Training treats - Page 2

Pirates Lair ... if you like Czech Beer... you will like my 2 year old dog's name... "BUDVAR"

Myracle ... Thanks for the tip on the treats!  My trainer is having me use treats (I just started a 14 week old pup in training today!) but we are using words of praise and toys as well, it was just to get him focused. 

GSK9... He did recommend to keep the treats "soft", as with kibble or hard treats they have to stop and chew.

My older dogs don't need a thing (though they love em! And... they ONLY get pizza crust if we don't get stuffed crust!!!  lol !!)

I use the Natural Balance dog food rolls. I get the 4# rolls and then chop them into dime size pieces and put them in zip lock freezer bags and then freeze them. I will pull out what I will use in a weeks time.

I wouldn't use food with bite training, but for puppy obedience, hot dogs or cheese sticks are pretty "handy".

Yea I keep it simple and use hot dogs.  I do like Nature's balance but find that hot dogs are loved more.

I have a puppy now and I'm only working on the "come", "focus" and "sit"  I mark both with Yes!!, Lots of praise & then the food.
All depends on the dog and their personality.

No food for bite work as the "bite" is the reward.

My dogs will be "jealous" if I take an individual one. Each one WANTS to be with me, at my side, on the field, training/scenarios, next to me in bed or in the house or in the truck up front.
 

My 16 month old is like that now.  He will bark and whine and everything else.  Can drive you nuts.  My 12 week old puppy is like that now...she will bark for 45 minutes straight.  I totally get why they feel that way and it is a good thing but man can it kill your ears.  Rather hear a infant crying.

gsk9,
Puppies respond well to a lot of treats.
I use small pieces of cheese and torn bits of little smokies sausages.
Mainly because i already have them on hand.
You might use a treat doing obedience but only at the end of a good session but I would prefer simple praise by this age, wean them off treats.
Tracking is a different story but that's bait.
Bitework involves no treats, again praise only when it's called for.
I would avoid packaged dog treats, many are harmful in my opinion and many have been subject to recall and have had some real problems.
Puppies respond well to praise also so don't overly depend on treats.
Moons.

To me/for me it's about the bond. We have talked on many threads about this. I think when you have multiple dogs you see more of the things we talk about. Yes, more dogs, more examples but with more dogs you're seeing them "compete" for your attention. Or doing their "little tricks" to get your attention. Or their "little tricks" to nudge the others out of the way so that they are first. 

Ever been around a pack of puppies or when your puppy first comes home? You're not giving them treats to come to you. It's your voice or the little "baby sounds" you're making, then they all or just your one come running and tumbling to you! Just "including" them on something big or small is a treat. Anyone whose dog loves the vehicle ride knows the excitement, jumping, twirling in circles in midair, bouncing and racing back and forth to the truck before we even get there knows how much of a treat going for a ride is. I was taught that training and work are the "fun" part of the dog's day, where he/she uses their energy after being kenneled for how ever long. I partially believe in that but I believe the dogs have to experience a strong bond and experience much more "fun" things in their day and they will work three times harder for me. Just my thoughts. 

Jyl,

I use the same thing. A large roll is $10 and I can use it for both OB and tracking. My dog loves it and it is very economical.

Well, I'll bite.  I use treats for *some* training and my dogs are titled in about a dozen different things so it must not be the end of the world.  Once I start formal training (like say I've got a now 8 month old dog ready to start heeling for real) I no longer use much food, but for a baby puppy?  Oh yes, daily.  I use pretty much anything....dry cereal, goldfish crackers, cut up Natural Balance food roll, cut up hot dog, cheese, lunch meat that is getting a little old for me to eat, dog kibble soaked so it's softer, cat food...

FWIW I absolutely do not see training rewards as mutually exclusive.  Just because I use treats to train an 8 week old puppy to "speak" does not mean that when I step out onto the Schutzhund field with an adult, there is no bond or that dog is honestly working for treats.  No way.  I use everything from praise to food to toys to "do it because I say so" and corrections.... Of course it's all about the bond!  That is why my dog will risk his life for me and why if you walked up to him and told him to sit he'd roll his eyes and walk away.