non-kibble healthy treats

[ollieivy]

about 1/week i give my babies something from their humans' kitchen to chew on.
their treats include:
cucumber, carrot, banana, broccoli (yes, they eat broccoli!!), salmon cooked plain, sardines (in water), cheese (less often), egg (poached).

what do you give your bullies? and do you think these treats are ok?

 

[ChanelnBrutus]

Hello There! I give Brutus snacks 1-2x a day! He is very active and I use that to bribe him back inside from potty or sometimes in his crate even though he doesnt want to (stubborn) I dont give him cucumbers due to the seeds (I didnt know the seeds were ok) and the sardines Im not sure about? I dont have much knowledge just wondering what the others will say as well! I am always up for trying to give him new things to see what he likes (picky eater) as he doesnt seem to have food issues (knocking on wood)

 

[ImAGuinneyPig]

As a "treat" Guinness has had carrots, cheese and cottage cheese, broccoli, cooked salmon, various plain cooked meats, mango and apple slices (no seeds), peanut butter, watermelon, eggs, yoghurt, and she helps herself to my potted herbs, usually the mint.

Your list looks fine. As long as everything is in moderation If they get too much, that's when we run into loose stools, and then some things are not good if they eat too much (like broccoli)

 

[2BullyMama]

carrots are the big favorite here

 

[anatess]

Ice cubes.

 

[Twice]

Abby "tries" to eat carrots but they end up being more of a toy than anything. I give her sweet potato fries, bananas and apples.

 

[karenben]

im a bad bulldog mum as i dont give treats lol,she gets her kong to play with i usually put some pig heart in it and it takes her hours to get it out keeps her occupied ,karen

 

[anatess]

im a bad bulldog mum as i dont give treats lol,she gets her kong to play with i usually put some pig heart in it and it takes her hours to get it out keeps her occupied ,karen

You're not a bad bulldog mom.

Okay, I'm going to go off a limb here because I know this post is going to be un-popular.

No food-treats are better for dogs than giving food-treats. That is, if you have a healthy dog on excellent quality dog food. Treats may be used for training purposes or occassional training reinforcement through rewards.

The reason: Quality dog food is designed to be completely balanced. That is - all the vitamins and minerals and such are designed to balance with the intention that this food is the only food the dog is given. No dietary supplements even. So that, giving dog treats can send this balance out of whack. Sure, an occassional carrot is probably not going to hurt.. but no carrot is better. Now, of course, if you have a dog with a medical condition, then giving him supplements to combat that condition is needed.

Now, on vegetables. Dogs do not have the proper enzymes to break down carbs in plant matter. In the wild, dogs eat plant matter that is in the digestive tract of the prey animal - that is, it has already been partially digested. Now, if you cook the vegetable, this would break down the carbs a bit to make it better than uncooked vegetable. So, an occassional carrot is probably not going to hurt, but giving loads of it will - cooked or uncooked.

Now, on feeding raw or home-prepared meals. You can't expect to have a perfectly balanced meal every single day when you're feeding raw or home-prepared. But, the goal is to have the feeding balanced within a period of time. So yes, if you want to use food-treats to balance the raw diet, then of course, that's great! This is different from feeding the dog Fromm kibble, for example, because each and every serving of the kibble is already in balance.

My dogs are healthy with no special medical concern besides allergies (and my bichon's anxiety). I don't give my dogs supplements or treats except for ice cubes. When training or re-enforcing, I give them food-treats (usually the butt of sliced bread because it's the most handy - we stack them in a cookie jar on the kitchen counter to feed the wild creatures like ducks and such by the pond). I do give them dental chews but I don't consider that a food-treat. Bullie might have to start on some joint supplements because she's showing a lot of reluctance in going on and off things like stairs and couches...which can be a precursor to dysplasia. But, attention treats - they get LOADS of that. Ear scratches, butt scratches, lots of "Good girl!" treats, lots of toys...

 

[ollieivy]

not at all unpopular....thanks so much for your honesty!! i asked the question because i wanted an answer. they very rarely get any of this stuff, btw. so, you would say no to all the stuff on my list?

 

[Telly03]

Moe likes carrots and ice cubes

 

[Twice]

Now, on vegetables. Dogs do not have the proper enzymes to break down carbs in plant matter. In the wild, dogs eat plant matter that is in the digestive tract of the prey animal - that is, it has already been partially digested. Now, if you cook the vegetable, this would break down the carbs a bit to make it better than uncooked vegetable. So, an occassional carrot is probably not going to hurt, but giving loads of it will - cooked or uncooked.

I have to respectfully disagree with this statement. Abby has been to a kidney specialist, 2 internal medicine doctors and a nutritionist. Yes, she has special dietary needs but they all agree that certain vegetables are good for not only her but my older, healthy dog too. Some vegetables are best served to them raw, some should always be cooked.

Some of the best raw vegetables you can feed them are:

alfalfa sprouts, bell peppers, carrots, parsley, grated beets, grated zucchini and other soft squashes (with peel), lettuce and mixed greens.

These are also great for them but they have to be cooked:
broccoli, cauliflower, corn, green beans, winter squashes, peas, potatoes (white or sweet)

Abby has been given special recipes by her nutritionist. The ingredients include tomatoes, potatoes, garlic, parsley, broccoli, chick peas, peas, lentils, raw sunflower seeds and cucumbers.

What I can't tell you is if the recommended cooked veggies are because of her condition or if they have to be cooked for everyone. When I go see her next week I will make sure to ask. ​

 

[karenben]

we all treat our dogs the way we want and as long as they are healthy and happy i see nothing wrong in treats tho i myself dont feed them it doesnt mean i dont agree with them,raw feeding for my dog is the best way of feeding ,shes been raw fed for 11 months now and is thriving thats not to say she wont get sick at some point,i dont like kibble as i dont know whats in it ,i dont think there is any right way or wrong way dealing with our dogs its just what suits us and more importantly what suits our dogs,karen

 

[izstigspunks]

Since Stig despises anything but meat and cheese, his only treats are cheese and dehydrated lung/liver. Punkin will eat anything and usually get whatever fruit I'm eating (except grapes!), cheese, any plain vegetables I've cut up (except onions!).

 

[anatess]

not at all unpopular....thanks so much for your honesty!! i asked the question because i wanted an answer. they very rarely get any of this stuff, btw. so, you would say no to all the stuff on my list?

I don't use any food treats for my dogs except for their kibble and ice cubes (I feed kibble which is notoriously low on moisture content, so I always try to encourage them to have lots of water and since my dogs love to chomp on ice cubes, it's perfect!). I only use food-treats when I'm training. But, that's my own principle. I look at the purpose of food treats and just don't find any good enough reason to use them when I can give them similar enjoyment and stimulation out of non-food treats. Make sense? But, of course, you choose to do what you feel is best for your dog.