Feeding Treats and Bones
From organic cookies cut in fun shapes to beefy chew sticks and beyond, dog treats come in every size, shape, color, and flavor imaginable. There are animal parts (ears, noses, feet, etc.) that dogs love, and the venerable Milk Bone, which dogs have been crunching on for years. Dogs love treats, and we love giving them. However, when it comes to feeding them these goodies, keep moderation in mind.
Many treats are full of artificial ingredients, dyes, extra sugar or salt — many of the things that are in the junk foods people find so tasty. These can affect your dog's overall health, causing everything from gas to itching to weight gain. Reduce the amount of dog food if you feed several treats a day, or consider going healthy with treats.
Dogs can enjoy healthy treats as much as commercially processed treats. Next time you want to reward him with something special, consider a baby carrot, a small piece of apple, a nibble of lowfat string cheese, some steamed broccoli, or even meat (no sauce). These are treats in more ways than one.
Rawhide chews are a popular treat with dogs, and this Italian Greyhound is certainly interested! Don't overfeed rawhide, and monitor your pup's chewing so that he won't accidentally choke on a large piece.
The quintessential image of a happy dog is one chewing on a large, meaty bone. There's a reason for this: because it's true. Dogs love (and need) to chew, and a bone satisfies this need along with the desire for food. Contrary to what you may have heard or read, giving a dog a bone isn't a huge no-no. In fact, raw diets include bones! That said, giving your dog a bone could be disastrous if you don't give him the right kind of bone.
What makes a bone a bad bone is one that can splinter while being chewed or one that is sharp in any way. When swallowed, the sharp edges can perforate your dog's insides. What makes a bone a good bone is one that's either uncooked and fed as part of a raw diet (and you should do your research on this before just going ahead and giving it to your pup), or one that's large enough and strong enough that it won't splinter as it's being gnawed on. A popular choice is a beef marrow bone. These hard bones are filled with fatty marrow. When frozen, they can be given as a chew toy/treat that can keep even an aggressive chewer occupied for a long time. As the frozen bone is worked by the dog, the marrow slowly melts and is eaten for an extra treat.
The first time you give your dog a frozen marrow bone, be sure you can keep an eye on him as he eats it. Make sure it can't be swallowed whole, or that he doesn't gobble it down too fast. Throw it away after it's been worked over and he loses interest.
