In welcome messages and over the phone, I always recommend dog owners bring three times as many treats to class or private lessons as they think they’ll need. In this recommendation, I always recommend “small-moist” treats. After this statement, owners always ask “why?” There are a couple of reasons for this recommendation. The first big reason is that dry treats will dry out your dog’s mouth. Have you ever eaten a bunch of saltine crackers without being able to get a drink immediately? Is it hard to pay attention? Can you learn? Honestly, it’s kind of mean to feed your dog a bunch of Milk-Bones, or crunchy treats, and expect them to not start looking for the water dish.

The second reason I make this treat recommendation is because you generally do not feed your dog semi-moist treats for their meals. These treats tend to be a special treat they get. When something is special your dog will pay attention to you. There are very few dogs who will pay attention to, or work, for their kibble. Since “semi-moist” treats are more aromatic and less dehydrating than standard kibble, they keep your dog’s attention on the lesson rather than on the water bowl. This improved focus makes it much easier for your dog to learn new behaviors.

Examples

We all know commercial treats can get expensive. I have also heard “Well, I stopped by Walmart (or Pet Store) on my way here…” or “These treats were $20, Fido better like them!” Unfortunately, all dogs are different and have different likes. One of my dogs thinks steamed broccoli is the BEST thing she has ever had. My other dog will eat anything that will not eat him first. I had another dog who thought raw chicken or ice cream were the only acceptable treats. For this reason, I would make compromises with Armada on his treats. However, it is bad practice to just “wing it.” You should really know what your dog likes prior to coming to class. Here is a list of ideas:

• Zuke’s Training Treats – these come in many different flavors, so your dog may like one flavor, but not another one
• Various Brands of Training Treats – small round treats, that might be tough for some people to hold. These may be tough for teaching certain behaviors.
• Nudges – Chicken Jerky, Grillers – these come in different flavors, so your dog may like one flavor, but not another one
• True Chews – these come in different flavors, so your dog may like one flavor, but not another one
• Cheerios – these absorb the flavor and moisture of other treats/food they are stored with
• String Cheese – be careful giving too much, especially at first to ensure your dog can process this
• Hot Dogs – I HIGHLY recommend using 100% chicken, turkey, or beef hotdogs. Please stay away from pork. Pork is high in fat and can cause pancreatitis.
• Boiled Chicken Breast or Rotisserie Chicken – cut in small pieces or somewhat shredded
• Various Fruits/Veggies – dog safe fruits and veggies are great treats. If you have a question on whether a fruit or vegetable is safe, just ask!
• Unseasoned leftover meats – if you have unseasoned meats that are left over that you may not eat, these make great dog treats!!!

As with any type of food you feed your dog, please make sure it agrees with your dog and your dog does not have any food sensitivities. This is just a mere list of ideas. There are a million treats out there. Use what will work with your dog!

High Value vs. Low Value

I often use the terms “High Value” vs. “Low Value” treats. A high value treat is something you want to use if your dog is learning something hard or is in a very distracting atmosphere. It is the treat that your dog almost goes crazy about. A low-value treat is something you want to use if your dog knows a behavior pretty well and you are not in a super distracting atmosphere. My PWD will eat cheese, but he does not LOVE it, so I would consider that his low value treat. He pretty much LOVES everything else though, so almost everything else are his high-value treats. My Staffordshire Bull Terrier, goes crazy over steamed broccoli, so that’s her high value treat! However, she goes a little too crazy over food, so we have to use low value food for her most of the time.

What are your dog’s high- and low-value treats?

Photo by James Lacy on Unsplash