Wheat, corn and/or soy are usually the main ingredients used in making dog treats that are now known to contribute to allergies in dogs.  Many dog lovers are finding that these ingredients rank very high on the list for contributing to irritating allergies. This may cause dogs to scratch and itch and even can produce redness and tearing in their eyes. Many of us have ignored these habits thinking it's just a normal thing for dogs to scratch but if your dog doesn't have fleas then it's not the case.  Dogs itch and scratch because something is irritating them.

If you have a dog with these "normal?" habits, first try eliminating wheat, corn and soy from their diets. If you don't see a reduction in the scratching in a few days then see a veterinarian because it could be an allergy reaction to something else or due to some other causes.

We're seeing more and more dog treat products with no wheat, corn or soy and the producers are publishing this on the packaging.  Bakeries are substituting oats, barley, spelt, potatoes, carrots and other ingredients that don't seem to be as great a cause for allergies for dogs.

There are also dog treats that are in the form of jerky. Many of the new jerky products are not the hard, dried pieces that are hard to chew and digest but are baked and produce a soft easy to chew treat. They don't contain any grains. Some have added vitamins and other supplements such as glucosamine and chondroitin.

Some dog lovers are avoiding grains altogether which is creating more interest in "freeze dried" food products for pets. These tend to be more expensive because there are no inexpensive ingredients such as grains. These products usually come in two varieties; 100% meat or a combination of meat and vegetables. The 100% meat can be chicken, turkey, beef, lamb, salmon or duck and are usually cut into chunks that can be given as a treat without having to add water. These freeze dried meats can also be rehydrated with water and added to cooked vegetables or other ingredients. The combination freeze dried meat and vegetables can be used as a complete meal. These are also great when you're traveling or camping out. They have a long shelf life which makes them ideal for the emergency locker as well.

And check out the list of ingredients on all those items your giving your dog, it could make a big difference in their overall health and wellbeing. Remember, if you can't pronounce some of those ingredients, then it is a good bet that it's not good for your dog.

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Article author Ron Case writes for the web site www.justwheatfreedogtreats.com.

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