Fun and Functional Treat Options That Are
Tail-Wagging and Drool Worthy. –by Susie Kupfer, co-owner of Pet Food Warehouse, St. Petersburg
Treat. Just the word will make a tail wag. Treats for your pet can be a good thing for many reasons: reward, training, positive reinforcement and of course who doesn’t love making a tail wag just by giving something tasty to snack on? Treats for dogs (cats too) seem to fall into two categories: fun
and functional. Even better if a treat is both. Just as with food labels, it’s so important to read the ingredient panel on treats. By- products, artificial colors and flavors are huge no-no’s. Keep calories and your dog’s activity level in mind too, especially if weight or other health problems are an issue. FUN Biscuits are a staple that most dogs love.
They're a good treat for in the house, and easy to store in the pantry. Your dog will definitely know where they are in the kitchen in case you forget. Long-lasting treats such as
real bones, antlers and Himalayan Dog Chews are fun and can keep a dog busy. Kong and other companies make toys specifically to insert treats to entertain dogs for hours while rewarding them with a treat of your choosing. Pet parents often seek long-
health. Examples would be Plaque Off treats, Greenies, Whimzees and raw bones. Digestive health is crucial to getting the most out of the healthy foods we feed our pets today. Consider adding pumpkin, goat’s milk, frozen doggie yogurt, or Holistic Select Drizzles dog treats. For diet’s needing more fiber check out Glandex dog treats (stop the scoot). If your dog needs to limit calories, he or she will enjoy Liver
Biscotti, Doggie Chicken Chips and Charlie Bear treats. Low calorie treats and recipes that you put into interactive toys such as Kong, Busy Buddy or Planet Dog can not only help alleviate bore- dom but burn calories with aggressive chewing. There are treats made just to hide pills and cap- sules. Greenies Pill Pockets and Zoe’s Pill Pockets are two suggestions. Aging dogs can often benefit
lasting treats to entertain their dog or keep boredom at bay. Rawhide can be okay for some dogs but not okay for many. Know where it’s made and processed, and how your dog’s digestion handles rawhide. Dogs shouldn’t have rawhide if they don’t chew it well enough to make digestion easy once it’s swallowed. Some more digestible rawhide-style treats are Grillers, bully sticks, No Hide brand chews and water buffalo tails. As with all new toys and long-lasting treats, observe how your dog plays with or works on a treat before you leave them alone with it. Some dogs require more observation than others; you know your dog better than anyone. If your dog is sensitive to certain ingredients, consider food
as a treat. If you feed raw or canned foods, then what they don’t get on a daily basis could be considered a treat. Try putting dry kibble in a treat ball that your dog has to roll around to get treats out. Veggies, like carrots and green beans, can be a healthy treat too.
FUNCTIONAL Choose a treat with the purpose in mind. If you train while
on a walk or somewhere out of the house, pick a treat that is small, soft and easy to eat to keep their attention. Pick a brand that will hold together and not crumble or fall apart in your pocket or treat holder. Some good treats for that purpose are Zukes Mini Naturals, Cloud Star Tricky Trainers and NutriSource Bites. Another practical and beneficial treat could be for dental
www.TheNewBarker.com Summer/Fall 2016 THE NEW BARKER 49
Stuff treats into the award-winning Orbee-Tuff Snoop toy and watch your dog nose, nudge and nibble the treats. Interactive fun for any size dog. Available at Pet Food Warehouse.
from glucosamine supplements. Most are available in treat form to encourage a dog’s willingness and anticipation to take the rec- ommended dosage on a daily basis. Some dog foods—usually senior foods—have glu- cosamine and other beneficial items. While it’s a good thing on a proactive basis, your dog may need a more aggressive approach. By the time your dog needs help with joint and hip issues at the thera- peutic level, check out Cool Joint and NuPro, Sea Jerky and Pet Naturals along with
many other tasty, functional treats. One of the most rapidly growing segments of treats for dogs
and cats are freeze dried treats and food. In many cases the same product is both food and a treat. These choices can be rehydrated and fed alone as food, or sprinkled as a food topper for picky eaters. This is a good choice if you need to stimulate an appetite. Bone appetit!
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