Feeding Meals Through Training - Raw

[Red Fox]

I have been doing a lot of marker training with my dog lately and although I have cut down meal portions he has put on weight. I'm not happy with this so rather than feed two meals per day I would like to feed one meal on a night and the rest through several training sessions through-out the day.

As I feed raw this makes things rather difficult as RMBs are rather in-appropriate training treats and raw meat can be sticky and messy. Cooked meat is okay but fairly expensive, can be messy (flaky) and time consuming to prepare when you are using a lot of it.

So 3 questions;

1) We're currently using VIP Chicken Chunkers as a training treat, they work well - cheap, convenient, soft, easy to break up for smaller rapid rewards, tasty... But would they be considered to be a balanced meal? http://www.vippetfoods.com.au/dogfood/fres...n+Chunkers/1kg/

2) Any ideas from raw feeders on what else to try? (Must be small, soft and palatable)

3) Suggesions for a tasty premium dry food, small-ish sized kibble? Particularly one that can be bought in 3kg bags or under? Ziwi Peak looks great but from what I understand it is more like jerky/dried meat than kibble? (Can anyone clarify?) In which case it may not be suitable..

I'm considering using dry for training under low level distraction.

My dog is a large breed Adult (Rhodesian Ridgeback), 2 years old.

[spottychick]

I actually use the Nature's Gift semi-dry kibble for training. IT's very small pieces, the dogs love it (and so does my friends dog who normally wont eat kibble) - I also occassionally use their treats for the same purpose. Sort of like Smackos.

I'm not a strict enough raw feeder to advise on that side of things tho LOL I use cheese and roast chicken as high value treats. I even sometimes use cereal like Cheerios and Nutrigrain.

I should probably stop now before I give away any more hahahahaha

[poodlefan]

I'd prefer 4Legs over Chunkers. 4Legs is quite popular as a training treat.

I tend to use things like roast chicken, cheese or cabanossi.

[Red Fox]

I actually use the Nature's Gift semi-dry kibble for training. IT's very small pieces, the dogs love it (and so does my friends dog who normally wont eat kibble) - I also occassionally use their treats for the same purpose. Sort of like Smackos.

I'm not a strict enough raw feeder to advise on that side of things tho LOL I use cheese and roast chicken as high value treats. I even sometimes use cereal like Cheerios and Nutrigrain.

I should probably stop now before I give away any more hahahahaha

Yes, we have our "special treats" too. But they get saved for "special" work ;)

Do you have a link to the Natures Gift kibble? I am presuming it is available form the supermarket?

We use the NG Motivators sometimes too.

[spottychick]

I actually use the Nature's Gift semi-dry kibble for training. IT's very small pieces, the dogs love it (and so does my friends dog who normally wont eat kibble) - I also occassionally use their treats for the same purpose. Sort of like Smackos.

I'm not a strict enough raw feeder to advise on that side of things tho LOL I use cheese and roast chicken as high value treats. I even sometimes use cereal like Cheerios and Nutrigrain.

I should probably stop now before I give away any more hahahahaha

Yes, we have our "special treats" too. But they get saved for "special" work ;)

Do you have a link to the Natures Gift kibble? I am presuming it is available form the supermarket?

We use the NG Motivators sometimes too.

Yes it's at Woolworths and IGA and probably other places.

LINK

They actually sell the "wag" treats at my local Chicken Feed (Two Dollar type store)!

[Red Fox]

I'd prefer 4Legs over Chunkers. 4Legs is quite popular as a training treat.

I tend to use things like roast chicken, cheese or cabanossi.

Are they better form a nutritional perspective or just a personal preferance? 4Legs contain coconut which I'm allergic to so I've not used them before.

My dog does not like cabinossi. We do use cheese and left-over roast occasionally but more for drive work than marker training

[Red Fox]

Yes it's at Woolworths and IGA and probably other places.

LINK

They actually sell the "wag" treats at my local Chicken Feed (Two Dollar type store)!

Thanks SC

[VJB]

I use TuckerTime as training treats, as Heidi loves loves loves it, as well as it is a very good food. Available from pet supply stores or your vet, it comes in a log which I cut and dice up and put into little bags in my freezer. I can cut the pieces up very small... probably better than the Chunkers, and it is less crumbly. Great value for money too.

Not sure if this is exactly the type of food you are after,... but its good stuff, soft and palatable.

[bumpties]

Ziwipeak works great over here - I do a lot of feeding/training on walks and need something that won't go off (especially in hot weather) and won't oil or slime up my hands (the venison and fish variety seem to have the stiffest texture compared to the others). Also found that my guy sometimes chokes on kibble when we train but the ziwipeak jerky stuff he can swallow with no dramas.

As a side note: if you spill a bag of kibble - it rolls everywhere! Jerky stays put.

[JulesP]

The Happy Paws treats advertised on here are good. Little bits of dried meat.

The 4 Leggs puppy food are smaller in size and don't have coconut on them from memory. My Coles has them but not Safeway for some reason. I prefer the ingredients in 4 Leggs.

[RuralPug]

Training treats I use : bits of cheese for high value, for everyday bits of apple or (dons flame suit) cat kibble.

Sometimes I chop up a roo stick or emu stick into slices and offer those - they keep for ages but are a real pain to chop.

[Red Fox]

I use TuckerTime as training treats, as Heidi loves loves loves it, as well as it is a very good food. Available from pet supply stores or your vet, it comes in a log which I cut and dice up and put into little bags in my freezer. I can cut the pieces up very small... probably better than the Chunkers, and it is less crumbly. Great value for money too.

Not sure if this is exactly the type of food you are after,... but its good stuff, soft and palatable.

Yep, that's the type of thing I'm after. I've tried a few dog logs but haven't found one that my dog really loves yet, or that I think is great in the nutritional stakes. I have heard of TuckerTime but not tried it. Is it available online? (I suppose not being a refridgerated food..). No pet supply stores here as I'm in a rural area so I'm limited to what I can buy at IGA/Woolies?Big W or online. Our local vet only stocks dry and canned foods.

[ish]

The Happy Paws treats advertised on here are good. Little bits of dried meat.

They're fantastic - my dogs go bananas for them The tuna fudge is soft and would be ideal in this situation

[Red Fox]

Ziwipeak works great over here - I do a lot of feeding/training on walks and need something that won't go off (especially in hot weather) and won't oil or slime up my hands (the venison and fish variety seem to have the stiffest texture compared to the others). Also found that my guy sometimes chokes on kibble when we train but the ziwipeak jerky stuff he can swallow with no dramas.

But is it chewy or soft? How big are the pieces?

The Happy Paws treats advertised on here are good. Little bits of dried meat.

The 4 Leggs puppy food are smaller in size and don't have coconut on them from memory. My Coles has them but not Safeway for some reason. I prefer the ingredients in 4 Leggs.

My silly dog doesn't like the Happy Paws treats But then again I'd prefer a soft, moist food over a dry treat anyway.

I haven't seen the puppy version of the 4Paws, I'll keep an eye out for it.

Training treats I use : bits of cheese for high value, for everyday bits of apple or (dons flame suit) cat kibble.

Sometimes I chop up a roo stick or emu stick into slices and offer those - they keep for ages but are a real pain to chop.

I use cat kibble too Dog loves it but it's not great to make a meal out of.

[Red Fox]

The Happy Paws treats advertised on here are good. Little bits of dried meat.

They're fantastic - my dogs go bananas for them The tuna fudge is soft and would be ideal in this situation

I haven't tried the tuna. The bag I got was mixed flavours and dopey dog screwed his nose up

I would prefer something nutritionally balanced though if I'm going to substitute meals on a regular basis ;)

[JulesP]

Watch preservatives in some of the rolls. 4 Leggs do a roll too now. I've used that before for training.

[ness]

Why not use raw meat SecretKei - I have been chopping up chicken necks into bite sized bits as I have been doing some metal article work with Kenz using a clicker and food. Raw mince rolled into balls or even just a teaspoon at a time.

[kirst_goldens]

I'd prefer 4Legs over Chunkers. 4Legs is quite popular as a training treat.

I tend to use things like roast chicken, cheese or cabanossi.

+ 1

[bedazzledx2]

I feed raw and I also clicker train with LOTS of food. My boy puts on weight easily (he's a good doer!) so I had to really think about what I use in training. Some nights his entire food allowance for the day will come in training. I use chopped up chicken necks (he swallows whole chicken necks anyway so I chop them up into bite size bits), a whole lamb kidney (jackpot!), whole raw sardines, lamb tongue chopped up, roo meat, chunkers and cheese for my pockets. The more gooey stuff goes into small flat plastic containers with click lids that fit into my pockets. You can get them at Coles and they have blue click lids.

I don't cook any of it and on other nights he will get a whole chicken carcass or goat bones. Most nights he does some form of training for dinner however it comes!

I have been doing a lot of marker training with my dog lately and although I have cut down meal portions he has put on weight. I'm not happy with this so rather than feed two meals per day I would like to feed one meal on a night and the rest through several training sessions through-out the day.

As I feed raw this makes things rather difficult as RMBs are rather in-appropriate training treats and raw meat can be sticky and messy. Cooked meat is okay but fairly expensive, can be messy (flaky) and time consuming to prepare when you are using a lot of it.

So 3 questions;

1) We're currently using VIP Chicken Chunkers as a training treat, they work well - cheap, convenient, soft, easy to break up for smaller rapid rewards, tasty... But would they be considered to be a balanced meal? http://www.vippetfoods.com.au/dogfood/fres...n+Chunkers/1kg/

2) Any ideas from raw feeders on what else to try? (Must be small, soft and palatable)

3) Suggesions for a tasty premium dry food, small-ish sized kibble? Particularly one that can be bought in 3kg bags or under? Ziwi Peak looks great but from what I understand it is more like jerky/dried meat than kibble? (Can anyone clarify?) In which case it may not be suitable..

I'm considering using dry for training under low level distraction.

My dog is a large breed Adult (Rhodesian Ridgeback), 2 years old. :D

[Red Fox]

Why not use raw meat SecretKei - I have been chopping up chicken necks into bite sized bits as I have been doing some metal article work with Kenz using a clicker and food. Raw mince rolled into balls or even just a teaspoon at a time.

Hmmm now that's an idea. Roo mince is too sloppy for that but beef may work. My last meatball making expedition wasn't too successful, but plain mince would be a go-er. My only issue with raw meat is it's just a bit messy and gets stuck to my hands.

lol you should know I've done the raw meat before though anyway - roo soaked in sardine oil as our extra special TID treat ..eewwwww

bedazzledx2;

Thanks for the tip on the containers, I will keep an eye out for them I do use chopped chicken necks occasionally. My only prob with them is that they are very high value and if used too often he decides he will not work for anything less. So they are saved for high distractions and jackpot rewards only. And yep, 99% of the time there is some form of training for dinner, even if it's just giving me eye contact whilst waiting for his release to eat - not much free food in this house!