Have you found that there’s some pitfalls in “treating” our Tibetan Mastiff puppies to keep them healthy? To avoid mishappenings I created this FAQ session for you:
Can Mastiff Puppies Eat Any Treats?
Definitely no. Tibetan Mastiff puppies cannot eat “any” treats. Puppies’ stomachs are more sensitive than those of adult dogs, because they have spent less time digesting food.
Therefore, they shouldn’t eat just any treat. You need to feed them the healthiest puppy treats.
Puppies need nutritious, protein-packed food to ensure healthy development, and the same applies to the treats they’re fed. Also, while they are teething, pups should have soft treats that won’t damage their young chompers.
In short: treats for puppies are essentially different from the regular treats adult dogs consume.
What Kind Of Treats Are Good For TM Puppies (And Most Other Dogs As Well)
Many different kinds of treats can be good for puppies. There are dental chews, training treats, crunchies, soft chews, animal parts, human-food, long-lasting, dehydrated, home-made, vegan, organic… Deciding which ones to feed our puppies can be simply overwhelming.
Dental Chews vs. Training Treats For Tibetan Mastiff Puppies
Dental chews are designed to help prevent tartar and plaque build-up. But they cannot replace toothbrushing, and puppy teeth change rapidly, so dental chews are not the best for puppies. They’re better suited for adult dogs with bad breath problems.
On the other hand, training treats are fundamental to educate your Tibetan Mastiff pup during its early days properly.
Training treats are often better if they’re soft instead of crunchy or long-lasting because they are faster and easier for your pup to eat. A training treat should mean an immediate reward for a good action.
Animal Parts Treats For Puppies
Animal parts treats are usually longer-lasting and are sometimes good for keeping your puppy busy chewing for long periods of time.
But you shouldn’t leave it alone chewing some animal parts, such as rawhide, because there’s the risk of choking or suffering internal injuries. This is especially true for strong-jawed Tibetan Mastiff puppies.
You can get dehydrated or freeze-dried animal parts treats at your pet store.
But read the labels carefully before buying, because not every animal part is ok for puppies.
Some of them have high-fat content, while others are too hard to eat during the teething period. Others are simply dangerous for the youngest TM dogs.
Healthiest Treats For Puppy Mastiffs
Home-made, vegan and organic treats are usually among the healthiest treats, because they have less or none artificial ingredients or chemicals that could put your puppies health at serious risk.
Of course, in case you serve home-made treats, you will need to check what ingredients are ideal for your TM puppy, and what ingredients that are healthy for you (a human) but not for your Mastiff (a dog). Big difference!
But the ingredients should be chosen carefully, because not every human-grade food is ok for pups.
How Many Healthy Treats Can A (Mastiff) Puppy Have Per Day?
There’s a 10% rule of treats that tells us how many treats a puppy can have. Treats should provide no more than 10% of the total calories a dog eats per day. Exceeding that limit with too many treats could lead to obesity.
We are tempted to give our puppy a treat every time it looks at us with those cute eyes. But as pet parents, it’s important to resist the temptation.
If it gets too complicated to count the calories of your puppy’s food, just consider the quantities:
If you give your Mastiff puppy 500 grams of food every day, then you should usually not give it more than 50 grams of treats. You can substract those 50 grams from the 500 grams of regular food you feed your pooch per day.
Besides, treats should be used only on special occasions: when your pup learns something new, when it is anxious and could use something to chew, or when it behaves well and deserves a reward.
Otherwise, treats become just regular foods that are eaten outside of mealtime, losing all training or rewarding ower.
What Chew Treats Are Safe For Puppies
Edible and non-splintering chews treats are safe for puppies. Or at least, they are among the safest treats. Bully sticks, for instance, provide long chewing periods of time, and are 100% digestible.
They are made of baked beef muscle, which offers many health benefits.
Chewing is one of your Tibetan Mastiff puppy’s favorite hobbies, so chew treats are important to occupy their time.
These kinds of treats are good when they’re feeling too excited or anxious, and you want them to calm down and relax.
Just be careful to pick safe chew treats, to prevent every possible risk, and don’t leave them alone while chewing.
What About Inedible Dog Chews For Mastiff Puppies
Inedible dog chews are more toys than treats. These chews shouldn’t pose any health risk for puppies if they’re veterinary-approved.
However, strong chewers like Tibetan Mastiffs can break the plastic they’re made of and swallow pieces of them.
If the pieces are small enough and don’t have sharp edges, they’ll pass through – otherwise, they could cause serious harm.
Nylabone Dog Chews For Puppies
Nylabones are very popular dog chews that many pet parents give to their beloved friends.
Nylabones come in various shapes and sizes, and they are mostly made of plastic. So, they shouldn’t eat it – although there are some edible versions.
If you’re asking if nylabones are safe for your puppy, the answer is kinda-yes, unless you don’t carefully follow the instructions.
First of all, you should pick a smaller nylabone for a puppy, but it must be big enough to prevent swallowing.
The company that makes nylabones says that strong chewers can break small pieces of a nylabone, but that it won’t harm its organism. It is their claim and we cannot verify how true that is, scientifically.
What about edible chews? They are generally safe to eat, although their ingredients are not always the healthiest. A common exception to this is non-organic rawhide, which is unsafe for your puppy.
If you want to give your pooch something to chew and eat, there are much better options than edible chews.
What is a good chew treat for puppies?
A good chew treat for puppies are natural – or even better, organic – chews. They are usually the best to keep your dog busy for long periods of time, while maintaining it in good shape with something healthy.
Some animal parts make great chew treats for puppies. We already mentioned bully sticks, but other options, like pig ears, are good for puppies because they provide some of the extra calories they need to keep their high level of activity.
Himalayan Dog Chews Made Of Yak
Pig ears are 100% cartilage. So, they’re fully digestible.
If you prefer something vegetarian, there is the Himalayan all-natural dog chews, made of yak and cow’s milk, with salt and lime juice.
They are offered in different chew densities to fit your pup’s chewing strength.
If you want to soften them, you can just put them in the microwave for a few seconds.
You can even turn them into puffy treats with a crunchy texture, just by soaking them in hot water for a minute.
(However, I personally don’t eat microwaved food and wouldn’t feed it for a pet either.)
Soft Fruitables Treats
Fruitables are among the best treats for your puppy when it is very small, since they are all-natural and sized perfectly for their small mouths and teeth.
Whether it is a Tibetan Mastiff, a french poodle, a labrador or any other breed, your puppy’s wellness is of course a top priority in your life.
I hope the guidelines helps you pick some healthy treats to keep your pup grow into a strong adult dog.
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