Dogs, according to the latest archaeological data, have been sharing grief and joy with humans for more than 30 thousand years. Since those ancient times they are our faithful friends and helpers, they remain them today. Each real dog breeder falls in love with his pet, in response to devotion, he cherishes and cherishes his dog. Sometimes, like my own child, I want to treat the four-legged with something special, tasty. Fortunately, nowadays, apart from factory feed, ready-made treats for dogs are presented on the market.
And at the same time, a conscientious dog owner thinks about the safety of such products. Is it worth it to buy them and give them to your pet? Are they dangerous? Nobody wants, with good intentions, to shorten the already short-lived canine age to their pet, and sometimes even an equal member of the family.
Why do dogs need goodies?
It is worthwhile to make it clear to the dog that there is a coveted piece of food in the hands or pockets, as it is already right there and wags its tail. Inexperienced give a treat to the dog as an extra meal between feedings. But this is wrong. This approach accustoms the dog to biting, it can become an ill-bred beggar, which is especially fatal for dogs whose calling is to guard. Dogs don't need a snack. Treats for dogs are used for completely different, more productive purposes.
In puppyhood, dogs give solid goodies for teething. They distract the unintelligent puppy from the wallpaper in the apartment and expensive leather shoes for a long time. Also, solid treats for dogs help brush your teeth, which is also important. Most dog breeders train their puppies with positive reinforcement. In other words, they use nutritional motivation to train and consolidate teams. But, of course, only at first. Subsequently, the dog must carry out commands already without goodies.
Some goodies contain vitamin supplements that are not found in natural nutrition. If you give them to your pet periodically, this will help strengthen the body of the animal.
Treats for dogs are used in educational games, for the pet’s mental work. There are several types of intelligent toys for dogs in which there are voids where food is hidden. To get it, the dog needs to do a few specific actions.
Treats help to establish closer contact with the dog, protect its teeth and strengthen immunity.
What are the goodies
Goodies for our smaller brothers are acquired at a pet store or made at home in the kitchen. The latter may represent sugar bone, slices of sausage, crackers, offal. The main thing is that the bones are not empty inside. A dog cannot be bitten and eaten. Homemade goodies for dogs are relevant for natural feeding. The situation is different if the dog eats ready-made dry mixes. Then it is reasonable to pay attention to the store goodies. They can be divided into the following types:
- Cookies. They are based on a mixture of cereal crops. But you should count calories when fattening such goodies. Mostly they are composed of carbohydrates, which threatens the dog with excess weight when abused. You must strictly follow the directions on the packaging.
- Chewing sausages (sticks). They owe their name to an appearance very similar to hunting sausages. Only in their composition does starch occupy the main place. But it all depends on the manufacturer. For example, Titbit's dog treats offer a wide range of sausages, some of which consist of 85% meat offal, and only 15% corn and mineral supplements.
- Drying Dried treats are especially pleasant for dogs. These are the liver, lungs, pig and calf ears, hooves.
- Bones. Gelatin and calcined bones are found in stores. They strengthen the dog’s bones and are good for teeth.
How to choose the right goodies
First of all, you need to study the composition. There should not be toxic substances, such as propylene glycol, as well as ethoxivine, propyl gallate. Some are afraid when they see glycerin on their packaging, but it is harmless. It is needed to preserve the moisture and texture of the product.
When choosing, you need to consider the goals of the treat. Training - small pieces, soft enough so that the dog does not choke on them and does not chew for a long time. And solid when it comes to brushing your teeth. It is better to give preference to recommended brands. Still, they monitor their reputation.
Positive reinforcement
Recently, among dog handlers - both experienced and beginners - the technique of "positive reinforcement" has been popular. During classes, feeding is very often used, that is, a treat. At the same time, the guide feeds almost half of the dog's daily diet. Accordingly, the treat should consist of natural products. Or the main animal feed.
Do it yourself
As it has already become clear, it is better for dogs to give goodies for specific tasks. Despite the abundance of assortment in stores, many housewives are ready to spend time and prepare treats for dogs with their own hands. Home-made goodies have a big advantage in that the owner of the dog always knows what they consist of.
Some delicacies are very simple and cost-effective, while some, on the contrary, consist of several ingredients, and the housewives tend to surpass the industrial manufacturers during their preparation. More often, the basis of homemade goodies is meat and substances that preserve their shape, for convenience of delivery as an encouragement in the classroom.
From offal
One of the simplest, relatively time-saving treats for dogs with their own hands can be considered a dried liver. You should buy chicken or any other liver from a store or market. It needs to be washed, soaked for two to three hours. Change the water until it becomes transparent. This is a signal that the liver is ready for the following manipulations. You need to cut off all the fat. Then you need to cut into pieces and put on low heat in the oven for 20 minutes. The smaller the pieces, the faster the liver (a treat for dogs) will be ready. But common sense must be maintained, giving too small pieces on training will be uncomfortable.
A very good treat - from beef lung. It does not get dirty and is stored for a long time, and most importantly - cheaply. Cows cut fresh lung into small pieces according to the size of the dog and taking into account the reduction of the pieces (two to three times) during cooking. Before you divide the lungs into pieces, it is better to hold them a little in the freezer. Otherwise, cutting the substance will be very difficult. The baking sheet should be covered with parchment, greased with vegetable oil, spread the sliced pieces of the lung on top. At 180 degrees, they are dried. The condition to which the pieces are dried depends on whether the dog likes hard and crunchy goodies or soft ones. Soft slices of the resulting goodies are best stored in the refrigerator. Moisture remaining inside may cause rotting.
From meat
The idea of how to make a treat for dogs can be gleaned from descriptions of tourist food. Dried meat is perfect for a dog as an encouragement to walk and practice. A piece of fresh meat needs to be cut into thin strips, wrapped in a cloth and hung in the kitchen or in the bathroom above the heated towel rail (if it's winter time). So it sags for several days. The finished product should be fragile and tough.
You can make cookies from meat for a dog. For this, minced meat (you can add offal) is mixed with flour and an egg is added. It can be supplemented with greens. The mixture is sent to the oven and baked until cooked.
"Village"
But if, nevertheless, the daily schedule leaves no time for preparing goodies for your beloved pet, you can turn to famous manufacturers of finished products. On the Russian market are in demand goods of domestic manufacturers involved in the manufacture of feed and treats for dogs. But not many of them can boast that they really use meat for their production. One of these is the Village Dainty brand (for dogs and cats). The manufacturer does not hide that most products consist of offal and offal, and processing includes only prolonged drying at low temperatures. This allows you to save all the taste, mineral composition and vitamins.
From Titbit
Dried treats for dogs of the brand "Titbit" also occupy a leading position in the market of pet products. It is noteworthy that products for dogs are not subjected to significant heat treatment than manufacturers of cheap treats sin. Their various products are in great demand. Judging by the reviews, treats for dogs of this brand (some of them) do not have a strong smell. All products are from natural products. This is extremely important. All treats for dogs “Titbit” retain their natural taste and smell, which gives additional pleasure to pets. They help strengthen the gums and brush your teeth, preventing the appearance of tartar.