I feel like I've been had

[Jen W]

I just spent $10.75 on 10 ounces of freeze-dried cheese treats for my dog.

It occurs to me now that I could just use cheese as a treat instead, right?  It'd be much cheaper, I could still freeze it so it wouldn't go bad before I used it , and it couldn't be less "healthy", could it?

Why am I buying treats at all?  Couldn't I just chop up some carrots (which Dory loves) and use those for training?  Or dice my own cooked chicken for treats?

I'm just talking treats here, not food.  I recognize that there is a lot of nutritional consideration in her daily meals that I am not about to tackle, but why am I buying these treats for our training time?  

[Linda And Callie]

Of course you can make your own. And you can make chicken or beef jerky in the oven too!

[Shari Becker]

Lexi's favorite training treats are tiny pieces of apple, and tiny pieces of hard cheese. Frozen peas and carrots all work, too. We've also baked pumpkin treats for her. Not even a lot of work, just need the time. Those pre-made bags are convenient though. I've stared looking at TJ Maxx. Buddy's kitchen training treats were $2.99 a bag there!

[F, Calla & Luca]

I really don't train much anymore but small bits of many foods you have on hand make fine treats.

[Diana Erhart]

Small pieces for training and treats are fine.  My daughter's dog has a problem where she can't process fat correctly.  The vet has her cut up carrots and that is what she gets for treats.  I have also used cheese.  And also I sometimes cut thin slices of turkey and dehydrate it in the oven.  Go for it!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

The answer to your last question is "convenience", lol.

Freeze-dried or dehydrated cheese and chicken are also easier to carry around with you. A lot of training takes place in public places outside of the home. I used to keep a bag of treats in my coat pocket for training classes, walks, visits to public places, etc. When housebreaking a puppy, too. If you use treats for training, treating on the spot the instant the dog obeys is crucial. Much easier to not have to remember to refill the bag every time you leave the house with the dog. And pieces of fresh cheese stick together, lol.

Otherwise, nothing at all wrong with using your own fresh food as treats.

[Jen W]

Ahhh, good point.  It's one thing to put on a coat for the first time of the season and find a Zuke's treat in the pocket; quite another to reach in and find a old piece of chicken.

[Deborah Brown]

So true!

[Deborah Brown]

LOL!  My dogs are still working on the leftover turkey from Thanksgiving that I chopped up into bits and froze.  I thaw it out a few pieces at a time for agility or nose work class.  I know a lot of people who buy string cheese in bulk at Costco and use it for treats. Sometimes I dry meat in the oven but that comes out pretty hard and soft treats are better for class.