Best High Value Treats?

[antisense]

My pup just doesn't seem that food oriented unless it is right before mealtime and he's hungry.

 

He doesn't seem to care very much about dehydrated liver and unless the mood hits him.

He will usually eat milkbones, but not if he has to work for them.

He will only eat purebites whitefish if he is really hungry (then again, I turn my nose at those too... stinky!).

He seems to be a fan of freeze dried cheese. Haven't tried fresh cheese yet since nobody in the house eats it.

He does like my leftover pan fried chicken breast...

 

Wondering what you guys use as treats for training purposes.

[cozmicdog]

Turkey hot dog, sliced into thin pieces, and microwaved just enough to make them not soft, but before they turn into too chewy jerky. MY guys love this!

[OwnedBySummer]

Summer also isn't overly food motivated. Dehydrated lung works for her and cheese probably would, too (but I don't want cheese in my treat pouch). However, when we were learning agility, I used her adorable "plant my forehead against Momma's thighs and get hugs and kisses" as her reward for successfully doing a piece of equipment. Can you do something like that instead? Or use a favorite toy as a reward?

Edited October 8, 2012 by OwnedBySummer

[greytlucy]

I couldn't find a commercial treat that motivated my dog so used roast beef, cooked chicken, salmon, cheese and natural hot dogs.

 

One day the groomer showed me some treats though adn told me she'd given a couple to my dog and he loved them. They came from Costco. They no longer have them in the warehouse but still available on line. My dog will do ANYTHING for these treats. It's amazing to me really. I tell everyone about them so that Costco won't stop carrying them(Drs Foster and Smith has them too but they're a lot more expensive there). I get the peanut butter ones. http://www.costco.com/Pampered-Pets-USA-Peanut-Butter-%2526-Honey-or-Cheddar-Cheese-Dog-Cookies.product.11711683.html

[Sambuca]

Stella and Chewy dehydrated carnivore treats and dehydrated meals made all the dogs in class go nuts for me. String cheese is good too. Merrick has small sausage things that go over well and some dried tripe patties that are a favorite. Cloud Star buddy biscuits and training treats are great too. All the goodies are made in the U.S. And can be found with no chicken or lamb in them (some it depends on the flavor you buy).

[Guest Giselle]

I've never had a dog turn down real meat. Plain boiled chicken, turkey, pork, beef (if I'm feeling splurgey).

[racindog]

Some dogs just don't have good food drive and never will. Probably your only hope if you want to use a food reward may be to keep him hungry and I know you wouldn't want to do that. Perhaps he has a high prey drive and you could use a toy/play for a reward. Most working dogs with good prey drive greatly prefer a toy reward/play to a food reward. Even if he does he may not automatically make the "connection". You will need to build up engagement and work on tug etc. to perhaps even teach him the toy/play reward.

[Guest PiagetsMom]

Working with Maya, I'd originally used small pieces of liverworst, but with the heat here they got too soft. I've switched to beef hot dogs, and they work great for both the pups.

[RedHead]

The only thing that motivates Teague is "fresh" meat. I have tried hotdogs and cheese, and that gets a "sometimes when I am hungry" response. When I am really lazy I buy one of those already cooked rotisserie chickens in the grocery store. I pick a bit of meat off for me and debone the rest in ziplocks for training. I have even use partially seared steak too. Definitely messy on the hands, but for me it is the ONLY thing that can make a training session last for over 2 minutes! lol

[Guest lanielovesgreys]

I second whoever said meat. Lunch meat, hot dogs, chicken breast, steak. My sometimes food motivated puppy nearly swallows my arm with her treat when I give her meat.

[antisense]

Never considered rotisserie chicken. Would cost less than a bag of purebites, and I'm sure he would love it more!

String cheese sounds like a great idea if he likes it since it's so nice and portable.

All awesome suggestions! Thanks guys!

[NeylasMom]

I've never had a dog turn down real meat. Plain boiled chicken, turkey, pork, beef (if I'm feeling splurgey).

Plus the microwaved hot dog suggestion above. I slice the hot dog lengthwise into quarters then slice across so the pieces are very small.

[AstasMinion]

Asta will do anything for cooked chicken or string cheese!

[a_daerr]

Hot dogs and cheese! I get the Kraft cheese crumbles, and they are the perfect size for training.

[Jerilyn]

Cheese! It's the only thing Lila will offer a sit for without being asked.

[antisense]

Well... it seems string cheese is less interesting than even plain kibble around here! Guess he's not a mozzarella kinda guy.

[Brandiandwe]

Our best one with our non-food-motivated hound have been the Roo Fix or Beef Fix from Jollie gourmet treats. A little expensive and a lot of bumf but they are good, smell nice and Paige generally targets the treats and not the fluffies on walks now.I believe they also ship to the USA.

[BatterseaBrindl]

Nixon is not realy motivated by food either.

Thankfully he's a real easy. laid back boy.

Real meat or anything with peanut butter on it would be his favorites.

 

.

[Guest team_tonio]

French fries... yummmmm! home baked not fast food tho.. And just bits of it. A whole fry can last thru several rewards. I used fries to teach lay down out and wait.

[Koyotekyle]

Sam and Mimi eat almost anything. They especaily like cheese, any kind. They stopped eating for a while, and we stopped the canned we were adding for flavor, and added yogurt, they are back to scarfing it down.

[Guest BrianRke]

Chicken Feet!!! If I accidentally say the word "feet" in another context, the dogs go completely ballistic!!!

[antisense]

Chicken Feet!!! If I accidentally say the word "feet" in another context, the dogs go completely ballistic!!!

 

Interestingly enough, I placed a chicken foot on top of his kibble/raw mix, and he ate around the foot, then left without eating it!

[philospher77]

For Katie, it's canned cheez. I go with the name brand, sharp cheddar, since I find it slightly tastier than the generic. It's portable, reasonably neat if you are squirting straight into the mouth, and if they turn up their nose, you can eat it yourself.