“Back from the vets (my personal private doctor, you understand?) for a checkup. I’m fit, healthy, and in good shape.

My hoomons discussed with the vet why it might be that I sometimes nibble my back, and why it might be that I seem to drink quite a bit sometimes. The vet asked it I was given treats.

I’m not sure I can have full confidence in a vet that dismisses all treats out of hand, without knowing what they are, and then suggests using treats from Royal Canin (one of the many brands of that no-good-for-doggies group that includes Pedigree).

This pack of treats has, as two of its three primary ingredients, wheat and wheat gluten. Wheat gluten is widely known as causing trouble in many (not all) dogs and is one of the things widely suggested as removing from your dog’s diet. The Royal Canin instructions even say to keep fresh water available (so not exactly ideal as a substitution when you’re trying to figure out if I’m drinking too much).

The training treats I normally have are wheat/wheat gluten free. And my ‘jackpot treats’ are 100% dried venison (no “meat or animal derivatives” as may be found elsewhere).

The vet suggested that treats are bad for us because they contain salts or sugar. He didn’t bother to ask about mine, that contain neither.

I think I’ll stick with my healthy training treats for now and not try out the Royal Canin version.”

— Summer.