# Got My Book, Got My Clickers, Now I Need Treats



## Jackie from Concrete WA (Mar 23, 2015)

I'm all set to start clicker training with Willow.....all except training treats. At one time I gave her a bunch of Zukes when I was trying to teach her something. That night she had diarrhea real bad. I really don't know what caused it but I blamed it on the Zukes as that was the only change in what she normally ate. I still give her Zukes but only a couple per day. It looks like I'm going to need to feed her a lot of treats when I get started. In another thread I read about the Plato Small Bites. I almost ordered the duck ones from Amazon, but thought I should just check with all you out there to see if there have been any tummy issues with these.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

I would stick with the same protein source as her main meals. Plato is good, but I would still cut them in half and subtract the amount of calories from her main feedings. Save the more exotic protein sources if she were ever to get an allergy to her chicken or main sources of protein.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

FreshPet comes in several different protein sources, and the rolls can be cut into tiny, TINY, soft pieces, which is what you want. Another option is any of the freeze dried raw foods. All of them can be broken up small, though many are a bit crumbly. Some dogs are also perfectly willing to work for their kibble, especially in the early stages.


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## boomana (Jul 9, 2015)

krandall said:


> Some dogs are also perfectly willing to work for their kibble, especially in the early stages.


I have to use kibble, which my dogs don't normally eat, as training treats most of the time, but I also use Platos and break it into at least three pieces. If the treat is something better, Lola gets too excited and can't contain herself  The only time I use real chicken or even a wee bit of a turkey dog is for recall. Works really well then.


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## Jackie from Concrete WA (Mar 23, 2015)

Thank you. I know kibble wouldn't work. I've tried that in the past and she turns her nose up at it. Her prior owners said she was allergic to chicken so that flavor is not an option. She is currently eating a lamb kibble, so I'll search Amazon for a lamb training treat! Thanks for all your advice.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Jackie from Concrete said:


> Thank you. I know kibble wouldn't work. I've tried that in the past and she turns her nose up at it. Her prior owners said she was allergic to chicken so that flavor is not an option. She is currently eating a lamb kibble, so I'll search Amazon for a lamb training treat! Thanks for all your advice.


If she can eat lamb, try Ziwi Peaks. It's an air dried lamb product made in New Zealand. Most dogs are CRAZY about it!!! It can also be broken into tiny pieces by hand.


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## Karen Collins (Mar 21, 2013)

Don't underestimate the power of real bacon. Fried crispy it crumbles into tiny pieces and dogs really do love it. I buy the all natural uncured. I never buy treats. It's too much trouble to locate the source. We are choosy about our protein sources for us, so the dogs can have anything we eat.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

yeah Karen , a little bacon shouldn't hurt. The conundrum with human food, is that a lot of what we eat is not good for us as The World Health Organization just nixed processed meats last month with a warning that we have generally known about for years. New Health Warning Explained: How Processed Meat Is Linked to Cancer :smile2:


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Karen Collins said:


> Don't underestimate the power of real bacon. Fried crispy it crumbles into tiny pieces and dogs really do love it. I buy the all natural uncured. I never buy treats. It's too much trouble to locate the source. We are choosy about our protein sources for us, so the dogs can have anything we eat.


I agree. My dogs mostly have our left over meat. One of my favorites is pork loin roast. You can get them on sale for under $2 per lb. a few times a year. I feed the family, then the rest gets cubed and put in the freezer. It holds together well and the dogs love it!!!


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## Jackie from Concrete WA (Mar 23, 2015)

krandall said:


> If she can eat lamb, try Ziwi Peaks. It's an air dried lamb product made in New Zealand. Most dogs are CRAZY about it!!! It can also be broken into tiny pieces by hand.


Thanks - I'll check it out. I found some others on Amazon but I don't know the quality. The couple I looked at were made by Sojos and Orijen. They both got good reviews. I'll look at the Ziwi too.


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