# Hot dogs



## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

You can slice them thinly and put them in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds. That way they aren't as slimy (trust me, it's really gross). If you didn't buy the chicken ones, I would do that in the future. Hot dogs are very high in fat and sodium. Teddy will be very thirsty after class! But the hot dogs worked wonders when I had Danny in his CGC class.


----------



## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

I just slice them raw.

I cut the hotdog lengthwise, once or twice, then slice those pieces. It makes the hot dog go a long way.

I also use string cheese.


----------



## maggiesmommy (Feb 23, 2010)

Our neighbor has a bulldog and they sliced his thin and fed them straight from the package, but, he must have a sensitive stomach b/c they made him throw up and he had to switch to cooked chicken....we've always used boiled chicken for Maggie.


----------



## RedDogs (Jan 30, 2010)

Slice them as small as you can... some slice better cold, others warmed up... but like fostermom said, after you get your little hot dog bits, stick them on a papertowel and put them in the microwave...I go for 2-3 minutes so they're just a little crispy on the outside. This makes a BIG difference...otherwise they're so slimy that combined with the slobber, it's really hard to hold onto them! 

(...ew...I hate hotdogs...I just learned how to "properly" prepare them for dog training. But don't use them often... the smell!)


----------



## janine (Aug 8, 2009)

I quarter chicken hotdogs and slice them really thin. I then either microwave or bake them until dried out. Sometimes I sprinkle them lightly with garlic powder .... I wouldn't eat these if you paid me.


----------



## Doodle (Apr 6, 2009)

I agree with what others have said: Cut up into little pieces and in the microwave for a couple of minutes to reduce sliminess. I also blot them with a paper towel after microwaving to get them as dry as I can.


----------



## Jennifer (Sep 12, 2009)

Thanks for all the advice!! I ended up boiling them for a few minutes and then microwaving them.


----------



## kaysy (Jan 9, 2010)

Actually, I used to cut them up and freeze them for Riley. Not as slimy that way.


----------



## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

A lot of dogs do have stomach sensitivity to hot dogs so be careful. 

I'm trying to think of the new perfect treat that I can put in my mouth. I've been doing Charlee Bears for awhile now and I'm getting tired of them. I might try dehydrating some apple slices. I don't really like putting meat in my mouth unless I'm going to actually eat it.


----------



## janine (Aug 8, 2009)

Loisiana said:


> A lot of dogs do have stomach sensitivity to hot dogs so be careful.
> 
> I'm trying to think of the new perfect treat that I can put in my mouth. I've been doing Charlee Bears for awhile now and I'm getting tired of them. I might try dehydrating some apple slices. I don't really like putting meat in my mouth unless I'm going to actually eat it.


 
I have never tried Charlee Bears...hmmm, I was just in the kitchen looking for a snack  :bowl: My two also like apples and carrots never thought about dehydrating them. Thanks for the idea...


----------



## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

janine said:


> I have never tried Charlee Bears...


If you get the cheese flavored they taste just like goldfish crackers 

The liver flavored ones do not


----------



## Jazz & Jules (Feb 25, 2007)

Would you like to know a dogs reaction to microwaved hot dog bits?

A friend of mine has a book coming out in a couple weeks. She is the owner/trainer/handler for Puzzle, a search and rescue dog.

You can listen to a small part of her book here, but I warn you, it leaves you hanging!

http://www.blackstoneaudio.com/audiobook.cfm?id=5614

PS: No! I am not trying to sell anything! The thread just made me think of Puzzle!


----------



## Mighty Casey and Samson's Mom (Jul 16, 2008)

With goldens and cancers, I worry about hot dogs (preservatives, nitrates, sodium etc., etc.!)
I have been making my own training treats. Here is a recipe that is cheaper than a package of turkey weiners and you can stretch farther: 

Tuna/Salmon Brownies:

2 cans of tuna or salmon
1 1/2 cups of flour
2 eggs
1 tsp. garlic POWDER

Mix together well, and press firmly into a 9 X 13 baking pan. Bake at 250 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Slice when cool into small pieces. Divide into ziplock bags--freeze well. They can be sliced quite small without crumbling. Very high value, smelly treat!


----------



## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

There are plenty of hot dogs that use rosemary instead of nitrates as a preservative, and many are a little lower in fat than standard hot dogs. Some dogs can be sensitive to lots of fat and salt.

In moderation, they're great training treats. They're slimy to work with, but if you slice them and give them a few minutes in the microwave or toaster, they'll dry out quite a bit. Don't forget to drain them afterwards.


----------



## rappwizard (May 27, 2009)

Loisiana said:


> A lot of dogs do have stomach sensitivity to hot dogs so be careful.
> 
> I'm trying to think of the new perfect treat that I can put in my mouth. I've been doing Charlee Bears for awhile now and I'm getting tired of them. I might try dehydrating some apple slices. I don't really like putting meat in my mouth unless I'm going to actually eat it.


Purina Carvers--they make them in chicken and beef.

An owner/breeder/handler of Keeshonds passed that tip along to me at an all breed match. She also is a pro handler (of other breeds) and she told me she now uses that for all her clients' dogs. She was practicing baiting Mac for me and Mac loved them and I use them--they don't have an obnoxious taste, they're affordable and you can tear off bits to use--don't have to use the entire piece. They also need no refrigeration.


----------



## zeke11 (Jul 21, 2009)

String cheese sticks are great for putting in your mouth, too. You can easily carry the whole stick with the plastic around it and bite off small chunks.

Kris


----------



## Jo Ellen (Feb 25, 2007)

Daisy was so motivated by hot dogs when she was a puppy, I used them a lot for training. Now, almost 10 years later, she knows what "hot dog" means and when I really really want her attention like RIGHT NOW, I say, "Want a hot dog?" She's at my feet in seconds.


----------



## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

Oh man, after reading this thread I decided to use them in my next training session with Ranger. He's never been highly food motivated and I've bought numerous kinds of treats trying to find one that would REALLY motivate him. All the money I spent on zuke's (all different flavours), rollover, freeze dried liver, even those nasty grocery store begging strips/pigs in a blanket...nothing really worked. Sliced up a hot dog and WHAM! I've never seen Ranger so attentive. We worked on recall/off leash heeling and even though he saw a squirrel, he didn't care. Because of a HOT DOG! I only use them about once a week but their effect lasts at least that long. For about 4 days after doing recall with hot dog intermittently handed out, Ranger would sprint to me as fast as he could. Yay hot dog!


----------



## inge (Sep 20, 2009)

I bake cookies of Honest Kitchen Embark. The advantages are manyfold: Tess loves them, no fat added, and as the training is at 6, it's also her dinner, so no extra calories for treats, just the 'cookies'.


----------



## Jo Ellen (Feb 25, 2007)

Ranger said:


> Oh man, after reading this thread I decided to use them in my next training session with Ranger. He's never been highly food motivated and I've bought numerous kinds of treats trying to find one that would REALLY motivate him. All the money I spent on zuke's (all different flavours), rollover, freeze dried liver, even those nasty grocery store begging strips/pigs in a blanket...nothing really worked. Sliced up a hot dog and WHAM! I've never seen Ranger so attentive. We worked on recall/off leash heeling and even though he saw a squirrel, he didn't care. Because of a HOT DOG! I only use them about once a week but their effect lasts at least that long. For about 4 days after doing recall with hot dog intermittently handed out, Ranger would sprint to me as fast as he could. Yay hot dog!


LOL!! That's so funny, I really enjoyed reading that :bowl: :bowl: :bowl:


----------

