Training Treats

[Starkehre]

I use different treats for different situations/dogs, depending on what I am aiming to achieve, which discipline I am working on at that time, the amount or cardio and movement involved from the dog, how much space I have to store them on my person, what I am wearing, the valued I require, if I can stomach storing it in my mouth , spitability, tossability, and the weather.

So, depending on the above it will usually be one or a combination of the following:

prepackaged semi moist treats (don't use them often as they are lower value than most other treats, but they are quick and easy)

cubed mild tasty cheese (I find the Devondale does not break up)

boiled and cubed beef

boiled and cubed chicken

cubed devon

sliced frankfurts

sliced twiggies or cabana

dried liver

liver bread (if someone nice has given me some as I still has not got around to making a batch myself )

A tip when boiling your own meat for training treats/bait is once cooked, put straight into a collendar for straining and drying, then still in the collendar onto a saucer and into the fridge as soon as practical. I do not seal them into a container prior to cutting. I leave the cooked meat in the fridge this way for at least a few hrs, so it is really cold and starting to dry out a bit, then I cube it up to the desired size and store in my small containers. I still do not put the lids on for a couple of days in the fridge, otherwise they get too moist and stain your pocket and they go off sooner also. If I am still using them over 3 days later, they are usually pretty dry by then, so I pop a lid on them and I can usually get around 4-6 days out of a batch once cooked. I don't usually cook enough that it will last me that long anyway. I do boil treat meat with a reasonable amount of salt added to the water. This assists with palatability and storage. My dogs do not get enough treats for the salt content to be of any concern.

Edited March 8, 2011 by dyzney