# Dog Treat



## JDAM (Aug 9, 2008)

What do you give your GSD for a treat? We used to give Rawhide bones but I saw some negative information on them on the internet and have stayed away from them.


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## Eve-Lynn (Apr 28, 2008)

We use bully sticks.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

NO to rawhides around here, I feed fresh knuckle bones, bully sticks are good, too, just stinky! I would stay away from smoked bones from the pet shops. Anything from a butcher or meat dep't that is raw is safe. Pork neck bones, chicken or turkey necks and chix wings are really good and give nutrition along with a chew treat. Don't be surprised if they get gobbled up fast though! Oh, BTW welcome to this great site!


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## DianaM (Jan 5, 2006)

Strawberries, blueberries, green beans, cheese, fish, meats, hot dogs, liver, hearts, bananas, peanut butter, bones (RAW, sometimes frozen, always with meat on them, he eats a raw diet), eggs, ice cubes, carrots, celery, smoothies, ice cream, stuffed kongs with various ingredients from the above list, some of these frozen or cooked, etc.

Best things are stuffed and frozen kongs- if I do them up right (rare), Renji can be kept occupied for an hour or so.


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## AbbyK9 (Oct 11, 2005)

Peanut-butter filled, frozen Kong.

Pizza crusts on the rare occasions that we have pizza.

Fresh cantaloupe, watermelon, carrots, and other fruit / veggies when we have them.

We also sometimes get Sniffer's Adult dog treats for training. They're really big but because they're soft, they can be easily broken into itty bitty little pieces. I would not feed a (daily) food with the ingredients they have, but for the occasional treat, they're okay.


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## 3K9Mom (Jun 12, 2006)

For ideas for treats, you might find this thread useful.

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=763415&page=1#Post763415

For chews, I like bully sticks and Merrick's Texas Toothpicks (smoked beef tails). My dogs love them. I also feed raw treats like onyx listed -- turkey necks are an especially big hit and they're not very messy. 

To keep a puppy occupied, you can buy toys like the Buster Cube. These are great because he's working his brain while he snacks. Perfect for mental stimulation! http://www.bustercube.com/


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## susanwrites (Jul 31, 2008)

We just fed our new pup (8 months) a bully stick for the first time and she loved it. What I wonder is how often can you give a treat like this? Is okay once a day?


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## 3K9Mom (Jun 12, 2006)

Bully sticks are (and I'm working off the top of my head here) abut 50% protein and 20% fat (or so). 

So you have two things going on. Is she still eating all of her regular food? If so, she's picking up extra protein (and especially fat), that you need to be aware of. If she's in a growth spurt, that's probably ok. If not, it's a recipe for becoming a round little pup. 

If she's not eating all her regular food, then she's loading up on treats. Bully sticks aren't "bad" for her. But they're not balanced sources of nutrition either. 

Like everything else in our lives, moderation is key. There is also something else to consider. My guess is that if she gets one every day, she'll kind of realize that they're always going to be around and not mow through one a day, which IMO, is a great way for a dog to teach herself self restraint (I have treats and bones lying all over the place. My dogs don't think every treat is the last treat in the world. They pick one up when they feel like nibbling. Then they leave it when they're done.). But if she really does consume one a day, I think that's likely too much. 

For an active adult, she probably could get away with it, but a pup that weighs approx 50-55 lbs? That seems like a lot to me (I assume also that she's getting training treats besides?) 

How's that for a long-winded answer when I simply could have said yes or no?


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

freezed dried 100% liver treats and all natural biscuits and of course something from our dinner.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I use the freeze dried liver, chicken jerky that is 100% chicken, pig's ears, knuckle bones, cheese, baloney, hot dogs, left over dinner (mine), and venison treats.


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## midnight804 (Jun 13, 2008)

I make a variety of all natural/organic biscuit treats. a liver treat, a low fat treat for long training sessions, and a peanut butter treat. 
moderation is key, as is making the dog do something for every treat (with my dog anyway). I also use straight peanut butter inside a kong too. 

Bully sticks are good, so are pig pizzles (the same unnamed part of the pig). they do stink, but sometimes you can find the reduced odor ones. I avoid rawhide as I've read/heard that it not easily digested and can cause blockages. moderation is also key with bully sticks. my boy might get one a week, more like two a month. 

remember that treats are just treats. don't overindulge or your dog might get stubborn around meal times. I adhere to the nilf principles and never just give my dog a treat, he always does something even if its just to give me a paw or sit. 

I also have a "value" scale for treats. If you know what your dog really likes make that on the high side of your value scale and use the high value treats to train new stuff with for special outings and have a few "lesser value" treats for everyday training or in between meal treats.


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## Sean Rescue Mom (Jan 24, 2004)

I love the 'frosty paws' recipe I found right here on the board:
http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=54656&page=1&fpart=1

Otherwise, Sean gets all natural, no preservative treats that a neighbor makes, she has her own dog/horse treats' business. I also give him carrots, cheese, and certain fruit.


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## Eve-Lynn (Apr 28, 2008)

Midnight804 I was wondering if I could get the recipes for the all natural/organic biscuit treats, and the liver treat. My daughter is allergic to peanut butter so that one is out. Any other recipes for treats you might have would be appreciated. I have been trying to make my own but good recipes are hard to come by. Thanks in advance.


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## Guest (Aug 18, 2008)

Odin gets "Happy Hips" jerky treats made from all natural lamb that contains Glucosamine, Chondroitin and Vitamin E. He doesn't have HD but the supplements add to what he is getting anyway for his arthritis.

Frigga gets "Mellow Mut" jerky treats made from cage free all natural chicken that contains Chamomile and Lavender to promote a more peaceful existence for my very "up" little girl.

Both of these are made by Dogswell and contain no hormones, no antibiotics, no fillers, no added salt, no BHA BHT, no artificial flavors, no wheat, no corn, no soy, no sugar, and no byproducts. You can check them out here:

http://www.dogswell.com/

They also sell "Healthy Heart", "Breathies", and "Vitality" jerky treats


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## dogless (Jan 7, 2005)

GSDad, be careful with those chicken jerky treats from that company. I believe that brand is made in China, as are most of the chicken jerky treats on the market. I was feeding my dog a different brand, but also made in China, that was 100% chicken breast, and they made her sick. When I took her to the vet, the vet recommended that I stop feeding them to her, and that cured the problem. 

The company I bought them from also had on their web site that they were not part of any recall, and that their product was safe, that they tested their product, bla, bla, bla, but the bottom line was my dog hasn't had diarrhea since I stopped the treats.

And just because you may have been feeding them for a while with no adverse affects doesn't mean they are safe. I had been feeding them to my dog for over a year, and she was fine, then all of a sudden she started getting diarrhea, so they could be safe for a while, but then not safe, you never know. 

Just be careful......


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## LJsMom (Jan 6, 2008)

Snooks Organic Sweet Potato Treats
http://alpha-nutrition.stores.yahoo.net/snorswpotr.html


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