitol, rhubarb, tomato or potato leaves and stems, chocolate, caffeinated or alcoholic beverages, and to round out this list dough leavened with yeast. As always, when in doubt, give us a shout!

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