Easy Training Treat

[Chloe and Buddy]

Ok, so when I am training Buddy, I sneak some regular pieces of dog food into my bag. He thinks they are real treats! I guess if he sees me put them in the bag he knows they aren't treats, but they are easy, and you never run out! Plus, they are healthy! It's just like feeding your dog!

 

[Anneke]

I never, ever use regular dogfood to train my dogs. I want the reinforcement to be great, not average. Even though my dogs love their food, they love their treats even more and are more willing to work for a treat. There are great healthy snacks out there to buy, or to make.
I use hotdogs, cheese, dogsnacks, cooked chicken, dried cowlung, liverwurst, Frolic(I do not consider this actual dogfood)
There are some threads about making your own snacks around here somewhere. Take a look!
http://www.dogtrickacademy.com/members/forums/threads/project.3293/

 

[Chloe and Buddy]

Oh? Well, I also use cheese sticks... Even if I am just eating a snack. I usually split it in half and make him (Bud) work for it... I bite it in my mouth and give it to him. thanks for the advice.

 

[jackienmutts]

I don't ever use dog food either. They get that anyway - why should I 'reward' them with (essentially) their meals. I want them to do something for me, and then I want to pay them well for it. It keeps them interested, and always willing to work hard for me. I use chicken, beef, hot dogs, cheese, organ meat, liverwurst, meatballs, and you never know what else I may think up. Keeps 'em guessing and working really hard!!

 

[paradismutts]

I used dog food a couple times when I want to make a "trail mix" of treats. The mix would be hot dogs, cheese, dog treats (differrent kinds), freeze dried liver, cat kibble and dog kibble. So Cody would never know what he was getting at that moment. Most of the time I choose one treat though for a training session, which one depends on what I am trying to get him to do. Scary things or things he is not to sure about (like skateboarding) I use high reward treats like hot dogs, but most things get his favorite treats. I only ever put some kibble into his mixed treat bag when I would go to agility, it kept him very excited and interested. But I would never just use his kibble as the treat, he would certainly not want to do the stuff I am asking of him just for kibble all the time. He gets it anyway during meal times.

 

[Pawbla]

I do use kibble. My dog always works for his food, he needs two to four training sessions to get all his food. I also use other treats, but I do use kibble because my dog will work for it! If it wouldn't motivate him, I wouldn't use it. However it is a good motivator only at home - if I go out to the street it doesn't really work as a walk is a higher motivator.
Also I think this only works if you make them work for their daily ration of kibble. If you give it to them in their bowl anyways after the sessions, it doesn't really work...

This is a pretty good way to make kibble interesting:

I just found out the other day and it works pretty good. Mixing it with meat is really useful.
The good thing about kibble is that it's HEALTHY, and if you have a dog with a sensitive stomach like mine you will like this!

 

[Chloe and Buddy]

As long as Buddy doesnt see me put the food in the bag, he will accept it as a treat in trick training

 

[Dlilly]

Shiloh will look at me when I try to give her kibble like" why are you trying to feed me this filth you fool". My foster dog, Chance, on the other hand will gobble it up!

I like to use different types of treats when I train. With Chance, I use kibble, bread, and meat. Meat is his jackpot, bread is the "good boy" treat, and kibble is his "nice try" treat.

 

[Dioritt]

I like to use different types of treats when I train. With Chance, I use kibble, bread, and meat. Meat is his jackpot, bread is the "good boy" treat, and kibble is his "nice try" treat.

I like the idea of using different treats for different levels of achievement.

Alfie won't hear of having kibble as a treat. He very rarely has kibble anyway (only if we're travelling, usually) so giving it to him as a treat is below what he'd normally get for a meal so I'm not surprised he won't have them. He'll just bump it with his nose and push it back at me, UNLESS it's been mixed with meat in his treat box and has got a bit moist and tastier, then he'll 'maybe' take it. Hence, I no longer use it.

Bruno (my daughter's dog who I dog-sit a lot), on the other hand, will happily take kibble as a treat. He's food mad so anything that is edible goes down greedily.

 

[collie23]

Trixie loves salmon - just another suggestion for treats

 

[Mr-Remington]

Remi will work just as hard for kibble as any other treat. I usually give him cheese, chicken, or dog treats when training, but he really doesn't care what it is as long as he is getting food. In fact if I use real meat or cheese instead of just treats or kibble he gets over excited and cant focus on me as much cause all he wants is the food. But none the less I spoil him with chicken and cheese when we trick train especially on a harder trick.

 

[madeleine]

I make my treats for training. They must be small and easy to shallow, but i have many things.
Like small fish to small parts of fresh/dried/half dried meat.
This i do so i can change the treats, gives Dazzle more motivation.

 

[MaryK]

I use anything which is easy to put into the trick bag. Ra Kismet will train for any type of food Great tips here on different types of treats.

 

[Dioritt]

Alf's always a bit sceptical if I introduce a treat he's never had before so I have to give it to him for doing simple things that he knows well first otherwise he'll spend five minutes just sniffing and licking it before deciding whether or not he ought to swallow it which slows down the training somewhat. Lol.

I love how they're all different in the approaches to treats.

 

[MaryK]

Alf's always a bit sceptical if I introduce a treat he's never had before so I have to give it to him for doing simple things that he knows well first otherwise he'll spend five minutes just sniffing and licking it before deciding whether or not he ought to swallow it which slows down the training somewhat. Lol.

I love how they're all different in the approaches to treats.

Glad I'm not the only one with a suspicious dog Zeus, if given something new, will look at me as if I'm trying to poison him! I have to 'pretend' to eat it first.

 

[sgtfrog]

I have 2 different kind of kibble for Milli. One is her normal meal kibble ( Natural balance duck and potato) and the other is her treat kibble ( Orijen free run chicken/turkey / fish formula).

She would work for her normal kibble but works extra hard for the orijen. To her it's a treat! When I first start teaching a trick, I might give her a little Saussage or other kind of tasty treats she usually doesnt get.

Works great for Milli.