10 Things To Check When Shopping For Dog Treats

  Posted on September 1, 2012  by Joy of Living  No comments

The number of dog treats on the market these days is growing by leaps and bounds.  With so many treats to choose from, what should caring dog owners look for when buying treats for their dog?  The September issue of Whole Dog Journal spelled out a list of things to watch for when treat shopping:

• No artificial colors, flavors or preservatives
• Steer clear of a long ingredient list (5 or less is the target I look for)
• Avoid treats with imported ingredients and those made in China
• No animal by-products such as  meat and bone meal or animal fat
• Avoid treats with artificial humectants like propylene glycol
• Check the “best by” or “use by” date
• Ingredients should be readily identifiable
• Meaty treats should show the animal protein as the first ingredient
• If treats contain preservatives, the preservative used should be natural, such as mixed tocopherols
• For treats that contain grains, fruit or vegetables, those ingredients should be whole or processed lightly

Many of the treats on the market are “junk food” for dogs, much like human “junk food” .  They taste really good, our dogs love them, but they’re not good for them.  Dogs often aren’t real fussy, they’ll enjoy healthy treats as much, or more than the bad ones!