Training Treats

[kamuzz]

Wondering what other people use for training treats, especially for dogs that aren't too interested in food?

And how do you carry the treats with you? Just loose in a pocket doesn't seem to work too well.

[Arya]

Though I mainly use a ball to train with now, try soft food like cooked sausages or skinless franks. If the food is soft it will take the dog much less time to swallow and won't be so distracting for the dog when training (no chew, chew, crunch to get it down LOL!). Most people use a bum bag for their treats that I know but if you do, turn it around the back so the dog isn't constantly looking at the bum bag, but up at you. I keep two tennis balls in my bum bag, show them to my dog, then push the bag behind. She knows they are there, works to get them but isn't staring at them. Good luck! Love to know what other people use.

Oh - and stay away from anything that may have onion powder in it in large quantities, like some kinds of sausage or processed meat. Onions are harmful to dogs.

[Arya]

Do you have a GSD? Training with a ball or tug toy may work better if your dog is not highly motivated by food. Mine is but she still works much better for a tennis ball. Greatest training aid in the world for my girl!!!

[SwaY]

Sway didn't like treats but now she does.

We went through snags, fresh ham, dry food, kat food, bbq chicken. Not keen at all.

But now we have found Her fav is the 4 legs Doggy Cool Munchies

$2.49 at Coles.

I use a bait bag here

You can also get balls that clip onto you pants.

[whatevah]

I use these treat bags. You can wash them out, and small enough to go in a pocket. I found feeding Tia less meals, and making her work for her food got her more food motivated. I hand fed her for two weeks.

[KitKat]

I use a bait bag and Ziwipeak dried meat treats

[J...]

I try and use low-fat when I can, so I cook up chicken breasts and cut them up for treats. I put them in a small glad sealable lunch bag and straight in my front jeans pocket. Tried a small black dog bait bag but find the glad bag just as easy

Have looked at the 4legs treats, might get some this arvo

[shoemonster]

I use either ham cut into small squares or offal cooked in a slow oven and cut into small pieces and I put them in a black dog training bag, same as Sways

But my dogs love their food!

[t(AD)pole]

I use a bum bag sometimes or I just have them in my pocket or just in my hand. I use liver treats, bits of leftover chicken, frankfurts.

[ReXy]

we lovvveeee our blackdog treat bag..

. i use a insert with mine so it can be taken out and washed or wiped clean.. i use anything that i have , usualy with roast meats, chicken, sausages or any type of meat i save a bit put in freezer then i always have some sort of treat ready for training.. cut up in tiny pieces.. hot dogs work well,as does cabana, ham ,cheese

[squeak]

I use the "regular" treat bag from Black Dog and love it - originally had the mini treat bag, but eventually found it a bit small for my big clumsy hands. Also, the regular sized one has a spring that will stay open, where the mini one does not.

I have/had a dog that wasn't too motivated by food, but she now sees/knows that treats are a good thing. Reading the book "How Dogs Learn" last night makes me think that I had to teach her that treats were good, ie, make them a conditioned reinforcer. I'd be interested to hear other peoples thoughts on this.

Treats that I use vary from liver treats (low value for low distraction/easy training) to cooked chicken sausage (high value for high distraction/difficult training). Just remember to keep the treat size small because apparently dogs are more interested in the number rather than the size of treats. Also take into consideration the number/types of treats you use and consider adjusting the meals accordingly.

[Kavik]

I use a treat bag, with the treats in a ziplock bag so the treat bag doesn't get too gross.

I use cheese as treats. I have tried other things such as various meats but prefer cheese as I find the smell of the meat on my hands gross, especially in warmer weather Also because I sometimes 'spit' food with Diesel's heeling and prefer the taste of cheese.

[Arya]

The balls that clip onto your pants sound great Sway - I haven't seen those! Does anyone else use a ball rather than treats, even though their dogs work well for treats? I am curious. I found treats great but a ball a hundred, hundred times better with my girl. I was very surprised at the strength of my dog's reaction to ball training. It's a shame that everyone with a ball driven dog can't take one into obedience class though. Imagine - it would be mayhem. Plus, ball training is harder work for the handler I have noticed. What are other thoughts? A bit off topic I suppose but might help if the dog is not treats driven.

[Arya]

Squeak, I agree about the conditioned reinforcer bit. I have found some people in my classes, I have to teach them to virtually teach their dog it is okay to receive a reward after doing something correctly and build the dog's drive to receive it. Some of these people originally worked under the theory that 'my dog should just do it because they love me' LOL or 'If you don't do it you get punished' (makes me mad to see people try to teach a dog something this way). Then my dog had to learn how to accept a ball as the primary reinforcer when she had previously only been having treats. So it was a conditioned reinforcer. I've been doing some reading at this website:

http://animalbehaviour.net

If you're doing the NDTF course next year you might find some of the stuff at this site really interesting Seems to be a good site. Lots of stuff on classical and operant conditioning.

[SwaY]

The balls that clip onto your pants sound great Sway - I haven't seen those! Does anyone else use a ball rather than treats, even though their dogs work well for treats? I am curious. I found treats great but a ball a hundred, hundred times better with my girl. I was very surprised at the strength of my dog's reaction to ball training. It's a shame that everyone with a ball driven dog can't take one into obedience class though. Imagine - it would be mayhem. Plus, ball training is harder work for the handler I have noticed. What are other thoughts? A bit off topic I suppose but might help if the dog is not treats driven.

I have seen many people use weird and wonderful things with there dogs.

What ever works best for the both of you.

Ball clip thingy Many other places sell them aswell.

Sway has become a little more treat driven, but she would rather a cuddle instead.

[Kelpie-i]

Does anyone else use a ball rather than treats, even though their dogs work well for treats? I am curious. I found treats great but a ball a hundred, hundred times better with my girl. I was very surprised at the strength of my dog's reaction to ball training. It's a shame that everyone with a ball driven dog can't take one into obedience class though. Imagine - it would be mayhem. Plus, ball training is harder work for the handler I have noticed. What are other thoughts? A bit off topic I suppose but might help if the dog is not treats driven.

Hi Ayra, how do you go about teaching a complex skill which is made up of of many components with a ball as reward - do you use it as a lure as well as a reward? Do you use the ball as your dog's reward for everything he does? Just interested in your responses.

It has always been my belief and teaching that the dog should choose his reward, not the human

Edited January 2, 2007 by Kelpie-i

[wombatoutofhell]

I use either ham cut into small squares or offal cooked in a slow oven and cut into small pieces and I put them in a black dog training bag, same as Sways

But my dogs love their food!

as my dog who doesn't usually go for treats unless she's hungry will attest to shoey has great treats! we found gemma aproved when she was sprung at training with her nose in shoe's bag wolfing down whatever was in there. whatever else she hasn't learnt from training, at least she learnt how to steal! (gemma, not shoey!)

[sas]

I have a couple of treat bags but I usually always use my jacket pocket.

We usually use a combination between cabonosse and cheese. Leila will do anything for Cheese.

[shoemonster]

Can't beat the ham and chicken home brand roll from Safeway!

Gemma was in with me!!!! (or my bag anyway!)

Edited January 2, 2007 by shoemonster

[leopuppy04]

Bait bags: I use the black dog treat pouch

Treats: depends what i'm doing! High value foods for when we are out and about - 4legs dinners and doggy cool stuff, chicken chunkers, devon & cheese, VIP dog rolls, boiled liver (if I can be bothered) etc, etc. I cut them all up, put them in freezer bags and freeze for when I need them.

For around the house I use a mix of dry food, good-o, schmacko's, Jer-high (they LOVE this!), dried liver, doggy chocolate, natures gifr basically anything I can get my hands on. Basically I again chop all these up, put either in freezer bags or the original bags (air squeezed out and elastic around) and then when I need them they are mixed into an airtight container so I can just grab a handful when needed...

Variety is the key - I like to have a huge selection so that the dogs never know what is coming. It keeps them interested rather than getting bored with what I always serve. With the 'mixed bag' of treats, I also vary what goes in as I don't throw in my whole selection every time etc.

Works a 'treat' for me (sorry, scuse the pun!). Oh and I use pieces big enough that I can throw on the ground and they can find!

ETA - yep I often use a toy for training. Kinta needs work on her toy drive so atm it is play, food, play, pats, play food etc. Leo on the other hand is a toy freak so sometimes he will 'heel' for his toy or do a variety of things for the toys.... one of my main motivators. But for teaching something, I always start with food.... once he has mastered it, the toy generally works better!

Edited January 2, 2007 by leopuppy04