Animal Nutrition

Like many pet products, dog treats of the 21st century have improved greatly on their earlier versions. Instead of just giving pooches a tasty reward, these modern morsels can also help to promote wellness, develop canine hunting instincts, and even disguise dreaded medications.

So if your four-legged friend could benefit from a savory snack that packs an additional punch, try introducing him to a new nibble for the new year. To help you discover a different kind of delicacy, our friends at Zootoo rounded up some of their favorite dog treats with a little something extra.

Simple and delicious, Dog Joy Sweet Potato Treats from Freshpet feature one ingredient only - sweet potatoes, making these healthful snacks rich in such goodies as beta carotene, vitamin C, and dietary fiber. And if the solid nutritious value isn't enough to tantalize your pooch, our canine reviewer devoured the taste of these morsels, quickly making them a favorite.


To help promote good cardiac health for your canine, try Happy Heart Chicken Breast Jerky Treats from Dogswell. These snacks use cage-free chicken breast, a pesticide-free component that's also good for the environment, to create a delectable taste for dogs. And even more impressive is what's not on the ingredient list: Dogswell's Happy Heart Treats are free of by-products.


Save yourself the hassle of getting your pooch to take his medication with Greenies Pill Pockets. These ingeniously designed snacks have a hollowed-out center to create a perfect resting space for your canine's capsules, and our tester dog flipped for the smell and taste of these time-saving treats.


Combining the appeal of a chew toy with the flavor of a delicious treat, Occupi Crunchy Busy Bars from Petstages have a unique texture and shape that provide a stimulating surface to keep your dog engaged in chewing. And for additional fun, the Busy Bars can be used with the Occupi line of treat toys, challenging your dog to use his wits and encouraging his hunting instinct.


A tasty snack made with real chicken and rice, Healthy Rewards Low Fat Canine Treats from iVet help to prevent obesity and related complications with a formula containing ingredients such as flaxseed. And our tester pooch couldn't resist the meaty flavor and chewable texture of these morsels.

You know that moment when you're at a restaurant, deep in conversation with whomever you're with, and you notice the waiter approaching the table with your plates? What happens? You maintain your cool, continue the conversation and pretend like you didn't see the waiter. That's what happens on the outside. But on the inside you do a little dance of joy. What if you did a handstand in the middle of the joint? That would be inappropriate. Unless you were a puppy. Then everyone would love you. The point is that puppies don't have to observe manners and we do, and that's not fair. Stupid civilization.

Meet Kevin. Kevin is a baby sulcata tortoise, and he just loves tomatoes. Unfortunately, Kevin also seems to have very poor depth perception, so it makes eating his favorite snack something of a project. He's having a real hard time getting a mouthful of that food, but he's not about to quit anytime soon. He's a tortoise, after all. He has all the time in the world, and knows the old proverb, "Slow and steady wins the tomato."

How to Ward Off Holiday Weight Gain in Pets
By Dr. Ernie Ward via Vetstreet

We're in the final stretch of that terrible trifecta of weight gain: Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's. The 39 days in between these holidays offer a multitude of meals for your family to gorge upon. The trouble is that we also share these food celebrations with our pets, resulting in the accumulation of unwanted pounds for all of us.

By the time the last bit of confetti has fallen, many of us are in desperate need of a fresh start - and a diet. So what's an animal lover to do? How can we share the holidays with our pets in a more healthful manner?

SEE ALSO: Few Cat Lovers Know Risks of Obese Felines

The good news is that, with a little planning, we can party with our pets without feeding them unhealthy and fattening foods. Here are some cardinal tips for keeping your pets in fighting shape this holiday season.

1. Obey People Food Rules
Let's get one thing clear: I know the majority of you are going to feed your pets from the table. Guess what? Me, too. Perhaps the biggest myth hoisted upon pet owners is that "people food" is bad for pets.

With very few exceptions - grapes, raisins, some nuts and chocolate come to mind - if you're eating healthy fare, chances are that you can share some of it with your pet. My no-no's: anything fried, breaded, glazed or enhanced with extra fat and goodness, as well as bread, fatty meats and decadent sweets that tend to populate party plates.

Just bear in mind that any sudden change in a pet's diet can cause gastrointestinal upset, such as vomiting and diarrhea. Fatty and rich foods can also lead to pancreatitis.

This is simultaneously the cutest, funniest, and most heartbreaking video you'll watch all week. According to her owners, Bella here was diagnosed with congenital megaesophagus when she was 4 months old. Basically what that means for Bella is that she can't swallow food properly while horizontal, the way a dog normally stands while eating. And so Bella uses this special device--called a Bailey Chair--to allow her to eat. Although Bella's disability is sad, it helps to see how obediently and happily she uses her Bailey Chair in order to chow down as eagerly as any other dog.