Cookies for dogs: types, tips for choosing. Homemade dog biscuits

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Everyone wants to change their diet from time to time and treat themselves to something tasty. Oddly enough, this applies not only to people, but also to animals. Love for pets makes us pamper our pets.

One of the ways to please a dog is to treat the animal with something delicious. It is unlikely that there will be a four-legged friend who will refuse the "yummy". How to properly feed dogs? Which is better: do-it-yourself dog treats or store-bought treats? Such information is especially useful for novice pet owners.

Why do dogs need treats

Dog biscuits are a great way to reward your pet for good behavior. The treat perfectly stimulates the animal to follow commands, to be obedient and not to misbehave.

Some hosts prefer to use treats just like that, as a snack. This is an absolutely wrong position. Animals do not need a snack. They are quite completedeveloped diet according to age. Professional breeders use dog biscuits and other treats for purely practical purposes.

• To brush your teeth. Of course, ordinary cookies will not cope with this task. But denser treats made of veins and skin are able to restore complete order in the dog's mouth.
• To facilitate teething. During this period, dog "snacks" are especially relevant. Young puppies will happily give preference to dried pig's ear and leave the slippers of their owners alone.
• To maintain immunity. Often, dog biscuits are enriched with the necessary amount of vitamins and minerals that are difficult to obtain from everyday food. Eating such a treat will not only give your dog a few pleasant moments, but also strengthen his body.
• For training. Treats are an excellent stimulus for the formation of the correct behavior in the animal. At the initial stages of training, tasty rewards allow you to quickly learn the basics of correct behavior and learn how to follow commands.
• For the development of intelligence. Such treats are used when training service dogs, as well as animals participating in various exhibitions and competitions. To get to the treat, the dog must perform some actions.

What are dog treats

What are dog biscuits and other treats? First of all, you need to understand that they are purchased or homemade. Quite popular are various bones, veins, sugar bones, dried skin,ears, pieces of offal or sausages.

Each option has both advantages and disadvantages. If your dog is trained to eat natural food, homemade treats are the best choice. Those animals that are used to eating food from bags will also be happy to consume the store-bought version.

Most often in various pet stores such a set is presented:

• dog biscuits;
• chewing sticks;
• dried offal (liver, stomach, lung, pig ears, hooves of all sizes, bird paws, hide, tendons, etc.);
• gelatin and calcified bones;
• sausages.

How to choose the right treat for your pet

When choosing a treat, you should pay attention to the composition, texture and other indicators of the product. One of the criteria, for example, is the size of the animal. For small breeds, it is better to choose small "snacks". So it will be easier for the animal to cope with them. For puppies, you can pick up a variety of dry treats in shape. They are easily chewed and will not harm the pet's young teeth.

For older dogs, soft treats are best. On the market there are special meat slices, straws, cuts of rabbit or chicken fillet, dog marmalade and other delicacies.

For hygiene pasture manufacturers offer special biscuits. They are great at cleaning plaque, destroying tartar and massaging the gums.

When buyingdog treats, it is important to be very careful and carefully read the composition indicated on the package. At the slightest suspicion, it is better to refuse the purchase. Some additives that end up in dog treats can be literally deadly for the animal. Among them are:

• ethoxyquin;
• VNT/VNA;
• propylene glycol;
• propyl gallate and some others.

But glycerin in dog treats is a completely safe substance. It is responsible for the texture of the product and helps to regulate the residual moisture of the product.

Pet Shop Treats

If you decide to prefer store-bought treats, give preference to trusted brands. These, for example, include "TitBit". Treats for dogs from this manufacturer have long established themselves and found their loyal fans. There are more than 60 items in the trade line. So every owner will find everything necessary for a four-legged pet.

TitBit dog treats are meat bones, biscuits, sausages, snacks, dried meat pieces, muesli, truffle dogs and more. And "TitBit" is a manufacturer of an absolutely unique product - special dog chocolate. You can choose from a dark and dairy product with different flavors: with rabbit meat and cranberries, with beef tripe, lungs and dried apricots, with liver.

The company "Village Delicacies" is not far behind them. Here the manufacturer offers a variety of he althy treats produced by long-term drying. ForIn the preparation of “Village Delicacies” products, rabbit ears and lungs, duck necks, lamb lungs, and various types of meat are used. The buyer can choose from a variety of rings, sausages, meatballs and kebabs.

Cooking by ourselves

If you don't trust stores, you can make your own dog treats. At the same time, it must be remembered that it is impossible to give a dog a “human” sausage, sausages or fatty biscuits. You will have to spend a little time and study special "dog" recipes.

Making homemade dog biscuits is easy. Here is one of many options.

Products:

• 250g ground beef;
• 2 tbsp. l. finely grated hard cheese;
• 1 medium carrot (grated);
• 1 egg;
• 0, 5 tbsp. breadcrumbs;
• 1 tsp tomato paste.

All components should be thoroughly kneaded. Form small balls, sticks or sausages. Place the products on a baking sheet and dry for 15-20 minutes in the oven at a temperature of 350 ° C. Since this treat contains a lot of minced meat, it is best to store it in the freezer. It can lie there for a long time.

You can also make a liver treat. To do this, in the proposed recipe, instead of minced meat, add the same amount of boiled liver, turned through a meat grinder. If you form a cookie in the form of a bone, it will turn out very funny. The main thing is not to overdo it with spices. These additives can be very harmful togentle dog scent.

More recipes

Recipes for dog biscuits are quite varied. The main component can be meat, ryaba, liver or offal. You can also make a sweet dessert.

Products:

• 120g wheat flour;
• 90g ground oatmeal;
• 1 egg;
• 5-6 pcs finely chopped dried apricots;
• 1 tsp honey;
• 1 tsp sunflower or corn oil;
• mashed 1/2 apple;
• a little water or milk.

All components are mixed into a homogeneous mass. Roll out the mixture into a layer 1-1.5 cm thick. Use the molds to make cookies. If there are no molds, you can simply cut into small strips or squares. Dry the products in the oven for half an hour over low heat. The cookies should break easily and not be too hard. Otherwise, the dog may damage the gums.

Small pieces of pumpkin are a great treat for dogs. Boil them in meat broth for a few minutes, and then dry them in the oven at medium temperature. Your pet will be very happy to add this to their daily diet.

How to treat your dog properly

"Sweets" are high in calories. In order not to overfeed the animal, this point should be taken into account when drawing up a daily diet. The total daily share of treats should not exceed 8-10%, and for dogs of small breeds - no more than 5%. If you choose to purchaseoption, do not exceed the dose recommended by the manufacturer.

Dogs are very smart animals. They quickly remember exactly where the treat is stored, and begin to beg for a handout. Don't give in! A treat should be a reward for good behavior, a learned command. It is unlikely that the animal will follow the instructions of the trainer if it manages to get a treat by extortion.

What should never be given to a dog

The main difference between "dog" and "human" goodies is the presence of sugar in the latter. Most veterinarians agree that giving this product to dogs is not only harmful, but also dangerous.

Do not give dogs some bones, especially tubular ones. "Canine" surgeons too often have to restore the stomachs of animals wounded by shrapnel. The bones are best replaced with a completely safe rawhide treat.

Perhaps the most dangerous food for dogs of all breeds is plain chocolate. It contains caffeine and theobromine. These components are easily tolerated by humans and are not absorbed by the dog's body at all. Even one chocolate bar is sometimes enough to kill.

A delicious treat for your pet is easy to make, since there are plenty of recipes for this. The main task of the owners is not to overdo it. Otherwise, even a very good dog will grow into a capricious, spoiled animal.