Are you killing your dog with kindness? If you’re giving your dog treats throughout the day, you must remember to reduce the daily ration of dog food accordingly. Or simply cut down on the number of treats you give.
Here are three ways to cut back on treats without depriving your dog:
One idea is to buy treats that you can break in half, and only offer half a treat at each occasion. That way, your dog gets the taste he’s been looking forward to, but not all the calories.
Or, instead of his usual treat, try substituting your dog’s dry dog food morsels. Put a few kibbles in the treat jar and use them one at a time as rewards. Your dog treasures any food that comes straight from your hand, so he may be totally satisfied with kibble, as long as it comes from you.
Of course, another option is to cut out treats altogether and simply lavish your dog with affection as a reward (this alternative tends to be harder on humans than it is on dogs). If this seems too extreme, stick with one of the other two options.