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Packaging top, content flop: poor marks for dog snacks
by Darina Schweizer
Healthy snacks for your dog
8.10.2024
Translation: Elicia Payne
Too much sugar, too few nutrients. Last week we criticised dog treats that failed tests by consumer safety organisation «Stiftung Warentest». So here are a few healthy alternatives.
A total fail – 17 out of 17 snacks tested recently received a «poor» rating from «Stiftung Warentest». Some of them were also from our store.
But complaining doesn’t get you very far. So here are some healthy treat alternatives that you can give your four-legged friend instead:
1. Dry food
In contrast to nutrient-poor goodies, dog food provides many valuable ingredients. Provided it’s a good quality feed. You can recognise this by the fact that the main ingredient (approx. 50 to 80 per cent) consists of high-quality meat, the protein content is at least 20 per cent and it contains no artificial colours or preservatives and as little sugar as possible. Instead, sufficient vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids should be present. It’s best to weigh out the appropriate daily ration for your pet in the morning and use some of it as treats. Pellets in particular are easy to take with you when you go for a walk.
2. Fruit and veg
Even if it seems a little strange, fruit and vegetables are perfect dog treats. They provide fewer calories and more nutrients than industrially produced snacks. What tastes good to which dog is a matter of taste and you have to try it out first. Generally recommended:
- Fruit: apples (remove skin), bananas, pears (remove skin), apricots (pitted), berries, rose hips, melons, cherries (pitted), kiwis, peaches (pitted) and plums (pitted).
- Vegetables: carrots, cucumbers, potatoes and sweet potatoes (ripe and cooked), pulses (cooked), cauliflower (cooked), broccoli (cooked), manioc (cooked), fennel, spinach (cooked), rice (cooked), chicory, lettuce, kohlrabi, zucchini and asparagus.
Caution: you should definitely avoid grapes. They can lead to kidney failure in dogs for reasons that can’t yet be explained. You should also avoid the following (due to various toxins and alkaloids): aubergines, avocados, raw potatoes, garlic, onions, leeks/leek onions, raisins/sultanas, peppers/pepperoni, rhubarb, raw legumes, chili, radishes, red radishes and tomatoes.
3. Chew sticks
What dogs particularly like to chew on are buffalo skin bones. However, as they’re quite high in calories, try chew sticks or chew roots instead. You can wrap them in ham or cheese, for example, and put them in the fridge for a few days. The flavour is transferred to the wood and you can give it to your dog to nibble on without a guilty conscience.
4. Homemade dog snacks
If you live by the motto «It’s up to the dog owner», then you can, of course, also make your own treats. There are plenty of recipes for this. We recommend carrot-banana goodies (page in German). And if you’re in a hurry, you’ll find something here (page in German).
Source: Shutterstock/Firn
By the way, you can also reward your dog with petting, brushing, playing or a walk. This motivational boost isn’t just good for your health, it actually promotes it – and it’s free.
What dog snacks do you have with you? Have you tried any of the tips above? Let me know in the comments!
Header image: Shutterstock/Vera Shcher
Darina Schweizer
Senior Editor
Darina.Schweizer@digitecgalaxus.chI like anything that has four legs or roots. The books I enjoy let me peer into the abyss of the human psyche. Unlike those wretched mountains that are forever blocking the view – especially of the sea. Lighthouses are a great place for getting some fresh air too, you know?
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