# Favourite puppy treats?



## Snowflake14 (Dec 28, 2014)

What are your havs favourite training treats? I've tried a few and can't find one she loves. Snowflake is almost 5 months old and we've had her for three weeks.


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## civano (Sep 29, 2014)

I have been giving lean treats from time to time that I get at my veterinarian's office and also have found on Amazon. My vet says they have 7 calories per treat and I just break off the treat into very small bits. I've also used Javi's kibble as a treat...I just use some of the amount he is suppose to get each day and set it aside for training. Although, all we have worked on is sit, potty training and letting me touch him all over in the 2 weeks I've had him. I need to up my training!  

I've used freeze dried liver in the past with my Papillon and have some ordered.


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## Cbelknap (Sep 17, 2014)

Here are a list of treats that Max and Molly like best. Most of these items are not available in mainstream pet stores. I order online or visit a specialty pet store in my area. I am picky about ingredients and believe these to be high quality treats. Overall, I don't give treats unless they are "worked" for and earned through obedience. Most of these treats are broken into tiny pieces and given when earned.

DAILY TREATS - (used for daily obedience training, grooming session rewards, filling Kongs and activity puzzles, etc.)
1. Pure Bites Freeze Dried Cheddar Cheese Dog Treats
2. Orijen Freeze Dried Dog Treats (available in several flavors)
3. Cheese Please by Complete Natural Nutrition
4. Good Dog Treats (my dogs love the Blueberry flavor) 

HIGH VALUE TREATS - (used only for training classes, etc.)
1. Cheese
2. Chicken Breast
3. Turkey Hot Dog

CHEWY THINGS - (used to satisfy their chewing -- only Made in the USA)
1. Smokehouse Chicken Barz 
2. Kangaroo Ribs
3. Smokehouse Steer Pizzle Stix
4. Tucker's Raw Frozen American Bison Bones
5. Merrick Real Cuts Jerky Strips

Hope some of these ideas might work for you.


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## MarinaGirl (Mar 25, 2012)

I sometimes give Emmie air-dried commercial raw dog food (e.g. ZiwiPeak) as training treats but higher value treats are string cheese, cooked chicken, and occasionally (healthy) hot dogs or baby food. I make sure to read ingredients and do not give her treats that are full of chemicals, which most of the ones sold at vets office contain. And most importantly, NO treats made in China.


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## Naturelover (Nov 30, 2013)

Archer really likes the Orijen freeze-dried meat treats. They can be a bit crumbly but are also good for training classes, grooming, or walks, where you might need higher value treats. The duck flavour seems to be a real favourite.

He also likes any kind of freeze-dried lamb lung or freeze-dried chicken meat.

I also use Stella & Chewy's patties as treats since they are more nutritious than regular treats, similar to the Ziwipeak.

I will use cheese and fresh meat pieces when available, and again, for special "occasions". The other really great treat, that doesn't have preservatives, is the "Feel Good" frozen liver brownies.

Hope that helps a bit. I think it's important to rotate because they do get tired of the same thing, and the novelty of new items can be great motivation when training them.


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## SJ1998 (Feb 4, 2013)

I also use the pure bites freeze dried, stella and chewy's carnivore crunch. The Trader Joes freeze dried is not bad but the pieces are harder to break up than the Pure Bites. The ultimate is cooked chicken. I could probably teach my hav to ballroom dance and do the laundry for that one.


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## whimsy (Apr 3, 2010)

"Pure Bites" Freeze Chicken is her favorite
Here is a link to their web site ...she like the cheese also
I do give her Charlie Bears once in a while too.
http://www.purebites.com/


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

http://platopettreats.com/product/turkey-pumpkin/


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## emichel (May 3, 2012)

Favorites are Pure Bites freeze dried liver (don't overdo it), dried lamb lung, Cloud Star Tricky Trainers (they come in soft or crunchy, in different flavors. He seems to particularly like the soft cheddar flavored ones), and Charley Bears. I like the Charley Bears and Tricky Trainers because they are really small and only a few calories. I need to have treats that I can carry around with me, so I don't use cooked chicken meat or anything like that. But ... I certainly give him little pieces of meat sometimes, in his bowl and not from my plate (!), not as training treats but just for being a Good Boy.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

If you do a lot of training, BY FAR the least expensive, (and also usually highest value) training treats are plain human meat, roasted or broiled. For Kodi I rotate through chicken, turkey and pork roast (we skip beef because he is beef intolerant). I used to also use cheese, but although he didn't show up on the Nutriscan testing as intolerant to dairy, he was higher than on anything else other than beef (and white fish for some reason, even though I've never purosely fed him that!) I buy what's on sale and cook it up, cube it and freeze it in baggies small enough that I can go through the bag in 3 days or less.


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## emichel (May 3, 2012)

krandall said:


> If you do a lot of training, BY FAR the least expensive, (and also usually highest value) training treats are plain human meat, roasted or broiled.


Karen, I was wondering if you have any concerns about the meat staying fresh. I know you spend a lot of time training Kodi so you probably go through it quickly, but I use treats rather sporadically. That combined with the fact that let's just say my organizational skills are not always the greatest, I fear I would be running around with little bits of rotten meat in my pocket. Not a pretty picture. Do you have any kind of system to keep it fresh when you are out and about? Of course I would still have to remember to empty out my pockets when I got home, but I could work on it.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

emichel said:


> Karen, I was wondering if you have any concerns about the meat staying fresh. I know you spend a lot of time training Kodi so you probably go through it quickly, but I use treats rather sporadically. That combined with the fact that let's just say my organizational skills are not always the greatest, I fear I would be running around with little bits of rotten meat in my pocket. Not a pretty picture. Do you have any kind of system to keep it fresh when you are out and about? Of course I would still have to remember to empty out my pockets when I got home, but I could work on it.


I only use fresh meat when I'm working on something new, either in class or a specific training session at home, ring rental, etc. In those instances, I bring the meat in small baggies in an insulated lunch bag with an ice pack. I only take out a handful at a time, and "reload" as needed.

For casual, around town training or reinforcement of learned behaviors, I keep a bag of freeze dried food, either Nature's variety or Ziwi Peaks in my car, another in my purse and another on my desk. These have a long shelf-life without refrigeration and while not as high value as fresh meat, he still is very pleased to have them handed out.


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## Snowflake14 (Dec 28, 2014)

krandall said:


> If you do a lot of training, BY FAR the least expensive, (and also usually highest value) training treats are plain human meat, roasted or broiled. For Kodi I rotate through chicken, turkey and pork roast (we skip beef because he is beef intolerant). I used to also use cheese, but although he didn't show up on the Nutriscan testing as intolerant to dairy, he was higher than on anything else other than beef (and white fish for some reason, even though I've never purosely fed him that!) I buy what's on sale and cook it up, cube it and freeze it in baggies small enough that I can go through the bag in 3 days or less.


lol! I had to laugh when I read "human meat!!"  Thanks for everyone's suggestions! This is really helpful!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Snowflake14 said:


> lol! I had to laugh when I read "human meat!!"  Thanks for everyone's suggestions! This is really helpful!


Ha! I guess that DOES read a little funny! No, I am NOT advocating feeding small children to your dogs!


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## harmony (Jan 18, 2015)

I've bought low-calorie training treats (Zuke's, for example, about 3 1/2 calories per treat), but with a new dog who needs a _lot_ of training right now, that's going to be a bit expensive and not especially healthy. I have some turkey in the freezer I could pull out and chop up for treats. That's a great idea.

What kind of cheese do you find your dogs respond to the best? Something with a strong smell like sharp cheddar?


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## emichel (May 3, 2012)

krandall said:


> ... I bring the meat in small baggies in an insulated lunch bag with an ice pack.


I really like this idea, and am going to try it with my guy. I've been realizing that we need to do some remedial work on the basics, especially walking nicely on the leash (sad to say). He is so scent oriented, and I've been letting him control our walks by allowing him to follow his nose a lot of the time. I think some fresh meat will be just the thing to get him/us back on track. Thanks!


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## Zoe093014 (Jan 27, 2015)

My puppy likes raw baby carrots, small bits of sweet potato, banana, apple, and sushi rice. Are these thing OK as treats? I have been holding the baby carrots so she can get small pieces but I was wondering if they can handle a whole one as puppies?


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Zoe093014 said:


> My puppy likes raw baby carrots, small bits of sweet potato, banana, apple, and sushi rice. Are these thing OK as treats? I have been holding the baby carrots so she can get small pieces but I was wondering if they can handle a whole one as puppies?


Most fruits and veggies are absolutely fine. The one to stay away from (because they are toxic!!!) are onions grapes and raisins. Some say avocados are too, though others say it's just the seed. I just don't feed it&#8230; why take a chance when there are so many other options!


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## Zoe093014 (Jan 27, 2015)

Thanks, Karen. Can she have a raw baby carrot without my holding it for her at about 4 mo.? I thought that it would be good for teething.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Zoe093014 said:


> Thanks, Karen. Can she have a raw baby carrot without my holding it for her at about 4 mo.? I thought that it would be good for teething.


I would think so! If you are concerned that she might try to swallow it whole, wash or peel a while carrot and let her gnaw on that instead.


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## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

About a month ago I came home from the grocery store and thought I would try my favorite broccoli salad with bacon, onions, cranberries and raisins. Accidentally I spilled some on the floor. I turned to get paper towels to wipe it up. When I looked down there was Truffles munching away. I picked her up and turned her upside down trying to open her mouth but she just clenched. I sat her down and then saw her swallow. I called our vet immediately and they said I needed to bring her in because of her size. Of course this was during rush hour traffic in the Bay Area and our vet is about 25 mins away without traffic. Panicking we drove to the 24 hr emergency hospital in our city. They gave her Morphine and she threw up. The vet said there was alot of chicken with cranberries and raisins. She asked if I wanted to see it and I passed No more raisins in this house!!!


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## harmony (Jan 18, 2015)

Yeah, raisins are bad news. A year or so ago, my at-the-time 4 year old left a bag of yogurt raisins where Luna could get them. She ate about half of the small package. Called the vet, and they said the amount she ate could possibly kill her. We did what they told us to, and everything was okay. But raisins around dogs scare me now.

Chocolate, on the other hand, was what I was really worried about for the longest time. Luna got a good bite out of a dark chocolate bar once and I called, but they said that the rule of thumb is one ounce per pound of body weight is where it becomes toxic. So for a ten pound dog, that's almost two to three full-size chocolate bars. A lot more than I had thought! We still try to teach the kids to keep chocolate where the dogs can't reach it, but it no longer frightens me the same way that raisins do.


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## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

The emergency vet said that about 30 raisins would have been toxic for her size 10lbs. Then again she said that you never know which dog will react to a few.


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Heather Glen said:


> The emergency vet said that about 30 raisins would have been toxic for her size 10lbs. Then again she said that you never know which dog will react to a few.


The second part is the hard part. My vet friends have told me that they've seen Chihuahuas eat 30 grapes and be just fine, and a Great Dane go into renal failure and die after eating 2 or 3. And a dog who has eaten them in the past with immunity, can suddenly have a problem. The problem is that they don't KNOW what it is about grapes (and therefore raisins) that makes some dogs so ill. And because of that, they HAVE to treat it as an emergency.

My husband fed Kodi 3 grapes one night, not realizing that they could be toxic. I called the ER vet, and they had me do the hydrogen peroxide thing, which didn't work. So then I had to take him in. They gave him a shot there to make him throw up, and he threw up two of them, but not the third. (in this case, we knew EXACTLY what he'd gotten, since Dave fed them to him!) They said that because he hadn't "given up" the last one, they still had to treat it as an emergency, keep him there for 3 days with a stomach lavage, activated charcoal, IV fluids and constant monitoring of his kidney function. I left him there feeling terrible.

I was almost home (past midm=night) when they called to tell me that he had vomited up the final (whole) grape. They said I could either get him in the morning, or go back and get him then. (of course I went back and got him right away! ) Even though he had vomited all 3 grapes up, and they were all whole, he still had to go to his regular vet for follow-up blood work, just to make SURE that his kidneys were functioning normally. The whole thing was pretty scary, and Dave knows better now! (I also put the $800 vet bill on his credit card&#8230; a very good reminder! ound

P.S. I LOVE that salad, and still get it. I just make SURE that KODI doesn't get it. (the onions are poisonous too, BTW)


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## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

It was soooo scarcy! I immediately remembered the story of Kodi and the grapes as soon as she swallowed. I was so upset and this pet hospital has a policy where you cannot stay with your pet. I didn't want to waste any time discussing it and delaying treatment so I let them take her. I learned my lesson to sit at the table when eating


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## Marbel (May 20, 2014)

davetgabby said:


> http://platopettreats.com/product/turkey-pumpkin/


This is what I've been looking for.


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## micki2much (Feb 8, 2007)

Baby carrots...my boy's favorites....and the crunching makes me laugh!!!!


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## MarinaGirl (Mar 25, 2012)

Emmie likes frozen carrots, beans, and blueberries but if they're not frozen she's not interested. :laugh:


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

MarinaGirl said:


> Emmie likes frozen carrots, beans, and blueberries but if they're not frozen she's not interested. :laugh:


Kodi loves frozen veggies too! (though he certainly doesn't turn his nose up at fresh, either! )


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