Organic Dog Treats - Why You Should Give Your Dog Healthy Chews!

Every dog loves treats! It’s a show of love, can be used as a reward and is used by humans for training dogs. However, too many treats can lead to your dog growing obese and unhealthy. 

Luckily, we have a slightly better option in terms of dog treats which are organic dog treats! The term “organic” has been thrown about lately and almost everyone has been trying to go organic as it is deemed healthier with less preservatives and other potentially harmful ingredients in it.

There are so many types of treats and choosing the right natural treat for your dog goes a long way in helping your dog be healthy and happy at the same time.

Safest treats for dogs

Always keep in mind that treats and snacks for dogs should only make up a maximum of 10% a day of a dog’s caloric intake. 

Instead of giving treats bought from the store, you can try a few safe treats that are organic and healthy. 

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A good example of this will be vegetables and fruit! 

Some fresh baby carrots and broccoli are a good snack option for your dear doggo. Usually, dogs are pretty open to all foods so vegetables are a good option. 

You can also try fruit such as banana slices, berries, watermelon and apple slices. Of course, make sure that you are not including the seed in it. 

Plus point if you get the fresh vegetables and fruit from an organic store or you grow it by yourself.

There will be no added preservatives and you know exactly what fertilizers if the fruit and vegetables come from an organic store or are homegrown. 

Another natural dog food that can work as a treat for your doggos is air-popped popcorn. It is low in calories so your dog will not put on additional and unnecessary weight. 

Try not to add any salt or butter to the popcorn and just feed it as it is. 

Your dog will enjoy it!

Benefits of organic dog treats

Why should you go organic? Here are some extra reasons to convince you:-

1. Hormone-free

Dog treats that are made with harmful and artificial ingredients are often low quality because they are made from animals that have been pumped with hormones. 

There are certain hormones that accelerate growth and muscle development in animals. Some treats are made from these animals. 

Organic or natural dog treats are often made from free range animals that have not been treated with additional hormones. This is obviously the better higher-quality choice of treats. 

2. No unnatural additives

Natural dog treats do not contain additional additives. Some treats have these additives to enhance the flavours and colour of the treats.

Organic and natural ingredients that make up the treats are usually preserved with antioxidants that are derived from the natural ingredients itself such as tocopherols. These are a combination of vitamins E and vitamin C, both of which are healthy and necessary for your dog.

3. Better dental health

Your dog may need to experience dental cleanliness. Usually, humans will give a dog treat to help promote dental health. However, it can actually be detrimental to your dogs if the treats are made from unnatural sugars. 

It is better to give more natural and organic treats to your dog as they are richer in minerals like calcium and phosphorus. Your dog needs these minerals for strong and healthy teeth. 

4. Weight management

If your dog is already overweight, it may be tempting to cut treats altogether. This may instead, lead dear doggo to chew on other things such as on your shoes or furniture. 

Instead, try switching to more high-quality and organic snacks. These contain more nutritional goodness and less filler content. Therefore, fewer treats are needed for your dog to feel satisfied and full quicker.

5. Wholesome nutrition

Organic dog treats are often manufactured from good quality ingredients. This means that your dog, via the treats, can get better nutrition out of it instead of consuming unnatural sugar, additives and preservatives.

6. Gentle digestion

It is easier for your dog to digest natural and organic treats. It is gentler on their digestive system. 

Just like us humans, our pets can suffer from allergies in certain food. Sometimes, dogs may have inflammation in their digestive system which can be very uncomfortable and even painful. Replacing low-quality treats to organic dog treats can reduce these allergies. 

Photo by Nancy Guth from Pexels

What dog treats are killing dogs? 

There are a few treats that you should avoid feeding your dog. It can be toxic and be potentially harmful to your pup. Be careful to avoid these foods as it may harm them:

• Chocolate treats
• Grapes and raisins
• Caffeine
• Onions

1. Added preservatives

Preservatives are very popular with manufacturers as they increase shelf life. However these are not healthy so the fewer preservatives in treats, the better. 

2. Soy

Soy is a common allergen. Some manufacturers like to use soy as a replacement for meat. That is not so healthy for your dog and could be potentially harmful.

3. Added sugars

Added sugars such as corn syrup is unnecessary. An overload of sugar is not good for your dog as there is not much nutritional value in it. Sugar may lead to health problems in your dog such as unnecessary weight gain, tooth decay and diabetes. 

Avoid these ingredients wherever possible, including in dog treats!

Organic dog treats recipes

In order to control your dog’s diet entirely, the only way you can do so is by preparing all the food it eats personally. You can ensure what goes into its diet. 

However, you can just be conscious of what exactly goes into your dogs’ treats too. We know that high quality treats can be expensive so making these treats can be slightly easier on your pocket too. 

Here are a few treats you can easily prepare for dear doggo. All you have to do is get the natural and organic ingredients!

1. Frosty Watermelon Treats

Ingredients: 
2 cups of seedless watermelon, smashed
1 cup coconut water
1 tablespoon honey (optional)

Instructions:

• Puree the seedless watermelon by blending or smashing it.
• Add the coconut water and honey, if you want to. Mix well or blend together.
• Pour the entire mixture into ice cube trays and freeze overnight.
• Serve!

2. Sweet Potato Chews

Ingredients:
2 sweet potatoes

• Wash the sweet potatoes
• Slice them lengthwise about a quarter inch thick and place on a baking sheet
• Bake in a preheated oven of 250 degree fahrenheit for about three hours. Turn the slices halfway through the baking
• Let it cool and it is ready to be served!

3. Zucchini Chews Dog Treats

Ingredients:
1 large zucchini
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp dry ground mustard
1 tsp chicken bouillon

Instructions:

• Slice the zucchini into one eighth inch thickness
• Toss zucchini in the olive oil
• Spread out the zucchini and sprinkle lightly with the dry mustard and bouillon
• Bake 4 to 6 hours. Depending on your dog, some like their treats crispier than others.
• It’s ready!

Easy right? These ingredients can easily be bought at your local organic grocery store or even at the organic section of the supermarket. If you need more ideas, remember that vegetables and fruits make great natural treats and you can experiment to your heart’s content with what your dog likes or dislikes.

Of course, no matter how simple organic dog treats prepared at home are, it still takes time. If time does not permit you to prepare these on your own, you can always walk into the store to buy the treats that you need.

Look out for the ingredients stated above that are harmful to your dogs. Always look at the ingredients listed on the label before purchasing. 

A great example of really high quality and natural dog treats is Kangaroo Chips by Petcubes. These are made from 100% wild kangaroo meat and are great for regular fun treats or as training treats. 

Kangaroo meat is also a novel protein, which means that the protein meat has never been used in your pet’s diet before. There are many advantages to it and you can read more about the benefits of novel protein in this article.

You may also try Bull Pizzle by Petcubes. These are made entirely from bull pizzle and do not contain any additives or preservatives. It is not just a healthy treat, it also promotes dental health as it cleans your dog’s teeth as it chews on it. 

No matter what treats you ultimately choose, if ever you are unsure of an ingredient, it is best to consult with your veterinarian before giving it to your dog.

Conclusion

Dog treats are an essential part of a dog’s diet. It may get bored with “normal” food and treats do wonders to switch their diets up a bit. Treats also work well when it comes to training. However, there are many things to consider when buying store bought treats and it may definitely be worth your while to switch to organic and natural treats instead. These organic and natural ingredients found in treats bring many benefits and you should contemplate switching your dogs’ treats to it so that your dogs can be happier and healthier.