[smdaigle]

I've been using hot dog bits, and a variety of store bought meaty treats (different brands and types). The store bought ones seem rubbery and my puppy isn't crazy about them. I've also tried using the smallest biscuit type treats I can find and then breaking them into tiny pieces but my dog has to stop and crunch those so they're not very effective!

Hot dogs are fine but they don't seem very healthy! Any suggestions?

 

[Lilie]

Boiled chicken! I've taken an entire chicken and boiled it. Once it's cooled I cut it up into tiny pieces. My GSD can't refuse chicken and when we are doing something that requires both my hands, I can pop some into my mouth with out gagging on them!

 

[kiya]

I used to use hot dogs but recently tried steak oh boy, talk about focus!
It's not expensive considering you can get a good sized london broil for about $5 cut into strips and then pea sized pieces, it's cheap compared to some stuff thats out there. I make portioned bags and put them in the freezer.

 

[jakeandrenee]

Liver, hotdogs, cheese, kibble, cat kibble, chicken, beef, NB rolls......

 

[smdaigle]

I used to use hot dogs but recently tried steak oh boy, talk about focus!
It's not expensive considering you can get a good sized london broil for about $5 cut into strips and then pea sized pieces, it's cheap compared to some stuff thats out there. I make portioned bags and put them in the freezer.

I've been thinking about steak - it'll probably have to wait till after Christmas though . . . I can just hear the commentary from my husband, in-laws and adult sons!

 

[smdaigle]

Boiled chicken! I've taken an entire chicken and boiled it. Once it's cooled I cut it up into tiny pieces. My GSD can't refuse chicken and when we are doing something that requires both my hands, I can pop some into my mouth with out gagging on them!

I used left over chicken the other night - he definitely liked it! I guess I'm going to have to start scavenging more of the leftovers!

 

[smdaigle]

Liver, hotdogs, cheese, kibble, cat kibble, chicken, beef, NB rolls......

Liver . . . I'm not sure I can handle that!! I hadn't thought of cheese - that's worth a try too! Kibble works but he stops to crunch it. What are NB rolls?

Dumb question but raw beef is fine right? What about chicken - I'm not feeding the RAW diet but can I use raw chicken for treats or should I cook it?

 

[Jax's Mom]

I use these: Costco - Celebrity Chicken Jerky 2-pack I can break little slivers off and keep them in my pockets without stink or staining

 

[jakeandrenee]

NB rolls are Natural Balance Rolls.....they are great, easy to cut up and NOT messy.

 

[smdaigle]

NB rolls are Natural Balance Rolls.....they are great, easy to cut up and NOT messy.

Can you get those at the major pet supply stores?

 

[smdaigle]

I use these: Costco - Celebrity Chicken Jerky 2-pack I can break little slivers off and keep them in my pockets without stink or staining

Ha! I seem to be going through a bunch of sandwich bags lately - using them to line my pockets and my little treat bag that I can hook onto my belt (or waistband). I've never been to Costco but maybe there are other similar brands.

 

[jakeandrenee]

Yes, Petco and Petsmart has a different brand. It comes in big chubs....you can freeze it as well.

 

[ZAYDA]

With my puppies I always used bil jak's I think thats how you spell it.

 

[Pattycakes]

I used to use hotdogs...but now I just give her cheese. Works pretty good.

Didn't think about using steak...will have to try that. I can't use chicken since Uschi has an allergy with it.

 

[ba1614]

I use cheese, and whatever the family is having, I'll cook an extra 1 or 2(chicken, pork chop, steak, venison, bear, whatever) to cut up. Once a week I make some liver treats by just dumping it in a pyrex dish, douse it in garlic powder, and bake it.

Old Roys soft kibble works well, and is cheap. I get a box of 30 packages for about 12bucks and it lasts me a good year because I just use it when I run out of home made.

 

[GSDAlphaMom]

Home made beef crunchies (see recipe) and home made chicken jerky. Before I started that I used little smokies.

 

[Stosh]

I also make the beef crunchies and they are way and above the preferred treat in my house. I buy family sized and discounted packs of stew meat. I also use cheese sticks and cubed chicken. Oh, and oysterette crackers are a rare taste sensation since I'm not one to buy packaged dog treats- the salt is enticing!

 

[Cassidy's Mom]

Sorry Sandra, I meant to get back to you and hadn't gotten around to it yet. I like the Natural Balance rolls too, and you can get them at Petco and similar stores. The NB website might have a list of retailers if you can't find them. You do need to refrigerate it, but if I'm feeling lazy I just toss my whole treat bag in the fridge when I'm done. I use a quart sized ziplok bag with the top cut off as a liner for my bag (fits perfectly!) when I'm using anything the slightest bit gunky (cheese, hot dogs) or that needs refrigeration, so I can also just pull the liner bag out and put it in the fridge. I slice the roll thin, stack the slices, and cut into tiny cubes. You can cut up a whole roll if you want and store it in the freezer.

I've used freeze dried liver (usual pieces are way big, I cut down into 1/4" pieces), Solid Gold and other good quality brands of jerky treats, which I also cut into much smaller pieces, Zuke's Mini Naturals (another good choice for when I'm lazy because the pieces are the perfect size already), Plato salmon treats, Yummy Chummies, and I found some awesome salmon jerky at Costco that they haven't had since. I was able to order a couple bags directly from the company, but they haven't responded to my last email.

My dogs love crunchy Liver Biscotti, but the pieces are too big to use for training, I use them for nail trims. And we use biscuits for when we leave and the dogs go into their pen in the garage, or just because we feel like it. We use Wellness brand and Wet Noses mostly.

 

[EchoGSD]

All of my dogs love biljacs liver treats...for training I cut them into thirds for just enough to taste without having to chew. My dogs also like Zukes (any flavor, but the salmon makes my hands smell for hours!). Echo, the GSD, is not very food motivated but for some reason a plain cheerio is heaven for her...go figure....

 

[AbbyK9]

I view training treats as "junk food" at my house, so my dog is allowed to have ingredients in her training treats that I would object to having in her normal food. I like to get a variety of them and like getting different ones I haven't gotten before.

A staple for training treats for us are BilJacs Little Jacks, which are the ones they make for "small" dogs. I still usually cut them in half since they're not all that tiny. I also get Zuke's, Starmark's Every Flavor Treats, Sniffers 101, and BilJac's America's VetDogs treats. I get the latter mostly because they support a good cause because they are gigantic and I usually have to cut them into three to five pieces.

I also occasionally get the Natural Balance rolls, string cheese, and hot dogs for training. I really like string cheese for some things, like training focus, where I might want to spit treats at the dog rather than giving them by hand.