There’s nothing quite like rewarding your dog with a quality treat. Whether Rocco just nailed that new trick or Misty’s been extra sweet today, giving your dog a treat feels great. But here’s the thing: while treats are awesome, they should be just that—a treat, not a staple.
What do we mean by that? We mean that your dog shouldn’t be filling up on treats instead of getting their proper nutrition from their regular meals. Treats should be a supplement to their diet, not a replacement, and they should fit within their daily calorie needs. You should also check the ingredients of the treats you are feeding to ensure you are avoiding ingredients like corn, wheat, soy and animal by-products.
If you’re giving out treats left and right without adjusting your dog’s meals, you might end up with a pup that’s overweight. Just like humans, when dogs take in more calories than they burn, they start packing on the pounds. And we all know that carrying extra weight isn’t good for either people or dogs. It’s best to avoid that altogether.
Start with Natural, Healthy Dog Food
If you’re new to the world of dog parenting, the first thing to understand about treats is that they’re not a substitute for a healthy, balanced diet. The best place to start is by making sure your dog’s main meals are packed with the right nutrients.
That’s where Nextrition comes in. We recommend our cold-pressed dog food made from natural ingredients. We carefully select and proportion our ingredients for a proper balance of nutrients, then use a cold pressing method that keeps all the good stuff intact. This means your dog can eat less while still getting all the nutrition they need to stay healthy.
Know Your Dog’s Calorie Needs
Keeping your dog at a healthy weight isn’t as tricky as it sounds. Once you have quality food, it’s all about knowing how many calories your dog needs each day and feeding them accordingly. For example, if you’ve got a large-breed dog that needs around 1,400 calories a day to stay fit, feeding them more than that could lead to weight gain. On the flip side, feeding them less might cause them to lose weight.
Of course, this is just a general guideline as every dog is different. Several factors can influence how many calories your dog needs, including their weight, activity level, and any health issues they might have.
You can get a recommended number of daily calories by getting a personalized feeding plan from Nextrition. You can also check the feeding guidelines on any package of dog food. The label should tell you how much to feed based on weight as a good place to start, and it might also list the calorie content. From there, it’s just a matter of doing a little math and/or adjusting the amount you feed on if your dog is gaining or losing any weight.
Consult Your Veterinarian
You can also consult with your veterinarian to get a starting place on how many calories to feed. They can assess your dog’s weight and overall health to give you a baseline number. Once you have that, you can figure out how treats fit into the equation.
A common rule of thumb is the 10% rule—no more than 10% of your dog’s daily calories should come from treats. So, if you’re giving treats every day, you’ll need to reduce their regular meals by about 10% to keep their overall calorie intake in check.
We’re big fans of quality treats here at Nextrition. They’re fantastic for training and for showing your dog some extra love. But remember, treats should be supplemental. Keep that in mind, and your dog will stay healthy and happy.
