[Jeffrey]

Hi All,

I wanted to post a happy update. We’ve been using Annamaet Grain-Free Salcha Poulet Formula for 4 months now and have had excellent results. I really had no idea how poorly our pup was feeling until we changed foods.

She went from not wanting or walk or play to being happy again. We are back to walking 1.5 miles a day and she is anxious to play several times a day. Not just that, the play sessions have extended since she’s been on this food. When she was unwell, we’d toss the ball 3 times and she was done. Now she is like a machine and goes on and on, with a nice bounce in her step.

One word of advice, don’t supplement the dogs diet with human treats. It will defeat all of your efforts. I found this out the hard way. I thought she was all better so I started giving her various table scraps and we had a large setback. Lesson learned.

Thanks again for the helpful advice and recommendations.

Jeffrey

• This reply was modified 11 years, 4 months ago by Jeffrey.

[jakes mom]

Instead of breaking up treats I sometimes use cat treats for my beagle/basset mix. Works for a small to medium sized dog but I guess would be too tiny for a bigger guy. They usually have 2 or 3 cals per treat and come in various sizes/shapes, soft or crunchy. My cats are picky so it’s a good use for the treats they decide they don’t like anymore.

[Cheryl Pepper Millie Sophie]

The Cocotherapy Brand of dried fruit or dried veggies or their cocostars.
these treats are AMAZING! Pricey but worth it.
I found NaturalPetWarehouse.com to have the best prices per bag.

[adria Z]

I bake slices of sweet potatoes and use them as treats

[Dog_Obsessed]

Okay, thanks. I might buy the THK treats and other ones like it sometimes, and just think of them as “junk food” because they are high-carb. They are also super low-calorie though, so that helps.

[Dog_Obsessed]

Since the food I’m feeding is balanced, I agree that that isn’t really what I’m looking to get from treats. Is it any worse than other carbs in treats?

[theBCnut]

Molasses does have some nice minerals in it, but I’m not feeding treats to get minerals.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Probably a tad better than high fructose corn syrup, but essentially sugar nonetheless. I try to avoid treats with any added sweeteners but if the other ingredients are healthy (as I’m sure is the case with the THK treats) and they’re only given on occasion, I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Kind of like with people, indulging in some sweets once in awhile never hurt anyone but it wouldn’t be the healthiest thing to do regularly.

[Dog_Obsessed]

What are everyone’s thoughts on treats that contain forms of “natural” sugar such as molasses or maple syrup? It’s probably not as bad as high-fructose corn syrup or just “sugar,” but it is sugar either way. I know the THK cookie treats (Pecks, Smooches, Nuzzles) all contain molasses as the third ingredient.

[DogFoodie]

My dogs go crazy for Vital Essentials freeze dried tripe treats. A bag of them is fairly expensive, but there are gobs in each bag.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Jerry –

There’s nothing really wrong with the Blue Buffalo Health Bars, they’re definitely a big step up from treats like Milk Bones, but they aren’t exactly “healthy” despite the name. They’re really high in carbs. While they’d certainly be fine for an occasional treat, if it were me I’d search for a more protein rich treat. I like to give my dogs freeze-dried raw “complete” foods (e.g. Stella & Chewy’s, Nature’s Variety Instinct, Primal, etc.) which typically come in small medallions or nuggets, air-dried ZiwiPeak (also a complete food) or “jerky” type treats with a high meat content from reputable companies (e.g. Etta Says, Bixbi, The Real Meat Co., etc.). I wouldn’t give raw carrots as treats, most dogs don’t need the extra carbs in their diets and raw vegetables are digested very poorly by dogs.

[Jerry J]

Any comments on the Blue Buffalo treats known as “Health Bars”?
I also give my 2 mini-schnauzers petite raw carrots as a treat. Thanks.

[Janine S]

My GSD’s love KONA brand treats.

[Dog_Obsessed]

I logged onto my email and had a strange set of emails coming from the Homemade Dog Treats thread . There were email alerts from BCnut’s and Dori’s posts yesterday that are no longer visible on the thread, then there were email alerts from what appeared to be posts by a troll with user’s personal information, then there was a post from Dori asking what was going on, all of which are visible in my email but not on the thread. This is scary, what is going on?!

[Cheryl Pepper Millie Sophie]

Thank you Neezerfan,
Unfortunately the holistic vet in my area leans more to traditional therapies. So, I don’t go to her.
As for a phone consult with Dr. Becker, I feel given Pepper’s MANY health issues,a phone consult would not do. Pepper would have to be seen by her in person to give an accurate informed diagnosis.
That being said, I may heave to consult her about a low residue diet,because I shiver when the thought of putting her on a vet. diet comes up. I know she can’t survive on sweet potato,pumpkin & ground turkey forever,& I know the premium kibbles no longer are good for her-she can’t digest them.
Even the special coconut treats (dried veggies & dried fruits) she adores -she can’t tolerate any longer, it breaks my heart!!!

[Akari_32]

Hope everyone had an awesome day! We got up, made egg sammiches for breakfast, opened presents, went to one grandmas for another round of presents and visiting, then did early dinner at the other grandmas.

The dogs loved destroying the wrapping paper on their gifts and eating the treats I spiked them all with, and yesterday we had an explodey-leak problem at my friends condo, so we did not get to the store for the big dogs bones. However, I had a partial bag of those frozen Natures Variety Raw Bites and took some ham trimmings and sweet potato skins from dinner and made them a yummy meal. The kitty loved his Natural Balance fish-stuff, but could care less about opening them lol

Mom got me *both* the new Pokemon games (Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire!), some candy, a wall mount for my TV that lives at the foot of my bed on the floor because I have no where for it go with out a wall mount, some other random things (gift cards, AUX cord for my car radio, and so on), my assorted grandmas got me Pokemon Blue for the GameBoy Color I found at Goodwill for 10 bucks, a Magic Bullet, assorted gift cards, and a yummy smelling, beach-themed candle 😀

I got mom a new oven mit, Maleficent on BluRay, and a Baymax toy, because who doesn’t love Baymax?? I never know what to get this chick, and she gets upset that I spend money on her. She likes motorcycle and baseball and golf stuff– all things I know nothing about. She was very happy to see her new oven mit and Baymax toy, though lol She also got lots of Teavana tea and goodies, and she’s been wired up on hot tea all day LOL

It was great spending the whole day with a good chunck of my family, and considering I asked for litterally nothing, I made out pretty good! LOL Omega Ruby is awesome! I haven’t played the original in forever because I don’t have a system to play it on. And Blue is fantastic!! Makes me feel old lol The game isn’t much younger than I am!

I’m finishing my day up snuggled up on the couch with a Ginger Burrito (wrapped in my new blanket!!!) on my chest :3 Merry Christmas guys!

[Dori]

Hi Gloria K. I have the TSM Stainless Steel Food Dehydrator with 5 stainless Steel Shelves. It was recommended to me by USATreats (one of the posters on DFA). It’s available at Amazon.

As to making biscuits and cookies, I’m sorry I can’t answer that question. I only use it as a dehydrator for making jerky and dehydrating fruits and veggies. Hopefully someone else will come on and answer that part of your question.

[Dog_Obsessed]

I once got a sample of Fruitables Skinny Minis treats and they were a HUGE hit! I haven’t gotten a full bag because they aren’t grain-free, but Lily doesn’t really have grain issues as far as I know. Their jerky is grain-free, but I don’t use store-bought jerky treats because of the mysterious problems with jerky from China.

[jakes mom]

I have a turkey neck for Jake and treats for the cats and will throw some catnip around, too. Extra sunflower seed and peanuts for the birds and squirrels in the yard. Jake doesn’t play with toys anymore, if it’s not food he’s not interested. I’m working Christmas so haven’t decided if we’ll have our treats tonite or after work on the 25th. Happy holidays from me and the critters…Jake, Smudge, Dustin, Benjamin, Julie and Teddy!

[Akari_32]

Guys, I’m very proud to that this psycho cat that would look for any excuse to get outside has come a long way. I went to take some trash out, and came back to find the wind had kept the door from closing, and both Bentley and Kitty in the door way, looking out.

My first thought is that if I even so much as spook him, the cat is gunna bolt out past me, and I’ll be chasing both the retards down the street. It only takes a second for the cat to realize I’m back, so once he saw me, I gave him a firm “no!” and stooped down ready to catch him if he bolted. Instead he backed into the house, and walked back inside as I closed the door!

So I scooped him, told him he was a very good boy, and gave him lots of love as we went into the kitchen, and I dumped a handful of his favorite G-Zee’s treats on the floor for him, which he promptly inhaled.

I can’t believe he did not make a run for it as soon as he saw that door left open. OMG, that could have been bad. Ginger, of course, was passed out obliviously on the couch lol

Also, he’s not liking his Authority Kitten food. He doesn’t finish it, and is not very quick to eat it. I guess I’ll give it to my friends cat. Or my aunt. I gave her kitten a can of it for Christmas. I’m sure they haven’t given it to him yet, but I’ll ask and see how he liked it if they did. Two foods on his list of no-no’s. I can’t believe it! Wellness Complete Health canned and Authority Kitten. This is the same cat that eats dust bunnies every time I sweep…

[InkedMarie]

Merry Christmas, everyone! We are simple up here. I don’t bake anything. We’ll get some cookies from my sister but my days of making them are over. For Christmas day, we’ll have it at my sons. It was my idea for simple: everyone bring a dish & a dessert. We are bringing a layered taco salad and Kahlua cake. Paper plates.

I’ll make the cake today, take a bunch of things over to our sons, 4 pm Christmas Eve mass then pizza &’Christmas movies tonight. The dogs each get a stuffie &. Box of treats to share.

[Akari_32]

Merry Christmass, everyone!

For Haley and Dweezle, we also get them huge bones, sometimes raw hides, sometimes big huge pig knuckles. Depends on way we find. I may brave the grocery store for a couple pig knuckles. If not, the pet store will be much less scary, and they’ll just get raw hides LOL That’s what I get for waiting till Christmass eve to shop for them. Bentley and Ginger have some treats and a Fruitables chew each.

The cat has nothing so far. I want to buy him some cat nip, though, for his turbo chaser toy thing (round, with a ball in a track, and a scratching pad in the middle). I also want to buy him toys, but he eats anything small and hard (found that out the hard way, $400 later) and Bentley destroys anything with feathers on it, so that’s rules out 99% of all cat toys LOL He does have a few cans of special food, though. He better like it, that’s all I have to say! He’ll have a great time with the gift bag, at least! Darn cats…

[Akari_32]

Oh boy, this’ll be fun lol

Haley and Dweezle: Natural Balance Ultra Small Breed. Only got it because it was $1 a pound after coupons– I’m not very happy with, so after the two bags I have are gone, I’ll not buy it again. However, they like it. But they like anything, regardless of how eatable it is lol They also each get a salmon oil pill in their food. Next will be Wellness Toy Breed Complete Health Senior and Wellness Toy Breed Complete Health Adult, mixed 2:1. These dogs are 60 and 130 lbs, btw LOL after that will probably be Ideal Balance puppy, then Wellness Core Puppy and Small Breed mixed, then who knows. I have a good sized stash to chose from. I try to keep it interesting.

Bentley: SSLL mix, with coconut oil (won’t eat the mix plain, the little brat!) and a nice de-boned raw turkey leg. He gets a random pick of turkey or chicken (bought whole and cut up and separated into white meat, dark meat, and bone-in meat), ground pork, or beef or chicken hearts every day.

Ginger: half Wellness Small Breed Simple Salmon and Potato, and half Wellness Toy Breed Complete Health Healthy Weight. She’ll be moving to Purina Veterinary Diet Joint Mobility when I have the money in my account to order it, her Wellness Simple was running out, so I’ll put it off a bit longer, so she’s not switching arounf too much. Her stomach just can’t handle it. Nothing Purina is my first choice except for a very select few of the canned cat foods due to cost, but I’m at my wits end at what I can do to help her poor old joints, and not break the bank (not that there’s much of a bank to break at this point…). I can get it less than what the same size bag of Wellness is, so it’s worth a shot. Her treats today was a half of an Amoxicillin pill in the morning and tonight. She eats it like it’s the most delicious thing she’s ever tasted, so I just let her think that LOL

Usually they all get some form of Zukes or Pet Botanics treats, but no one got any of those today, except the cat, who did high-fives, shakes, and up’s for his G-Zees treats :p He also got 3oz Wild Kitty raw cat food mix (made with chicken) for breakfast, and a 5.5 oz can of Friskies Ocean Whitefish as a very special treat. I don’t do fish or any other Friskies other than two flavors of Special Diet for him very often, but I’ll grab something fish based every now and then for something that isn’t turkey, chicken or beef. Gotta have something different when your crazy mommy limits you to very specific flavors from very specific brands lol I’ve also been giving Bentley a few pieces of Natures Variety Instinct Raw as a treat a few times a day. He loves to eat the little pieces still frozen. I think he likes the texture, and the fact that it’s red meat, something I can’t afford for his rotation very often. Innova Prime Red Meat used to be his favorite kibble before we realized he had carb allergies and before Innova got bought out.

Just a side note on the Wellness Toy Breed Complete Health forumlas: I’m extremely happy with all of them. Typically, even in the rest of the Wellness line, senior and diet foods are just complete crap, but these are comparable to other puppy and adult grain inclusive foods. They have good protein (close to 30%), and low fat (which is what my three old farts need), and are still high calorie (high 400’s!). Would definitely recommend either of these to anyone with a dog that needs a low fat diet, or to any owner who likes to feed lower fat diet food, small or large breed. It’s pretty decently priced, too, especially if you have coupons 😉

[Naturella]

Today Bruno had 1/4 + 1/8th cup of Castor & Pollux Ultramix GF Duck and Sweet Potato, with 1/2 of a pouch of some new local food – Have Dogs – as a topper. It is chicken-based, with chicken, fish oil, bone meal, vitamin E, and egg. Normally on Tuesday he gets yoghurt or kefir on his kibble but he really didn’t like the plain non-fat one I got by mistake (I normally get plain full-fat yoghurt), so he wouldn’t eat it at all last week. For dinner he had same Castor & Pollux with 1 tsp. THK Keen. We just got on Castor & Pollux from Back to Basics Open Range, and next kibble up will be Wysong Nurture with Quail. Treats we use right now for training are are Fromm Pork and Pea and TOTW Southwest Canyon from sample baggies, and also Annamaet Manitok and Canidae Pure Bison and Sweet Potato as grand rewards or when he is simply irresistible. He didn’t have any of those today, but he did have 1 chicken heart and a piece of chicken liver as I had bought some and I was portioning them out, so I just HAD to give him some while they were still fresh and not yet frozen up. He gulped them immediately.

Tomorrow Bruno will have same kibble with raw egg as a topper for breakfast and BDN Tripe Supreme as a topper for dinner. Bruno’s menu is pretty predictable and set, written out even to help hubby if I’m not home. I will post a picture of it too. On occasion I do vary it though, like I will for Christmas and like I did on Thanksgiving. And I have several cans that are not penciled in his menu, just so I can spice things up. RMBs for him are usually chicken/pork/beef neck pieces.

I also, like Dori, feed Bruno nothing after 7pm or 8pm latest. He doesn’t eat breakfast until 9-10am or so. On occasion he fasts himself for 24hrs or so, if he decides he doesn’t like the yoghurt I have gotten, lol, or if he is just too full or something. He is decent with food and always happy to eat, as his meals are controlled so that he’s lean, healthy, and enjoys some variety.

I also have some Etta Says chews laying around, but the deer one gave him diarrhea, so I am cautious and want to be sure his tummy will be fully good when I give him another of the chews. I also only give him 1/2 at a time of those, and 1/2 of the biscuits (Annamaet and Canidae) when he does get them. From the kibble treats (Fromm and TOTW) he gets about 1/8th cup of either one when we do training or play puzzle games, which is about every other day. He can chew on his antler freely anytime, all day if he wants, and I also just got him a stingray tail chew, which may be a bit hard for him to get through as it is thicker than his usual ones, but he has unlimited access to it too. Other things we give on a whim are bully sticks, cow/lamb ears, pig snouts, chicken/duck feet, Himalayan Chews, fish skins, and the like.

[Naturella]

Today Bruno had 1/4 + 1/8th cup of Castor & Pollux Ultramix GF Duck and Sweet Potato, with 1/2 of a pouch of some new local food – Have Dogs – as a topper. It is chicken-based, with chicken, fish oil, bone meal, vitamin E, and egg. Normally on Tuesday he gets yoghurt or kefir on his kibble but he really didn’t like the plain non-fat one I got by mistake (I normally get plain full-fat yoghurt), so he wouldn’t eat it at all last week. For dinner he had same Castor & Pollux with 1 tsp. THK Keen. We just got on Castor & Pollux from Back to Basics Open Range, and next kibble up will be Wysong Nurture with Quail. Treats we use right now for training are are Fromm Pork and Pea and TOTW Southwest Canyon from sample baggies, and also Annamaet Manitok and Canidae Pure Bison and Sweet Potato as grand rewards or when he is simply irresistible. He didn’t have any of those today, but he did have 1 chicken heart and a piece of chicken liver as I had bought some and I was portioning them out, so I just HAD to give him some while they were still fresh and not yet frozen up. He gulped them immediately.

Tomorrow Bruno will have same kibble with raw egg as a topper for breakfast and BDN Tripe Supreme as a topper for dinner. Bruno’s menu is pretty predictable and set, written out even to help hubby if I’m not home. I will post a picture of it too. On occasion I do vary it though, like I will for Christmas and like I did on Thanksgiving. And I have several cans that are not penciled in his menu, just so I can spice things up. RMBs for him are usually chicken/pork/beef neck pieces.

[URL=http://s1352.photobucket.com/user/aninova/media/Bruno2014-2015Menu_zps6ccc6e19.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q644/aninova/Bruno2014-2015Menu_zps6ccc6e19.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[URL=http://s1352.photobucket.com/user/aninova/media/BrunoWeeklyToppers_zpsdfd1a9be.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q644/aninova/BrunoWeeklyToppers_zpsdfd1a9be.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

I also, like Dori, feed Bruno nothing after 7pm or 8pm latest. He doesn’t eat breakfast until 9-10am or so. On occasion he fasts himself for 24hrs or so, if he decides he doesn’t like the yoghurt I have gotten, lol, or if he is just too full or something. He is decent with food and always happy to eat, as his meals are controlled so that he’s lean, healthy, and enjoys some variety.

I also have some Etta Says chews laying around, but the deer one gave him diarrhea, so I am cautious and want to be sure his tummy will be fully good when I give him another of the chews. I also only give him 1/2 at a time of those, and 1/2 of the biscuits (Annamaet and Canidae) when he does get them. From the kibble treats (Fromm and TOTW) he gets about 1/8th cup of either one when we do training or play puzzle games, which is about every other day. He can chew on his antler freely anytime, all day if he wants, and I also just got him a stingray tail chew, which may be a bit hard for him to get through as it is thicker than his usual ones, but he has unlimited access to it too. Other things we give on a whim are bully sticks, cow/lamb ears, pig snouts, chicken/duck feet, Himalayan Chews, fish skins, and the like.

[theBCnut]

Except for treats, I feed once a day. My dogs don’t usually like to eat twice, except when we have had a really busy day. Then all bets are off. I know someone who feeds his dogs big chunks of meat and only feeds every 3-4 days, that’s what I’m not comfortable with.

The forum is not Disqus. Colon, closed parenthesis has worked here for a long time now, but I haven’t tried colon, capital P, or colon, capital D, or colon, closed parenthesis. I think I’ll try that now. 🙁 Oh, you can also use the dash for a nose, but it still gives you the same smiley, and I don’t know if you can use the semicolon for a wink. 😉 We’ll see.

ETA: Yes, you can.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 4 months ago by theBCnut.

[Dog_Obsessed]

I agree about the Wellness Petite Treats. Also Wellness Protein bars, they have 16 Calories per treat but I think they are pretty big, and so you could break them up. Here’s the link on Chewy.com:

• This reply was modified 11 years, 4 months ago by Dog_Obsessed.
• This reply was modified 11 years, 4 months ago by Dog_Obsessed.

[DogFoodie]

I also love Wellness Petite Treats. They have crunchy and soft varieties and they’re about the size of an average kibble. They have between two and four calories a piece and there are over 100 in each six ounce bag. A bag costs around $3.99.

[InkedMarie]

Buddy Biscuit Itty Bitties are tiny, great for potty treats. THK has some little tiny heart shaped ones in a tube, I just can’t recall the name of them. Quickies, maybe

[Hater and Molly’s Mom]

Both of my girls have a stocking full. My senior dog doesn’t play with toys so she doesn’t get them but Molly does. I have some NVI treats and some Healthy Dogma treats as well in them.

[Dog_Obsessed]

While I’m opposed to the idea of coloring, a little non-artificial coloring in treats I only give once and a while (I’ve actually only used them once) doesn’t bother me too much.

And about not giving your dogs food after dinner, there is actually new scientific evidence saying that could be a good idea. I heard about a study saying that rats that were fed high-fat food but only had food put out for them at night, when they were active, didn’t gain weight. However, other rats that were getting the same amount of the same food but always had access to it gained weight and developed health problems.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 4 months ago by Dog_Obsessed.

[Dori]

About the Etta Says chews? No one minds the caramel coloring? Just wondering.

Oh by the way, the girls had THK Zeal for breakfast. Dehydrated apple was the afternoon treat and for dinner they’ll be having Primal Pronto Raw Beef. Probably some dehydrated veggie a little later on after dinner. I don’t normally give them treats too late at night because I like their digestive systems to get a rest before the next days breakfast. I know it’s not really the way one is supposed to fast their dogs but it’s my way and it seems to work okay for them.

[Dog_Obsessed]

I used to be afraid of ice water because of that bloat rumor, but now that it’s been disproved I’m not afraid of it anymore. I’ve been meaning to make frozen treats with pumpkin and Wellness 95% canned. I don’t remember who here suggested that but it’s an awesome idea.

[Dori]

Good to know BC. I can give mine frozen also. One of their favorite treats is ice. I run the ice cubes under water until they are a bit see through so as not to crack a tooth. I’ve always done this. My sweet little girls! They have such simple tastes!! No kidding, they’d rather have ice than any other treat. They go nuts when they hear the ice machine on the fridge door going. Even Hannah, who is hard of hearing due to her age, comes running and pushes the other two out of her way.

[Hound Dog Mom]

breakfast was nature’s variety chicken – that quick that raw nibblet stuff, it was on sale at agway so i grabbed some – with a raw egg and a dollop of yogurt. for dinner i’ve pulled out some pork necks. treats today were stella & chewy’s freeze dried lamb medallions.

i’ve been picking up those etta says chews too patty. the girls love them, they’re sure not cheap though! i’ve got a couple of the rabbit ones, they might get those as a bedtime snack. 🙂

[theBCnut]

I think they were. I don’t use them anymore because Micah can’t have them, so I don’t keep up.

I only use single ingredient treats and most of those are homemade.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 4 months ago by theBCnut.

[theBCnut]

Micah had Annamaet Manitok and 1/3 of a large turkey neck, plus some freeze dried turkey treats. Gideon and Angel each had 1/3 of a turkey neck and Earthborn Holistic Coastal Catch, plus an Etta Says chew.

I haven’t decided what I’ll give them later yet, other than for Angel, it will be high fiber. One third of a turkey neck is a lot of bone for her, not to mention a good sized meal.

[theBCnut]

Try smaller sized treats for potty breaks. They make several different ones that are tiny for training. Zukes is a good brand.

[Dog_Obsessed]

Thanks for sharing! Lily had about a quarter of a NB “dental” chew in her toy, and the current treats I have are Superior Farms Venison Itty-Bittites, THK Quickies, and freeze-dried lamb treats.

[aquariangt]

Dani: Earthborn Primitive Natural with Lomi Lomi Tiki Dog
Liesl: Fromm Sm Breed Gold with Lomi Lomi Tiki Dog. Liesl can’t have peas so she eats grain inclusives and gets more topped than Dani does.

They both had a Sam’s Yam when I left for work. I have A bag of Simply Sojos Lamb and The Honest Kitchen Quickies that I’m using for training right now, so they got a couple on their walk, and will again on their next walk. Dani will also get 15ish minutes of some agi practice that will have some treats involved as well. I do a decent amount of training so I use low calorie treats with low fillers.

Dinner will be the same kibble but topped with The Honest Kitchen Embark.

Next bags for each: Fromm Pork and Pea for Dani, and Pork and Applesauce for Liesl

[Dog_Obsessed]

I give my dog treats. Most of the treats are store-bought mostly or all meat treats, though I sometimes make homemade treats, (recipe ideas here: /forums/topic/has-anyone-made-homemade-dog-treats/) or buy treats with more carbs that I think of as “junk food.” If I have given her a lot of treats, such as for training, then I reduce her food appropriately. I wouldn’t really recommend Milk Bones or Busy Bones (I assume you mean the Purina ones), because they are mostly grain fillers. For ideas on what to look for in a dog treat, check out this topic: /forums/topic/your-most-recommended-dog-treats/

As for treats contributing to weight gain, that could certainly be possible. From what I understand treats should not make up more than 10% of the overall diet. It can help to break treats into tiny pieces for training, or use lower calorie treats.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 4 months ago by Dog_Obsessed.

[Peggy]

Another question… do you feed your dog(s) treats? Ours have come to expect one every time they go outside to do their business. I’m not sure how we got into this habit but I’m sure it has contributed to weight gain as well.

We usually treat them with a Milk Bone.
Also they love those Busy Bones.

[Dog_Obsessed]

We talk so much about dog food in general, and many of us rotate foods. I thought it would be cool to have a place where we just talk about what we are currently feeding our dogs, and what treats/chews they’ve had today. I got this idea from the raw food section of the Dogster forums, where there was a similar topic.

Mine: Lily is currently eating Nulo Turkey and Sweet Potato kibble, and we rotate wet food toppers. The current topper is Nulo Lamb and Chickpeas wet food. I’m happy to report that Lily is doing great with rotation. She can change toppers cold turkey with no problem, though I sometimes add a little Perfect Form just in case. We are still being careful with kibble, so we usually give her about a week to transition.

What about you? What did your dog(s) eat today?

[Dog_Obsessed]

You could try adding some of The Honest Kitchen’s Perfect Form supplement to improve his stools. Here is the link to it on the THK website: http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/treats-supplements/supplements/perfect-form

[theBCnut]

Gloria,
If you are starting with defrosted chicken breasts, put them in the freezer for about 30 minutes, just until they start to firm up but are not frozen solid. If you are starting with frozen, defrost them just enough that you can slice them. Slice them into 1/4 inch thick pieces. Put them in your dehydrator on about 145 degrees until they are dry all the way through. If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can use your oven on the lowest setting. If you don’t have a dehydrator, but wish you did, Walmart sells them. When mine are dry enough, I store them in the freezer because I didn’t add any preservatives and I make big batches, but if you are going to make smaller batches and use them up in a week or two, you don’t need to worry about refrigerating or freezing.

If you want pieces that break easily for training treats cut across the grain of the muscle, if you want something more chewy cut along the grain of the muscle. I do both ways. You can do this with any kind of meat. I have even used ground meats, but I don’t like the texture as much.

[Dori]

Mark A. Good for you for making your own jerky for your dog. I’ve started doing this recently this year as it’s the safest way to give dogs treats. There are always so many recalls and jerky seems to head the list of recalls. You can also freeze dry meats other than poultry and fruits and veggies. You’re absolutely right in that it is so easy to make. Few things are easier than freeze drying for your dogs.

[Mark A]

I started making my own chicken jerky from boneless, skinless breasts on sale for under $2/lb in the grocery store. My dog loves it like nothing else. It’s easy to make and much less expensive than store bought treats.

[Andy B]

Thanks for your help. I called Darwins. They make a raw diet. They told me I can use everything they have except the duck, due to it having sweet potato. I’m learning a lot about dog nutrition after countless hours on the computer. I’d love to feed both my bostons a raw diet but it’s very expensive so I would need to use a 50/50 mix of raw and a good quality kibble. However my dog is extremely allergic to certain foods. I had a blood test done due to him having three seizures. I was feeding him at the time “natural balance” sweet potato and fish formula which had peas also in it. His treats were old mother hubbard peanut. That’s when he started having seizures at night. I had the vet do the allergy test and he’s exGood! I’m glad I did test. I wonder with everything we were feeding him if he was going in aniphilctic shock ( sorry don’t know spell) peas listed as the fourth or fifth ingredient. It seems I can’t find a kibble without peas, & Orijen is the only one having it toward the middle of there ingredients.

[Dog_Obsessed]

Lol yeah. It actually had a few treats in it, which I took out and then rinsed the thing. I already gave it back to her with another two treats in it, and she spent a full 20 minutes or so trying to work them out. She got one out and little nibbles of the other. Her Goodie Bone and her regular Kong are both puppy versions, left over from when I was fostering senior dogs and wanted something softer on their teeth. I think the different Kongs for different life stages is purely marketing hype, and Lily has barely made a dent in either toy, so I think this “off-label use” is okay.

[Dori]

I wouldn’t feed treats or anything with those ingredients.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 4 months ago by Dori.