Alternative Dog Treats - Our Favorite Picks!
Are you looking into alternative dog treats for your furry family member? Well, here are a few of our favorite picks that your pup will be sure to love!
Raw Fruits and Veggies
Did you know there are many fruits and vegetables your dog can enjoy with you? These are great alternatives to store-bought options, as they are lower in sugar, fats, and calories. Additionally, they are typically a wonderful source of nutrients, vitamins, and fiber. Some of our favorite choices for fruits include bananas, apples, blueberries, strawberries, and watermelon. Our top picks for vegetables are carrots, broccoli, pureed pumpkin, green beans, and sweet potatoes. Of course, there are certain fruits and veggies you'll want to avoid as well. These include onions, garlic, grapes, mushrooms, avocadoes, raisins, and cherries. Most citrus fruits should also be avoided, as the acidity can cause an upset stomach.
Freeze-Dried Or Dehydrated Treats
You can easily dehydrate any of the fruits and vegetables mentioned earlier for a tasty treat as well. This is a great alternative for when you travel or if you want a longer shelf life for your pup's treats. Additionally, freeze-dried and dehydrated proteins make great alternative dog treats. Many local pet supply stores will carry a variety of protein options for your dog. However, we recommend choosing a novel protein (such as venison, lamb, duck, turkey, etc.). This will allow your pet to enjoy a bit of variety in their diet and help to prevent long-term intolerances to common proteins such as chicken and beef.
Homemade Alternative Dog Treats
You can also try your hand at making your own dog treats! There are a wide variety of recipes out there that use peanut butter or pumpkin instead of flour as a base for their cookies. Not a fan of cooking? Try frozen treats instead! You can spoon plain yogurt into an ice cube tray and place a blueberry in each section. Then, freeze the tray and store the treats in a freezer ziploc bag for easy access! You can use this same process with a pumpkin and cinnamon mixture or a peanut butter and banana combination as well.
Frozen Raw Bones
If you're truly looking for alternative dog treats to those biscuits in a box, frozen raw bones are the way to go. Raw bones offer a variety of health benefits. They're a great source of glucosamine, and chondroitin, which are all important for joint health. Additionally, they help to keep your dog's teeth nice and clean as they chew. Finally, these bones add much-needed protein and fat to your pup's diet. When selecting a raw bone, we recommend a recreational bone (such as a knuckle-bone) or a neck bone. Femurs have a lot of marrow and nutrients in them and can cause upset to some dog's stomach.
Final Thoughts
Whether it's for health reasons or simply for variety, we highly recommend exploring alternative dog treats for your pet. And no matter what treats you have for your pets, our top-notch pet sitters will be sure to accommodate your preferences. Visit us online today to learn more about our services!