Hi, my name’s Irena and I’m going to talk about the best healthy treats for beagles.
There’s no doubt about it, dogs love food treats and they’re a great way to bond with your dogs.
I have four dogs and they love treats, but it is difficult to know how many to give them. You don’t want to give them too many calories which could lead to obesity.
Treats should make up just 10% of their daily food intake. I try and keep count of how many I give to my pups so that I don’t go over the top.
What are Beagles?
Beagles have been bred for hunting, but they also make great family dogs because of their happy go-lucky personalities.
Because they were bred to hunt in packs, they enjoy company. They are great if you have children as they like lots of playtime.
Beagles are fairly small dogs. In fact they are a small version of the foxhound.
There are two types of beagle, those that are under 13 inches at the shoulder and those that are between 13 and 15 inches.
Both varieties are sturdy and strong and love to dig in the undergrowth. However, because they are scent dogs they might wander off on the trail of some other animal if they’re not on a lead.
Beagles have close hard coats which need little grooming. They come in a variety of colors such as red and white and tricolor.
Their eyes are either brown or hazel and are big and round. They have a broad head with long ears.
What are the Benefits of Giving Your Beagles Treats?
We have already said that giving your beagles treats strengthens the bond between you, but they are good for training purposes as well.
All dogs need positive reinforcement as it makes them more enthusiastic to learn.
In addition, beagles are motivated by their stomachs so treats are an incentive for them to do well in their training sessions.
When training, give your beagles soft treats which are easy to digest. Don’t give them treats which take too long to eat.
They may lose interest in training as they concentrate on their treats instead. Don’t give them too many during the training session as it might make them sleepy.
What Makes the Best Healthy Treats for Your Beagle?
Beagles love their food and have a tendency to put on weight so look for treats that are less than 20 calories per treat.
Make sure that what you give them doesn’t go over their calorie count for the day. Take out the amount you want to give and don’t go over this.
Healthy treats have meat as the first ingredient and should come from an all-natural protein source.
Look for chicken, turkey or beef as one of the top ingredients. If there are other ingredients, make sure that they are vitamins and minerals.
You don’t want to buy treats with artificial additives and colors. There are also treats out there which have nasty chemicals in them such as propylene glycol which is anti-freeze fluid.
You certainly don’t want to give your beagles any treats which contains this.
Another thing to look out for is where the treats were made. Some countries don’t have strict regulations when producing pet food.
However, if you go for treats made in the USA, the EU, Canada, Australia or New Zealand, you should be safe.
Types of Dog Chews for your Beagles
Dental chews are one of the best treats you can give your beagles. Like humans dogs can suffer from gum disease and lost teeth and it can be very hard, if not impossible to brush their teeth.
Gum disease can even lead to organ failure if the bacteria gets into the blood system.
Dental chews can help to remove both plaque and tarter from the teeth of your beagles. They can also stop bad breath.
Some brands contain polyphostate which can help to reduce tartar by 55%. It’s a good idea to avoid dental chews which contain by-product meals and grains.
Empty fillers like wheat, corn and soy have no benefits; in fact they are the complete opposite and can damage the health of your beagles
Other good treats for your beagles include jerky. This is made from lean meat which has had the fat trimmed off.
It is then dried and provides a nutritious and healthy snack for your beagles. There are also chews and biscuits. Treats come in all shapes and sizes like squares and strips.
Why not mix and match the treats to see which your beagles like the best. Mine, however, like everything so I have no problem in giving them treats.
Our Top 6 Healthy Treats for Beagles
1) Pedigree Dentastix Fresh Toy/Small Treats for Dogs
They have been clinically proven to reduce both tarter and plaque build-up. They clean right down to the gum line meaning that they help both gums and teeth.
This particular product is a fresh minty flavor, but they also come in other flavors such as beef, bacon and bacon and cheese.
A great incentive to buy these treats is that they contain polyphosphate which is great for cleaning the teeth.
They do contain more than 20 calories in each stick, but you wouldn’t want to give your beagles more than one a day as they are quite big.
2) Premium Healthy Dog Jerky Treats
In addition to turkey, they contain chicken fat, chickpeas, sweet potatoes and cranberries, as well as zinc and copper.
All of these promote a healthy skin, a shiny coat, muscle strength and strong bones and teeth.
They contain no empty grain fillers like wheat, corn and soy. Your beagles aren’t able to digest these properly and they can cause allergies.
To top it all they smell great to dogs (but perhaps not you) so your beagles will definitely go for them.
3) Old Mother Hubbard Crunchy Classic Natural Dog Treats
They are oven-baked to preserve the flavors so they are very tasty snacks. They are a good choice for training purposes as they don’t take too long to munch through.
The ingredients are all-natural and don’t contain any artificial preservatives. Chicken is one of the ingredients, which is a healthy protein.
There are also veggies and fruit like apples and carrots, and vitamins and minerals including vitamins B 12 and D 3 as well as folic acid and zinc. Your beagle puppies will love these.
4) Blue Pack of 4 Buffalo Treats Bits Dog Treats Pouches
They are small chewy bites which are great for training purposes. They are made with real meat and fish, not by-products.
You get four pouches when you order this item with four different flavors, chicken, salmon, turkey and beef.
The salmon contains plenty of omega 3s and 6s which helps to promote healthy skin and a shiny coat, as well as supporting cognitive development.
They are an excellent choice for growing beagle puppies. In addition, they are grain-free.
There are no empty fillers like corn, wheat or soy which can cause allergic reactions and have no nutritional value.
There are also no artificial preservatives, colors or flavors which is nothing but good for your pups.
5) Wellness Petite Treats Small Breed Grain Free Dog Treats
You can gives your pups a few of these as a reward and know that you’re not exceeding their daily calorie limit.
They are jam-packed full of essential protein. Turkey is the first ingredient and the treats also contain chicken fat.
There are plenty of healthy ingredients in these treats, for example, pomegranate, ginger, chickpeas and rosemary extract. There is also flaxseed which will give your beagles a shiny coat.
There are no empty fillers in these treats like wheat, corn or soy. These have no nutritional value and can cause allergies.
In addition there are no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. These treats are perfect for your beagles as they are all-natural.
6) Chew-e & Tasty Premium Grade 6 inch Bully Sticks
Unlike beef rawhide, which can be difficult to digest, these bully sticks are highly digestible.
They easily break down in the stomach and don’t splinter like some other treats.
Beef has amino acids which give your beagles muscle strength, healthy skin, a shiny coat and helps with brain function.
The beef comes from free-range and grass-fed cows so you know that these treats are high quality.
They are also low in fat and there are no preservatives or chemicals in them. They are low in odor which is always a bonus.
Final Thoughts
As can be seen, there are plenty of different treats to give your beagles and they will probably appreciate all of them.
Dental sticks are good as they help to clean the teeth, but only one should be given each day as they are quite big.
The same goes for bully sticks. Otherwise you can give more of the petite chews and they are good for training when you will want to reward your pups every time they do something right.
Try a variety of treats to see which your beagles like the best. However, I have found that my dogs like everything which makes life very simple.