Treating your dog with food is one of the main ways in which dog owners reward their pets. It is a great way to reinforce positive behaviour but there are ways you should do this to ensure that your dog is remaining as healthy as possible. If your dog has any special dietary requirements you should take these into account when giving your dog treats and you should also mention this to any Dog Day Care Surrey like http://www.nestledownboardingkennels.co.uk/ who look after your dog in your absence.
There are other ways that you can reward your dog and show them that you love them, and these include having a short burst of play with them, grooming them, taking them out for a walk to a different location where you may take a ball or a frisbee with you. The way in which a dog receives a reward will depend very much on their individuality and the relationship between them and their owner and family.
When using food treats as a way to reward your dog you should ensure that they are calm and have been well-behaved. If you give a dog treats whilst they are over-excited, you will find that they associate this with the reward rather than the positive behaviour that you just witnessed.
Once you have selected the treat for your dog you will find that they appear right next to you, as their noses are incredibly sensitive. You should wait until your dog sits and is calm before giving them the treat. The best way to do this is to hold the treat between your fingers and thumb, unless your dog has a tendency to snap the treats in which case you should place it in the palm of your hand. If your dog does snap, you can try holding the treat in a closed fist and only releasing it when they gently lick your hand.
Treats should only make up a maximum of 10 percent of a dog’s daily calorie intake. If you need to find out the specific nutritional needs of your dog and their breed a vet or dog nutritionist will be able to give you advice and best practice.
There are of course a number of foods that you should never give to your dog, even as treats, as they are dangerous for them to consume. These include onions, grapes, raisins and of course chocolate.
