Training Treats

[Hunny]

In a couple of weeks, we start dog school with our soon to be 4 month old lab puppy.

I've been advised to bring 'treats' for training, and am wondering what is the best to use. My last dog I'm sure, was born ready trained, and I didn't use treats at all....but I've a feeling this one will definately need them!

Thank you!

Edited May 18, 2011 by Hunny

[kitkatswing]

I use Good O's broken up into smaller peices My pup doesnt get these normally, only when training..

[wuffles]

Usually smelly, semi-wet food will get the best results

Devon, frankfurts or cabanossi

Small cubes of cheese

Leftover cooked meat/roast

BBQ chicken

I do use kibble or other hard treats as a 'we have nothing in the fridge' or 'oh no I didn't bring enough treats to training and my dog is being really good today' reward, but it depends on the dog as to whether that would work or not. Mine is a garbage disposal unit.

[bedazzledx2]

For a puppy I use soft food that doesn't crumble easily. Remember his tummy is still small and you have to be careful not to fill him up too quickly, so cut the pieces up into small bits that you can still handle. I use puppy chunkers or 4 legs or dog sausage, all available from the supermarket, and cheese. Factor in training treats into his meals...its all food intake. At least one of my puppie's meals is doled out in training if not more...depends on how dedicated I am that day! :D

Later on when they become foody you can use kibble, but for obedience classes its not a good idea..you don't want him choking on a hard piece of kibble

[megan_]

tiny pieces of semi-hard/soft roast chicken prepared by me (the bought stuff is full of crap). I use chicken tighs and I only use a small amount - the pieces should be teeny tiny for training.

If I'm lazy I use 4 Legs. Again, you only need a few (I'd take 2 for a puppy and chop them up finely).

[Kobi'sDaisy]

Just like others have said anything smelly! We use fritz, cheese, apple I also make my own with pet mince and/or livers which i pinch/cut into tiny pieces and place into the oven on the lowest heat for a few hours until they dry out puppy loves them and they keep for ages!

[sas]

I marinate steak with Garlic for 2 days and then cook......only for Dante's drive training! For non drive training he pretty much works for anything meat or diary.

The puppy gets unmarinated steak, devon, cheese, dried sardenes.

The oldie gets anything that resembles food which she thinks is awesome.

For puppy school take HEAPS of whatever you choose to go with, keep in mind Cheese can upset puppy tummies if given loads of. I'd also reccomend a mix of items in the bag so puppy doesn't get bored of just the same reward each time.

Edited May 19, 2011 by MEH

[JulesP]

Don't give puppy breakfast either Hunny. That way those treats will be even more yummy!

[~*Shell*~]

Zero gets a whole lot of different treats but usually it's devon (which is called fritz or polony depending on which state you're in), cheese or bbq chicken.

Some other weird things are banana, apple or broccoli but they're only when we're training at home - I think i would get laughed at if i cracked out the banana at training

Essentially you want something that's going to be able to be swallowed quickly and that is going to be easy to delivered to them without you having to fiddle around with it. I find devon or cheese is the best for that but bbq chicken doesn't do too badly either.

[Kavik]

I use cheese

[bedazzledx2]

Me too...all my dogs love cheese and its easy for them to see for 2 food games and catching.

I use cheese

[Pippi]

The best treats will be whatever your dog considers to be of high value. Doesn't matter what anyone else uses.

Use something your dog loves and will work for. Whatever that is, it will be reinforcing to your dog. Try a few things that others have mentioned and then judge which your dog loves most.

[Beth.]

I use anything really - but super smelly, easy to eat food is the best!

My usual training treats would be:

Cheese

BBQ chicken, or any other meat

Cherrios (the little red sausages)

Chunkers or 4 legs

Dog meat roll

Sometimes kibble if I don't have much else

As someone else said - cut into little pieces!! You will learn what your dog really loves as you try different treats

[Tay.]

Fritz! And occasionally cheese and hot dogs, in small pieces.

With my dog, training treats are 'special', something she only gets in training.

[lilmisssascha83]

Fritz! And occasionally cheese and hot dogs, in small pieces.

With my dog, training treats are 'special', something she only gets in training.

I use cabanossi, cheese, liver treats, kangaroo treats, bacon bits. Stuff that you can break easily or break into little pieces. My Labrador does like apples, pear and carrot so I cut them up before I go to class. Fingers crossed that she passes the beginners course next weekend. And remember to monitor the food intake of your puppy.

[Kitteh]

I use raw meat for Harper (beef, pork,lamb) diced very, very small. Also use cocktail franks, dried liver, bbq chicken.

Generally don't feed him in the morning if I know that he's going to training ( puppy school, and now puppy kinder or crate games )

[Pretty Miss Emma]

Sometimes I'll make up bags that have only one thing other times I'll mix it up. If I use dry food I try to keep it with the soft smelly food for a while because it softens and takes on the smell of the yummies!

My bag of tricks includes:

Dry dog food

Dry kitten food

Dried whitebait (cat treats)

Liver treats

Natures Gift treats (the straps and the little bits like balls)

Devonloaf

Hotdogs

Sausages

Roast chicken

4 legs or chunkers

cheese

Chopped up meat

Agree with what everyone else said, make it tiny pieces (my girls are BC's and each tiny piece is about .5cm sq) and have heaps and heaps!! Oh and make sure you put it in something that is easy to access - a sandwich size ziplock bag is good (don't use a big plastic bag from the fruit section, you'll end up spending all your time trying to wrangle the bag to get to your treats!!!).

[Hunny]

Goodness!! I cant' believe what dogs are fed for treats...it's been a real eye-opener for me, and I'm sure puppy is going to love dog school for sure now! Will definately take into consideration what she is fed as treats, as to what she is fed for the day. Dog school is at night time, so I think she will be so tired she won't want to eat her dinner when she comes home either.

Thank you everyone for your input. The most she get's as a little treat at the moment is a cat biscuit..and that is only every now and then!

[fuzzy82]

Around the house we use commercially made treats from the pet store. They work fine in a low distraction environments.

In training classes and on walks we use human foods, like ham, cheese, pepperoni, cheerios, kabanas etc.

Lately I have been making my own dog treats, which is very quick and simple and the dogs love it. I get a tin of tuna or salmon (or even cat food, the dogs loooove it) mix in a bowl with 2-3 eggs, mix in some flour, then put in oven for 20-25 minutes on 175 degrees. Let it cool and then cut it up into small treats and put in small bags. I freeze what I won't need the next day, and each bag contains just enough for one training class.

Edited May 19, 2011 by fuzzy82

[Kitteh]

Around the house we use commercially made treats from the pet store. They work fine in a low distraction environments.

In training classes and on walks we use human foods, like ham, cheese, pepperoni, cheerios, kabanas etc.

Lately I have been making my own dog treats, which is very quick and simple and the dogs love it. I get a tin of tuna or salmon (or even cat food, the dogs loooove it) mix in a bowl with 2-3 eggs, mix in some flour, then put in oven for 20-25 minutes on 175 degrees. Let it cool and then cut it up into small treats and put in small bags. I freeze what I won't need the next day, and each bag contains just enough for one training class.

Oooh, I think I'll give that a go. How much flour do you put in?

Edited May 19, 2011 by Kitteh