Please help with training treats

[brutus'mother]

I have a trainer coming to my home for my 12 week rott pup, she has suggested using microwaved hotdog bits for treats. I researched online and using this forum for the best possible dog food to use and I am concerned about using hotdogs due to the "junk" additives. She did say no pork but felt all other types were acceptable. Any advice?

[rottnkidd]

Many of us have used (or still use!) hot dogs for training. It is not as if you are feeding your dog a meal of them, so don't fret too much. There are other alternatives you can use. String cheese sliced in dime-size pieces, or buy some fresh liver, rinse it in cold water, then place in a pot and bring to a boil, simmer for 20 min., (add a few jiggers of garlic powder to the water as it boils). Place the liver on a foil-lined baking sheet in a low oven (250) for about an hour; to get the moisture out. Cool, then cut into bite-sized pieces.
Refrigerate leftovers.
Best wishes-
kathy

[rottcrazed]

I have always used hot dogs for treats, not microwaved and I have fed raw for years.

For the amount they get, it is not a big deal in my eyes.

Kristi

[flyballmom]

My favorite training treats, in order of favoritism , are (and yes, I'm very careful with my dogs overall diet) precooked frozen meatballs (GREAT for breaking up and spitting from your mouth...and no, they DON'T gum up your pockets), hotdogs (I don't microwave but no reason why you can't) and diced up "rolled" dog food (ie: Rollever, Natural Balance rolls, or Redbarn.)

[rottnkidd]

Originally Posted by flyballmom

My favorite training treats, in order of favoritism , are (and yes, I'm very careful with my dogs overall diet) precooked frozen meatballs (GREAT for breaking up and spitting from your mouth...and no, they DON'T gum up your pockets), hotdogs (I don't microwave but no reason why you can't) and diced up "rolled" dog food (ie: Rollever, Natural Balance rolls, or Redbarn.)

Hi Beth! I certainly agree with you about meatballs. I have used them in tracking! Another ideal 'spitting' food is cheese-filled tortellini! If you're not packing your cheeks with them, use your bait bag! The pasta WILL "gum up your pockets"!
kathy

[dogsbydoug]

Frozen meatballs, string cheese, ham, hot dogs, chicken...all make great training treats!

[Baxter's Mom]

What happened to milkbones???? or the peanut butter cookie treats????

[rottnkidd]

Originally Posted by Baxter's Mom

What happened to milkbones???? or the peanut butter cookie treats????

IMO, the biscuits (or treats that are harder), are better suited for a reward AFTER a successful training session. The soft treats, like those mentioned above, are easy to store in the mouth (for quick and easy spitting!), and they are much easier for the dog to inhale, er, swallow. The biscuits require 'crunch time' and could present a choking hazard DURING training.
kathy

[brunie's mom]

I use the chicken weiners...they are lower in fat...and I do not microwave them...there really is no need to.
Also Rollover cut into small pieces, and small bit of cooked chicken breast, string cheese...and the all time favourite, was left over roast beef cut up.

Gina

[brutus'mother]

Thanks for all the replies! One more question, Why do you spit the treats from your mouth?

[groupieindenial]

Do you guys have Rollover?
The turkey and chicken cut up the best without crumbling apart. Its atleast nutritionally complete. But I see nothing wrong with using hotdogs, if their good enough for people, their good enough for dogs. Their not getting THAT MUCH. I cut hotdogs in half long way, and let the dog bite little bits off as we train, using batting gloves. (They are durable enough, and fitting enough to feel treats out of your pocket).

I think Natural Balance has something like this, but I'm not sure if they cut up well without crumbling.

[Gunsey'sMom]

We use chicken dogs here too, cut into tiny pieces. I can get the chicken ones actually cheaper than that regular ones! I buy a few when their on sale and pop them in the freezer, and put them in the fridge a couple of days before I am about to use them. I just use them raw as well.

I also use leftover steaks, burgers, and chicken cut in to tiny pieces.

[AngelBunny]

Originally Posted by brutus'mother

Why do you spit the treats from your mouth?

To teach and emphasize the "watch me" command.

[brutus'mother]

I'll have to try the spitting treats trick, it makes sense for the "watch me". I'll also look for the Rollover stuff. I think the hotdogs may be causing some stomach problems, Brutus has had a couple episodes of diarrhea since I started using them and nothing else in his diet has changed.

[groupieindenial]

Originally Posted by brutus'mother

I'll have to try the spitting treats trick, it makes sense for the "watch me".

It also takes practice, and if your dog misses, he is then sniffing the ground to find it, and you've created another problem. You don't want to inadvertantly teach its okay to "sniff the ground" since he'll get rewarded for it by finding the treat down there.

In any excercise we do, he only gets rewarded when he's looking me in the eye. Teach the excercise first, and when he knows that, only reward when he looks you in the eye.