There are a lot of dog treats out there which are high fat and filled with artificial preservatives, which aren’t great for your dog’s health. If you’re concerned about your dog’s weight or just looking for a healthier alternative, check out this list for our favourite 7 healthy dog treats for training.
Many dogs are incredibly food orientated. Their ears prick up at the mere sound of a packet rustling and their high-powered noses can pick up the scent of something delicious faster than you can say sit! Due to their love of food, it’s generally quite easy to train them with treats, but of course there’s the worry that too many of these will lead to weight gain or an unbalanced diet.
We’ve created this list to tell you all about the best healthy dog treats for training, perfect for teaching everything from a reliable recall to your dog’s next big fancy trick. Always make sure to factor treats into your dog’s daily ration and reduce the size of meals to balance it out.
1. Cooked lean meat
If you need high reward dog treats for training when you really need to command their attention, try some lean meat. Plain, boiled chicken breast with no oil or seasoning can be suitable – cutting up into very small pieces around the size of your little finger nail works best. In addition to being gentle on most stomachs, chicken is filled with omega-6 fatty acids which help to promote healthy skin and coat. Salmon is sometimes fed as a healthy dog treat as it’s full of omega-3 fatty acids. However, this is higher in fat so should be given in very small quantities and not fed to dogs with a history of pancreatitis. Be sure to avoid processed meats that have added salt.
2. Your dog’s dinner
Your dog’s regular dry food can make a great healthy dog treat. This is a good choice for overweight dogs on low fat diets, or other pets that are on special diets for underlying health problems. Measure out a portion of their daily ration and keep this in a pot to use for training treats that day. Additionally, you can try using dog puzzles or a food dispensing toy so they can eat, learn and play all at the same time.