What is a good deal?

Treats are those special treats that we give ourselves when we feel like we are serving, and treats are what we give to our dogs, when they behave appropriately.

We generally prefer our treats to be something delicious and sweet, whereas our dogs will eat anything sweet, full of fat, meaty flavored, or any of the above.

A dog treat should be something special and if you have one of those rare discriminating dogs, a treat should be on top of their regular food.

What does a “good gift” versus a “not so good gift” include? Many commercial treats are not very good for our dogs. Many are made with inferior ingredients and some preservatives and artificial colors that can cause cancer.

Too many sweets contain a large amount of sugar, and when given too frequently, they can lead to a diabetic condition. Treats made with a large amount of fat can lead to a pancreatic condition. Too many treats, good or bad, can change a dog’s eating habits by creating a craving for a certain flavor and thus destroying healthy eating habits and a taste for nutritionally balanced foods.

There is also the possibility that some treats contain things your dog is allergic to and long-term use can cause medical problems, not to mention that too many treats can lead to obesity and its share of problems.

So what is a pet owner to do? Number one reading tags. Buy treats that contain only healthy ingredients, look for whole grains and/or fresh meat, and treats made with vegetables and fruits. Stay away from added sugar, corn syrup products, food coloring additives, most preservatives, and candy that may contain animal by-products (whatever they are). Organic treats are the best.

When reading labels, what criteria should be followed? Here are some things to keep in mind and it will only take a few minutes to take a look at the ingredient list on the label.

The first trick is to understand the labels as much as they can and will lead you astray.

The first ingredients are the most important since they constitute the base of the candy. If the treat is a “meat treat,” then the label must list the meat first, such as lamb, beef, or chicken.

Then grains should follow suit, such as brown rice, oats, or wheat. If you see ground wheat, corn gluten meal, or ground yellow cornmeal, these are inexpensive fillers and contain very little protein.

Look for natural sweeteners like cane molasses, honey, applesauce, and if a treat needs to stay moist, a vegetable glycerin source like guar gum is usually mentioned. If possible, sweeteners listed as sucrose, corn syrup, or glycyrrhizin ammonia should be avoided.

Vegetables and/or fruits should be considered, if natural flavors are used, they should also be considered, such as a natural smoky flavor. Many brands will list things like bacon grease as a flavoring, if there is bacon in the product it has most likely been treated with sodium nitrate (not a good preservative).

Natural preservatives such as sorbic acid or mixed tocopheroids should be taken into account. If you see preservatives like BHA and sodium nitrate, these are two of the worst artificial additives you can find. Many candies contain natural preservatives and must have an expiration date on the package.

Colors like “red 40 color” which is the worst of the colors added to pet food, followed by yellow 5, yellow 6 and blue 1 should be avoided.

Any label that mentions the word “meat” without naming the meat and if the word is way down on the ingredient list, you may wonder what it is and not buy it as it’s suspect.

Reading labels is easy once you decide what ingredients to look for and remember that the higher on the list the well-named ingredients are better and watch out for BHA and sodium nitrates as preservatives.

Another thing to consider is the country of origin; Not all countries have the same regulations as the United States. This may be another whole article, just like the conversation about “human grade” products used in pet food vs. food grade or feed grade, along with USDA approved and inspected facilities.

The world of pet food manufacturing is very interesting and complex, I as a mortal mother can only mention a few things related to what we feed our pets. All we can do is do our best, read the labels and be aware that most of the time you get what you pay for. Buy the best quality dog ​​food you can.

Feed your dog treats as a reward for good behavior and tricks, not treats as a substitute for a normal meal. Let a gift be something