Pet Obesity Awareness Day is October 12th. This is an important topic! Some studies suggest that nearly 60 percent of our canine friends re overweight or obese. That’s a lot of chubby pups … and a lot of potential health issues. While there are many factors that go into a pet’s overall weight, one of the areas where many loving pet owners tend to go off-course on is treats. Treats aren’t a bad thing: they’re great for bonding, training, and just making Fido happy. However, it’s easy to go overboard here. A Forest Hill, MD vet offers some tips on offering your dog snacks in this article.

Calorie Intake

Diet of course plays a huge role in your pet’s weight. Treats should only make up about 5 to at most ten percent of your dog’s daily caloric intake. Keep in mind that overfeeding your canine companion by just ten calories a day can cause him to gain a pound a year. A few extra treats can definitely add up to ten calories, if not more.

Healthy Options

Fido would probably be delighted with bacon or sausage, but it’s best to stick with healthier options. Plain, cooked, boneless meat, fish, or chicken is fine. Jerky is also a good choice, as long as you don’t go too crazy. If choosing a store-bought product, read the label. Opt for brands that use only nutritious ingredients.

Unsafe Foods

Fido is very, very good at convincing us to share our snacks. Don’t forget that many of the things we eat are dangerous to dogs. Never offer anything that contains garlic, onions, scallions, or chives; grapes or raisins; avocado; chocolate; caffeine; xylitol; or pits, seeds, or pips. Meat on the bone is also unsafe. Ask your vet for more information.

Tricks For Treats

One thing you may find helpful is having your canine buddy do a trick for his treat. This can be a great doggy confidence booster!

Begging

Fido has had a long time to perfect those adorable doggy theatrics that work so well on us. Begging is bad petiquette, but beyond that, it can actually be very dangerous. Someone could inadvertently give your pooch something that isn’t safe. The best way to curb this bad habit? Don’t indulge it!

As your Forest Hill, MD pet hospital, we’re here to help! Please feel free to contact us anytime!