Dogs are amazing creatures. Their noses are about forty times as powerful as ours are, and part of the reason is that it’s wet. That ‘wetness’ is caused by mucus which helps keeps scent particles on the dog’s nose so they can smell it thoroughly.

Their sense of smell is just one of the many reasons we love our canine companions. There are many different ways to show our love, too.

Sometimes, we offer toys, and other times we just try to spend time with them. Many of us prefer to give our canine companions homemade treats when we can.

Some argue that homemade treats are more nutritious than store-bought treats, but is this true? We’ll discuss that in this article.

Know Which Foods are Unsafe

As much as we love our dogs, most of us aren’t veterinarians. There are certain foods that our dogs shouldn’t have, and it’s important to know about them before making them homemade treats.

The good news is that the list isn’t too long, and most of the things on it are things we wouldn’t think to feed our dogs, anyway. Most of us have already heard that you shouldn’t give a dog chocolate, and that’s very true.

Other foods that dogs shouldn’t have include caffeine, garlic and onions, avocadoes, nuts, coconuts, grapes, dairy products, alcohol, and foods containing yeast. Most meats and bones are fine as long as you cook them first.

This last bit is very important to remember since dogs are omnivores. Their diets consist of both meats and vegetables, so it’s best not to leave meat out of their diet.

Advantages of Homemade Treats

Safety is the biggest concern when making homemade treats, but if you’ve made sure that all the ingredients are safe for your dogs, homemade treats might be the best option.

While most pet food brands do offer some nutrition, many of them also contain filler material, empty calories which don’t offer much nutrition. Since you choose the ingredients in homemade treats, you can decide how nutritious they are.

Well-prepared dog treats made with fresh ingredients are one part of a healthy lifestyle for dogs. Training is also important because a trained dog can make life easier for all parties involved. You can learn more about how to train your dog at mindbodypaws.dog.

A Practical Hobby

You may find that you enjoy making dog treats, or you might not. If you do, it can be a great way to pass the time and a fun hobby.

If you have kids in the house, it might even be something fun for you to do together. Even if they aren’t fun to make, your dog might be more fun after eating them, because they help combat bad breath.

Homemade Treats and Your Dog

There are a few great reasons to start making homemade treats for your dog. We’ve discussed a few reasons in this article. However, there’s a lot more to know about homemade dog treats, including how to make them.

You can find several great recipes for various kinds of dog treats online. If you want more information and advice on various personal projects and lifestyle topics, please visit our site.