Do you give your dog treats?

[Carina]

I've always wondered about this...with all the news stories about the obese pet epidemic (and obese/overweight humans too) I wonder why people feel they must give their dogs treats? Is it marketing? Substituting food for exercise or attention?
A recent study by Purina just found that keeping dogs lean increased longevity significantly...not that this should be news to anyone:
http://www.dogchow.com/Content/index...ntContentID=14

I work in a lot of different homes, and I swear at least half the dogs I see are fat, waddling things who can't tolerate much exercise. And most have owners who really love their dogs and are smart people! So why on earth would a loving owner compromise their dog's health and quality of life by allowing them to be fat? (I think the same thing about parents and human children, but that's OT.)

My dogs have to "work" (at the very least, they must sit and take nice) for treats. Mostly I just use them for training. No way do my dogs get unecessary food stuffed in their faces just for looking cute, or hungry, or whatever. I do NOT want fat dogs, I think that sometimes borders on cruelty, or neglect or something...

Help me out here. Why do so many people who really care for their animals let them get so fat? Why do so many people feel the need to give their dogs so much food because they "feel sorry" for them?

It just ain't right.

[mona_b]

I agree Crina.I have seen a few chunky monkies.And it is so sad.These people don't realize they are damaging their dogs heart and health.I have always given my dog treats.But I NEVER over do it.I treat trained them also.And I have never had any problems with them begging for food.They have been very healthy and happy.Never had a problem with dry skin.Their fur is always soft.I still can't help but talk as if Yukon is still with us. :sad: ..My vet has always complemented me on my dogs.And wished he had seen more people with leaner dogs.He says he sees alot of overweight dogs.Tron still gets his treats.But he loves the raw carrots. ..I have only had Tron back for a little over a year.And he never gained a pound since my brother had him.

I think that people give all these extra treats and food cause they think the dogs are starving or something.And all these treats and not enough exercise will give you a fat dog,even a cat.

[CarlaD]

My dogs do get treats. They both get one every morning when we are leaving, by treat I mean a little dog bone.

Sometimes we will pick them up something special at the pet store, but that is only special occassions!

[twodogsandacat]

They get treats. They also get a ton of exercise. Does this look obese?

[Jackie467]

that BRANCH is huge. that's such a cute pic, definetly post card worthy. now imagine my 12lb italian greyhound dragging that up onto the porch. that is about the size of the branch she pulled up on the porch a few weeks ago. it was hilarious to watch her drag that, took her about 5 min to get it up there.

[twodogsandacat]

or this. He's not the smartest pointer...but maybe there were no birds in that house.

[twodogsandacat]

Originally Posted by Jackie467

that BRANCH is huge. that's such a cute pic, definetly post card worthy. now imagine my 12lb italian greyhound dragging that up onto the porch. that is about the size of the branch she pulled up on the porch a few weeks ago. it was hilarious to watch her drag that, took her about 5 min to get it up there.

It's not the biggest one he's ever presented to me and he looks so proud as he runs with it.

The poor guy gets so disappointed when I won't throw something that size. I tried once, he caught up with it - of course he didn't feel it but I won't try it again.
.

[Karin]

Ciara cannot exercise like a healthy dog can, she is limited. She does get treats ., "cookies". She only gets little pieces since a dog cannot tell size...she will get a few broken chunks. (No bigger than a dime). I also give her carrot's as a treat.
She is maintaining a weight now of 82 lbs.

[twodogsandacat]

Originally Posted by Karin

She only gets little pieces since a dog cannot tell size...she will get a few broken chunks.

Are you saying that they only know that it was tasty but have no idea about how big the treat was? I could save a fortune.
.

[Karin]

Originally Posted by twodogsandacat

Are you saying that they only know that it was tasty but have no idea about how big the treat was? I could save a fortune.
.

Yes, you could save a fortune and many pounds added to your pet. Think small...give a few..

Dog cookies are fattening..that's why they are treats.

[Carina]

twodogsandacat, your dogs aren't obese, they're gorgeous!

I'm not saying treats are wrong, at all. My dogs get them. (Though they will tell you I starve them.)
I think I was just frustrated when I wrote that post...I'm a painting contractor & often in people's houses. This one house I'd been doing, the homeowner had two dogs, a Doxie, a Lhasa type dog, plus she "babysat" her son's dog.
All three of these dogs were obese, and I felt so bad for them! I swear this woman spent half her day getting up and going to the kitchen because the dogs "looked hungry" ...both of the little dogs would sit and bark incessantly at her until she fed them something, it was annoying. They were kind of irritating, untrained dogs, no wonder, they were totally spoiled and overfed. They probably didn't feel that good, physically.
The poor Doxie was only four years old, and so fat it couldn't get up and down the two steps off the back porch, it had to be carried.
And the thing was, this woman was a retired chiropractor, and going to Weight Watchers herself! She kept saying, "oh I know I shouldn't feed them so much but...."
She really loved her little dogs, and she knew she was doing them more harm by constantly feeding them, so it just got me thinking, why?

[Iggette]

My dogs get treats but I limit them......can't speak for hubby tho
This is why my pup gets treats.....it's all in the eyes....lol

[GunnerX]

We give Ariel treats when she deserves it but we don't overdo it. I think most of the obese dogs are also fed too much or being fed the wrong type of food. We recently bought a cookbook for dogs and in there are several recipes on cooking biscotti like dog treats and which doesn't have much fat content. Ariel really loves them so we'll probably be making her treats from now on. We can save money this way too.

[chico2]

My cats get treats every day after being outside with me and being"good boys"coming back in with me.They line up like little soldiers on the kitchentable(Yeah,they are allowed!)to get their rewards
It's like me and my ONE choclate-bar every day,a reward for being good
Awww Iggette,with those eyes,I'd give Buddy a bagful of treats!

[Ling]

My pup gets a treat every weekday - a kong filled with wet food, a biscuit and some dry food and frozen. That's her after excercise treat for being good in the mornings and after our lunchtime play / walk time to occupy her for an hour. Also a little piece of biscuit (size of kibble) after she's sat nice and let me put her seatbelt on in the car. She probably gets a total of two small biscuits a day. Maybe a bit of carrot or some other veggies while I'm making dinner. Or as a special treat boiled chicken or something. But I make sure that she gets lots of excercise and I monitor her food pretty close to make sure she doesn't get fat. Having her has actually slimmed me down a bit too :-)

My guess is that a lot of people feel guilty about leaving their dogs alone all day or maybe not spending enough quality time with them - and if they are anything like my dog - food is a major happy! She loves food over everything - even her tennis balls! So they may over indulge them. It's hard when they act like they're always so, so hungry and they look at you with those irresistable puppy eyes. But you just have to remind yourself that it's for their own health. And they probably aren't hungry - they just want food!

And chico - LOL - I can imagine a kitty line up on a counter all sitting pretty waiting for their treats. Take a picture and post one day. It'd be a hoot!

[coonlover]

Originally Posted by Iggette

My dogs get treats but I limit them......can't speak for hubby tho
This is why my pup gets treats.....it's all in the eyes....lol

How could anyone say no to that face...precious :love:

[Luvmypit]

My parents took in my sister in laws mothers dog after she died and this dog was FAT. Its a yellow lab. Now that my parents have him they have him on a diet. He used to live on a farm and the lady next door would feed him food scraps everyday. She was told not too and then started sneaking the dog food. Now cane is still fat but atleast my parents are attempting to get him slimmer. He has lost some weight BUT I have caught my dad putting a burger on the BBQ for the dog. I had to tell him to stop doing it but I doubt he listens. He tells me hes had dogs since before I was born and blah blah blah. Now my dad told me he only gives him milkbones. Which is an improvement trust me.

[wAggie]

I vary, really.

It totally depends on how much dog food they eat, what human food I give them, where their weight is at (I'm constantly monitoring this) and perhaps, even after a wild playtime, we end with a couple of treats to wind down the night.

these "treats" are the pedigree bone marrow, yay.

lol.

[doggy lover]

I use treats mostly for training, but I break or cut them up and it is part of Tucker's daily intake. Sometimes I use liver dried out really well in a low oven for training treats. A friend of mine has a border collie cross and the poor thing is huge, about four times wider than it should be. The poor thing is now lazy and has no energy for a BC cross I don't understand this, they are high energy dogs.

[mona_b]

Carina,we where at the SPCA a few weeks ago.A couple came in looking for a dog to adopt.They brought in their Rottie.All eyes were focused on this dog.He was HUGE.And by that I mean FAT.We all figured about a good 20lbs,if not more.Poor thing was breathing hard and could hardley walk.I was talking with the girls who worked there.I told them someone should tell them the dog is way to overweight and something should be done.Not sure if anything was said or not,we had to leave.It's just so sad seeing this.And he was a beautiful dog too.