What Kind Of Training Treats Do You Use?

[Guest Clawsandpaws]

Since Dudley and I have begun training, he has been getting way more treats.... I started off buying blue buffalo grain free, but they are way too big, and even broken up, I feel like they are too fatty. I bought some Biljac cheapo stuff meant for tiny dogs, and after I finished that bag, I found Zuke's training bits. I have also noticed that Dudley has put on a few pounds....The Zukes are really small, but he get's about 30-40 of them a day (one per each sit/down/up/off) He was NOT getting that many of the other treats.

 

What is a good calorie amount for a treat?

Is it possible to find a no calorie/low fat treat for training?

Is it better to use a "human food" such as a vegetable? He won't eat greens or carrots.

I need something that is easy to find, such as in a petco/petsmart or pet supermarket....I'm terrible with ordering things online!

 

 

 

[SilversMom]

I asked a long time grey owner in my group and he suggested Cheerios. They are little, low cal and easy to keep in a pocket. My guy loves them. Val

[Guest Clawsandpaws]

I asked a long time grey owner in my group and he suggested Cheerios. They are little, low cal and easy to keep in a pocket. My guy loves them. Val

 

 

What a great idea... Plus my hands won't smell like a pupperoni factory!

[a_daerr]

My advice is to skip all the quote unquote "training treats" from the pet store. They're usually overpriced, too big/crunchy, or not high value enough. Plus, there's usually not enough in terms of quantity. I see people in class go through an entire bag of BilJac in one class. Every trainer I've had over the years recommends stuff like this:

 

1. Hot dogs- I just get the cheapo $0.99 packages at the grocery store. I cut two perpendicular slices through, then chop them so they end up in small quarters. Then, I put them on a paper towel and microwave for a minute, towel off the moisture, and voila! Probably the easiest and cheapest treat you can find.

 

2. Cheese- You can buy regular blocks of cheese and cut them yourself. I LOVE these the Kraft Colby and Cheddar crumbles. No work!

 

3. Chicken- Boil a thawed boneless/skiness chicken breast. I have a rice cooker with a rack, so I steam the chicken that way. Cut it into small pieces, and if you really want to go nuts, pop it on the stove for a few minutes in a pan with some garlic powder.

 

4. Natural Balance- It comes in huge rolls at the pet store in the refrigerated section. You can just cut it into slices, then break it up into smaller pieces.

 

I've also used liverwurst and beef tips, but those are a little harder to cook. If I'm really in a hurry and don't have any time to prepare treats myself, I like Milo's Kitchen chicken meatballs and sausage slices (be careful, some of the varieties had a recent recall, but these two weren't included) or Pupperoni. Those are really the only commercial treats I use. I still usually cut them up into smaller pieces with a knife, and if I really have no time, I'll break them up by hand before class. When considering traning treats, you want the treat to be small, about the size of a raisin. It should be soft and easy to swallow, because you want to reward the behavior, then move on. It's also good to train with at least two different types, so if you guy gets tired of one, you can move on to something else.

 

Unless your greyhound has an issue with his weight, I wouldn't worry too much about calories. If I'm training, I only give half their dinner. If I'm training A LOT that day, like days when we have class and Truman gets treats for an hour straight, I give smaller portions for both breakfast and dinner.

[Guest Clawsandpaws]

I've also used liverwurst and beef tips, but those are a little harder to cook. If I'm really in a hurry and don't have any time to prepare treats myself, I like Milo's Kitchen chicken meatballs and sausage slices (be careful, some of the varieties had a recent recall, but these two weren't included) or Pupperoni. Those are really the only commercial treats I use. I still usually cut them up into smaller pieces with a knife, and if I really have no time, I'll break them up by hand before class. When considering traning treats, you want the treat to be small, about the size of a raisin. It should be soft and easy to swallow, because you want to reward the behavior, then move on. It's also good to train with at least two different types, so if you guy gets tired of one, you can move on to something else.

 

Unless your greyhound has an issue with his weight, I wouldn't worry too much about calories. If I'm training, I only give half their dinner. If I'm training A LOT that day, like days when we have class and Truman gets treats for an hour straight, I give smaller portions for both breakfast and dinner.

Okay, the one good thing is that Dudley is so food motivated, he will love the same treat for hours, we even worked with just his kibble today. I might skip the cheese, Dudley would probably cut it. (Har har) but I always have extra hot dogs!

[racindog]

I use the Paws Gourmet soft treat canisters that Leerburg sells for ~$11. There is no soy, corn or wheat to provoke food allergies. These soft training treats are sold in a resealable tub with a simple ingredient label. Each treat measures approximately 7 /16" diameter.

[Guest Clawsandpaws]

I use the Paws Gourmet soft treat canisters that Leerburg sells for ~$11. There is no soy, corn or wheat to provoke food allergies. These soft training treats are sold in a resealable tub with a simple ingredient label. Each treat measures approximately 7 /16" diameter.

How long does it last you?

[vjgrey]

Lamb lung is my favorite. I think I've seen them in Petco or Petsmart (called Baa Baa Qs), but I'm not sure where those are made. I buy them online from bestbullystick.com. They're great for training because they're a super high-value treat - all of my hounds have gone absolutely nuts for them. They're also easy to break into really small pieces, so you can give them often without giving a lot.

[Guest greytone]

have you tried the Charlie Bear treats?

[Guest Clawsandpaws]

have you tried the Charlie Bear treats?

I did, I found that they were too crunchy and made a huge mess (if he has to chew, he slobbers EVERYWHERE) they also went stale really quickly, so I had to throw out half a bag. I think I prefer the soft treats

[OwnedBySummer]

I use dehydrated liver or lung. But if you like softer stuff, you can buy freeze-dried liver.

[Guest Clawsandpaws]

I use dehydrated liver or lung. But if you like softer stuff, you can buy freeze-dried liver.

I bought some freeze dried beef liver at pet supermarket, but it only came in small packs, and one pack pretty much equals one session...I'm going to see if they sell larger packs I like the lamb lung that Vjgrey posted also, just need to find a place that sells it here

[cleptogrey]

i always cut down on kibble intake when i'm training- unless i'm trying to fatten up the dog

for training i use the following;

kosher hot dogs- morsels

mozzarella cheese- easy to hold on to, doesn't crumble

raw trimmings from meat(if i'm having any)

mini-marshmallows

steamed chicken livers- gets them every time. i grew up eating chicken liver so it doesn't gross me out. you can bait or train a dog to do anything w/ chicken liver and you don't seem to get the same adverse reaction as one gets w/ liverwurst(yulk). one liver goes a long way and they lick it off your fingers.

[Guest Clawsandpaws]

i always cut down on kibble intake when i'm training- unless i'm trying to fatten up the dog

for training i use the following;

kosher hot dogs- morsels

mozzarella cheese- easy to hold on to, doesn't crumble

raw trimmings from meat(if i'm having any)

mini-marshmallows

steamed chicken livers- gets them every time. i grew up eating chicken liver so it doesn't gross me out. you can bait or train a dog to do anything w/ chicken liver and you don't seem to get the same adverse reaction as one gets w/ liverwurst(yulk). one liver goes a long way and they lick it off your fingers.

He gained 5 pounds since his last weigh in, so I will definitely need to cut down his kibble intake (he is still within 5 pounds of his racing weight, but since he lost a lot of muscle, he's just getting fat!) I don't know if I could handle the chicken liver!!!!!! But definitely going to do hot dogs, that way, I can eat them too!

[Guest Giselle]

No treats used here. I withhold the dog's kibble meals and use their normal ration of kibble to train. If you think about it, it's better this way. The dog works for its food and you can be confident that what you're feeding is balanced and won't pack on extra pounds (because your dog is eating the same net amount). Besides, if I were a dog, I wouldn't eat 95% of what people call "storebought treats". Floury biscuits, wheaty crackers... for a carnivorous animal? Hmm...

[Batmom]

What kind: Whatever works! When I fed kibble, I might use some of the daily kibble allotment for "ordinary" treats. Now I tend to use Charlee Bear for ordinary, cracker-like treats. For soft, easy to swallow treats that get more attention:

 

- hot dog slivers (nothing gets more attention than a hot dog sliver!)

- Buddy Biscuits Soft & Chewy (I divide each little treat into 2-3 pieces)

- Evanger's Nothing But Natural jerky (very thin; I divide each piece into 3-4 bits)

- cheddar cheese (fresh or freeze-dried)

- freeze-dried salmon or beef

 

For things like hot dogs, you can line your pocket with a little sandwich bag -- the oldfashioned foldover type works best for me.

[Guest Clawsandpaws]

No treats used here. I withhold the dog's kibble meals and use their normal ration of kibble to train. If you think about it, it's better this way. The dog works for its food and you can be confident that what you're feeding is balanced and won't pack on extra pounds (because your dog is eating the same net amount). Besides, if I were a dog, I wouldn't eat 95% of what people call "storebought treats". Floury biscuits, wheaty crackers... for a carnivorous animal? Hmm...

 

 

He does work for kibble, I'm lucky that he just loves anything edible, I was just seeing what other treats people use, sometimes he chews the kibble for so long or it falls out of his mouth and he gets distracted, lol. His kibble bits are kinda big

[Guest sirsmom]

I asked a long time grey owner in my group and he suggested Cheerios. They are little, low cal and easy to keep in a pocket. My guy loves them. Val

 

good idea. we use zuke's also.

[RedHead]

Teague won't work for hotdogs or cheese....the hardest food motivated dog in the world! I buy rotisserie chicken, de-bone them, and freeze in portions which works well. I amazingly got 15 minutes of solid training using cut up beef roast the other day. These options are healthy, cheaper, and more motivating than store bought treats imo. He'll often eat a good cup or more during a training session so I try to do it around dinner, and then feed a much smaller meal later.

[Guest Clawsandpaws]

good idea. we use zuke's also.

Ive been using the cheerios after I read that, (cheaper than zukes!) he loves them, and I can eat them also, LOL

 

Teague won't work for hotdogs or cheese....the hardest food motivated dog in the world! I buy rotisserie chicken, de-bone them, and freeze in portions which works well. I amazingly got 15 minutes of solid training using cut up beef roast the other day. These options are healthy, cheaper, and more motivating than store bought treats imo. He'll often eat a good cup or more during a training session so I try to do it around dinner, and then feed a much smaller meal later.

I might do the rotisserie chicken, that way I can use half for dinner and store the rest for training... are all the herbs on the chicken okay for your hounds?

[cleptogrey]

cut his food down considerably- by 1/2 c. once he "gets it" you will be using less treats anyway. i give morsels and hold on to them for a while- that comes from the days of showing dogs. once your dog really knows what's going on the treats are further and further apart- like at the end of a sequence. i spit the morsel out for the pup to catch at the end of heeling or a finish after a recal. this way the dog always is looking at me- i don't care why in the begining- as long as his attention is on me and what i am doing. it sounds like you are dispensing way too many treats. i tried cheerios at one point, not as effective and i ended up eating all of them- they don't last in your mouth.

[Sambuca]

I use Zukes, buddy biscuits that I break into about 5 pieces each, dried anchovies, dried tripe, Stella and Chewy dehydrated meals and treats broken up, string cheese, peanut butter in a baby jar that they lick out of and other goodies.

[Guest Tokolos]

I used cooked liver for Sprinkles through his classes because his stomach can get testy and he doesn't eat grain. I bought packs of liver at the grocery store, cooked it on 250 degrees for a few hours until it dried out like jerky, and then cut it up. It smelled horrible, but he loved them.

[Guest greysmitten]

I asked a long time grey owner in my group and he suggested Cheerios. They are little, low cal and easy to keep in a pocket. My guy loves them. Val

With a toddler in the house, I've found Cheerios to be the best as well. They're cheap, tiny, dry, and can be bought last anywhere. And heck, if you need a nibble, go ahead!

[Guest Clawsandpaws]

With a toddler in the house, I've found Cheerios to be the best as well. They're cheap, tiny, dry, and can be bought last anywhere. And heck, if you need a nibble, go ahead!

I have been using cherios and zukes, just tried hot dogs today, he loves them all pretty equally, lol. I like the cheerios because I can also use them to feed the ducks. Lol