Treats, Toys, and Chews

One of the first things you’ll probably see when you explore the dog aisles of the pet store are the brightly colored, inviting rows of toys. This is arguably one of the most fun things to shop for for your new puppy. As you lovingly pick each item, you can’t help but imagine all the fun you and your little hound will have with them.

There are a few things to keep in mind, however, while shopping for toys, treats, and chews for a puppy. Before we get into the things to avoid and tips for what to look for, let’s talk about the importance of them.

Save money

If you are hoping to save your budget and skip buying new toys, treats, and chews for your puppy, think again! The fact is, puppies (and their human roommates) benefit greatly from having these available.

Treats

Treats are a necessary tool for training. They act as rewards and motivators to encourage good and trained behaviors. Now, eventually you may back off on using treats as training rewards, instead using praise and toys, however, nothing gets to a puppy’s mind faster than a tasty treat.

Treats also help to build your relationship with your puppy; showing it that you are the source of good things.

Treats are fun to give and useful for training, but we have to tread carefully and not give too many. Treats typically don’t provide the balanced nutrition that a puppy needs for healthy growth, unlike their puppy food. So, as a rule, puppies shouldn’t get more than 10% of their daily calories from treats.

What treats to give

For the treats you do give your puppy for training, aim for something small and soft so they can chew it quickly. Safe “human food” treats are:

• 1 NuVet Treat & 1 NuJoint Treat a day

• Watermelon

• Carrot slices

• Green beans

• Salmon

• Broccoli florets

• Berries

• Apple slices

• Popcorn

• Banana slices

• Rice cakes

• Scrambled eggs

• Cooked chicken

• Cheese

• Yogurt

If you are going to buy puppy training treats from the store, look for treats with simple, minimal ingredients, soft and chewy, and the stinkier the better!

Other than treats

You don’t always have to use treats as rewards for training. Sometimes some enthusiastic praise, a good belly rub, or a game of fetch are satisfying enough for your puppy to count as a reward for good behavior.

Toys

Toys are important for keeping your puppy entertained. This may not seem like a huge deal, until you come home one day to a trash bin overturned, the couch destroyed, and the curtains torn to shreds.

Toys are great for redirecting a puppy away from undesired behaviors such as biting and chewing. 

Some puppies even find comfort in toys, especially things like the Snuggle Puppy when placed in their crate.

Chews

Chews are also very important for your puppy’s success in your home. Your puppy naturally explores the world through their mouth, finds comfort in chewing, and has painful teeth coming in. They will be compelled to chew no matter what you do to curtail the behavior. Instead of stopping the chewing behavior, it’s better to provide something they are allowed to chew on.

While treats, toys, and chews are all important, certain items in these categories can pose as a danger to your puppy. It’s important to make wise buying choices when shopping for them. Let’s look at some things to avoid.

When shopping for treats, be on the lookout for healthy, nutritional options as opposed to those that are adding empty, if not harmful calories to your puppy’s diet. Avoid treats that contain:

• High sugar content

• Added preservatives

• Soy

• Grains

It’s also worth noting that you shouldn’t overfeed your puppy with treats. See the Feeding lesson for more information on your puppy’s diet.

Be careful!

In the dog toy aisle, know that just because it’s there, doesn’t mean it’s perfectly safe for your puppy. Some toys are made for larger, adult dogs, some toys are made with a specific purpose in mind, and some toys are, tragically, very poorly made.

Avoid stuffed animals, especially if they are made for kids rather than dogs. The stuffing will most likely be pulled out and can pose a danger to your puppy.

Watch out for small parts that can be pulled off the toy. These can become a choking hazard.

Speaking of choking hazards, squeaky toys are fun, but if your puppy decides to do a squeak-ectomy and choke on the little sound device.

With chews, the first thing to avoid is rawhide. Rawhide tends to break off in slimy chunks which can easily get lodged in your puppy’s throat and make them choke.

Many experts advise against the use of animal hooves, antlers, and bones as chews for your puppy. These are very hard and can break a tooth. They also may splinter and cause gastrointestinal problems.

That being said, we do give our dogs and puppies raw bones on occasion.