To those of us who have or have had pet dogs we know they become central to our lives. They count on us for everything and any treat means a great deal. However, pet owners vary widely in how they manage treats for pet dogs. It is important to understand the benefits of all kinds of treats and the damage that some treats could do. Read on to learn about 6 treats for pet dogs that we think you will benefit from.

Treats for pet dogs

Treat your dog with these six great ideas

Anyone with a pooch knows that humans love to give treats to our dogs just as much as they enjoy receiving them. We want to show them as much love as possible because dogs are just so awesome.

If you’ve recently got dog or thinking about getting one, then ensure you treat your pooch right with these fantastic ideas.

You don’t always have to give food as a treat

Dogs always respond positively to praise, which should ideally be delivered in a high-pitched and happy tone of voice. Verbal admiration alongside pats is heaven to a canine, so always tell your pooch when he/she is a good dog.

Furthermore, simply playing with your dog is a real treat for them. Whether it’s a tug-of-war with a toy, fetch with a stick, ball, or Frisbee, or even going for a swim or run is enough to excite your dog and enjoy spending time with you. If money is tight or you have leftover items, consider these awesome designs for making homemade dog toys that they’ll love.

Think of dog food as you would for eating your own food

It’s fair to say that dogs will pretty much eat anything, but that doesn’t mean you should give them everything! Just like for humans, certain foods don’t sit well with them and can make them sick, put on weight, or even too excitable (trust us, you don’t want a hyperactive dog running around the house).

As well, the brands and quality play a big part, as you only want the best for your dog and nothing full of preservatives, dyes, and strange words on the label you barely understand. Go with the bigger, well-known brands with good ingredients, because you want a healthy dog!

Be careful of table scraps

Not all treats for pet dogs are good treats

If you’re not careful, one of the worst habits your dog will get into is begging for food when you’re eating at the dinner table. It’s bad for you and bad for the dog, because you’ll either end up yelling at it or even giving in and throwing scraps to the dog for every meal. Your pet will come to assume this is normal and you’ll never have a peaceful dinner, plus, there’s going to be a significant weight gain with all the extra portions!

Some foods are bad for pet dogs

Certain foods like garlic, raisins, chocolate, onions, and grapes can actually be highly toxic to hounds, so certainly avoid giving these away. If the food scraps are okay for dogs to eat (best check with your vet as all dogs are different), get into the routine of putting the food scraps into your dog’s bowl, this way, it should hopefully wait patiently by its bowl instead of the table. This is all part of pet-proofing your home.

Use dog treats at the right time

Giving your dog little edible treats should be to reward good behaviour and set good habits for life. You never want to give a dog a treat for peeing on the carpet or ripping up your newspaper, right? Training your dog will involve treats, but these should be given sparingly and only when the pooch actually deserves them. Remember, pats, belly rubs, and kind words are also lovely to a dog, not only food!

Let your pooch play with other dogs

Taking your pooch to a dog park is important for improving social skills, because as great as humans are, dogs also love hanging out with other dogs! They’ll play fight, chase each other, and just communicate in their own unique way. Plus, it’s great exercise and you can also make new friends at the dog park and visit each other’s houses with your pets.

Give them water and ice on a hot day

Certain dogs have a real tough time with hot and humid weather, so ensuring your pooch is cooling off in summer is paramount to its health. Dogs will go mad for frozen snacks, but keep refilling the water bowl throughout the day. The dog will drink when it’s thirsty so you don’t need to force it. If you have a garden, then setting up a hose or sprinkler is a fun activity, as you can chase your dog and it will love splashing about in the water. Even an inflatable pool is a fantastic idea, as it will jump in and out all day and exhaust itself before long!

A final word on treats for pet dogs

As you can see there are many ways to offer your pet dog a treat, to show you care for them. It doesn’t always have to be an edible treat. Although doubtless they will love that. Think about giving them attention, stimulating them with games. Offering them a paddling pool to cool down in when the weather is warm. They will love you even more for these considerations.

Further reading about dogs and dog care

At Housesitmatch.com we always try to share useful and informative blogs and practical advice with our members. Read on to find some helpful articles with useful tips for dog owners and dogsitters about dogsitting.

Why dog nutrition is important in a well balanced diet

Dogsitters’ tips – Dog’s body language and how to read it

What is a dog sit?

What is a live in dogsitter