Can I please have some suggestions for the best healthy training treats?

[Laura Bogar]

Can I please have some suggestions for the best healthy training treats? Peferably a grain free treat that is ok for sensitive tummies. I give her Zukes salmon and Zukes chicken treats for training but seems to have lost interest. In the past I have given her the cloud star (not sure if thats the right name) and bill jacs. Thank You!

[Adina P]

Some people use the dog's own kibble and train when the dog is hungry. There's healthy and there's yummy enough to work for. I don't think everything has to be SUPER healthy as long as it is not dangerous or contains ingredients a dog doesn't tolerate. With prepackaged dog food I think the biggest issues are safety of ingredients and dog's tolerance to various ingredients. Karen...am I leading astray or am I on track?

I also think that real food (not from a package) that is safe for dogs is probably fine if your dog tolerates it. I don't train with treats, so I don't know what's out there as far as ingredient safety of packaged foods. But when I did use treats for training I'd use things like little TINY (no bigger than a green pea) pieces of cheese, or liver treats. I bet you could cut/break up chicken or other meat into teeeny tiny pieces and kind of vary it. I know with treat training you do need to have something AMAZING available for those key training moments so the dog is wired to expect a big reward. But what is most rewarding to one dog might not be that exciting to another dog if it is competing for attention with a squirrel! And some dogs might work for carrots and broccoli under low distractions.

[Laura Bogar]

Thanks Adina, this info is really helpful so I really appreciate it. I know she will obey right away with chicken breast because that is her favorite. I will have to make some soon.

[Adina P]

And remember the principles of fading treats so you aren't dependent on sticking a chicken breast nugget in front of her nose for obedience.

[Renee Hacker]

Our trainer uses cut up chicken breasts as high value training treats.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

That's what I use, but my guys have very sensitive stomachs.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

We have lots of discussions on healthy training treats in the Food Group. Here's one with lots of suggestions:  http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/thefoodgroup/forum/topics/high-re...

You might also try Pure Bites. http://www.purebites.com/

[Laura Bogar]

Got some pure bites beef flavor and she loves them. I love how they have a variety of flavors in case one flavor gets boring for her. She is doing all her tricks etc. with these yay!

[Sharon Visser]

My dog loves apples.   We keep a small tupperware container in the 'fridge with little pieces of apple cut up for her.  We used to use pieces of carrots for treats, but she got bored with them.  We have been giving her apple for about a year and a half, and she still loves it.

[Laura Bogar]

ill have to try some apples! Im assuming you know the apple seeds alone are poisonous?

[Sharon Visser]

I didn't know that they were poisonous, so that's good to know.  But we just give her small cut-up pieces of apple - never a whole apple or any part of the core.

[Laura Bogar]

Thats just what iv heard. But, I just looked it up and I would not worry if she just has a few :)

[Gwyndolyn Morasko]

I must admit I haven't been consistent with the AMAZING treats for big moments, but I do like the Wellness brand treats for training him not to pull on his walks.  One little soft flat square can be torn into 12 tiny bits so they go a long way.  When I'm in the house and just reviewing/renewing some of his skills, I just use cooked chicken torn into tiny pieces.  I use little carrots and celery when we are done with training review or potty time because he will lay down and chew on those for a while.