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Every pet owner wants the same thing for their furry friends: to have a happy and healthy life. Knowing that your pets can’t live as long as humans do, you’d want to give them all the best while they’re still here with you. You want to provide them with your attention, time for play and cuddles, and of course, the healthiest treats you can find out there. But with so many products and options available out there, it’s often hard to choose which food and treats are the best choices for your pets.
The challenge is often about finding the right balance between your pet’s need for nutrients and food that will actually qualify for their taste. Luckily, this list is aimed to help you figure out the suitable options for your furry friend’s healthy treats. You may find some from the pet store, while other choices can be found in your very own kitchen or garden. The ones on this list could be very convenient for you as not only are they good for their health but they’re also very easy to find and prepare.
So, which pet treats should you incorporate into your pet’s diet? Here are eight options you may want to consider for your furry friend’s healthy and special treats.
1. Apples
Everyone knows how apples are very nutritious for humans. But guess what, apples are also perfect snack treats for your pets. However, unlike humans, you don’t need to feed them a whole apple to reap the nutrients. You can chop the apples into tiny pieces and only provide the same portion you normally feed to them. Apples are filled with nutrients, especially fiber, which promotes a healthy gastrointestinal system for your pets. Just make sure not to feed your pets with the apple seeds and the core. Additionally, if you’re making apple treats, you can also opt to add CBD pet drops from www.naturesarcorganics.com and other organic stores, as it’s known to provide additional nutrients for your furry friends.
2. Carrots
Another excellent pet snack that you might probably find in your own kitchen right now is carrots. Carrots are rich in vitamins and beta carotene, which are essential for your pet’s growth, health maintenance, boosting their immune systems, and supporting eye health. When serving them carrots, make sure to cut them into bite-size pieces or even into tinier ones, especially if your pet is more of a swallower and less of a chewer. It’s also a good idea to serve carrots as rewards whenever your pet does something good.
3. Bananas
Some of you may not expect to find bananas on this list, especially since they’re known as food for monkeys plus, they have high-sugar content. But other than their sugar content, bananas are also loaded with healthy nutrients recommended for your pet’s needs. These may include potassium, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin C, which all can help boost your pet’s overall health. Not all pets may find bananas tasty but if yours love bananas, make sure you have bananas in your kitchen ready any time. But as mentioned, since bananas are high in sugar, be sure not to overfeed your pet with bananas.
4. Green Peas
Green peas are excellent sources of minerals, vitamins, and dietary fiber, which are essential for your pets. This snack is rich in protein, which can help elevate your pet’s energy levels and promote a healthy digestive system. Moreover, high-fiber foods like green peas can help keep your pet at a healthy weight and manage their cholesterol levels. It’s up to you if you wish to serve their green peas fresh or frozen. After all, most pets would love them both ways. You may either serve them in their food bowls or use green peas as their training treats.
5. Cooked Sweet Potatoes
Potatoes are rich in magnesium, potassium, calcium, and vitamins, which are beneficial for your pet’s health. This snack option may not be that convenient for some pet owners, especially those with hectic schedules, as you’ll need to cook or roast them before serving. However, you have the option to cook large amounts of sweet potatoes and preserve them on the fridge to ensure they last long. Then, once you need to serve a few potatoes for your furry friend, you can roast them up for a few minutes before feeding them to your pets.
You can also gather your sweet potato food leftovers and use them for baking potato treats. When cooking potatoes, avoid adding any flavorings and additives as they’re best served while plain. Most importantly, never feed your pets with raw potatoes, whatever kind it may be. If you’ve never fed your pet with potatoes before, always start serving them with very small portions and see if your pet has no problems digesting them before feeding them large amounts.
6. Watermelon
Like humans, most pets are also a fan of watermelons as they’re tasty, packed with vitamins and calcium, and of course, very refreshing and hydrating, especially on hot summer days. There’s no problem with feeding your pet with watermelons every day as they don’t have any side effects. However, make sure you don’t feed them with watermelon seeds, especially the rinds, as both are dangerous for your pet’s intestine and could cause blockage and digestion problems. If you want to serve watermelons uniquely, you can grind them and shape them into frozen treats before serving them to your pets.
7. Cooked Squash
These snacks are excellent treats for your pets. You need not worry about which kind of squash you should feed as all kinds are nutritious and safe for your pet. You can have the yellow squash, zucchini, butternut squash, and even the pumpkins, or whatever type of squash is currently in season. You can also experiment by making dog pies or dog biscuits out of squash. Just make sure when serving a cooked squash, it’s free from any seeds and rinds.
8. Green Beans
Green beans aren’t only for humans, but they’re for pets too. These tiny treats are loaded with calcium, iron, and fiber which are all recommended for your pet’s nutritional needs. When serving green beans, make sure you serve them plain and free from any salt or seasoning. You can also opt to serve the fresh one or the canned one from the supermarket as long as they’re both plain and flavor-free.
Takeaway
As it turns out, there are plenty of nutritious snack options for your pets, and you don’t need to limit yourself to the choices you see in pet stores that are preserved and packed in plastics. However, if you’re introducing one or more of these treats to your pet for the first time, remember to start serving them in small portions and see how they respond to the new taste and smell. If they don’t show any adverse reactions, then you’re good to go.
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Tom
Tom has always loved to write since he was little - he wanted to be either a writer or a veterinary doctor, but he ended up being a professional writer while most of his works are based on animals. He was born in San Francisco but later moved to Texas to continue his job as a writer. He graduated from the University of San Francisco where he studied biotechnology. He is happily married and a soon to be father!
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