Fresh Treats For Fido

Fresh Treats For Fido

Guess what pet owners?  Feeding Fido those milk bones aren’t the most nutritious snack for him. Neither are the new Fido food fads like doggy pup cakes from Heavely Cupcakes and Frosty Paws ice cream, which of course make our dogs wiggle and whine with joy, but after the party is over, they can get a case of the birthday blues with their bellies rumbling with regret. I recently attended a first doggy birthday party for Winston the French Bulldog at Barley Mash. Winston received more gifts than I ever have, including plush toys, sweaters, and treats galore. 

All his Frenchie friends got to partake in his edible delights except for my Frenchie Bleu, who has severe food allergies. I am always on alert during these get-to-gethers because a guest will try to sneak a piece a cake past me and into Bleu’s salivating mouth, or Bleu sniffs his way to sweet salvation and finds a morsel of maddening sugar lingering lonesomely on the ground.

While a little refined sugar won’t severely harm a healthy dog, for a dog like mine who has severe food allergies, they can get very bad upset stomachs and often times have to be rushed to the ER and be put on ant-nausea medications. The effects can be disastrous and costly.  This is how I became an expert in HEALTHY, FRESH TREATS for Fido. Not by accident, by shear necessity.

Just as in human diets, if you eat junk all the time, you will feel like junk all the time. For dogs, it’s the same way. However, their systems cannot tolerate high sugar fruits and veggies as much as ours can. Below are some very delicious, yet highly nutritious treats for your dog:

-       Sliced Cucumber: The cucumber is very refreshing, rehydrates the canine body, is a good source of B vitamins, and potassium and is low in sugar. Peel and square it, store in Tupperware container up to four days in the refrigerator.

-       Frozen Blueberries: your dog will love the crunch and the unexpected tartness of the blueberry, which is rich in antioxidants and also low in sugar. Antioxidants are essential to optimizing health by helping to combat the free radicals that can damage cellular structures as well as DNA. Make sure you properly store your blueberries so they don’t get freezer burned. Berries in general are considered low in terms of their glycemic index. My Frenchie Bleu likes to grab his berry like a ball, bat it around the floor with his paws, then pick it up and eat it.

-       Fresh Spinach Leaves: I like to buy the pre-packaged and triple-washed spinach leaves and feed them individually as treats to my dog. Twirling them around in front of his face before he munches on the little leaves is kind of fun too. He reminds me of a little pop-eye chomping down on his leafy greens, rich in protein, vitamin A, and calcium.

-       Sardines: A sardine a day keeps the vet away! Rich in Vitamin B-12 and Omega-3 fatty acids, sardines keep your pup’s heart, bones, and immune system strong.

Of course, organic is the best, but if you can’t afford it, regular produce is better than any of the crap you will find in a pet store. Please make sure you properly wash and store all of your fresh veggies and fruits for your pup. The best part? You both get to snack on healthy and yummy snacks together.

Bon appetite mon chien!