# Recommendations for Healthy Traning Treats



## Clicker (Apr 28, 2012)

I use the Wellness pure REWARDS ~ Chicken & Lamb Jerky (also available at Petsmart) It is minimal ingredients, grain free, no meat by-products, no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. 

These are a high end treat I use for teaching a recall and for house breaking. They are quite expensive so I cut each piece into 4. I also use a mid grade dog food such as Royal Canin for various other training exercises but, be sure to always use a high end treat for a recall.

Hope this helps some.


----------



## peppersb (Jun 5, 2011)

I use Zuke's salmon flavored cat treats--Natural Purrz. I also use Zukes peanut butter mini naturals dog treats which are just a little bit larger than the cat treats. The feel and texture of the treats is clean, so I just put them in my pocket without feeling that I need to carry them in a plastic bag. That makes it easy to pull a treat out of my pocket when I want to reward the dog. My dogs love them both.


----------



## NorthJerseyGirrl (Aug 15, 2011)

Freeze-dried chicken liver is my dog's favorite treat but I use it sparingly as i understand it's pretty rich. I also use Wellness treats but they don't tend to be enticing enough to get my dog to perform. Tiny pieces of cheese or bits of chicken breast also work great. 

I read a training book which argued for using part of the dog's regular kibble meal (i.e., train before breakfast or dinner) and phasing it out ASAP so that the dog is performing for praise alone. Great idea, but I have not been able to make it work as my dog can go pretty much all day before she's hungry enough to eat dry kibble. Maybe more than a day. I chicken out before she does.


----------



## Theo'sMom (Mar 23, 2011)

My dogs love wellness treats and zukes jerky. I cut both of these into small pieces. My oldest, Theo used to love freeze dried liver, but now he thumbs his nose at it. I also use carrots cut up, which they actually love, especially if I eat a few first and they see it's people food.
Akimpix, I love your signature about tutu approving this message!


----------



## Poodle Head (Sep 12, 2011)

Another vote for Zukes. I use the mini naturals. I also will cut up a bit of string cheese or a few little pieces of hot dog and put them all together in a bag. It keeps her guessing, plus it mixes all of the smells together. You don't need much of the "bad" stuff to keep it interesting for them.


----------



## outwest (May 1, 2011)

Cooked chicken chunks. My dogs also love Zukes.


----------



## mom24doggies (Mar 28, 2011)

I vote Zukes as well if you're aiming for something healthier. My dogs love them. For my "not so healthy" treats I use Pet Botanics, which my dogs do flips for, and the little Cesar dog food packages. Trevvor adores those as well, and I save them for really difficult things such as not barking and growling when a strange dog comes to visit our house.


----------



## sarahmurphy (Mar 22, 2012)

Maybe we're nuts here, but we make our own. 

Chicken Meatloaf Bites 
1 c finely ground Chicken (boneless, skinless breasts or thighs), 1/2 cshredded carrots, 2-3 eggs, 1 cup brown rice flour, 1 cup oats, 
1/2 c flaxseed, 1 Tbsp garlic powder 
Keep refrigerated or frozen.

Peanut Butter Cookie Bites 
1 c Peanut butter (no sugar), 1 c brown rice flour, 1 c millet flour, 
3/4 c milk (more or less - you are looking for cookie dough consistency), 1/2 c flaxseed, 1 TBSP baking powder 
Store at room temperature, refrigerate or freeze.


Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookie Bites	(You can substitute canned pumpkin for the applesauce if you have a poo issue...) 
2 c shredded, peeled,Apples (or no sugar added applesauce), 2 c oats, 1 c brown rice flour, 1/2 c flaxseed, 
1/2 c Greek yogurt, 1 TBSP cinnamon	
These are super crunchy! 
Store at room temperature, refrigerate or freeze.

If you cook at all, you should be able to figure it out - bake at 350 degrees F on a GREASED cookie sheet and also spray the tops (I guess you could add 2 Tbsp canola or olive oil to the recipe and not grease the cookie sheets... ) Press or roll thin - like sugar cookie thin or thinner, then cut with a pizza cutter prior to baking - except the chicken meatloaf bites - we cut those baked... I also use the food processor to mix, grate, shred, and grind the chicken...

The joy of baking for your dog is that it's pretty hard to mess it up! You can add crumbled bacon to any of the above for super special training treats, or just add the bacon grease instead of canola or olive oil if you are mixing it in. (I've never not greased the pans, so you are on your own if you don't...) The ratios are approximate - you are going for meatloaf and cookie dough consistency....add liquids or flours as needed....

If you have a food dehydrator thing, you could always just dry little bits of apple, liver, etc. and use that for treats. (I have never figured that out...) 

Our cost is not much - and we keep the extras in the freezer, so we have a variety almost all the time. 

sarah


----------



## outwest (May 1, 2011)

Thanks Sarahmurphy. I am going to give your recipes a try!


----------



## CT Girl (Nov 17, 2010)

I used grilled chicken or pork tenderloin or fjm's liver cake and occasionally dried buffalo liver. These recipes look great - thanks. I will try them too.


----------



## peppersb (Jun 5, 2011)

I am going to try Sara's recipes too!

Here are two of my favorites:

*Variation on FJM's liver cake for dogs*

I adapted FJM’s recipe once when I was in a hurry and needed to feed the dogs. Couscous cooks a lot faster than rice and frying is faster than baking. I feed this to my dogs for supper, but you could also use it as a treat. (My dogs get a variety of different human-grade meats, fish and eggs for supper, and also kibble.) The oatmeal gives a nice firm consistency that holds together very well without needing to add an egg.

1 lb liver 
1/4 cup uncooked oats
1/2 cup uncooked couscous 
1 1/4 cup water
vegetable oil -- enough to generously coat the bottom of a large frying pan.

Combine oats and water in a saucepan and boil for about a minute. Add a little salt (optional). Then add the couscous and boil for another minute. Turn off the heat and let it sit until all the water is absorbed (about 5 minutes).

Combine liver and the cooked couscous-oatmeal mixture in the food mixer and blend until it is smooth. Heat oil in a frying pan and add spoonfuls of the mixture. They should form little cakes that are flat but thicker than a pancake. If they seem too thin, add flour. If they seem too thick, add water. Cook a minute or two on each side, until they look like they are cooked. You could also bake it if you prefer that to frying.

*Biscotti for Dogs*

8 cups flour (white or combination of white/whole wheat)
1-2 cups oats
1 cup corn meal
1 cup brown sugar or white sugar
salt
8 oz peanut butter (2 heaping tablespoonfuls)
1/2 cup to 1 cup of canola oil (or any vegetable oil)
1/2 cup of molasses
3 cups water, more or less

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 
Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add peanut butter, oil and molasses and mix. Add most of the water and mix. You want to use just enough water to get all the ingredients mixed together in a stiff dough that sticks together but does not stick to your hands. If the dough is sticky when you touch it, add more flour. If you can’t get all the ingredients mixed together add more water. Mix together with a spoon and/or with your hands. 
Grease two cookie sheets with oil. 
Divide the dough in half and put half on each cookie sheet. Press the dough down with your hands to form a rectangle that is about the thickness of your finger.
Put cookie sheets in oven and set timer for 15 minutes. 
After 15 minutes, take one of the cookie sheets out of the oven. Slip a flat spatula under the biscuits to make sure it is not sticking. Use a pizza cutter or a sharp knife to cut the biscuits into strips about the width of your finger. Separate the strips and turn them over or on their side. 
Put back in the oven, take the other cookie sheet out, cut into strips (as above) and return to the oven. 
Reduce oven to 350 and set the timer for 15 minutes. 
When the timer goes off, turn the oven off and don’t open the door. Leave the biscuits in the oven over night or until the oven is cool. They will continue to cook and get nice and crunchy. When the biscuits are cool, you can break the strips into smaller pieces.


----------

