Best Dog Treats For German Shepherds
If you are a proud owner of the wonder breed of dog known as the German Shepherd then you may find you enjoy rewarding them after a trick or a hard days work. Treats are a great beneficial way to reinforce lessons to produce a positive outcome. They also help you to bond and to form a closer, stronger relationship with your pet. There are plenty of treats to choose from. Here are some of the best dog treats for German Shepherds.
1. Wild Nature Duck & Superfoods Dog Jerky Treats
If your German Shepherd enjoys chewing, which I’m guessing he/she does, then this is a good treat to consider. This jerky treat is just the right toughness and nice to bite down on. Because of the tougher texture it plays into a larger dog’s instinct to chew. Thus, making these delicious treats perfect for the German Shepherd. Not to mention they are filling and will satisfy your dog’s hunger.
Wild Nature is a wholesome brand that is conscious of the environment and uses healthy ingredients for its treats. They are created with the intent of giving your dog lots of energy and stamina for their active adventures outdoors, making this one of the best dog treats for German Shepherds out there.
Here are some benefits when it comes to this treat:
- 1/2 Pound of stick like smoky jerky
- Full of healthy, natural Whole Food Ingredients.
- Farm raised duck jerky, with real superfoods.
- Made in the United States (only)
- Rendered from the wild/nature
- Does not include the following ingredients: wheat, soy, and corn
- Prepared by a Leading Animal Nutritionist
- Helps with Digestion, and your pet’s Skin & Coat
- Each purchase helps protect nature via the Conservation Alliance
These treats are available at WildNaturePet.com!
| List of Pros: | List of Cons: |
|---|---|
| Healthy ingredients | May be hard for German Shepherds with sensitive teeth |
| Tough, chewable meat | |
| Good for supporting immunity and digestion |
2. Blue Buffalo Health Bars With Pumpkin & Cinnamon
This treat has many delicious ingredients that not only taste good but are healthy. Blue Buffalo Health Bars With Pumpkin and Cinnamon are great for canines with food allergies because they have no wheat, soy, or corn. Instead they are made from fine ingredients including cinnamon and real pumpkin.
They contain fatty acids such as omega-3 and vitamins that are good for a dog’s diet. These treats are nutritious and are fun to chew. And as an added bonus this treat works for dogs of all sizes!
Here are some benefits when it comes to this treat:
- Packed with fruits, vegetables, grains and real pumpkin and cinnamon
- Does not include chicken spin-off meals
- Only real ingredients
- Includes no artificial colors or flavors
- Is Oven-baked
- No wheat, corn or Soy (recommended for dogs with food allergies)
- Helps with your pets immune system with its antioxidants and omegas
- Uplifts a shiny coat and healthy skin
These treats are available at Chewy.com!
| List of Pros: | List of Cons: |
|---|---|
| Contains Oatmeal and whole grains such as Barley | None |
| Has a rich source of essential omega-3 called Flax seed | |
| Carrots that contain a great source of beta carotene |
3. Nutro Crunchy Treats With Real Mixed Berries
This treat is completely natural and non-GMO. A huge number of natural ingredients can be found and zero artificial colors, flavors, preservatives are present. A good sign when it comes to this treat is that no corn gluten is used. Instead, they have made it with a very high quality protein chicken. Unlike many other commercially available dog treats, this treat isn’t sourced using any by-products, making it a much higher quality.
This treat’s smaller size makes them a good choice for tricks since you can hand them out more often than a larger size treat. For example, during training you may need to go over a large scale of tricks. This way you can give them a treat for each trick. This is another one of the best dog treats for German Shepherds are a great compliment to any dog’s diet.
Here are some benefits when it comes to this treat:
- Crunchy texture for your dog to enjoy
- Great flavor combination with berries, chicken and whole brown rice
- ZERO artificial colors, flavors or preservatives
- Non-GMO ingredients including blueberries, cherries, delicious cranberries and oatmeal
- NO by-product meals, corn wheat or soy protein
- Only five calories per treat perfect for training
- Sourced from local trusted farmers in Joplin, Montana
These treats are available at Chewy.com!
| List of Pros: | List of Cons: |
|---|---|
| Safe ingredients with no harmful by-products | Some dogs may not like berries (other flavors available) |
| High quality protein foundation | |
| Real fruit |
4. SmartBones SmartSticks Peanut Butter Chews Dog Treats
If you are a proud owner of a pooch who is worried about the potential health risks when it comes to your dogs eating rawhide then this treat is the right choice. It is rawhide-free and consists of many healthy ingredients. These include plant based foods such as veggies and a dog’s favorite-chicken (real). This treat is great when it comes to chewing exercises. It is also an overall delicious tasting treat that your dog will love!
These treats are perfect for small to large breeds of dogs (each stick is 5 inches long). Unlike some other treats that can be harder to digest, this treat is quite the opposite. They are also 99.2% digestible which is a higher percentage then most other rawhide dog treats. So if you are in search of a easily digestible treat look no further then the Smartbones SmartSticks!
Here are some benefits when it comes to this treat:
- Healthy ingredients: real chicken, vegetables
- Easily digestibleÂ
- Made with real peanut butter
- 100% rawhide-freeÂ
- Enriched with minerals and vitamins (benefits health)
- Chewable for a long amount of time
- Lower danger when it comes to choking hazards or sharp splinters
These treats are available at Chewy.com!
| List of Pros: | List of Cons: |
|---|---|
| NO RAWHIDE | Very small chance of a choking hazard like most sticks |
| Delicious taste and chewing exercise | |
| Chewing helps to maintain healthy teeth |
Note: There is always a risk of choking when it comes to chew sticks for dogs. Make sure your dog is supervised and throw away the stick if it becomes splintered or has some sharp edges.
5. American Journey Peanut Butter Biscuit Dog Treats
This treat is deserving of its long name. American Journey Peanut Butter Recipe Grain-Free Oven Baked Crunchy Biscuit Dog Treats have tons of benefits. If you are someone who likes to travel then lucky for you these treats are easily portable. You can take them with you anywhere on the go and not only are they grain-free but they are full of wholesome ingredients that your pup is sure to love.
Wherever you are, these treats make great snacks or can also be used for training or easy trick. This treat is wonderful for dogs of all sizes. They are also favored by dogs because they are easy to chew and are packed with tasty flavors. This crunchy dog biscuit treat is made with real peanut butter, peas and many more healthy ingredients.
Another bonus: they are preserved naturally. You will not find artificial colors or poultry by-product meal in this delicious snack.
Here are some benefits when it comes to this treat:
- Nutritious ingredients such as chickpeas
- Full of dry roasted peanutsÂ
- Does not include wheat, soy, or corn and is free of poultry by-products
- Have a crunchy taste that dogs enjoy
- Oven-baked with a crispy texture
- Portable and easy to transport
These treats are available at Chewy.com!
| List of Pros: | List of Cons: |
|---|---|
| Bite sized | None |
| Healthy ingredient based products | |
| Training treats (dogs of all sizes) |
Frequently asked Questions
How many treats can I give my German Shepherd daily?
It will depend on the size and weight of your pet. But for the average German Shepherd about seven to ten dog treats a day. Treats should not make up more then 10% of their total daily calorie intake. And keep in mind that it is not always about the number of treats you give your pup but the number of calories the treat has.
Quick tip: For larger treats, they can be broken up into multiple pieces. This way you can limit the number of calories your dog consumes daily.
The importance of a lean diet
It is very important that your German Shepherd stays on a lean and healthy diet. This means feeding them high-quality protein foods and limiting treats. Obese dogs have much higher health risks and a shorter life span. A fourteen year study performed by Purina tracked the lifespan of forty eight Labrador Retrievers when given a 25% leaner diet and the results were shocking.
Results from the study:
- Average lifespan of the dogs given the 25% leaner diet was increased by 1.8 years. The lean-diet dogs lived on average 13 years while the control-diet dogs lived 11.2 years.
- The lean diet also decreased chronic diseases, delaying the onset of any signs normally attributed to the disease.
- There were no negative effects on the dogs metabolism, skeletal maturation or structure.
What ingredients should I look for in treats?
The best dog treats for German Shepherds should have natural and healthy ingredients. The ingredients in your dog’s food or treats is very important to their energy level and general well-being. GSD’s are already prone to more health issues than smaller dog breeds so any advantage helps.
Make sure you pick foods with healthy ingredients. This chart below should help when deciding on that next treat for your precious pup.
| Healthy Ingredients | Unhealthy Ingredients |
|---|---|
| omega fatty acids | artificial colors, flavors or preservatives |
| peanut butter | corn |
| fruit such as bananas and apples | wheat |
| veggies such as carrots and kale | gluten |
| real chicken and fish (whole meats) | by-product meat |
| natural honey | grain meals |
| vitamins and minerals | molasses, salt or syrup |
The first three ingredients
The first three ingredients on the dog food label should tell you a lot. Make sure the first ingredient is the high protein meat source such as chicken or duck. Avoid any animal meal or by-products and look for any unnecessary ingredients.
Check the fat and protein content
Look for treats with a lower fat content especially if your dog is old or overweight. Obviously younger pups that are still growing can handle more fat. Also determine the amount of protein and make sure it is high quality.
Avoid toxic foods
Make sure you know which foods are good for your German Shepherd and which foods are toxic. There are certain foods that you definitely want to avoid giving your dog. We wrote a complete article on this subject listing safe foods and toxic foods for your German Shepherd.
What types of proteins in treats are healthy for German Shepherds?
High quality proteins for dogs is a good way to balance out their diet. It is recommended that you make sure your dog has at least 30% protein added to their calorie intake each day.
Healthy Proteins:
- Beef
- Chicken
- Duck
- Oceanfish, Salmon
- Turkey
- Whole Eggs
How to use treats to train your German Shepherd?
The best dog treats for German Shepherds can also be a valuable training tool when it comes to teaching your GSD commands.
Rewarding your Shepherd with a treat after they accomplish a trick is a great way to teach them obedience and guidance.
When you give your dog a treat after giving a command it helps motivate them to do it right again and again because they know they will be rewarded afterwards.
One way of training your German Shepherd is to show them the trick yourself and then help them to mimic it. Each time you do it, help less and less until they can do it on their own.
Then reward them after each try, if it is worth rewarding. Your dog should eventually be able to do the trick on their own just by a simple hand gesture or word.
Then once they have the simple tricks mastered you can move on to more difficult ones. And then you can teach them harder tricks such as how to go through an obstacle course by leading them through the course with the treat held out before them as they follow you.
Conclusion
Hopefully the facts and suggestions listed above helped and gave useful incite on the best dog treats for German Shepherds and how they should be given. There are all types of different brands and products for you to try out there.
You may find your specific dog favors a certain treat more then another, or that he/she likes smaller treats that are easier to digest. They may also like larger ones that have more filling and protein in them.
When it comes to finding the right treat for your German Shepherd your pet should be all for it. Giving them rewards after they accomplish a task or trick will only make them love you more then they already do. So next time you go to the grocery store you may want to consider buying some fun treats for your dog to enjoy.
Overall, treats are a great way to bond with your beloved pet and for them to have a good time while learning new tricks along the way.
Please leave a comment below and let us know what you think!
What are your favorite dog treats for German Shepherds? Let us know if you have any specific treats that helped you with training! We would love to hear about your experiences!
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