# Training Treats



## xoerika620xo (May 25, 2012)

I use zukes treats, when I can get them on sale for 11 dollars two bags.
String cheese, Pieces of hot dog, small carrots. 

Latley I have just been using his regular kibble since hurricane sandy took our power and many of his treats went bad.



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## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

Peanut butter flavored Cheerios. I've been using it for about 3 months. It's the only thing she hasn't tired of, they're small enough so she don't have to chew them, they stay fresh for a long time, and all I have to do is grab a handful and go.

$2.99 per box. 

I also mix in other things to change it up, but she prefers the Cheerios.


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## Dubraska (Oct 28, 2012)

Cool! Thanks for coming up with this thread. I give my boy lil' milky bones they sale for puppies but I don't wanna bore him. Are cheerios, carrots, etc. good for puppies too?


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## jimla (Oct 9, 2008)

Nairb said:


> Peanut butter flavored Cheerios.


That's a great idea. I give our dogs dried liver and Yummy Chummie treats.


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## TheZ's (Jun 13, 2011)

Our standbys are Charlie Bears liver and cranberry flavor and string cheese. For more high value we use Little Guberlicious peanut butter and liver treats or Pet Botanics salmon treats (the ones made in U.S.). For even higher value we use pieces of cut up chicken or whatever else the humans have in the refrigerator. Hopefully none of the prepared treats are "bad" for Zoe.


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## Dubraska (Oct 28, 2012)

Jeez there's so many treat options out there...smh there's about two or three where I live in Spain...hopefully I'll have more to choose from when we move to the England next year.


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## Max's Dad (Apr 23, 2012)

We use Zukes. I believe they are Salmon flavored. Max loves them. But they have a terrible odor--at least to humans.


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

I use the blue buffalo wilderness salmon treats (which she absolutely loves) and colby cheese. What I do like about the treats is that they are somewhat moist and my fingers smell of it so she follows my hand with or without the treats and it ends up she is happy with a good lick of my hand and a good girl rub on her chest.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

At Home:










At Class:










At Trial (I use scissors to cut up right into pieces there ringside):


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## Stretchdrive (Mar 12, 2011)

Since I make all my dogs own meals, I prefer to make their treats as well. It is amazing that even if you buy the boneless skinless chicken breast, how much cheaper it is per pound(even cooked weight), than dog treats run. I have also used cheerios, but not the sweeter ones, because though they are yummy, they tend to stick to my hands. I used to use cheese balls, but I decided to eat them instead, so they didn't work.


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## Vhuynh2 (Feb 13, 2012)

I have used bread.. Until one day I realized I had fed her 7 slices of bread that day. I am not sure how much (or little) carbs a dog should have. I like to use boiled chicken breast, string cheese, and Cheerios.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

The cheese flavored Charlee bears are my standby in-the-mouth treat, but now I'm rethinking that. I have a dehydrator I use to make treats with. I've done dehydrated liver, steak, chicken, apples, sweet potatoes. I don't like things that make my hands yucky, and I don't like having to worry about keeping treats refrigerated, so a dehydrator is worth it to me.


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## Stretchdrive (Mar 12, 2011)

Loisiana said:


> The cheese flavored Charlee bears are my standby in-the-mouth treat, but now I'm rethinking that. I have a dehydrator I use to make treats with. I've done dehydrated liver, steak, chicken, apples, sweet potatoes. I don't like things that make my hands yucky, and I don't like having to worry about keeping treats refrigerated, so a dehydrator is worth it to me.


I love my dehydrator!!


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## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

I like the dehydrator idea. I mentioned the peanut butter Cheerios earlier, but I forgot about the freeze dried liver that she gets for pee and poop! We've been doing that since the beginning. It really helps when we need her to go NOW!

Freeze dried liver is expensive. I think I might be able to justify getting a dehydrator.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

Freeze dried liver is nice and motivating without the same greasy side-effects as liverwurst. I use it as part of varying intensity of rewards. Leaving a few chunks in a treat pouch means a little liver lottery for the pupper and a little liver powder spread across the rest.

I like Zuke's, and so do the dogs, but I also really like the Wellness soft treats because they don't bounce as randomly when I drop them an I can get about four small rewards by tearing up the soft treat as I give it.


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## Jige (Mar 17, 2011)

BaWaaJige doesnt like dog treats he does like some human food. Cheez-it crackers are a favorite but I like them too so they dont last long as a treat for training. He also likes pizza but that is too messy for training so he doesnt get any training treats just lots of praise.


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## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

If you dehydrate liver, does it turn out similar to freeze dried liver, or more like jerky? Do you dehydrate it raw, or cooked?


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## Jessie'sGirl (Aug 30, 2010)

I use plain cooked chicken. I stopped using commercial treats in July because they seemed to be causing diarrhea. And we have nice, solid poops now!


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

My obedience training staples are string cheese, sliced turkey pepperoni and the ultimate -- frozen BilJac (which, BTW, has a refrigerator half life of about 18 years). It's like doggy crack, cheap and molds perfectly into any size treat you want. They don't sell it in FL so I brought home 6 bags from Ohio!
Slater heels primarily for his tug toy, and almost every night he has to work and do tricks for his dinner, not sure if that counts as treats.


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## sammydog (Aug 23, 2008)

I buy a lot of my treats still. We are fortunate to have a vendor at most of the shows here in Nor Cal.

Here are my current favs:

Bravo! Training Treats - Trail Mix
This is a good mix and the treat size is perfect and I like the small bags that I can easily stick in a training bag. They do get a bit crumbly at the end, but that also may have something to do with stuffing them in training bags!
Bravo! Training Treats

ZiwiPeak Good Dog Treats
Easy to break apart, but does make my hands smell. I get the venison ones
Good Dog Venison and Fish Treats » ZiwiPeak

O'Paws Freeze Dried Turkey Hearts, Sliced
The dogs seem to go bananas for these, they break into smaller pieces pretty easily and don't leave much of an odor, but are a little greasy.
http://www.omaspride.com/catalog.ht...age=flypage.tpl&product_id=240&category_id=19

K-9 Cookies Green Tripe Flavor
We call this doggy crack. They are bigger disc, but can be broken apart. Not quite as easy to break apart as the above treats.
K9 Kraving?K-9 Cookies for Dogs

There ya go!

I will also use string cheese.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

Nairb said:


> If you dehydrate liver, does it turn out similar to freeze dried liver, or more like jerky? Do you dehydrate it raw, or cooked?


I do mine raw. It comes out more like a jerky, or kind of like a tougher, thicker fruit roll up


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## MGMF (May 13, 2009)

I just use their regular kibble. Mine are so food motivated that I don't need to go beyond their regular diet.


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## Titan1 (Jan 19, 2010)

Charlie bears in any flavor when I want them to have a brain... Mighty is getting string cheese and small sausage chunks in beginner agility and goes out of his little brain...He does not care what is in his way he will go over it,under and through it to get the treats... ..Ummmm not sure he is really seeing anything or learning it but I am going with the flow on this one..rofl.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

MGMF said:


> I just use their regular kibble. Mine are so food motivated that I don't need to go beyond their regular diet.


I use Jacks' kibble as well... but really that's me making him work for his food. We do a little bit of doodle work before the bowl gets put down on the floor. Like spins, go-outs, and various tricks. Half minute training. 

With his kibble being small, I would have to give him a handful at a time to stop him from foaming at the mouth were I doing a full training routine. I've tried it and he's gotten pretty slimey.  

@bread - I use 1-2 slices of bread a day. Because it's soft, they nom it fast and can keep going. I think if you go over 2 slices, you probably should invest in training treats...


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## K9-Design (Jan 18, 2009)

Hey so if you dehydrate COOKED liver, does it turn out like the dehydrated liver cubes you can buy from the store?
My friend has done dehydrated raw liver and it does turn out like a fruit roll up


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## Vhuynh2 (Feb 13, 2012)

Megora said:


> @bread - I use 1-2 slices of bread a day. Because it's soft, they nom it fast and can keep going. I think if you go over 2 slices, you probably should invest in training treats...


We have a lot of training treats but none soft enough when Molly had stitches in her mouth and could only eat soft food. The vet said bread was OK, and I went overboard since we did not take a break from training.  It's hard when there are not very many choices! I had previously never used bread.


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## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

Bought a dehydrator yesterday. Sliced up a hot dog just to try it out. That turned out a little too greasy for my liking. I have a sliced up sweet potato in there right now.


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## BriGuy (Aug 31, 2010)

K9-Design said:


> Hey so if you dehydrate COOKED liver, does it turn out like the dehydrated liver cubes you can buy from the store?


No, not for me anyway.  I think the store bought cubes are freeze dried which makes them very solid. My cheapo $50 dehydrator makes them into more of a rubbery compound. Cookie likes them both ways, though.


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## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

I bought some chicken liver for about $1.50 / lb at Walmart (they didn't have beef).

The first time, I dehydrated it raw, and it turned out like a fruit roll up. Bella didn't want to have anything to do with it. She sat there and barked at it. LOL. Must be some nasty stuff for her not to eat it.

Today, I cooked it in the microwave for 2 minutes, and dehydrated it for 2.5 - 3 hours. It's kind of crumbly, and easy to break in to pieces, yet somewhat moist in the middle. She loves it.

The only thing I'll do different next time is either cook it in the microwave for a shorter period of time, or take it out of the dehydrator a little sooner, to make it a little less dry and crumbly.


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## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

Dehydrated sweet potato was a hit too.


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## boomers_dawn (Sep 20, 2009)

Those cheerios look good - I'm going to get some for ME!

My favorites are Real Meat brand venison jerky treats; they're ok for sensitive skin and not too greasy or messy for the hands or pockets, and can be ripped into smaller and smaller pieces.


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## goldengirls550 (Jun 12, 2008)

Layla is crazy about colby jack cheese sticks broken into pieces. For trials, we do extra special treats. Cantaloupe in the summer and butternut squash in the winter. I tried roasted pumpkin, but it was much messier than the squash. We have also done roasted beets for trials, but they dye my fingers pink!

Jade loves Wellness Well-Bites. We also do treats from a local, Hang 10 K9 Cafe: Hang 10 K-9 Cafe - Welcome. I'll do simple treats like carrots at home. I'll often train with leftover veggies at home too.


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## goldengirls550 (Jun 12, 2008)

I wish I had a dehydrator because Layla is just crazy about dehydrated sweet potatoes!


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

This week I made dehydrated sweet potatoes and bananas. The bananas have been a big hit.


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## sammydog (Aug 23, 2008)

How do you do your butternut squash? I have some in my fridge...


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## goldengirls550 (Jun 12, 2008)

sammydog said:


> How do you do your butternut squash? I have some in my fridge...


I boil it on the stovetop. You can roast, but boiling is quicker... and often less messy since you don't use olive oil. I plan to boil a whole butternut squash Thursday night for our 3-day agility trial this weekend!


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## goldengirls550 (Jun 12, 2008)

Boil until just tender enough to poke with a fork. You don't want it too mushy or you won't have very much fun handing out the treats! Been there and done that with pumpkin!


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## Pup (May 12, 2012)

I use, Zukes. Cloud star "little stars", Real Meat brand and boiled chicken breast and sometimes plain cheerios


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## sammydog (Aug 23, 2008)

Do you cut it up?


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## goldengirls550 (Jun 12, 2008)

sammydog said:


> Do you cut it up?


Yep! I the raw squash into cubes before I boil it


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## Dwyllis (Nov 22, 2012)

For high value treats I use colby cheese, cooked sausage/ chicken or dried liver pieces. Otherwise it is just normal puppy Pro-plan or Eukanuba kibble. My trainer uses Possum Yum, but Loki really isn't keen on it. Cheerios in NZ are small hot dogs, so I was trying to imagine peanut butter favoured hot dogs! String cheese? I imagine that is what we call grated cheese? I am definitely going to look through the breakfast cereal shelves next time I go to the supermarket. I guess nothing sweet? Great idea & good value for money. Commercial treats are very expensive here & contain a lot of preservatives, which I have heard are not good for dogs. Is that raw carrot or boiled carrot?


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