Dog treats and obesity
If you’ve been told that your dog is overweight, it’s important to work closely with your veterinarian to help them safely lose weight. You can read more about the risk factors of obesity here.
When you are calculating your dog’s daily caloric requirement, make sure you include meals and treats.
Did you know: The most common cause for weight gain or a pet failing to lose weight is giving them too many high-calorie treats or table scraps. Resist the sad puppy eyes! It just might save your pet’s life.
If you’re going to give your dog treats, CARE recommends that they make up no more than 10% of their daily calories. Healthy, low-calorie treats include:
- Baby carrots
- Green beans
- Broccoli
- Celery
- Asparagus
- Blueberries
Tips for giving your dog treats
You can use your dog’s kibble as a treat! Simply set aside a portion of their food each day in the treat container, then give the kibble as their treat.
To make it more enticing, put the kibble in an old treat bag that makes crinkly, fun, treat-like sounds! You can also add a piece of good-smelling jerky to the treat container to make it smell more interesting.
If you want to feed your dog actual treats, CARE recommends ones that are wholesome and have the calorie count clearly labeled on the packaging.
CARE Recommends: Fruitables and Zukes brand treats
Watch out for high-calorie treats!
Remember, even bully sticks and rawhides have calories! A 6-inch bully stick has 88 calories in it! For a 50-pound dog, this would make up the dog’s entire daily treat allowance! If a 10-lb dog gets a 6-inch bully stick, they are getting 30% of their daily calories from that one treat.
Did you know: Bully sticks are made of the uncooked, dried penis of a bull/steer? If you feed your dog bully sticks, you may want to read this article.