Pamper your puppy: which snacks can I give?

Pamper your puppy: which snacks can I give?

If you have just purchased a dog and are going to a pet shop for the first time or are looking online for snacks for your puppy, you will see that there are many different puppy snacks. It can therefore be difficult to determine which snacks are good for your young four-legged friend. In principle we can divide snacks into three groups: training snacks, snacks and snacks to enjoy longer. By reading this blog, you will know exactly what to look out for and which snacks are suitable for your puppy.

Training snacks

In the beginning you will most likely train a lot with your dog and this is often accompanied by
giving lots of snacks. As a result, many extras are given and it is important that these are
responsible snacks. What can you look out for with training snacks?

  • That it naturally contains ingredients without additives
  • Be careful with sugar. This is bad for the teeth and can cause obesity
  • Note the size of the snack; the younger and smaller the dog, the smaller the snack.
  • Provide soft snacks. This is certainly important if your puppy has not changed his or her teeth (this is usually around 4 months).

In the beginning your puppy has little biting power and a soft snack is more sensible. Another advantage is that a soft snack can be shared more easily, so that small pieces can easily be
given. Examples of suitable training snacks include: salmon cookies, own
kibbles and meat strips.

Snacks

The same applies to snacks as to training snacks. Provide natural snacks that are not too hard. Here too, the size of the snack actually grows with your puppy. For example, you might wonder if you want to give your puppy colored snacks. You can then be almost certain that these snacks contain colorants. So it is always wise to read the ingredient list carefully. Pups love snacks with a strong odor (although this is not always nice for the owner). It is good to vary in taste and odor. This way you can also find out which snack your dog likes best, and give it at special moments. Examples of tasty snacks are: cod skin, beef lung, tripe sticks, sprats, etc. It is often possible to break these snacks into smaller pieces.

What snacks for my puppy

Snacks for longer chewing pleasure

Sometimes you also want to reward your puppy with a snack that he or she can chew for longer, instead of the snack being bite-swallowed. It may also be nice for the owners if the puppy is busy doing something himself. Here too, a number of things need to be considered:

  • In principle, a large bone is better because of the risk of suffocation. A large bone does not have to be used all at once, it can usually be used more often.
  • Due to the risk of suffocation, it is also important that the bone does not crumble or become too slippery.
  • Again it is important that the bone is not too hard. You want to prevent the teeth from wearing off or teeth breaking off.
  • Prefer not to give bone in dried bone. If the digestive system of your puppy is not yet fully grown, the calcium in the bone can cause diarrhea or blockage. Prefer to give a chew bone made from dried muscle meat.

If your puppy does not stop until the bone runs out, take it away and especially not leave him or her alone with the last piece. This, among other things, in connection with blockages. Examples of snacks that can be chewed for longer are: head of beef skin pieces, lamb ears, beef ear with meat spit, deer ears etc.