Healthy Dog Treats

Here are some healthy alternatives for dog treats.

Anyone who's ever seen a dog eat grass or greens knows there's a vegetarian side to your pet. Before domestication, when dogs hunted for their living, they ate the entrails of their prey, which contained a considerable amount of digested vegetable matter. Most animals still want some of this vegetation, but can't digest the tough fibrous components on their own. Try offering your dog some cooked green beans, carrots or peas. Many pets love them, and you can even mix them into their regular diet.

I planted an extra row of peas in the garden for my Golden Retriever.

Another favorite for many pets are rice, popcorn and pasta. A bit of a rice cake or some air popped popcorn is a great substitute for a high fat treat. Cooked rice can be added for bulk to a weight control diet. It's a way of giving your pet more food without adding a lot of fat calories. Cooked pasta is also great. Many pets relish a few elbow macaroni or other plain pasta.

Ebony knows when the popcorn maker comes out of the cupboard.

A cooked egg is a great protein treat; hard boil a few and keep them on hand. A little dab of cottage cheese or plain yogurt substitutes for licking that ice cream bowl!