I came to work the other day and I found this lovely, holiday-themed tin can box sitting on top of my desk and inside it are these delicious looking treats of candies and cookies. Without delay, I went and grabbed this one frosted cookie and I thought to myself, "Am I going to keep ALL these cookies to myself? After all, it's not a very big box!"
Treat giving has been a long-held tradition during the holidays in our family. This year's holiday is no different as we celebrate the season of joy and giving with everyone. And, don't forget our four-legged loved ones who also join in the celebration with us. They too are part of this joyous celebration! Find the time to spread the holiday spirit, share the treats. You'll find that there is never too many or too much when it comes to holiday treats. Or, is there?
Treats can add a substantial amount of calories. That's true for people and pets, as well. However, our pets are especially likely to get an overabundance of treats when we use treats to train our pets or as a reward for good behavior. So, if you're not careful our pets could end up eating too much.
If you really want to keep your pet's weight down, giving your pet a serving of fruits and vegetables that are low in fat, sugar and free of added preservatives are preferred. Remember tho, that there are certain fruits and vegetables that you should avoid giving your pet. Here's a list from the AKC.org.
If you have a pet that loves broccoli, carrots, green beans and spinach, count your blessings! As some pet owners would tell you, making your pet to eat healthily isn't always as easy as it seems. In the end, most carnivores would prefer the taste of meat as their mainstay diet.
So, what should you give your pet as treats and still keep the weight down? If you follow the 10% rule, most commercially prepared pet treats are safe to give. Most veterinarians recommend that pet treats should only make up around 10% of your pet's daily calories. The rest should come from food. Some of you would argue that pet treats are food. True! But, pet treats aren't necessarily packed with nutritious ingredients with the daily recommended amounts of vitamins and minerals commonly found in pet food.
On that note, the holidays are upon us. While we celebrate the festivities and foster the joys of giving, our pets could use some holiday trimmings - that is, go easy on the pet treats and choose carefully the kinds of treats they get. Happy Holidays, everyone!
Treat giving has been a long-held tradition during the holidays in our family. This year's holiday is no different as we celebrate the season of joy and giving with everyone. And, don't forget our four-legged loved ones who also join in the celebration with us. They too are part of this joyous celebration! Find the time to spread the holiday spirit, share the treats. You'll find that there is never too many or too much when it comes to holiday treats. Or, is there?
Treats can add a substantial amount of calories. That's true for people and pets, as well. However, our pets are especially likely to get an overabundance of treats when we use treats to train our pets or as a reward for good behavior. So, if you're not careful our pets could end up eating too much.
If you really want to keep your pet's weight down, giving your pet a serving of fruits and vegetables that are low in fat, sugar and free of added preservatives are preferred. Remember tho, that there are certain fruits and vegetables that you should avoid giving your pet. Here's a list from the AKC.org.
If you have a pet that loves broccoli, carrots, green beans and spinach, count your blessings! As some pet owners would tell you, making your pet to eat healthily isn't always as easy as it seems. In the end, most carnivores would prefer the taste of meat as their mainstay diet.
So, what should you give your pet as treats and still keep the weight down? If you follow the 10% rule, most commercially prepared pet treats are safe to give. Most veterinarians recommend that pet treats should only make up around 10% of your pet's daily calories. The rest should come from food. Some of you would argue that pet treats are food. True! But, pet treats aren't necessarily packed with nutritious ingredients with the daily recommended amounts of vitamins and minerals commonly found in pet food.
On that note, the holidays are upon us. While we celebrate the festivities and foster the joys of giving, our pets could use some holiday trimmings - that is, go easy on the pet treats and choose carefully the kinds of treats they get. Happy Holidays, everyone!