Chews & Snacks
CHEWS FOR DOGS FROM VET-CONCEPT
If you look at the domestication and coexistence of humans and dogs, this desire is not atypical. We often find ourselves going to the fridge or with a growling stomach between main meals.
Snacks and treats have also proven to be successful rewards for four-legged friends in dog training. By positively combining a well-executed exercise with a treat, success can often be achieved quickly.
Small treats or divisible meat strips are ideal for short exercise sequences and situational rewards. Larger natural chews and healthy chews, in addition to being fun to chew, provide a good opportunity for teeth cleaning through abrasion on the dentition.
Chewables are very versatile and available in a wide variety of plain or more elaborate compositions. In this way, dog owners whose dogs are fussy or suffer from illnesses, intolerances or allergies can usually find solutions.
Healthy dogs with strong muzzles can be kept busy for a while with larger beef chews, for example. Sensitive four-legged friends can still feast thanks to lighter treats - made from lamb, for example. And even allergic dogs don't have to completely do without treats and chews because of snacks made from rarely used animal proteins, such as horse meat.
If the dog snacks also contain important nutrients and healthy extras, they can even be nutritionally valuable and effectively supplement the diet.
HOW CAN YOU RECOGNISE HIGH-QUALITY CHEWS?
It is not uncommon for Vet-Concept's expert advisors to find that dog owners inform themselves extensively about wet and dry food, but have never thought about the production, ingredients or quality of the chews they feed.
The deceptive idea that quality should not be a decisive factor in view of the small size of the products or the seemingly small quantity of treats fed daily seems too entrenched. However, if you extrapolate the amount of chew bones and dog treats fed annually, it quickly becomes clear that this is not a small matter.
Accordingly, Vet-Concept also relies on the most natural raw materials possible for dog snacks, a gentle drying or production process and the absence of chemical additives. All our products are subject to regular quality controls.
A well thought-out composition of snacks can be a plus in dog nutrition. Therefore, the end consumer should be able to see which ingredients are contained in a dog treat. Therefore, pay attention to the label or packaging and which ingredients are listed. Chemical additives, sugar, caramel, odours or flavours should not be part of this list.
WHAT TYPES OF CHEWS ARE THERE?
There is certainly a treat to suit every four-legged friend. From Chihuahua to Irish Wolfhound, there should be preferences to satisfy, as the range of chewables in online shops and retail shops is almost endless.
DRIED EARS, SKINS, ORGANS & (WHOLE) FISH
The gently dried parts are available in a wide variety of designs depending on the original ingredient. For example, the naturally small chicken stomachs are very rich in protein and very suitable as a snack for small, active dogs. Large, agile dogs like to take them as a very special reward during a walk.
The large pieces of horse lung are low-fat chewing fun for small breeds and a crunchy, protein-rich snack for larger calibres.
Dried fish - such as anchovies or perch fillets can be eaten not only by dogs but also by dedicated cats. In the form of Vet-Concept Island Sticks, fish is also available in handy little cubes. The valuable omega-3 fatty acids contained can support the immune system, skin & coat.
The great advantage of these articles is not only their versatility in feeding, but that they usually consist of only one protein source. This means they can be selected specifically for dogs that are sensitive to variety or for exclusion feeding.
For dogs that love variety and can tolerate it, there are also dry items that consist of several protein sources. Filled lamb meat rolls or chew bones from Vet-Concept, for example, are popular teeth cleaners and treats.
SHAPED DOG TREATS
When fresh meat is dried and ground, the result is a concentrated and nutritious meat meal that can be shaped to your liking while making tasty treats.
This creates practical training treats in the form of cubes, slices, morsels, nuggets or little clouds. The Vet-Concept meat treats, for example, are available in several varieties (see tasty beef treats), including atypical protein sources for allergic dogs (see tasty horse meat morsels).
The valuable meat meal can be supplemented with green-lipped mussel extracts or herbs, making it a very special and healthy treat (see lamb meat bites).
BISCUITS
If you are looking for particularly crunchy dog treats, you can't get around biscuits.
Crunchy baked dog biscuits, vegetable patties, venison crackers or crispy hearts can be a valuable addition to a dog's diet and also clean teeth and strengthen the chewing muscles.
Biscuits are available at Vet-Concept with and without meat, but also gluten-free (e.g. Chia-Minis).
FAQ - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT DOG FOOD
HOW OFTEN CAN DOG CHEWS BE GIVEN IN ADDITION TO FOOD?
The amount and frequency of treats and chews depends on the individual dog. If the dog tends to eat too much, additional feeding of chews should be kept to a minimum in order to support dental care. The same applies to stomach problems. If the dog has a sensitive stomach, care must be taken not to unnecessarily irritate the mucous membranes with chewing products.
In general, we recommend never replacing more than one third of the daily food ration with treats to ensure that the four-legged friend can cover its daily needs with the main food. On average, chews can be fed once a week.
To keep an overview, it is advisable for dog owners to prepare the desired daily amount of snacks the evening before or in the morning or to pack them separately. The snacks can then be evenly distributed throughout the day.
WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO STORE CHEWS?
Dog snacks should always be stored in a cool, dry place to ensure the longest possible shelf life even after the pack has been opened.
The resealable bags from Vet-Concept make storage in the original packaging possible. Alternatively, the products can be repacked in resealable containers.
In the closed packaging, Vet-Concept chews and biscuits can be stored for 1-2 years. After opening, the articles should be used up within 4-6 weeks.
WHICH SNACKS ARE SUITABLE FOR PUPPIES?
The milk teeth of puppies and the developing permanent teeth place special demands on chewing snacks.
Chewables for puppies should not be too hard to prevent the teeth from breaking off. However, there should be a certain bite strength to ensure abrasion on the tooth for cleaning.
Vet-Concept veal sticks, jerky sticks or puppy sticks are the ideal choice here. For sensitive dogs, lamb pizzles, lamb strips or horse meat chew sticks can be used.
HOW CAN YOU TELL IF A DOG IS NOT TOLERATING A CHEW?
After feeding a new food, you should generally observe how the dog reacts to it. This also applies to chews and dog treats. An intolerance to previously unfed ingredients or products can manifest itself in a number of ways.
For example, a protein-rich or solid chew can irritate the stomach and is therefore usually vomited up by the dog on the same day it is fed.
If components of the chew are not tolerated, the dog's intestine usually reacts with diarrhoea or flatulence. To calm the intestines, chewing articles should then be avoided for a few days.
Itching, rashes or hair loss can also be indicators of intolerance. Skin reactions are often not seen until days after the dog has actually been fed the snack that caused the problem. It is therefore advisable to introduce only one new item into the diet at a time. This way it is relatively easy to see whether new food is tolerated.
In case of intolerance, a smaller, easier-to-digest snack or a chew made from other ingredients should be offered at the next feeding.
WHEN SHOULD CHEWS NOT BE GIVEN?
As many advantages as chewing snacks offer in the diet, there are definitely situations in which you should generally refrain from feeding solid chewing articles.
This is especially true in the long term for dogs with chronic gastrointestinal diseases or dental problems. It may also be advisable to abstain for a short period of time, e.g. after dental surgery or in cases of mild poisoning due to toxic environmental influences.
In such cases, always consult with the vet treating the dog to determine to what extent the feeding of snacks is good for the dog or could be harmful.