Treats for training - Page 1

For those of you that use treats for training, I was wondering what has worked best for you?  Looking for different ideas.  Any input is appreciated.

Thanks,
Nick

Treats are very useful teaching the basics to puppies but in very small quantities and small pieces I prefer meat and Lil Smoky's are handy and easy to tear into small pieces.
You can't use treats to train, use praise and encouragement, save the treats for a well done at the end of the day if the situation calls for a treat.
Stay away from crap treats, use things that are actually good for the dog and use them sparingly.

I use meat, sometimes cheese, sometimes something crunchy like a Ritz cracker, actually my bitch would do a pole dance for a cheese puff but they are messy and not very healthy.
I don't train with a ball or toy, praise good work correct mistakes carefully.

Tracking is different you will use treats or baits, scents and that's a whole other chapter, first you have to do obedience and socializing.

A dog who will only work for a treat is not very reliable and a good GSD will be more than happy to do it for a smile and a pat on the head.


 

For tracking I use hot dogs because they are so darn convenient and easy to handle, For puppy obedience for my foster puppies, I use their kibble and they have to work for their dinner - no work, no eating. For my puppies, I use microwaved turkey thigh meat and the occasional hot dog. Once they are a little older, post 6-months old, I switch to a ball on a string. Some people prefer tugs, but I happen to prefer the ball. My dogs will walk through fire for their ball and it's a wonderful motivator and reward for them.

Boiled or baked diced chicken, turkey or Beef. I make large quantities, dice them very small (pencil eraser size), put them in baggies, freeze them and use as needed. I had a dog that had seizures from hot dogs due to the nitrites and nitrates, so I avoid those, but in a pinch will use the ones that dont have those preservatives in them, although they are pricey. 

Make some liver cake, or hard-baked liver pieces with garlic;  most dogs
will do anything for you, to get a taste.

For the second, just cut up liver into small pieces, spread out on a baking
tray, sprinkle with fresh garlic and then slowly bake in a low/medium oven
for a couple of hours until the chunks are hard.  Crisp but not burnt;  you'll
have to check every so often, once its been in the stove for a while, different
livers reach the right point after different periods of time.  

Advantage:  you can carry it around without it getting too soft and mucky.
Disadvantage:  your kitchen will STINK for a while  .

This one is a bit less smelly in prep:
For 'liver cake' get & pre-heat a greased baking tray with low sides.  Mix your
chopped liver into a gooey mess with a couple of ounces of plain flour and an
egg.  Add fresh garlic (optional).  You can use a blender. Stick it in a moderately
high oven for half an hour until its a cooked-through medium brown.

I like Natural Balance rolls. They come in several different sizes, are easy to cut up in what ever size pieces you want. Dogs love them. They are not gross, wet, greasy or fake. You can put them in your mouth without gagging. The turkey ones can be a little crumbly, but beef and lamb hold together very well. I can accidently leave then in the truck for a day to two in a baggie and they don't spoil.
Great for training, tracking or stuffing in a kong to keep a puppy busy.
I used to use hotdogs, sliced thin and cooked until almost dry in the microwave. But after discovering the rolls the hot dogs were too much work.
I go through a 5 lbs roll in about a month of training ( 3 days a week plus tracking on the weekends) for my current dog. Just keep a baggie over the cut end to keep it from drying out. And i keep the cut pieces in a zip lock baggie until i need them. Been using them for years with great success.
Plus it's actually dog food and not just junk treats so i figure then in my my dog's food ration. She is really working for her dinner.
Best wishes training.
Fry


http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/product.aspx?ProductId=52&product=Premium+Dog+Food+Roll+Beef+Formula&ProductCategoryID=21&category=Premium+Food+Roll+Formulas+

I use different things depending upon the situation.  Plus, even the highest quality treat will be boring if it's the only thing you use.

The more the distractions, the better the treat.  The more distractions, the hungrier the dog should be.

If I am working on healing, I'll use cheese or hot dog - something I can put in my mouth and spit to the dog when he's looking at me.

If I'm working on other stuff, I'll use a good quality kibble.  But if we are working in a place with lots of distractions, I'll go back to the cheese, hot dog or maybe cook up some round steak or some other cheap cut of meat.

I don't like using chicken because small pieces of chicken tend to break apart.  Same with string cheese that's been cut up - usually falls apart.

For kibble, I like "Real Meat Dog Food".  It's basically raw food that's been air dried.  It is expensive compared to other kibble, but it's cost effective compared to other prepackaged dog treats. 

If I'm training during a walk, I might primarily use the kibble and only break out the tastier things when I encounter more distractions such as when I'm in a park with a bunch of squirrels.  And Natural Balance is great as well.  Lots and lots of variety.