Pamper your dog throughout his life – not just on holidays!

Everyone loves to get treats from time to time, especially around the holidays. But while it’s tempting to treat your dog to the tastiest morsels on the table, many treats can even be dangerous to their health. One slice of turkey may not be too much of a treat for a human, but for a dog it is equivalent to seven such slices!

To pamper or not to pamper?

Some dogs are very good at begging for treats, pretending to be poor animals that haven’t been fed for days! But usually all they want is your attention, not a portion of your holiday meal. So instead of sharing your food, try to play more or walk your dog. Not only does feeding your dog table scraps form a bad habit – if your dog constantly sits around the table, especially in the presence of guests, it can cause extreme embarrassment. In addition, the consumption of human food can have an adverse effect on your pet’s health. So feel free to ask well-intentioned guests not to feed your dog off the table or give him inappropriate treats.

Beware of chocolate!

Feeding your dog certain human treats can disrupt the function of his digestive tract. The most striking example is chocolate – today this delicacy most often causes poisoning in dogs. Throughout the year, The Veterinary Poisons Information Service receives hundreds of calls with reports of chocolate poisoning. It is very difficult to determine how much chocolate you need to feed your dog for it to harm his health, it all depends on the type of chocolate. Good quality chocolate with a high cocoa content is the most dangerous for dogs, unsweetened baker’s chocolate and cocoa powder are also more poisonous for dogs than regular milk chocolate. Chocolate contains the poisonous substance theobromine. Theobromine is slowly metabolized, and even taking it in small doses over several days can be as dangerous as feeding a whole bar of chocolate to a dog at once.

However, there are other treats that are dangerous for dogs, such as onions, garlic and some root vegetables, which can contain substances that are poisonous to dogs and cause anemia. And remember that you should avoid these vegetables not only in their raw form, but also in the form of gravy or sauces for food. Also, do not give your dog grapefruits and raisins.

Proper nutrition and the correct amount of feed

Although we ourselves often sin by overeating high-calorie foods on holidays, our pets do not have to follow our example. Overfeeding or feeding your dog unhealthy treats will lead to weight gain, which can increase the risk of serious disorders such as diabetes, arthritis, or heart disease.

In addition, having a lot of strangers in the house on holidays can be stressful for the dog. To minimize these negative effects, be sure to follow the animal’s daily routine as well as its feeding schedule, such as Hill’s™ Science Plan™ rations. Hill’sTMScience Plan™ kibbles are just as good for your pet as treats, but much healthier. You can also reward your dog by changing his diet, combining wet and dry food, and changing the flavor from time to time. However, follow the recommended daily feeding rates. Hill’sTM Science PlanTM range of diets includes foods in a variety of flavors to perfectly match your dog’s individual needs. And if she doesn’t like our food, we will refund your money – guaranteed!