# Best treats



## shimpli (Mar 24, 2010)

Which are the treats used for training that your Havanese is crazy for??? I am in preparation mode. My havanese comes in 7 weeks...


----------



## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

here is a video ,about training new puppies with treats. I will look for more .http://www.dogstardaily.com/search/node/training+treats?page=4 and here is another good article. http://www.dogstardaily.com/training/food-critics


----------



## trueblue (Jan 22, 2008)

I use the Natural Balance roll (Lamb Formula) cut up into little bits. They LOVE it.


----------



## mintchip (Apr 19, 2007)

trueblue said:


> I use the Natural Balance roll (Lamb Formula) cut up into little bits. They LOVE it.


Oliver and Comet love those rolls but I discovered they like praise more.....
They love a good back rub and hearing "Good boy good job"


----------



## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

The biggest thing with treats is to use regular kibble (if you are feeding kibble regularily) for simple tasks and use higher value treats eg. liver for more challenging performances. Read the part in my last link about phasing out treats. It is VERY important. Once a task has been learned ,you must phase it out and only reward occassionally for that performance.


----------



## shimpli (Mar 24, 2010)

Very interesting link. Thanks everyone. So much to learn in 7 weeks !!


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Hi Teresita,

I wrote this before, but then my server went down!:

------------------------------------------------------



shimpli said:


> Which are the treats used for training that your Havanese is crazy for??? I am in preparation mode. My havanese comes in 7 weeks...


For training, you want to have a hierarcy of treats, from "I like those" to "I'll turn myself inside out for one of those!!!!" And what treats are highest value tend to change over time, so you need to have a full arsenal, and be prepared to change it up.

Typically, for at-home training, I use a rotating selection of Charlie Bears, Zuke's minis and Solid Gold jerky treats. All of these come in a variety of flavors. The way I choose brands is:

* They need to be easy to cut or break up (even the Zuke's Minis can be broken into 3-4 Hav-sized training treats)

* Kodi needs to really like them

* They should not have a ton of chemical additives (if you want to turn your stomach, just look at what's in Pup-a-roni or other grocery store treats!!!)

* For Kodi, I have to be able to get varieties without beef, which causes him tummy trouble. If you have a dog with sensitivities, keep this in mind when choosing treats.

There are several other good brands of prepared dog treats that are good quality, high in good food value and low in junk ingredients. (Wellness has a nice selection too, but I find them harder to tear or cut than the Solid Gold, and they get stale and hard faster once you open the package) Try a bunch

When we are at the training center, with new smells, other dogs and lots of distractions, I need higher value treats, and I save these ONLY for class. At "school" we use a combination of ham, string cheese, cheddar cheese, rolled dog food (I use Natural Balance), boiled chicken, or if we've cooked one recently pieces of roast turkey. A lot of people use hot dogs, but Kodi didn't like either the turkey or chicken ones,and I didn't like all the preservatives in them.

Some people will say to avoid ham and cheese because of the high sodium content. But the size of your treats should be VERY small, and in proportion to the other foods your dogs eat, should not be a problem unless you already have a dog with a health issue of some sort. (I've verified this with a number of veterinarians)

Whichever selection of treats you and your pup decide upon, it's easiest to cut up a bunch of them ahead of time, so you aren't fiddling with stuff during training. Some things, like the rolled food and cheese can be a bit messy. It helps to cut these up the day before, and leave them spread out on a plate in the fridge. The outside will dry out in any modern frost-free refrigerator, and while WE might not like to eat food with dried-out edges, the dogs don't care, and the lower moisture content makes the treats much easier to handle in class!

---------------------------------------------

Dave is completely right that you need to phase out training treats once the behavior is solid. However, especially in the first few months of training, NOTHING is really THAT solid. so don't be stingy with treating in the beginning; it's money in the bank later on.

It is also true that praise is a good reward to use, and is ALWAYS available,e ven when a food treat might not be. But it makes it much easier if a dog is intrinsically motivated by food.

Another strong motivator for many dogs that is often overlooked is play. Work on something for a while, and then break off for a quick game of tug or fetch or even just RLH with your puppy in the yard! Some dogs are not naturals at tug or fetch, but most can be taught to enjoy these games, and playing with YOU is the most important part of the fun.

A good trainer has all of these potential motivators in their "tool box" and uses them as appropriate, depending on the situation and the dog's natural preferences.


----------



## shimpli (Mar 24, 2010)

Great !!! Thanks a lot. I need to print out all this info for my Havanese binder. So cool...


----------



## Becky Chittenden (Feb 4, 2009)

My dogs love Purina's Carvers, especially the chicken. If I need the "real" stuff, chicken and turkey are, in the dogs' opinion, heaven. Becky


----------



## irnfit (Nov 21, 2006)

Mine love freeze dried beef liver. They also love flossies.


----------



## TheVintageVamp (Oct 14, 2009)

Murray will do just about anything for a piece of duck jerky...


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

irnfit said:


> Mine love freeze dried beef liver. They also love flossies.


It must be hard to use flossies for training treats, though, isn't it?


----------



## ama0722 (Nov 28, 2006)

A lot of us spoil our pups making home made jerky. That way you know exactly what goes in. I try to give them healthy treats that aren't junk. Dash is my picky dog and most of the pre-bagged treats he spits out. The girls aren't as picky so I can get away with a lot more with them. I also often take the meat we dont eat and put it in snack bags in the freezer. So you can often see me feeding my dogs a variety of foods.

But right now my pups are obsessed with the sparkly red box on the counter of the turkey blueberry dehydrated treats Sharlene made for the playdate


----------



## mintchip (Apr 19, 2007)

Sharlene how do you make turkey blueberry dehydrated treats?


----------



## Leslie (Feb 28, 2007)

Like Amanda said, a lot of us make our own chicken/beef jerky. I would say that these days that is Tori's most favorite treat. However, I have yet to find anything she won't do for a baby carrot, a piece of string cheese, or a bit of broiled chicken breast  Tori is definitely a treat "snob". She will not eat any kind of crunchy treat and has been known to turn her nose up at every kind of prepackaged treat she's been offered. Yes, she is spoiled...


----------



## furfan (Nov 24, 2008)

Ruben isn't very picky about treats, but of the healthier options, he seems to especially like the Zukes minis and jerky naturals.


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

mintchip said:


> Sharlene how do you make turkey blueberry dehydrated treats?


Yes, I'd like to know that too! (also, how do you make the chicken or turkey jerky?)

I do have a recipe for home made liver treats that Kodi loves. (we use chicken liver because of his beef intolerance, but the person I got the recipe from uses beef liver)

1 lb liver
2 eggs
1/2 c parmesan cheese
1/2-3/4 c brown rice flour (you can use wheat flour if you're sure your dog can tolerate wheat)

Spread thin in a greased baking pan, and bake for about 25 minutes at 350F


----------



## mimismom (Feb 15, 2009)

Mine love and fall over Zuke's mini's. I too took Dave's advice and only give them on occasion. 

Mimi is really picky about what she will eat. Gordo will eat just about anything, so he gets a combo of kibble and treats.


----------



## The Laughing Magpie (Aug 20, 2009)

I use broiled chicken. Every few days I make more and keep it on hand. Sometimes I use the duck jerky or liver treats. My boys would love to have the bad for you junk treats. The Hav and Lhasa are junk food junkies.


----------

