Dog biscuits make great treats for most of our four-legged friends.
As interesting for showing them our love as for educating them, these appetizing treats should not be distributed indiscriminately to avoid harming the health of your doggie.
Today, I, therefore, offer you an overview of the various industrial and homemade dog biscuits, as well as their advantages and disadvantages in the diet of our four-legged friends.
What are dog biscuits?
Dog biscuits are pastries very similar to human biscuits, but whose ingredients and flavors correspond more to the tastes and digestive systems of our animal friends.
Dog biscuits are small dry treats, mostly made from flour, which can take on all sizes, shapes, and flavors.
These products can be found on the canine food market (supermarket, veterinarians, pet stores, e-commerce, etc.), and it is also relatively easy to make them yourself.
Giving biscuits to your dog: advantages and disadvantages
Advantages of dog
biscuits Dog biscuits have the advantage of being attractive to owners, who have the feeling of giving their doggies treats similar to the cakes they eat themselves.
An aspect that seduces more than one at a time when our doggies are increasingly considered as full members of the household.
These treats also have the appeal of keeping for a long time and being easy to transport, unlike some candies for dogs whose strong smell can quickly permeate the pockets of a jacket.
A significant practical side when you need to always have an effective reward on hand, for example to work on recall with your dog on a walk.
Finally, dog biscuits are undoubtedly the easiest and most fun treats to concoct at home for the greatest pleasure of our pets.
Disadvantages of dog
biscuits Dog biscuits have the same shortcomings as those intended for bipeds: they are often caloric, low in nutrition, sweet and fatty.
Distributed with too much generosity, they can therefore greatly harm the health of your pet, because a regular calorie overload, however small, can quickly lead to dramatic excess weight.
These treats, like many others, can also cause or aggravate food allergies in dogs.
The most common allergies are, in fact, often caused by dairy products and eggs (after beef) and, to a lesser extent, by preservatives and coloring agents, ingredients found in almost all biscuits industrial.
Can I give my dog biscuits?
If your animal is overweight – even slightly, a tendency to overweight or already established obesity, dog biscuits should be completely banned from its diet.
Rare exceptions, such as a holiday or a veterinary visit that requires a little encouragement, can be accepted by favoring “healthy” biscuits, but I strongly advise you not to take lightly the weight problems of your doggie who can have dramatic consequences, including diabetes.
Sensitive, allergic or intolerant dogs are in the same boat: no biscuits for these doggies, without any exception, unless you have the approval of your veterinarian.
It should be noted, however, that some dog food brands offer for sale biscuits specifically designed for intolerant dogs: this may be an option, provided you know the source of your pooch’s allergies and obtain the agreement from your veterinarian.
On the other hand, if your dog has a healthy weight and no intolerance, allergy or food sensitivity, you can give him biscuits occasionally to reward him or, quite simply, to make him happy.
One rule of thumb: don’t overdo the good things and don’t force-feed your pooch biscuits under the pretext that they are light or “homemade”, because that doesn’t make them less harmful to their long-term health.
Indeed, dog biscuits remain biscuits, that is to say foods mainly rich in carbohydrates, sugars and lipids, although there are a multitude of recipes to vary their composition.
Carbohydrates, if they are not bad for our dog friends and are even a good source of energy, can be a problem when they are too present in their diet to the detriment of proteins.
What biscuits to give my dog?
It goes without saying that dogs should not eat biscuits for humans, which are not easily digestible for them and can even contain poisons that are deadly for animals that we humans tolerate well (chocolate, xylitol, etc.).
If you’re going to give treats to your pooch, make sure they’re made for him and don’t contain any ingredients that are toxic to dogs.
The ideal is to concoct homemade cookies, strictly following recipes suitable for dogs in order to avoid any food toxic to our animals (onion, chocolate, coffee, garlic, etc.).
You can also turn to industrial products by choosing good quality treats and avoiding products containing too many sugars, lipids and chemical agents.
For special cases (sick, overweight, allergic dogs, etc.) it is advisable to choose special biscuits according to the recommendations of your veterinarian.
Alternatives to Dog Biscuits
Ideally, all dog treats should be avoided, whether cookies, candies or table scraps.
The veterinary sphere agrees that varying the diet of our pets tends to promote the appearance of food intolerances and allergies that risk causing health problems, in addition to promoting overweight.
However, rewarding your dog with a little treat is sometimes unavoidable, especially in the context of his education.
To avoid dog biscuits, which are too high in carbohydrates, you can opt for natural meat (pig’s ear, dried meat, etc.) which is more digestible, rich in animal protein and lower in calories.
So-called “value-added” treats are also good alternatives. These are, for example, chewing sticks which both reward your dog and prevent the formation of tartar, a scourge of our doggies.
Frequently asked questions by owners about dog
biscuits Are dog biscuits good for the health of our animals?
When distributed in moderation, dog biscuits are not harmful to our four-legged friends.
They are not really “good” however, because they are often low in protein and high in carbohydrates, while a balanced dog food should, conversely, be high in protein of animal origin and low in carbohydrates. .
When should I not give biscuits to my dog?
It is absolutely necessary to avoid giving biscuits to an overweight dog, even slightly, because weight gain can go very quickly and often leads to much more serious health problems.
Finally, caution should be exercised with a dog with food intolerances, allergies or sensitivities.
Which dog biscuits to choose?
If your dog has particular disorders, I recommend that you seek advice from your veterinarian on choosing the appropriate treats.
If your pooch is in good health, choose cookies that are low in sugar and fat, and contain as few flavoring agents, coloring agents or preservatives as possible.
What can I substitute for dog biscuits?
Dog biscuits can be replaced by natural dried meat treats to limit the carbohydrate intake in your pooch’s diet.
Chewing treats designed to maintain dog teeth are also good alternatives for rewarding your pet by taking care of their health.
Giving a few treats to your dog is often very tempting… Even irresistible when your faithful companion makes eyes at you!
If a few occasional biscuits are not bad for a healthy dog, it is however necessary to remain reasonable to avoid the problems of overweight and food intolerance frequent in our four-legged friends.
Do you have healthy cookie recipes to reward your dog? Share them or ask us your questions in the comments of this article!
How do I choose the best diet for my dog?
For me, the easiest thing is to trust recognized professionals in the sector. This assures you of giving your dog suitable products while simplifying your life.
This is a company with an excellent reputation that establishes tailor-made recipes for your dog, 100% fresh and delivered directly to your home.
Last words and important recommendations
To love and educate your dog is also to protect him against the vagaries of life. That’s why I highly dog health insurance as soon as possible. This will save you astronomical veterinary costs in an accident or illness.