How to pick healthy dog treats?

Dog treats are an excellent form of positive reinforcement and therefore, they are often important in training exercises. How you present treats to your dog is a significant indicator of how it will react and how disciplined it will be. According to dog whisperer, Cesar Millan, a dog’s sense of smell comes first, then sight and lastly hearing. So, this rule must be kept in mind while teaching your dog with the aid of treats.

Good ingredients

The constituents that have more nutritional power are those which have not been refined and separated from the whole. Addition of fibers into wheat flour means that the components have been added separately and not all of them are present. Only wheat would be a much better option. Whole grains are excellent sources of energy and good carbohydrates, fiber, etc. Proteins are always a good option and more so when the kind of protein has been clearly mentioned. Pick treats which list the sources of the ingredients mentioned. All natural treats are probably the best option because natural sources are very balanced and contain essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Unsuitable ingredients

It is better to avoid foreign ingredients as they have a greater chance of contamination. The less artificial the ingredient list, the healthier it will be. There are chemicals not present naturally within a dog’s body so they might interfere with the regular processes. They might even be toxic at higher levels or result in bad reactions. Therefore, additives, preservatives, artificial colors and flavors are definitely unsuitable.

There are numerous pet supermarkets online and US pet stores where a variety of dog treats are available in different flavors and packaging. Comparison shopping is an added bonus when you shop online. Another benefit is the presence of ingredients lists, which you can study in the comfort of your own home before you decide on a treat for your dog.