How delicious are dog treats? This is a question that many pet owners have asked themselves, but it’s also one of the most difficult questions to answer.
Dog tastes are different from human tastes, so what may taste good to us might not taste as good to them. Some people think that dogs enjoy any kind of food they get because they don’t know the difference between quality food and low-quality food. But this could not be further from the truth. Dogs love their treats just as much as we do, but it’s important for all pet parents to ensure that their pets are getting healthy snacks too.
What do dog treats taste like?
The easiest and best way to answer this question would be to take a dog treat and have a nibble so that you can discover the answer for yourself.
I’ve tried a variety of dog biscuits over the years both to find out how they taste and as a result of ‘dares’.
To humans, most dog biscuits taste stale and have very little flavour – personally I don’t like them, but then, I’m human and my tastes are different from those of my spaniels.
I’ve also tried the other ‘meaty’ type of treats and these are more like jerky type human products – they also smell pretty good too.
For humans, dog treats don’t really taste too great, our palates are different to those of our dogs.
What do dog treats taste like to dogs?
That’s a tough one to answer and will probably remain tricky until we get dog translators.
However, having been surrounded by dogs for many years it’s obvious that they love treats and some dogs seem to have preferences for certain types.
My dogs love Markies and Rodeos ( along with other meaty type treats ) and will actually refuse other forms of treats if any of the former are available.
So, I can’t say what they taste like to dogs but I can tell you that dogs, like people, have preferences when it comes to their choice of dog treats.
What’s in dog treats?
This might be the most important question when it comes to your dog, his health and well-being.
I can tell you that when I’m choosing what type of dog treats I’m going to buy for my dogs then ingredients are key.
All meals should have meat or animal products at their heart, and this is the case with dog treats.
There are many types of meat that can feature in a type of treat, but it’s always important to ensure that these ingredients come from known sources and suppliers.
Dog treats can contain vegetables too, but this doesn’t make them good, healthy snacks. Veggies should always be secondary to meat products and only used when trying to add variety.
Some of the main ingredients that you should look out for include; liver, beef, venison and chicken (and many others).
These types of meat are all known to be healthy and full of flavour – they will also provide your dog with a great source of protein. Protein is important for dogs and it’s an important part of a balanced diet.
Why should you buy dog treats?
If your dog is enjoying a good, well balanced diet then really you don’t need to provide him with dog treats.
However, most dog owners like to indulge their pets from time to time and the occasional treat is not going to do him any harm.
Treats can be a useful training aid and are particularly helpful when training a dog to return when called or when dealing with a reluctant retriever.
They can also be beneficial when supporting a dog that has been unwell or badly treated and is convalescing or adapting to a new environment.
How many treats per day should you give your dog?
Not too many is the answer.
I tend to feed my dogs their main meal in the late afternoon/early evening so they often go for several hours without any food, so I’ll provide a few treats during the course of the day.
It’s important to not overdo it and, if your dog begins to show reluctance to eat his food, or if he gains weight, then you should confine the treats to the cupboard and not provide any until things return to normal.
What’s the tastiest treat for dogs?
That is a difficult question to answer.
I’ll provide a list of the treats that my dogs like below and you can explore these to see how your dog fares.
Dogs, like people, are individual, and will make up their own minds about what they do and don’t like. That said, most are not too fussy and your dog will probably enjoy these treats:
Our favourite tasting dog treats
Can you give your dog too many treats?
Yes, I’m afraid that this is something that can be easily done.
It’s important to remember firstly that treats should be given on top of the food that the dog already receives and it’s essential never to replace a meal with a treat.
Secondly, it’s very easy to slip into the habit of rewarding a dog with a treat every time you see him doing something slightly obedient, or even when he’s simply being good.
This isn’t fair on the dog, and it can lead to an unhealthy intake of calories – remember that treats tend to be high in sugar and fat, so moderation is the key word here.
Final Words
We’ll never really know how dog treats taste to dogs and the only way to get an idea of how they taste is to simply try one yourself.
I’m not recommending that you should do this but, if you want to get an answer then, is there any other way?
