goodysgotacuda Posted September 18, 2010 Report Share Posted September 18, 2010 We've had our 11 week old for a week now. He's learned just a couple things off the clicker. He seems to get pretty bored of the pet store "training treats" we picked up. Any suggestions, I read somewhere Cheerios? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rufftie Posted September 18, 2010 Report Share Posted September 18, 2010 i use hot dogs and cheese. both can be cut into small pieces, are soft and easy to chew/swallow and can be gotten pretty cheaply in those off brand markets or even walmart. we save something really good like chicken or liver brownies for the trial. oh, we train agility! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brndlbc Posted September 18, 2010 Report Share Posted September 18, 2010 Like people, dogs will have different tastes. My older bc loves anything edible and is not at all picky. Very food motivated and very toy motivated which makes for a great balance with reinforcements options. The younger one, she eats almost anything as long as her deflated soccer ball is not present. If it is, then we need to go to a higher value treat like chicken or steak and even then we can lose out to the toy. The ball has proven to be a great asset in teaching impulse control but is very hard to stick in your pocket! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullet87 Posted September 19, 2010 Report Share Posted September 19, 2010 We've had our 11 week old for a week now. He's learned just a couple things off the clicker. He seems to get pretty bored of the pet store "training treats" we picked up. Any suggestions, I read somewhere Cheerios? I like to use hot dogs as well. I just buy them when they are on sale for cheap and stock up. I also use left over chuck roast when we cook it. I only cook it in water and its own juices, no salt or pepper either, so whatever we don't eat for leftovers or is too fatty I cut up and use that as well. Sometimes they will get lucky and get chicken, but not too often. As your pup gets older I would also try and see if he/she is toy motivated. My heeler will do anything for a ball. In fact he'd rather have a ball then food. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodysgotacuda Posted September 19, 2010 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2010 Thanks everyone, we are trying to get him on the right track as far as training goes. He gets lots of exercise. He is 11 weeks old now and it's hard to get his attention by calling his name outside of the house (or with a toy in his mouth). He went to "puppy kindergarden" this morning and I can just forget trying to get his attention with other people/dogs running around. Instructor said it is partially due to his youth, and such. Just trying to get all the advice I can Thanks! Here is Ranger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rushdoggie Posted September 19, 2010 Report Share Posted September 19, 2010 I use string cheese, leftover meats and fish treats. My dogs will do anything for fish...anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frogs & Dogs Posted September 19, 2010 Report Share Posted September 19, 2010 A favorite at our agility class is string cheese. It's very conveniently packaged and you can just tear off small pieces when you need them. No need to cut it up ahead of time, and less chance of dropping pieces all over the place. I buy 12 or 24 packs and just store it in the freezer. Natural Balance rolls are good, if you're willing to do some chopping. You can cut them up into long skinny pieces ahead of time and then just break them apart when you're ready. Another of my favorites is salmon treats: 1 can of salmon 1 tbsp oil (any kind) 1 egg 1 cup flour (any kind) Mix ingredients, roll out dough, and cut out shapes with cookie cutters. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes, flipping in between. You want them slightly moist, not hard as rocks. Warning: Don't make these when housemates are around - they're stinky!! Kit's all time favorite treat, though, is popcorn. I don't give it often, and usually not more than a couple of kernels. I do stove-top and give her a few pieces before I season/butter mine, so hers has nothing but a little veggie oil on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lrayburn Posted September 19, 2010 Report Share Posted September 19, 2010 I like to use a semi-moist dog food roll like Pet Botanics or Natural Balance. They are very high value for most dogs and nutritionally balanced so I don't feel like I'm pumping a puppy or small dog full of junk food. I use it for Pip who is always watching her weight and just substitute it for a proportional amount of her kibble. Lisa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2 Devils Posted September 19, 2010 Report Share Posted September 19, 2010 It depends on the dog. I have one that works better for a ball than food. I was training with him today on the flyball box as he has been a little lazy. I had string cheese and he was getting a ball. He followed my hand - the one with the ball in it. I even tried to put the cheese in his face and he totally ignored it. Years ago he would spit food for a ball and I wanted to see if he was still that way and yep he is. If I don't have a ball handy, I usually have a tug and he will work almost as well with a tug. Now if there are NO toys around, he will do whatever I ask for food and will go crazy over any kind even kibble. I have one that if he does flyball I used to have to make special treats for him. He now runs for string cheese or hot dogs but HE will kill for cut up chicken marinated in a honey/garlic sauce and baked. It is like doggy crack for him. Another 2 will work as hard for kibble compared to cheese, hamburger or even cheese. The bc likes to also play tug and ball but food is what it takes in a group class or activity. I can tell she is comfortable if she tugs when in a group. The other, an acd, is a rescue and never learned to play with anything or even obedience commands. She loves to learn and will do anything you ask for any kind of food. Then the last one prefers a quick tug session while learning. She will train for food but she LOVES tug. Basically, for a puppy class, I would go with a really smelly treat and would cut whatever it is up in advance so you can reward faster. If your dog really loves toys you can try a toy in class. Who cares if you don't get as many reps of a command in as long as you are getting what you ask for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arf2184 Posted September 19, 2010 Report Share Posted September 19, 2010 I switch between hot dogs and cheese (mixed) and Pampered Pet Dog Cookies. I like these cookies because they are wheat and corn free. Something in processed foods makes Meg itch...she's on a raw diet and it doesn't appear to be any kind of meat or veggie so I haven't been too concerned about figuring out exactly what it is, but I suspect wheat. She does well with these cookies and loves them. I break them in half or thirds for training. Once she knows what I want, I switch to toys as a reward/motivator for practice and fine tuning. The squeaky tennis ball works best for her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alligande Posted September 19, 2010 Report Share Posted September 19, 2010 I would also say it depends on the dog, I started training Rievaulx when we got him at 5 months using kibble and what ever special treats were left from Brody. Most of my training now involves toys, but I train tricks with the cut offs from vegetables while I am cooking, the dog will do anything for a piece of vegetable. Brody loves food and for generic treats I use hot dogs and string cheese, I have had to up the value to motivate him for agility, I started with the ends of deli meats, moved onto meatballs which he loved but they lost their value. Now I am using home made liver treats and for training speed through weaves and at the end of a trial run homemade doggy pate - a very disgusting treat that he adores. He also has a taste for Kielbasa. As I train agility I stopped using commercial treats once I realized the amount I would be using, and try to only use human grade food. I think the key is finding what your dog likes Susan Garrett had a blog posting about finding the value of treats for your dog, I often wander around the supermarket wondering what Brody would like to try next, that is still workable as a training treat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SecretBC Posted September 20, 2010 Report Share Posted September 20, 2010 My "go to" treat for home training is the Natural Balance food roll. I feel like it gives me the most bang for my buck, economically, and I also find that it doesn't upset my dogs' stomach when fed in large quantities (like liver treats and the like). I cut it up into small cubes and store it in the freezer. It doesn't freeze rock hard, so I typically use it straight out of the freezer. It's essentially just dog food and is nutritionally balanced -- Not a lot of junk in it to upset tummies. For trials and the like, I use chicken & cheese. I cube the cheese into small pieces and for the chicken I boil then shred it by hand. Zero stomach upset with these foods and I feed a lot at trials. Secret is so food motivated that she'll work for kibble. Most all of her clicker training was/is done using her dinner portion of plain kibble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BCkris Posted September 23, 2010 Report Share Posted September 23, 2010 I purchased some smoked beef lung from best bully sticks http://www.bestbullysticks.com/home/bbs/pa...ung_treats.html they come in very small cube sizes and my dog loves them especially after he got tired of Zukes training treats, which by the way is really good too. i now switch it up so he doesnt get tired of the same treats... string cheese work miracles, i use scissors to cut them into small sliver like pieces. although those treats i think may have a lot of calories but i know the Zukes one is considered lower in fat.... BTW, Ranger is VERY cute! he just screams of personality!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Good Shepherd Posted September 23, 2010 Report Share Posted September 23, 2010 I also use Zukes when I remember to get them. With 3 dogs in training I go through a LOT of treats. I also use very small hot dog pieces, but I usually nuke them because of the slimyness they develop since I keep them in my pocket when I work my dogs - Oh, we do obedience and rally! Ranger needs to be in Albuquerque with my pack He is just adorable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rua Posted September 24, 2010 Report Share Posted September 24, 2010 we make our own for use when we do basic obedence. We call em Sugar Snacks : ¾ cup flour 1 egg 1 Tbs honey 1 tsp peanut butter ¼ cup vegetable shortening 1 tsp baking soda ¼ cup rolled oats ½ tsp vanilla Directions: Preheat oven to 350° F (180° C). Heat honey and peanut butter until runny (about 20 seconds in the microwave). Mix ingredients together and drop by ½ teaspoonful (or roll them onto little balls) onto cookie sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes. You can play about with the recipe and flavor it for your dogs. I am going to try to swap out the PB for pumpkin. Now that its fall I an make me some pumpkin mash seeing as stores here still haven't gotten canned pumpkin in yet but they do have whole pumpkins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsnrs Posted September 26, 2010 Report Share Posted September 26, 2010 Thanks for the recipes. Will try them this winter. Our Alfie's favorite is the ball. Also hot dogs for my male Sam. I love it when they are food driven but if they aren't readily available just giving them my approval works good too. Lots of hugs and upbeat voices works too. (really acting silly with puppies) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arf2184 Posted September 27, 2010 Report Share Posted September 27, 2010 I just got some Natural Balance Tillman's Training Treats (turkey veg) today at a local event (free in a humane society grab bag!) and I really like them. They're soft and easy to break into smaller pieces but not crumbly or slimy or no artificial flavor or preservatives. They were a big hit with both dogs. I think I'll be adding them into the treat rotation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmyd65 Posted September 27, 2010 Report Share Posted September 27, 2010 Homemade beef jerky from my dehydrator. 96% lean beef and garlic powder. They LOVE em... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrittanyS Posted September 27, 2010 Report Share Posted September 27, 2010 Chicken! We buy the pre-cooked stuff that's ready to go. You can find it usually in the deli section. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coyotecreek Posted October 8, 2010 Report Share Posted October 8, 2010 Experiment for sure..the only "pet store" treats Kate holds any value in are the peanut butter BillJac Gooberlicious. Other then that I rotate between hotdogs, string cheese, cinnamon toast crunch, and a combo of liverwurst and cheese for BIG TIME rewards. She does like the spray cheese whiz as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackdawgs Posted October 10, 2010 Report Share Posted October 10, 2010 Cheese tortellini from the frozen foods section of the grocery store. They have the advantage of being very throwable (and visable in grass). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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