What’s in a Dog Treat

Of course you can’t refuse those cute eyes peering up to you near the cookie jar. Who could? But before you reach for your traditional “dog treat”, you should know that it may not be the best for your best four-legged friend. Did you know that some commercial dog treats have more than 100 calories per serving? That could be a huge chunk of the calories they should get ALL day! As a general rule of thumb, the average dog calorie has many more calories per weight than the average dog food. To avoid extra calories, make sure you READ THE LABEL! Just like you do for yourself, avoid sugars, corn syrup, molasses, fructose, corn, artificial colors and artificial flavors in treats.

Looking for a low-cost, low-calorie treat for your dog? Look no further than the produce section of your supermarket! Vegetables are the easiest, healthiest way you can treat your dogs without feeling guilty! To ensure your dog gets the most nutrition from a vegetable, make sure you use a food processor or chop or steam vegetables before adding to their food to aid in absorption of all the healthy nutrients the veggies have! Keep a container with sliced vegetables for a crunchy treat substitute available at all times.

Below we have outlined some very healthy alternatives available at your neighborhood grocer. We even give you handy serving suggestions so your pups can get the most out of their healthy treats! If you like you can Click this link ====> (Whats_In_A_Treat_Infographic_Life_And_Dog) to download a printable PDF version of the full infographic! Just print it out and keep it on your refrigerator!

Apples

Remove ALL seeds before feeding. Feed a slice or two with the skin.

Nutrients: Vitamin C, potassium, fiber.

Benefits: Apples with skin help to protect agains all ranges of diseases.

Green Beans

Feed several bite-sized pieces at a time. Dogs love the crunch and this is as close to guilt-free as you can get.

Nutrients: vitamin C, K and A.

Benefits: Supports healthy bones and digestion, fights heart disease.

Bananas

Feed a few bite-sized pieces without the peel.

Nutrients: amino acids, vitamin C and B6, potassium, fiber.

Benefits: Increases energy, heart health and digestive health.

Strawberries

Remove tops and feed just a few berries. Do not constantly feed berries throughout the day as they are high in natural sugars.

Nutrients: vitamin C, K and B6, potassium, fiber, antioxidants.

Benefits: slows aging and fights chronic disease, whitens teeth, supports digestion.

Sweet Potatoes

Feed mashed or dehydrated slices.

Nutrients: vitamin A, C, B5 and B6, manganese, potassium, fiber.

Benefits: Helps digestion and immune system and fights cancer.

Bell Peppers

REMOVE ALL SEEDS and a feed a few bite-sized pieces.

Nutrients: vitamin C, A and E, beta carotene, antioxidants.

Benefits: helps fight arthritis, cataracts and cancer.

Pumpkin

Add pureed pure pumpkin to food in small amounts daily.

Nutrients: vitamin A and C, beta carotene, fiber and potassium.

Benefits: one of the best foods for healthy digestion.

Carrots

Feed a few bite-sized pieces at a time. These are great standard treat-alternatives, but they do have some natural sugars, so use large amounts with caution.

Nutrients: vitamin A, K and C, beta carotene, fiber and potassium.

Benefits: helps vision, improves immune system and gives a healthy skin and coat.

To download the full infographic, pictured here at the right, click this link:

Whats_In_A_Treat_Infographic_Life_And_Dog

You’ll be able to print out the entire full-resolution file from your computer and keep it near your refrigerator!

This article was written by LIFE+DOG publisher Brett Chisholm.

To read more from Brett, visit his blog on our site.

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