TIME FOR A TREAT (OR TWO)
Ensure that your four-legged friend enjoys their treats as part of a healthy diet. Here are some tips on when to give a dog food treat in everyday life.
Treats whilst training
When training your dog, whether they are a new puppy or a mature dog, it is important to use rewards as an aid. Positive reinforcement when learning a new trick or skill helps your dog to learn. Especially if it involves something meaty and tasty! Use the treat to help guide them whilst doing their trick and saying a command, like ‘sit’ or ‘rollover’. Then let them enjoy it when they have completed the trick.
Each time reduce the amount of the treat you give them until there is nothing left, and they perform the trick or skill by command instead of being bribed with food! Here is our Superfan Rosie training for her treats.
Reward good behaviour and motivation
Giving your dog a treat can also be a way of saying well done, as well as showing them you love them. Just like when training your four-legged friend, you can also reward when your dog behaves well. Maybe if your dog has gone for a long walk and didn’t pull on the lead. Or maybe they behaved nicely with a fellow pup, praise them for being a good boy or girl and give them a tasty meaty treat.
Maybe your four-legged friend has stopped barking at the neighbours or no longer sits begging at the table for scraps? Then now is the time to tell them how good they’ve been and to reward them with a meaty mouthful, just like Superfan Bertie here!
Just because!
Sometimes it is a good time to give your dog a treat, just because you think they deserve one. So, if you have been out of the house and are happy to see your dog, then maybe give them a small treat and a cuddle to show them you missed them. That is sure to get their tails wagging! To help your dog get used to spending more time at home alone, why not read our home alone blog for some useful tips.
A few don’ts
We know you know your dog best, but we wanted to give you a few handy tips when giving your dog treats. It’s important not to overfeed them, especially if you aren’t used to giving your dog treats. Make sure to limit the number of treats you give them, to one or two a day. Don’t use treats as a replacement for meals, as whilst our treats are tasty and nutritious, your dog still needs all the nutrients that they get from their daily bowlful of Butcher’s.
All dogs deserve a little treat every now and then, especially if they are as nutritious and naturally meaty! Just make sure to use treats as a reward and as a small way to show them you love them. Make sure to share your photos of your dog enjoying treats on social media.
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