# my pup wont eat treats.



## starrluvsjackson (Feb 24, 2011)

Im not sure where this topic belongs or if there are any others of the sort..

my pup isnt interested in dog treats is this normal?? and will it change??

ive discovered he loves cheerios and i got him to sit a few times but not sure how good they would be for him to have?..so not sure how to start obedience training without a way to get his attention, perform the commands and reward him? help!


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## Stosh (Jun 26, 2010)

My dog doesn't like dog treats either- so I use cheese, cubed cooked chicken, cut up hot dogs. I don't think Cheerios would hurt him- I had a dog that loved oyster crackers and I used them for her treats. Some dogs just aren't food motivated so you might use a toy or a ball as a reward. Just make sure you only let him have it as a reward and not a toy he plays with all the time.


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## starrluvsjackson (Feb 24, 2011)

ok thanks im just so new to all this so unsure of everything pretty much lol


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

Cheerios are fine for training treats. If thats what your pup likes use it. Plus they're perfect for bite size peices. You could also try using part of your pups daily meal for training treats as well. With the cheerios i would keep grain allergies in the back of your mind for future reference just in case your pup developes allergies later in life you know one thing to cut out immedietly to help narrow it down.


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## cuttingedge (Nov 23, 2009)

I would recommend using softer small bits of food (String Cheese, Cheddar Cheese, Pieces of Chicken, Hot Dog, Ham). Try to stay away from very chewy foods and hard things like dog kibble/ Milk bones as these in themselves can be a distraction while training. String Cheese and Dried Beef Liver seem to be the highest value training treats in our house. Make sure that you mix it up with the treats and always offer praise and or a toy to make it fun.


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## Wolfiesmom (Apr 10, 2010)

My dog doesn't like treats either. I had no idea what to do for training since he only likes green beans and carrots. I ended up using a lot of praise as a training reward. It worked well. Now that he is used to getting pats and praise for a training reward, he has discovered he likes cheese. LOL. He hated it before. Go figure.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

When you're using food rewards in training you want to use whatever the dog finds rewarding. If that's cheerios, pieces of carrot, or their kibble rather than a commercial dog treat, so be it.


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## DJEtzel (Feb 11, 2010)

Cassidy's Mom said:


> When you're using food rewards in training you want to use whatever the dog finds rewarding. If that's cheerios, pieces of carrot, or their kibble rather than a commercial dog treat, so be it.


As long as it's not Hershey Kisses.


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

Well, yes - obviously within reason!


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## valreegrl (Nov 11, 2009)

Don't think of this as a problem but as a fun challenge 

It's called a "reward" for a reason.....whether it is food/play/praise/toys it's still a reward. Maybe your pup likes tug or to chase a ball, keep trying. And use it the same as you would food. 

Some dogs just are not food motivated


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## starrluvsjackson (Feb 24, 2011)

thanks guys..yes i'll try some cheese and see what other bits n pieces i can find next time i go shopping and use cheerios for as long as they work..hes not too interested in the dog kibble he eats i've already tried and toys dont get his attention that much really..i give him lots of praise but need the food to actually get his attention first up to get started lol..i'd say he is food motivated as long as its the right food lol


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## priyankumupal (Feb 21, 2011)

starrluvsjackson said:


> thanks guys..yes i'll try some cheese and see what other bits n pieces i can find next time i go shopping and use cheerios for as long as they work..hes not too interested in the dog kibble he eats i've already tried and toys dont get his attention that much really..i give him lots of praise but need the food to actually get his attention first up to get started lol..i'd say he is food motivated as long as its the right food lol


I have the very same problem. My puppy isn't food motivated either. This morning i was loosing my mind trying to get him to come to me using cheese. He doesn't like his puppy food as treats. I'm going to try chicken and salmon. He doesn't really like toys much for anything other than play. Tell us if you find something that works for you so that we can use it as well.


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