Snacks & Treats
The Best Snacks & Treats for Pomeranians
Overview
The most important aspect to keep in mind is that these foodstuffs like snacks and treats make up 10 to 30% of a dog's dietary intake, so it's vital to hold these to the same standards that you do for your Pom's meals.
Here, we'll talk about the differences between these, what to avoid and what to look for, and some top recommendations for even super-finicky Pomeranians for wholesome fruits & veggies, store-bought snacks, training treats, dental chews, and regular chews.
Let's dive in.
The Best Wholesome Fruit & Veggie Snacks and Treats for a Pomeranian
There are lots of fruits and vegetables that can be given to Pomeranians for snacks and treats. Many dogs love fruit but may be a bit picky regarding which veggies they find appealing (just like many humans). Generally, the sweeter a food is, the more a Pom puppy or adult will like it; though, texture can certainly play a role as well.
Since fruit and veggies are super healthy, it's worth giving some of these fresh foods a try and seeing what your Pom does and does not like.
Though each Pomeranian is unique, veggies often are best given for snacks in between meals and fruit works best for training rewards as it's seen as more 'high value'.
Fruits
that Poms (and other dogs) can safely eat include: apple (no core, no seeds), blackberries, blueberries, banana, mango, peach (no core, no pit), nectarine (no core, no pit), pear, oranges, raspberries, strawberries, and watermelon.
Be sure to wash all fruit before giving it to your Pom. And while most fruit can be given fresh, some (like berries) can be frozen (which can be a nice treat on hot days and is also good for puppies that are teething).
Note that fruit has natural sugar (fructose and glucose; about a 50/50 ratio with most); however, fructose does not raise blood sugar levels (it's processed by the liver) and the fiber content in most fruit causes glucose to be absorbed slowly. So, there's generally no worries on your Pom getting a 'sugar rush'.
Vegetables
that Poms (and other dogs) can safely eat include: butternut squash, broccoli (limited amount due to possible gas issues), carrots, cauliflower (limited amount due to possible gas issues) green beans, kale, peas, pumpkin (due to its fiber content, is good for stomach issues such as diarrhea
or constipation), spinach, sugar snap peas, and zucchini.
One of the best ways to cook veggies for a Pomeranian is to steam them which helps retain vitamins, though some (like carrots) can be given raw.
Homemade Treats for a Pomeranian, Recipe
Here is a recipe for a veggie-based soft snack that's sure to please the palates of even finicky Poms.
Sweet Potato Puffs
Difficulty Level:
Easy
Ingredients:
• 1 cup brown or white rice flour
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1/4 cup all-natural applesauce
• 1/4 cup diced cantaloupe
• 1/2 banana, mashed
• 3/4 cup sweet potato, cooked (microwaved or boiled) and mashed
• 1 cup finely diced zucchini (you can use zucchini ‘rice’)
• 1 cup of water, divided
You will need
a mixing bowl, cookie sheet and parchment paper.
Directions:
Prep:
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Step 1:
In the mixing bowl, combine all ingredients plus just 1/2 cup of the water. Start with a stirring spoon and transition to hands. The goal is for the mixture to just
stick together. Add more water, 1/8 cup at a time until you reach that consistency.
Step 2:
Use you hands to gently pick up a dollop and transfer it to the cookie sheet. Note that these should not be ‘perfect’ balls. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until the puffs just start to look lightly browned.
Allow the puffs to cool down before feeding them to your Pom and to completely cool before storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Also see
our Home Cooking for Pomeranians
article for more tips and to learn about The Healthy, Wholesome Cookbook for Small Dogs, a full-color PDF eBook (that can be printed off) with 21 homemade meal recipes and 19 homemade snack recipes.
The Best Store-bought Snacks for Pomeranians
Snacks refers to food tidbits given in between meals to keep a Pom happy. With toy breeds, giving snacks plays a role in reducing episode of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). The best snacks for Pomeranians are dry (these may also be labeled as crunchy, baked, 'cookies', or biscuits) since this this type of snack works best to satiate the appetite. Dry snacks are also the best choice to give before car rides and if a Pom has a sensitive tummy.
As with all meals that you feed your Pom, snacks should be free of any additives like synthetic preservatives, coloring dyes, artificial flavoring, by-products, generic meats or oils, and high levels of wheat and ideally made in the USA or Canada (steer clear of any made or sourced in China due to past issues with toxic ingredients that sickened over 5,000 dogs).
Note that we recommend all snacks and treats be preserved naturally with vitamins (often shows as mixed tocopherals) and/or herbs/plants (like rosemary or green tea extract).
Let's look at our top 3 picks for dry, baked snacks:
. We love these for several reasons. Wellness sets the bar in regard to all-natural dog treats, so you can feel confident in that regard. These are also sized perfectly for Pomeranians and other toy and small breeds. And the flavor combo of this (chicken, cherries, and spearmint) is super-unique. Note that other yummy combos (like their turkey and pomegranate) are soft treats, which are awesome if you're looking for that type).
. These small baked snacks are a super healthy all-natural choice. There are 3 awesome flavor combos: peanut butter & bananas, pumpkin & sweet potato, and berries (which has cranberries, cherries, and blueberries).
.We love fruitables for their wholesome goodness; as with all of our top choices, these are all-natural with no additives. And the flavor options are out of this world. These particular ones all have a pumpkin base which is absolutely ideal for Pomeranians with sensitive stomachs. There is pumpkin & banana, pumpkin & apple, pumpkin & cranberry, and pumpkin & blueberry.
The Best Store-bought Training Treats for Pomeranians
As we touched on earlier, the words snacks and treats are often interchanged but there's actually a big difference between dog snacks and dog training treats. Training treats are given any time you wish to send a strong message that your Pom has done a good job (or at least tried hard). So, this includes when you're housebreaking, command training, working on heeling, and other times. Sometimes, it's just to say, 'good dog!' if they're behaving nicely.
There are a few key differences in the qualities of training treats vs. snacks. Training treats should be very small (as to not interfere with a Pom's appetite, since these may be given out multiple times in one training session), moist (may be labeled as chewy or soft) since most dogs prefer this over dry and the goal is to give them something really special, and packed with flavor. In addition, any treat you give to your Pomeranian as a reward should never be given at other times as a normal snack.
These elements will help the treats be seen as 'high value' which gives them the biggest impact.
And, of course, as with all goodies, treats should be all-natural without additives, made of quality ingredients (no by-products or generic meats or oils), without high levels of wheat, fillers, and ideally made in the USA or Canada (steer clear of any made or sourced in China due to past issues with toxic ingredients that sickened over 5,000 dogs).
Let's look at our top 3 picks for training treats:
. Despite the name, these are ideal for Poms of all ages and you may actually need to break these in half for very small pups. There's lots to love about these since Wellness is an awesome company that keeps all additives out of their dog treats (and kibble and canned food). This flavor combo is lamb & salmon which are excellent flavors for sending a clear message of a reward.
. This has everything you're looking for in a training treat that your Pom will be eager to earn. As you can see by the name, these are human-grade and organic, and there's limited all-natural ingredients. Note that Full Moon also makes stick chews and larger chewy snacks, but for the purposes of picking the best training treats, we are referring to their chicken (a yummy classic flavor dogs love) and duck (for a super savory taste) training treats which are sized ideally for small dogs like the Pomeranian.
. We can't imagine a list like this without Zuke's being on it since everything in their line of dog goodies is all-natural and wholesome. These are perfect treat rewards if you're doing command training, heeling, or another type of training with your Pom in which multiple treats will be given in succession. We especially love the flavor options including rabbit (an awesome strong flavor for reward), salmon, pork, duck, chicken, and peanut butter & oats.
The Best Dental Chews for a Pomeranian
Taking care of your Pom’s teeth is such an important part of care and can save your dog from a great deal of pain and eventual tooth loss, and can even extend their life span. All dogs are vulnerable to tooth decay, periodontal disease (gum infection that can eventually erode the jaw bone), and gingivitis; however, this is a particular concern for toy breeds like the Pomeranian.
One of the best methods to keep a dog's teeth in good shape is to brush them using a quality toothbrush and paste
and have routine vet checkups. However, offering a daily dental chew also plays a big role in maintaining good dental hygiene, keeping destructive plaque at bay, and even combating bad breath issues.
Let's look at our top 2 picks for dental chews:
Greenies is a very popular dental chew for good reasons. This is the first dog treat to be VOHC accepted (Veterinary Oral Health Council) and there are lots of choices including original, grain-free, senior, weight-management, and more.
In addition, dental chews have to be very hard (that is how they work to remove plaque from a dog's teeth), so making sure the sizing is right is vital. Greenies does that with many size options; this 'teenie' design is for dogs that weigh between 5 and 15 lbs. Note that as with all dog dental chews, this should only be given under supervision and if a piece breaks off, it should be picked up and disposed of.
.These are a relatively new recommendation and we're excited to tell you why we picked these up on our radar. These are dental sticks (which some dogs prefer) and have super-healthy ingredients including chicken, flaxseed, apple pectin, carrots, blueberry, chia seeds, and cranberries. There's no synthetic preservatives; instead, they use a vitamin blend (shows as mixed tocopherals), green tea extract, and parsley. These are made in the USA and are sized for small dogs. If your Pom is in the 5 or 6 lb. range, you may want to give them 1/2 a stick per day and if they are closer to 10 lbs, give a full stick.
The Best Edible Chews for Pomeranians
While snacks and treats can be gulped down pretty quick (often in the blink of an eye), dog chews are meant to take a bit longer. These are for dogs that have strong chewing urges and like to work their jaws. But do note that if you want something to last days (or longer), you're best bet is to offer a fun chew toy
instead.
Popular types of edible chews, but ones that you should steer clear of, are rawhides and pig ears. These should not be given to Poms (or any other dogs) because they are linked to upset stomachs and serious issues including intestinal blockage and choking.
Fortunately, there are a couple of fantastic rawhide alternatives for Pomeranian puppies and dogs.
Let's take a look at our top 2 picks for chews:
. If you don't yet know about yak cheese treats, you're about to have a nice surprise. These are a great alternative to rawhides and most, like these, have very limited ingredients (namely, cheese made from Himalayan yak milk, along with lime juice and salt).
But many yak chews are made for dogs in general and are much too big for Pomeranians. The good news is that these particular ones are designed with small dogs in mind, so they're perfectly sized for Poms. All Himalayan yak chews are sourced from the Himalayas in Nepal and these are packaged in the US (Virginia).
.These are limited ingredient, all-natural turkey chews that are made for small and medium-sized dogs. The 3 ingredients are turkey, vegetable glycerin (a sweet substance made from coconut or palm oil that helps make these treats not overly hard), and salt (salt is common in chews, so just be sure your Pom has access to their water). These are both sourced and packaged in the USA.
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