Thursday, September 4, 2014

Homemade Dog Treats - Are There Benefits To Making Your Own?

Making your own dog treats is becoming popular among dog owners. For those who do not know how or do not want to make their own, they can buy homemade treats from people who run their own dog treat business. They make them and attend fairs, festivals, and farmer's markets to sell their products. It has become a booming business for those willing to take the time to make their own product.
 

Homemade Dog Treats
What Are the Benefits of Homemade Dog Treats?

The most valuable benefit for dog owners is their pet's health. Because there are no preservatives or additives, the nutrient value is much higher. You also know what ingredients go into the homemade treats which help your pet if they have any health issues. If your dog is overweight, you can choose ingredients that are less fattening. This also works with diabetes or sensitive stomachs or other food allergies.

You can also select ingredients that will help your pet's well-being, such as a healthy coat and skin and to preserve your dog's eyesight and hearing. You control the food your dog receives which will provide better nutrition for a longer and healthier life.

Saving money is another benefit of making your own dog treats. The American Kennel Club estimates that it costs around twenty-five hundred dollars per year to keep a pet. Look for ways to reduce costs any time you can. By choosing food and treats that don't contain fillers and using your own ingredients, you can save money.

Tips for Making Homemade Dog Treats

One of the best reasons to make your own dog treats is that you can use ingredients your dog likes. For instance, pumpkin is a healthy, filling choice for treats, and it is low in calories. Dogs love pumpkin, which makes it beneficial to use for overweight pets.

You can make homemade treats smaller in size for puppy training. You don't want to fill them up but reward them when they follow your commands. Peanut butter is popular with all dogs and high in protein which helps to build muscle and provides energy for busy puppies.

If you are new to baking homemade dog treats, choose a simple recipe for your first experience. Gourmet treats are fun to bake after you've gotten used to the idea but can be difficult for the beginner. Choose a recipe with ingredients that your dog likes and isn't allergic to and follow it as closely as possible.

Be careful not to over-bake your treats. The baking times may vary by oven so check your treats occasionally. Remember that homemade treats don't have preservatives so they won't last as long as store bought treats. If the recipe allows for freezing, that will preserve them longer.

Every pet owner wants to provide the best care and food for their pet. They want to give them treats and reward them. By making homemade dog treats, you can provide healthy choices at a fraction of the cost for you. That will make both you and your pet happy.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6586590

How to Choose a Gourmet Dog Bakery

Searching the web for a gourmet dog bakery can be an overwhelming task. With so many to choose from, how do you decide. Here are some helpful tips when looking for a reputable dog bakery.

1.Look for a bakery that bakes everything in-house. With all the pet food recalls it's important to know where the dog treats are being made.

2. Make sure that the ingredients are listed for each dog treat.

3. Look for the guaranteed analysis for each type of dog treat. The FDA requires that all registered dog treats have a guaranteed analysis.
 

Gourmet Dog Bakery
"What is guaranteed Analysis?" At minimum, a pet food label must state guarantees for the minimum percentages of crude protein and crude fat, and the maximum percentages of crude fiber and moisture. The "crude" term refers to the specific method of testing the product, not to the quality of the nutrient itself.

4. What kind of treats to look for.
Treats need to be low in fat, good tasting, and nutritious (high in vitamins and minerals). Treats containing vegetables are great treats to offer your dog. Sweet raw baby carrots, raw broccoli, raw sweet red peppers, pieces of banana, pineapple, pieces of apple or pears, you can experiment and see what you dog likes. They have taste preferences too!

A protein treat can be as simple as baking some beef liver in the oven until crisp. This is fine if you're in the mood to bake. Look for a bakery that uses all natural ingredients in their treats.

5. Are there testimonials?
Like it or not, many of us are can be wary of Internet businesses. Testimonials are great way to reduce fears by presenting satisfied customer reports. If people are happy with the product and their willing to tell you about it, then that's a good sign. Also, if a business is willing to give their customers the option to give their opinion on their products, then they are probably confident that most of the feedback will be positive.

6. Does the dog bakery offer free shipping? Ordering online is great especially if the dog bakery offers free shipping. This is a good sign that the bakery is doing enough business to absorb the profit margin.

7. Does the website have additional features? Does the online dog bakery provide dog owners the opportunity to post videos of their pooch acting cute, crazy, or just plain goofy. Cab you get answers to questions you may have about pet particular issues. And, something that I think is really great, if you think your dog is truly adorable, is there a place to upload their their photo? Seeing your dogs photo online is really exciting! Does the dog bakery offer a newsletter? Discounts? Promotions?

Being an adorable pet is tougher than it looks so if you want to reward your furry friend for all the hard work try treating them to some delicious, healthy gourmet dog treats.

For some great dog treats and a website full of fun things for you and your dog to do http://www.begginbeaglebakery.com Bone appetite!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1684341