Maintaining a healthy lifestyle for my pup is important to me – and what he eats has a lot to do with that! But dog treats often contain lots of artificial ingredients and chemicals to keep them fresh, which is not the best to feed your dog. And on top of that, dog treats can be expensive. That’s why I’ve put together this list of healthy dog treat alternatives to give your dog!
Dog Treat Alternatives:
- Homemade dog treats
- Fresh fruits
- Chopped up vegetables
- Peanut butter
- Quail eggs
- Raw meat scraps
- Raw bones
- Sweet potatoes
- Homemade dental chews
- Ice cubes
- Cheese cubes
- Hard-boiled eggs
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1) HOME-MADE DOG TREATS
Healthy dog treats should have natural, healthy ingredients. And putting spices and other additives to your dog’s treats may cause health problems that can be irreversible or costly to treat.
So just like cooking at home more helps keep people happy, the same is true for dogs!
Making your dog treats at home ensures that sugar and other ingredients are regulated for your pooch.
It also ensures good kitchen hygiene and healthy ingredients, thus giving you confidence in the treats you’re feeding your fur baby!
I like to make pupsicles for Milo – frozen dog treats with so many flavor options to choose from!
His favorites are frozen pumpkin puree with chopped up parsley and blueberries frozen inside of chicken stock.
Plus, I use this adorable dog treat mold to shape his treats into little bones and paw prints!
2) FRESH FRUITS
Fruits are a great dog treat alternative!
They’re healthy and rich in disease-fighting nutrients.
Fruits such as banana, watermelon, strawberries, oranges, apples, and blueberries are a great as standalone treat, or can be added to your dog’s food bowl.
But not all fruits are good for your pooch. Avoid giving your fur-baby grapes, avocado, unripe tomato, and the pits of stone fruits such as peaches – as these can be toxic to dogs!
Start by testing out a few types of fruits to find out which ones they love most. Then you can give them as treats or even incorporate them into some homemade dog treats!
Plus, it’s likely that you already have these in your kitchen!
Milo’s favorites are blueberries and bananas.
And since I also love those, I always have them on hand!
3) CHOPPED UP VEGETABLES
There are so many veggies that are great for dogs.
And veggies provide healthy nutrients for your pup to keep his vitamins up, his bones strong, and his immunity fiercely high.
Exactly what you want for your furry friend!
However, pre-chopped veggies are expensive and have preservatives that may be unhealthy for your pooch to help them stay fresh.
So skip the pre-chopped versions and stick with whole vegetables that you can chop yourself. That way, you know exactly what they’re eating!
Veggies such as cucumbers, brussels sprouts, broccoli, lettuce, and carrots are perfectly safe for your fur baby and make for a healthy treat!
4) PEANUT BUTTER
Milo loves peanut butter.
If he had his way, he’d eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
So of course, I use peanut butter for training, and whenever I need to bribe him into doing something – like taking his monthly heartworm medicine!
Peanut butter is a healthy treat for your pooch as long as it doesn’t have xylitol (a type of sugar substitute found in store-bought peanut butter) since it is toxic to dogs.
Just make sure to avoid flavored peanut butter such as chocolate – it’s really not good for your pooch. Regular peanut butter is the best to offer as a treat.
You can even whip up some homemade peanut butter by grinding some unsalted peanuts into peanut butter – yes, it really is that easy!
And, the protein in peanut butter helps in keeping your dog’s immunity high, while healthy fats protect his skin and keep his coat from becoming dry.
5) QUAIL EGGS
When you think of quail eggs, you might think of tiny little eggs on top of fancy stakes at high-end restaurants – or at least that’s what I used to think of!
But quail eggs are a great source of nutrients for your pup, and they’re a perfect bite-sized treat!
We raise our quail so getting eggs for Milo is not hard. And it is just as well because he loves them.
They are rich in healthy fatty acids that make your fur baby’s heart stay healthy. And they also include other nutrients like potassium, vitamin A., and vitamin B.
Better still, you wouldn’t be throwing away anything because quail eggshells are equally healthy for your pup.
High in calcium, you can be sure that your pup is eating an awesome nutrient-packed treat when they eat shelled quail eggs.
So you might be asking yourself – am I talking about raw quail eggs or cooked eggs?
Well, both actually!
Now, raw feeding can be a controversial topic in the doggie parenting world, so be sure to consult with your vet first!
I feed Milo raw eggs every so often and he’s never had a problem because of it. But I always make sure to clean my eggs first to prevent him from getting sick!
So whether you choose to feed them raw or boil them first go ahead and add quail eggs to the list of dog treat alternatives for your dog!
6) RAW MEAT SCRAPS
Another raw delicacy that Milo loves is meat. He doesn’t leave the kitchen when I’m cooking dinner!
Beef and chicken are his favorites, although he gets other scraps too like lamb or salmon.
So when you’re preparing your meat for cooking, the parts that you remove can be given to your pup. You may not appreciate those pieces but they are gold to him!
Animal proteins are the building blocks of your pooch’s growth and wellbeing. Protein helps your dog grow strong and keep his immune system in top shape.
So make sure that the scraps you’re giving your dog are bits of meat, instead of fat or skin.
And always, always make sure you’re not giving them anything that can get stuck in their throat – like small bones or other hard parts!
7) RAW BONES
Canines have been feeding on raw bones for centuries, and the trend isn’t about to change any time soon.
The benefits of raw bones are endless. Below are a few awesome ones:
- They are rich in calcium
- Excellent teeth cleaners
- Help with digestive cleansing due to presence of roughage
- They are a healthy distraction from odd habits such as licking the couch – yes, Milo does this!
To feed your dog raw bones you need to make sure the bones are fresh and clean. Poor handling and hygiene can cause contamination and spread diseases to your pup.
Also, make sure that they are the right size for your dog. Bigger bones for bigger dogs and vice versa.
You can also grind bones for puppies that don’t have fully developed teeth. The calcium in raw bones helps to strengthen your pup’s bones and aid in the faster growth of the little puppies.
And one more thing to note – never ever feed your dog cooked bones!
Cooked bones are brittle and splitter, meaning it’s easy for them to get stuck in your dog’s throat or intestines.
Raw bones do not really splinter the same way that cooked ones do, making them safer for your dog!
8) SWEET POTATOES
Sweet potatoes are a great dog treat alternative since dogs usually love the taste and they are so versatile.
They can be fed as an addition to your dog’s dinner bowl, as a puree with other fruits, or even frozen into cubes for hot days!
They are also rich in iron, potassium, zinc, and other minerals that are vital for your pooch’s health.
Plus, they are high in fiber, so sweet potatoes help with digestion. And if your dog has any issues expressing their anal glands naturally, this can help!
Sweet potatoes are also a healthy substitute for regular potatoes, which are more inclined to contribute to weight gain.
So next time you do groceries, add a few of these to your list!
9) HOMEMADE DENTAL CHEWS
Dogs tend to have bad breath since we don’t usually brush their teeth daily.
So a great way to freshen up their breath is to give them some dental chews!
Dental chews work by “scrubbing” your dog’s teeth as they chew on the hard and bumpy surfaces.
Which sounds great, but the last time I gave Milo store-bought chews, he had explosive diarrhea for days after!
So naturally, I decided to make some myself!
Plus, making them is pretty easy, similar to homemade dog treats.
Just choose ingredients like parsley or mint which help freshen up that doggie breath. And make sure to keep them crunchy – that will help remove the plaque!
10) ICE CUBES
On hot summer days, Milo goes through the water like a fish!
And while that’s fine, I usually don’t carry an endless supply of water bottles with me.
So as a good dog treat alternative (and a way to keep him hydrated) I give him ice cubes!
Not only are ice cubes free at most restaurants, but if you’re out for a hike you can pack your lunch in a cooler with ice and give your pup the ice when you’re done eating!
Now, I’ve heard reports that ice cubes can break a dog’s teeth – so be sure to consult your vet if your dog has any special circumstances.
But I’ve been told by my Milos vet in the past that feeding ice cubes is perfectly safe for my dog, and I’ve never had an issue with it.
It also keeps him pretty entertained!
11) CHEESE CUBES
Milo goes bananas for cheese.
He even knows the sound the cheese wrapper makes when I open up a new block of cheese!
He comes running up and sits patiently until I give him some.
Cheese is also a good source of nutrients for dogs and is healthy when fed in moderation.
But just like in people, too much cheese can contribute to weight gain!
It’s also an awesome way to hide pills if your pup doesn’t like to take his medicine. Just push it into the cheese and you won’t have to worry about using force to medicate him.
When choosing a cheese to feed your dog, stick with the healthier choices – goat, mozzarella, cheddar, and cottage cheese, to name a few.
Do not feed your dog “queso” which has added chemicals and preservatives that can make your dog’s stomach upset!
And, make sure your dog is not lactose intolerant before feeding them cheese. If you’re not sure, consult with your vet before adding cheese to their diet.
12) HARD-BOILED EGGS
In addition to hard-boiled quail eggs, I feed Milo hard-boiled chicken eggs.
Why? For a few reasons actually.
First off, they’re a great source of protein for dogs.
Secondly, we raise chickens and always have tons of extra eggs.
And thirdly, Milo is a big dog. So it takes a lot of quail eggs to make a dent.
Now, quail eggs might be great as a training treat – just enough to keep a big dog motivated.
But for a larger dog, a better dog treat alternative would be hard-boiled chicken eggs!
HEALTHY TIPS TO KEEP YOUR DOG IN SHAPE
If you’re reading this article about healthy dog treat alternatives, I’m guessing you really care about your dog’s overall health.
So I’ve put together this list of healthy tips to keep your dog in shape to share with you!
- Avoid store-bought treats. What’s on the label may not always be everything inside your dog’s treats. And while some store-bought treats are great and true to the brand, the safest bet is to make your own dog treats using natural ingredients.
- Moderate the intake. It doesn’t matter that a pup is full. If he likes the treat, he is going to eat it. And as we all know, too much of anything is a bad thing!
- Keep your pooch active. Some pups are too active for their own good, like a bigger energizer bunny! Others are couch potatoes and are happy to lie down and laze around. Exercise is crucial for your dog’s health so make sure to keep a balance!
- Give your pup more protein-based treats. As much as there should be a balance between carbs and proteins, dogs require more animal protein to keep them strong and healthy!
- Have a feeding routine. Feeding your fur baby at around the same time every day helps establish a routine. And keeping a routine helps keep your dog’s behavior in check!
Overall, these healthy dog treat alternatives are a great choice to get rid of store-bought treats! He gets to have sumptuous treats that he loves to eat, and you get to keep your pup healthy!
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