Why I’m Not A Fan Of Rawhides

(It’s not the obvious answer to the question)Most pet owners have heard of the dangers of giving your dog a rawhide bone or treat. You don’t have to search very long on Google to realize that not only are the average rawhides on the market laden with everything from heavy metals to toxic glues and dyes, but that ingesting them can cause impactions and worse. Yikes! No wonder they are strictly on the off-limits list for your beloved dog.There are other several other problems with offering your puppy the wrong kinds of treats and my concern today is to discuss the behavioral aspects of giving your puppy something that could make her forget all her puppy manners in an instant. Perhaps more importantly, how to use treat time to help reinforce your position as leader of her tiny pack.

The average pet store has a dizzying array of dog goodies, pet food manufacturers have happily supplied our desire to give our dogs rewards and created a multimillion dollar industry devoted to rewarding and yes, sometimes spoiling our pets.So, you ask, what’s wrong with bringing home a wonderful chicken-basted delight for your new puppy? I’m glad you asked, there are actually several problems that might arise when you unpack that yummy smelling bag from the local pet emporium.

“I gave my puppy some new treats and now she's got loose stool and her tummy seems upset. She even had an accident in the house and she almost never does that. What did I do wrong?”

• Your puppy's tummy is sensitive and upsets can occur when she ingests heavily flavored treats and biscuits. Best to keep things basic and simple for immature puppy tummies.“My husband brought home a huge beef basted bone and now Lily runs away with it when I try to get it away from her. Currently, she is under the couch gnawing on it & she growls when I reach in!”

• Giving your puppy an amazing bone to chew on might seem like a good idea, but it’s easy for her to become so excited about her new prize that she decides to keep it from everyone at any cost.

It’s like giving your teenager who just got her learning permit, the keys to your new SUV & telling her to go have a great time!Lily isn’t a terrible puppy, but the heady aroma and delicious taste of her new treat have made her forget herself It’s NEVER ok for our dogs to growl and guard their doggie treasures, don’t set yourself up for a confrontation with your new puppy over something that could have easily been avoided. More about potential guarding behavior and what to do about it in another post.For now, help baby Lily stay out of trouble by keeping her treats simple and not too wonderfully delicious until she’s older and able to be a responsible driver : ) For now, boring treats and teething pacifiers are puppy perfect!