Can You Give Your Puppy Treats?
While bringing home a new puppy is exciting, it can also be overwhelming. Unless you’ve had a ton of experience around precious pups, you probably have plenty of questions. For instance, new dog owners may not know if they should be giving their puppies treats.
The good news is that you are free to give your pups tasty treats once they are about eight weeks old. However, it is important to talk to your vet to make sure that your pup doesn’t have any dietary restrictions before introducing any new food.
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Fetch by WebMD also warns that owners should “aim for no more than 5% of calories from treats.” In addition, it’s best to refrain from giving your dog any human food, as it “can cause digestive upset and pancreatitis.”
Now, it can be a little stressful choosing which exact treat you should give your pooch. While speaking to The Spruce Pets in May 2021, Dr. Zay Satchu, DVM, explained that dog owners with puppies “should look for treats that smell and taste great, are low in calories, and are small in size or able to be broken into smaller pieces.” The vet also shared that she believes pup parents should “have a small variety of treats to keep [their] pup intrigued.”
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“When starting out, try a few different kinds. When you find one that is your pups favorite, save that for a high reward treat,” stated Dr. Satchu.
The publication recommended a few different brands of treats, including Puppy Chow Healthy Start Training Treats, N-Bone Teething Rings, Riley’s Organic Dog Treats, and Wag More, Bark Less Grain-Free Itty Bitty Treats.
If you enjoy spending time in the kitchen, you can also whip up some homemade dog treats. This recipe from rachaelrayshow.com is pretty simple. All you’ll need is:
-1 cup old-fashioned oats
-⅓ cup canned pure pumpkin
-1/4 cup natural peanut butter
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Once you've figured out which treats are suitable for your pooch, you can start using the food to train your canine companion.
In a 2017 YouTube video, famed dog trainer Zak George noted that treats can be an excellent way to get your puppy's attention.
"Think of an infant, for example, you may rattle some keys or use a baby toy just to get them focusing on your general area. And when you have your dog’s attention, even if they’re focused on their treat. That buys you time to get their attention off of the treat and on to you, the treats are just a catalyst for igniting that communication," explained the trainer.
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