Doxies may not be the strongest or fastest dog breeds but they still love and deserve plenty of dog treats for their athletic feats throughout the day. This does bring the question of dachshunds and treats, however. So, let’s go over what are the best treats for dachshunds – different types, precautions, and suggestions.
We’ll also touch on human foods and fruits that may or may not be suitable as dachshund treats. We’ll cover the difference between puppy treats and training treats too.
What’s Key About The Best Treats For Dachshunds?
As with all other dog breeds, a dachshund’s treats need to be both delicious and healthy. Doxies are unfortunately susceptible to obesity so giving them high-fat treats in great quantities can lead to a lot of problems. Additionally, a lot of people use human food as treats which can often lead to many health issues.
So, what’s in the best treats for dachshunds? Regardless of brand or type, a good Doxie treat must include/have:
- High-quality, healthy, and natural ingredients
- Low-fat content to avoid obesity
- High nutritional value, particularly in terms of calcium and other minerals beneficial to Doxie back health
- A delicious taste that’d make the treat stand out from the dachshund’s standard food
If all this is present, it doesn’t really matter what type or brand of treat you’ve got – it all falls down to your dachshund’s personal preferences.
Best Training Dachshund Treats
In addition to all of the above, the best dog treats for dachshunds training at home or in the dog park should have a couple of other qualities. Training treats need to be:
- Comfortably small – this way, you can give your dog plenty of treats without giving him too much food overall
- Practical and portable – you can give your dog anything at home but when going out you need treats that are easy to carry around in a purse, backpack, or even a jacket’s pocket
- Dry and hygienic – another good tip for training treats in the dog park is to stick to dry treats as this will limit the mess you’ll need to clean from your hands
A personal favorite of ours are the Buddy Trainers Low-Calorie Baked Bites For Dogs. These awesome treats are baked in the US, come in compact 7-ounce packs, and are made out of chicken liver, barley flour, ground oats, maple syrup, and rosemary extract. They are also small, easy to chew, and suitable for dogs of all sizes, including adult dachshunds and puppies.
Best Treats For Dachshund Puppies
When it comes to the best treats for dachshunds puppies, many of the same rules apply. It’s intuitive to think that puppy treats need to be more nutritional, higher in fat, and so on. After all, puppy food is different from dog food, right?
Right. However, the difference here is that treats aren’t meant to be a major part of the dog’s diet – neither for adults nor for puppies. In either case, treats shouldn’t be more than 10% of the dog’s diet. So, while you do want the treats to be healthy and not to include any nasty and unhealthy ingredients, it’s not like you rely on them to help your pup grow up in a good condition.
What this means is that as long as you give your pup high-quality and healthy food every day, the treats you use for training only need to not be unhealthy. So – many of the same treats used for adults can do the trick as well.
Of course, dedicated puppy treats can have a slightly higher fat content (but not much higher). And, they ought to be extra nutritional and mineral-rich. However, the main thing about puppy treats is that they just need to be as small as possible. Alternatively, they should be made in such a shape that breaking them up into neat pieces is easy.
One great suggestion here are the Wellness Soft Puppy Bites. These delicious treats are made from quality salmon, lamb, and ground potatoes, and have proven to be mouth-watering to every dachshund puppy we’ve tried them on. They come in small 3-ounce bags and the treats themselves are both comfortably small and easy to break into pieces.
Best Fruit and Veggie Treats For Dachshunds
If you’re wondering about some non-commercial alternatives, there are some human foods and fruits that can also serve as dachshund treats. Here are some popular and healthy options:
- Carrots
- Zucchini
- Apples
- Mangos
- Sweet potatoes
Learn more about: Can Dogs Eat Maraschino Cherries Or Are The Drawbacks Too High?
Naturally, you’d want to cut those into small bite-sized pieces and toss them to your Doxie one by one as you would commercial dog treats. Additionally, you should be careful with fruits such as apples and mangos.
First of all, will you need to diligently remove all seeds and stems from the fruits as those can be poisonous for your dog. Next, you’ll also need to be mindful of the amount of fruit you give your dog as the sugar in the fruit can get too much after a few slices. Dachshunds are small dogs after all, so more than a few pieces of fruit at a time is usually ill-advised.
For a personalized tip in this regard, consult with your vet as he/she would know your dog’s condition. For example, if your dog has diabetes or high blood sugar, then fruits obviously become a bad idea.
Homemade Dog Treats
How Much Treats Should You Give Your Dachshund?
As a rule of thumb for all dog breeds, the dog treats shouldn’t be more than 10% of your dog’s overall diet. So, if your dog eats 1000 calories a day (generally, dogs need 30-35 calories per pound) then no more than 100 of those calories should come as treats.
Anything more than that may be too risky for your dog’s health, regardless of how great the treats are. Again – it’s best to consult with your vet about your particular dog’s needs before choosing a particular type and quantity of dog treats.
Read more about: Changing Dog Food Within The Same Brand – The Why, When, And How
