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Alternative Training Treat


Danois
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Hi

Wondering if anyone has any other effective training treats - I am using liver treats which Angus loves however given we are doing lots of the initial training and treats are given for toilet outside, going on the lead etc - rewarding the behaviour I want - there is a resulting effect at the other end...

Any suggestions welcome!

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Make sure what you give is tiny tiny tiny, they only need a taste for it to be rewarding.

You can interchange it with small amounts of light cheddar/colby cheese, small pieces of steak or chicken, if you are feeding dry food, save some of the daily allowance for treats too.

Anything used in large enough amounts will upset a puppy's stomach.

Mel. :laugh:

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Thanks Mel

Based on that I am over rewarding so I'll cut back. I only have edam cheese in the fridge - is that okay?

He loves his dry food so I'll use that too.

Actually - he is very food oriented which helps!

On a funny note - he has been watching me stroke the cat and tries to do the same except it does not quite work when you have big clumsy paws!

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I was told a treat should be about the size of a dogs nail so they get bigger as the dogs grow.

I use mostly tasty cheese for my two but that's cause it's cheaper :mad Cheese can cause constipation so don't give too much. Sounds like the cheese should counteract the liver treats :)

Glad he loves the cat, the cat will start grooming him next :mad

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Hi Bella

Milo and Oscar the Spoodle (same size, colour and weight!) used to chase each other all over the house and play rough and tumble together! I think Milo tried to start that last night but Angus just looked bewildered at a cat with the zoomies!

He has tiny nails but HUGE feet!

I am still not used to the fact that tasty cheese in Aus is not nearly double the price of other varieties as it is in NZ!

I was actually getting a blue girl from the litter who I had named Bella but sadly she passed away before I could get her - luckily Angus was still available. I had originally chosen between him and Bella and had taken her - I think all along I was supposed to have my Angus.

To the person who posted somewhere else on this forum that plain yoghurt counters the farts - THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!

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Yeah Edam is ok for the interim, the emergency Vets tell us light cheese is the best (if they eat heaps it can cause a blockage) but a few pieces every other day shouldn't be a problem.

Colby is great as it doesn't crumble. :)

Mel.

ETA: Check your liver treats, I know they sell both beef liver and pork liver at the supermarket and pork is a no-no, way too fatty and does regularly make dogs sick. :mad

Also what brand of dry food are you using?

Edited by Staff'n'Toller
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Hi StaffnToller

I am thinking they might be pork ones - I threw the bag out but they are in a white bag with a dog on the front and from the pet shop.

I will look out for the beef ones next time.

I feed Nutrience as an inteirm measure until the Royal Canin Dane food comes in. There is plain yoghurt on that some mornings and I am introducing human grade mince this week

Sarah

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You could also try little dried fish treats, bits of sausage or cooked meat (so it's not too gross in your pocket) cat bikkies (occasionally - like a real treat) and cheese has been suggested :)

I would not recommend using the kibble :mad That is not a treat for your puppy - it is dinner :( Stick with items that a proper treats :mad

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My trainer recommend that I use a "soft" food for training. ie sausage, cheese, semi dried liver etc etc.

I went along with that, until my puppy became FAT.

I've worked now for two months, with the co-operation of my vet ( who I must admit has been wonderfull - even if I hated him when he told me I had to go another 500grms!) to get the FAT off my pup!

Now, I only ever use the dried beef liver treat, and that in pieces that are as big as my little finger nail.

Of course it was probably my fault that I didn't "deduct" the treats from her usual food.

I wasn't warned of that!

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I see a lot of fat dogs . . . I think it is often more that people continue to feed adult dogs as pups when they don't need as much food, or they think the dog is supposed to be bigger than it actually is (has small build).

I use mainly cheese as treats, sometimes cabanossi or chicken . They don't seem to be very picky :) Soft food is good for treats becaus ethe dog doesn't have to spend time chewing it.

I keep my dogs lean - helps to keep them keen for training too :mad

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cheerios sounds like a good idea and there are plenty of cat biscuits in the house!

The spoodle used to get stuck into the cat's biscuits if he got the chance and the cat used to get into the spoodle's if the kibble was small enough!

I had not thought of deducting treats from daily food allowance - very good point!

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I would not recommend using the kibble ;) That is not a treat for your puppy - it is dinner :swear: Stick with items that a proper treats :D

Kibble is food, food is food, dogs don't care about it or see it as you would view breakfast being breakfast.

Kibble is not as high value as some of the other foods, but for things like toiletting outside, sitting for putting a lead on, it is fine.

You have two probs when you recommend a lot of high fat foods every day - the dog getting fat, and the dog getting diarrhoea or pancreatitis.

It is much easier to put weight on dogs than to take it off, and if you cause something like pancreatitis then the dog will never be able to eat any of those 'treats' ever again.

Food is great for puppies, it's great for teaching new things and cementing things they have already learned, but you do need to phase out the food and put it on a variable schedule. It is better to introduce life rewards to puppies whilst they see fetch, tug, inside time, play as being highly rewarding because you'll need those things later when you have no food in your pocket. :swear:

Mel.

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its been less than a week and I already have 4 different pants/ shorts with tiny pieces of liver treats in my pocket, they are on top of the microwave, the Tv and the table outside! The cat has taken quite a liking to them too!

:D

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its been less than a week and I already have 4 different pants/ shorts with tiny pieces of liver treats in my pocket, they are on top of the microwave, the Tv and the table outside! The cat has taken quite a liking to them too!

;)

Yeah put them in the wash and tumble dryer with the pockets full, then you'll be a real certified dog owner. :swear: :D

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