# Need recommendation for training treats



## btfloyd (Oct 11, 2017)

So, I'd like to know what everyone else is using to train their dog. I keep reading about "high-value" treats as a reward for training vs "normal" treats for other things. What works for your dog(s)?


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## Steve Strom (Oct 26, 2013)

Not a lot of people are going to agree with this, but I think if your dog really has good food drive to use in obedience, what you use isn't as important as how you use it. For me, its mostly about how easy it is for me to handle, cut up hot dog or whatever. And I'm not one to use they're meals for it either.


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## cdwoodcox (Jul 4, 2015)

I try and keep it somewhat healthy, as long as they can eat it fast without much chewing. Walkabout has some nice jerky that can be cut up. I prefer the wild boar and apple. I don't like hot dogs just cause how greasy they are. But, the dogs love them and they fit the bill for fast and easy. I have on occasion stolen my wife's ham cubes she had out for ham and beans. But for me the key is anything that the dog doesn't have stop whatever were doing and chew.


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## MyHans-someBoy (Feb 23, 2013)

Both of mine love Real Meat treats. The Real Meat Company also makes really good quality air dried food. I think it was "Cassidy's Mom" in another thread that said she gets a bag of the actual food and tears it into smaller pieces to use for treats. I believe it is more economical to do that, but I was worried about feeding the puppy too much calcium, since the food contains bone, so I use the treats, which do not. They are made in the USA and contain 95% meat. 
I tear the treats (kind of a soft jerky) into smaller pieces, so a bag lasts a pretty long time and it's easy for them to gulp quickly.


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## Tennessee (Apr 13, 2017)

String cheese is great, very easy to tear up and not slimy like hotdogs. Also good for continual feeding during focused heeling work as you can tear them into 4 strips. Palm them and let the dog eat little bites off as you walk. 

The other big one I use is freeze dried beef liver, I have it on auto ship from chewy I cut them up into little chunks while I watch TV and mainly use it for tracking. But they’re all natural, literally the only ingredient is beef liver, and my girl goes nuts for them. 

Sometimes I use cat treats,rarely though as they have some vitamin in them the name of which escapes me that cats can’t produce naturally and dogs can. It’s hard on the liver if you use too much, but for a short training session from time to time dogs go nuts for them. 

Regular old cat food also works, it’s much higher in protein than dog food.


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## Twyla (Sep 18, 2011)

What I call puppy crack 

https://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/dog-formulas/rolls

Sliced thin, cut the size of a dime for puppies and as they grow graduate up in coin size


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

MyHans-someBoy said:


> Both of mine love Real Meat treats. The Real Meat Company also makes really good quality air dried food. I think it was "Cassidy's Mom" in another thread that said she gets a bag of the actual food and tears it into smaller pieces to use for treats. I believe it is more economical to do that, but I was worried about feeding the puppy too much calcium, since the food contains bone, so I use the treats, which do not. They are made in the USA and contain 95% meat.
> I tear the treats (kind of a soft jerky) into smaller pieces, so a bag lasts a pretty long time and it's easy for them to gulp quickly.


Yep, I've been using Real Meat as training threats for YEARS! My dogs love it, and it's a good quality food/treat. The dog food is actually already fairly small, but the pieces do vary so I break up the larger pieces with my fingers as I go. 

I also use string cheese and sometimes freeze dried liver. For training a puppy that's food motivated I often just use part of the kibble from their meals as training treats but I do like to have something especially yummy when I want to use something a bit higher value, that they don't get very often. I've used spray cheese out of a can to work on recall training before, and peanut butter in a squeeze tube. Hot dogs are high value, but I prefer treats that don't get all gunky and it's nice to have some that don't need refrigeration if you don't use them all. Dog food rolls like Natural Balance are good too, but must be cut up in advance and refrigerated when not using.


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## MidwestFarmersDaughter (Aug 13, 2017)

We use Beams dehydrated fish skins from The Honest Kitchen, which we cut into small pieces (no chewing required) with kitchen shears. They're healthy and the dogs LOVE them. The Real Meat treats mentioned above work great, too (and are less stinky)!


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## mspiker03 (Dec 7, 2006)

Twyla said:


> What I call puppy crack
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I have found that happy howie meat rolls crumble less than the other rolls I have tried (and well, I like the ingredients better).


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

I use freshpet. Perfect size and a balanced food. Redbarn is good as well.


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

I use cheddar cheese in obedience.


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## btfloyd (Oct 11, 2017)

lhczth said:


> I use cheddar cheese in obedience.


Cheddar cheese!? Interesting.


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## Femfa (May 29, 2016)

btfloyd said:


> Cheddar cheese!? Interesting.




If you shred it, it's even easier to use. Plus it gives you a LOT to work with from a small piece, and the dogs love it. I've definitely done that before. 

Motivationally, hot dogs and cheese and my girl's favourite. It tends to amp her drive up a bit more, which is what we're working on too. So that's always nice.


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## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

In nosework class I use hot dogs, mozzarella sticks and they have the cheddar and mozzarella sticks to switch it up. Easy to cut and neat and clean. Hot dogs are greasy and I don?t like how the make the leash slippery but they are one of the treats I use. I find the Hebrew national baked in the oven is the least greasiest. I get those when on sale. Luna prefers treats as a reward. Max is a food hound but would rather have a ball as a reward so home or anywhere other in a class setting I would use that. He can wired up and start to anticipate what I say so learning something new I will use the treats.


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## bkernan (May 17, 2009)

Training Hudson with his ball is usually our best bet but for areas of high distraction when I know he needs to really focus (and I know this probably isn't the healthiest.. so please don't be too hard on me!!) I use small pieces of cut up hot dog. Not proud of it - but it works!!!


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## bkernan (May 17, 2009)

Jenny720 said:


> In nosework class I use hot dogs, mozzarella sticks and they have the cheddar and mozzarella sticks to switch it up. Easy to cut and neat and clean. Hot dogs are greasy and I don?t like how the make the leash slippery but they are one of the treats I use. I find the Hebrew national baked in the oven is the least greasiest. I get those when on sale. Luna prefers treats as a reward. Max is a food hound but would rather have a ball as a reward so home or anywhere other in a class setting I would use that. He can wired up and start to anticipate what I say so learning something new I will use the treats.


I think we posted at the same time :grin2:

Sounds like we're on the same page.. Hebrew Nats all the way!


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## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

bkernan said:


> Jenny720 said:
> 
> 
> > In nosework class I use hot dogs, mozzarella sticks and they have the cheddar and mozzarella sticks to switch it up. Easy to cut and neat and clean. Hot dogs are greasy and I don?t like how the make the leash slippery but they are one of the treats I use. I find the Hebrew national baked in the oven is the least greasiest. I get those when on sale. Luna prefers treats as a reward. Max is a food hound but would rather have a ball as a reward so home or anywhere other in a class setting I would use that. He can wired up and start to anticipate what I say so learning something new I will use the treats.
> ...


We sure are!!!!!! Hebrew nationals are sure worth it!!!


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## wolfebergk9 (Oct 11, 2014)

Stew beef, or steak cut into smaller pieces.


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## pashana (Nov 18, 2015)

Salmon. Smelly cheese. RAW meat. Grocery store treats are big joke.


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