Fido’s Favorite Holiday

Do you have a dog? If so, you may want to put a little paw print on your calendar for February 23rd: it’s National Dog Biscuit Day! If there’s one thing our canine friends love, it’s treats! Read on as a Fort Collins, CO vet talks about this pawesome special occasion.

If you like baking, why not make your pooch’s treats yourself? Just be sure to use only healthy, nutritious ingredients. Some of the things you can experiment with are cooked, plain meat, chicken, or fish; cheese; bacon bits; eggs; whole-wheat flour; olive oil; bananas; natural peanut butter; sodium-free broth; plain yogurt; and pureed pumpkin. It’s also important for you to know what foods are dangerous for Fido. Garlic, onions, and chives; chocolate; caffeine; grapes, currants, and raisins; and nuts are all on the no-no list. Ask your vet for more information on safe and unsafe foods.

There are dozens—if not hundreds—of doggy treats available in stores, and Fido would probably be more than happy to try them all. When shopping for your furry buddy, avoid anything with ingredients you can’t identify and/or pronounce. We also recommend staying away from items that were made overseas, as not all countries have strict guidelines for pet products.

Treats are a great training aid for dogs. When working with Fido, use smaller snacks, like pieces of hot dogs or deli meat. This is a great way to make sure your pooch really likes school!

Dogs have been our faithful companions for thousands of years. They’ve certainly had plenty of time to perfect the sad stare that is so effective at getting us to offer yummy treats. Begging is bad doggy manners, however. It can be particularly problematic if Fido starts acting pushy. Don’t fall for that plaintive look! If you really can’t resist, offer your pup a carrot stick instead of that piece of sausage he is eyeing.

Occasionally, a bad batch of pet treats makes it to store shelves. This can be quite scary, as tainted food can make Fido very sick! You can track pet product recalls online on several sites, including the AVMA website  here . Another option is to set up alert notifications for your email or smartphone.

Do you have questions about dog care? We can help! Contact us, your Fort Collins, CO animal clinic, today!