# Training Treats in bulk?



## PhoebeDuck (6 mo ago)

Hello. I was wondering what others have used to train their Spoos. I've seen other threads, so I know this isn't a new topic, but I'm looking for something that 1) won't break the bank 2) can be broken into little pieces and 3) has no corn.

I've noticed that she's started itching a lot recently, despite no fleas. Ran on the theory that she's allergic to something, withheld her treats to test them first. Itching dropped dramatically. They are the only thing she eats that has corn. No reaction to the wheat-flour treats so far, but it's only been a couple days. Almost everything available locally has corn. The ones that don't have corn cost an arm and a leg or only come in small packages, which cost more in the long run.

Side note: I bounce between treats and only praise randomly, but still do frequent treats when out on walks. I have also tried doing just her dog food as a treat. It doesn't work as well since it isn't a quick chew.

Edit to add: I'm looking for things that I can carry in my purse for dog walks. In case that helps. 🙂 Thank you everyone in advance!


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## RedonRed (Jan 26, 2020)

Happy Howie’s meat rolls are always a favorite with Reggie and don’t have any corn. Each roll usually lasts us about a month (unused portion frozen) and they aren’t crumbly or slimy like some other treats I’ve tried


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## PoodlesinMass (10 mo ago)

I use freeze dried organ meats. No corn, just meat. I also bought recently at Trader Joes if you have one, salmon and chicken jerky, also just meat/fish smoked. I like Oma's Pride: O'Paws All-Nautral Freeze Dried Treats and Supplements


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## TeamHellhound (Feb 5, 2021)

Training treat options here include Charlee Bear treats, kibble, and freeze dried single protein treats. Also, Pet Botanic treats, but they have glycerin in them, which can sometimes give loose stools. Cheese, if I'm going to be putting treats in my mouth to spit to the dog (helps with getting close fronts)


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## PhoebeDuck (6 mo ago)

TeamHellhound said:


> Training treat options here include Charlee Bear treats, kibble, and freeze dried single protein treats. Also, Pet Botanic treats, but they have glycerin in them, which can sometimes give loose stools. Cheese, if I'm going to be putting treats in my mouth to spit to the dog (helps with getting close fronts)


I'll try the C Bear ones. I did her kibble for the couple days no-corn trial. It works, but takes too long to eat. She actually chews her food, unlike my other dog that inhales it. Cheese would work for in-house training. Thanks!

Edit to add: I had to Google "close fronts." Obedience training/competition??


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## SteveS55 (7 mo ago)

I use Pet Botanics training treats as a treat on our walks. Her favorite is fresh chicken breast, so I do some training with that as well.


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## PhoebeDuck (6 mo ago)

SteveS55 said:


> I use Pet Botanics training treats as a treat on our walks. Her favorite is fresh chicken breast, so I do some training with that as well.


I'll look it up, thank you!


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## ctviggen (6 mo ago)

How picky is your dog? Our won't eat duck or pretty much anything that's not beef or chicken. (Tried drying salmon skin from our dinner...no dice.) Ours won't eat any hot dog (including turkey), cheese sticks (does like American cheese, oddly), a lot of what our trainer uses. I have to order dried meats (as the link above has), but then filter out duck. She does like some of the lung, but that also tends to be tough to cut into small pieces.

Chicken breast can work, as can my own lunches (top round, bottom round, end round beef roasts). But these I keep cold, which limits when it can be used.

I've also found dried, thin chicken, made locally. That can be cut pretty small, and it's a high value treat. 

I personally avoid all grains in my own diet, so that's what I try to feed her too.


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## PhoebeDuck (6 mo ago)

ctviggen said:


> How picky is your dog? Our won't eat duck or pretty much anything that's not beef or chicken. (Tried drying salmon skin from our dinner...no dice.) Ours won't eat any hot dog (including turkey), cheese sticks (does like American cheese, oddly), a lot of what our trainer uses. I have to order dried meats (as the link above has), but then filter out duck. She does like some of the lung, but that also tends to be tough to cut into small pieces.
> 
> Chicken breast can work, as can my own lunches (top round, bottom round, end round beef roasts). But these I keep cold, which limits when it can be used.
> 
> ...


Phoebe will eat anything that doesn't move. If there is something she doesn't like, I have yet to discover it. I keep telling her to have a little class, but she isn't listening.


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## cowpony (Dec 30, 2009)

Lately I've been using Vital Essentials freeze dried. Not cheap, but it travels well and doesn't upset Galen's tummy. Both dogs love it. For classroom and high distraction training I take a cheap cut of beef, bake it, cut it into little cubes, and freeze small portions into salad dressing containers. When I put the cup into my pocket the meat thaws at a rate where I can pry off hunks without the whole portion turning into a squishy mess.


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

Dog treats are expensive. The ones I use that are very easy to carry, no grease/no mess at all, and tear off pieces into little bits, are called "True Chews". I found Chewy's prices are best. The ones I get are the chicken ones. They do contain vegetable glycerin, so I don't (often) give Elroy more than 2 "filets" a day. The steak ones are good to but do tend to crumble a little easier in your pockets. 


https://app.chewy.com/tvJatRhQMsb


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## PhoebeDuck (6 mo ago)

94Magna_Tom said:


> Dog treats are expensive. The ones I use that are very easy to carry, no grease/no mess at all, and tear off pieces into little bits, are called "True Chews". I found Chewy's prices are best. The ones I get are the chicken ones. They do contain vegetable glycerin, so I don't (often) give Elroy more than 2 "filets" a day. The steak ones are good to but do tend to crumble a little easier in your pockets.
> 
> 
> https://app.chewy.com/tvJatRhQMsb


Dog treats are expensive! I had a dog years ago that would do anything you asked for an ice cube. Great on my wallet, but made obedience classes next to impossible. Hubby may complain that Phoebe is a garbage hound, but she's really easy to train as long as you have food.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Peggy would have very itchy reactions to corn and egg as a pup. This is no longer the case, thank goodness. Getting her on the correct shampoo helped.

For high-value, easy-chew training treats, we primarily use kernel-sized bits of string cheese or small pieces of chicken breast. By weight, these are both way better value vs. any processed pet treats I’ve tried.

In less stimulating environments, like during at-home trick training, I will use a brand of kibble (Honest Kitchen Whole Food Clusters) that is reserved for “treats.” Peggy gets about half her daily calories from these. Only downside is they are dry and a choking hazard if she’s too active or excited.

For a dry, easy-to-pocket treat in more stimulating environments, I rely on Tylee’s single-ingredient chicken jerky. I carry a few large pieces, but _always_ break off just a tiny piece to avoid choking. Jerky is a major choking hazard for Peggy. She’s had a few frightening moments when I stupidly gave her too much. Luckily, she came right to me for help.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

PhoebeDuck said:


> Dog treats are expensive! I had a dog years ago that would do anything you asked for an ice cube. Great on my wallet, but made obedience classes next to impossible. Hubby may complain that Phoebe is a garbage hound, but she's really easy to train as long as you have food.


For classes, our trainer required everyone carry rewards that had been pre-cut into kernel-sized pieces. This deterred people from bringing overly processed treats, like Zuke’s, which aren’t very motivating and take too long to chew.

The items I saw most commonly used:

-hotdog
-salmon
-steak
-chicken
-cheese

Always, always in tiny pieces.

We and many of our classmates did also find these to be highly motivating:









They broke down really easily and Peggy LOVED them. But alas, the glycerin softened her stools just enough to affect her anal gland function. We donated a bunch of unopened bags to our trainer.


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## PhoebeDuck (6 mo ago)

PeggyTheParti said:


> For classes, our trainer required everyone carry rewards that had been pre-cut into kernel-sized pieces. This deterred people from bringing overly processed treats, like Zuke’s, which aren’t very motivating and take too long to chew.
> 
> The items I saw most commonly used:
> 
> ...


Those have been mentioned twice today. I'll look into them. Thank you


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Dogs love ‘em. But I’d generally suggest, if you don’t want to prepare your own treats, look for single-ingredient options. I suspect treats are behind many puppy ailments. And their effects can be cumulative and tough to trace back to the source.


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## TeamHellhound (Feb 5, 2021)

PhoebeDuck said:


> I'll try the C Bear ones. I did her kibble for the couple days no-corn trial. It works, but takes too long to eat. She actually chews her food, unlike my other dog that inhales it. Cheese would work for in-house training. Thanks!
> 
> Edit to add: I had to Google "close fronts." Obedience training/competition??


Yes, obedience and rally.


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## PhoebeDuck (6 mo ago)

PeggyTheParti said:


> Dogs love ‘em. But I’d generally suggest, if you don’t want to prepare your own treats, look for single-ingredient options. I suspect treats are behind many puppy ailments. And their effects can be cumulative and tough to trace back to the source.


I've ordered a bag of Charlee Bear (4 ingredients), no glycerin to mess with her poo, but I'm not sure how well they will work on her walks. Crunchy instead of chewy. Maybe I should have a separate set of treats for that?


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

For classes/training I can use a bit messier treats because I'm using a treat bag. I use cut up pieces of hot dog, string cheese, dehydrated beef lung strips, freeze dried chicken hearts, honest kitchen and True Chews chicken. I like to have a variety of treats to choose from in case I need to up the anti. Each piece is about the size of my little fingernail.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

PhoebeDuck said:


> I've ordered a bag of Charlee Bear (4 ingredients), no glycerin to mess with her poo, but I'm not sure how well they will work on her walks. Crunchy instead of chewy. Maybe I should have a separate set of treats for that?


Definitely. Crunching and walking, especially in stimulating environments, is a bad combo. They’re also not potently flavorful or fragrant enough to be of very high value. But good for casual rewards at home! And also good to hand others to feed Phoebe, if a situation ever requires it. No one is going to want to take a piece of slimy string cheese from you.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

94Magna_Tom said:


> For classes/training I can use a bit messier treats because I'm using a treat bag. I use cut up pieces of hot dog, string cheese, dehydrated beef lung strips, freeze dried chicken hearts, honest kitchen and True Chews chicken. I like to have a variety of treats to choose from in case I need to up the anti. Each piece is about the size of my little fingernail.


Yeah, I found variety to be key in those environments. In one particularly challenging class, our trainer even pulled out the big guns: SPRAY CHEESE.


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## PhoebeDuck (6 mo ago)

I'm training at home, no classes nearby. I keep her treats in a biker purse that clips to my jeans. Very convenient, easy access, and leaves my hands free. Tiny pieces always. Big guns aren't necessary just yet, although I'll keep the spray cheese in mind for future reference. Sounds messy but fun!!! Lol


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## For Want of Poodle (Feb 25, 2019)

I like making these: 









High value (low fat) dog treat recipe


Thought I would share this recipe since it's a huge hit in our house and very easy . It's a cheaper, gluten free version of the traditional tuna fudge that is really low fat and apparently worth recalling off of dead things for!  I have made these 2-3 times now and Annie is a huge fan. A batch...




www.poodleforum.com





Annie also got a lot of mini puppy kibble as a pup.


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## PhoebeDuck (6 mo ago)

PeggyTheParti said:


> Definitely. Crunching and walking, especially in stimulating environments, is a bad combo. They’re also not potently flavorful or fragrant enough to be of very high value. But good for casual rewards at home! And also good to hand others to feed Phoebe, if a situation ever requires it. No one is going to want to take a piece of slimy string cheese from you.


Duly noted. She's started bouncing during our walks today. New behavior. I was down for 2 days with a migraine, then out of the routine for 2 days, so today was the first walk since Saturday. Maybe she was just excited, but it was like walking next to a pogo stick. Cute, but can we bounce a little less and walk a little more?? I have chewy treats that I prefer for our walks, but I wanted better options than what is offered locally. I'll be ordering a second set of treats for the walks. Thank you!!


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## PhoebeDuck (6 mo ago)

For Want of Poodle said:


> I like making these:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Tuna fudge??? 

Courtesy of my 3 cats, there is usually a dead thing near my backdoor. That blurb with the recipe has my interest peaked.


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## JasMom (7 mo ago)

For high value treats, Jasper will work for any human food: chicken, cheese, beef, even bread. Canned dog food is his jackpot treat for recall work because I want this to be non-negotiable. Casual training can be a biscuit or soft treat, like Phoebe he isn't particular. LOL


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## Basil_the_Spoo (Sep 1, 2020)

So, I understand where your coming from for a better price per ea. 

I think you should consider the freshness of the treats and buy by a smaller bag. 

As Basil got older, her stomach got more sensitive and "you get what you pay for" became more apparent. Cost savings usually lead to cleaning up diarrhea at 3 am.

So whatever that is worth to you. I've learned that "less is more". Poodles are expensive.


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## Raindrops (Mar 24, 2019)

For lower value inexpensive treats I carry in my purse, I really like honest kitchen clusters. The small breed ones are perfect training treat size. High value purse treats would be something like vital essentials. I've had to move away from anything with glycerine because it gives Misha diarrhea. He was fine when he was young, but now it doesn't go so well.


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## PhoebeDuck (6 mo ago)

Basil_the_Spoo said:


> So, I understand where your coming from for a better price per ea.
> 
> I think you should consider the freshness of the treats and buy by a smaller bag.
> 
> ...


The larger bag was because the only corn free ones carried locally are in such a tiny bag that they won't even last the week. Not sized for training puppies. They are about the size of a wet cat food pouch. The cost savings was because the industry is outrageously priced and I have to draw the line somewhere. It seems like the fewer the ingredients, the more they charge. I'm trying to keep her on the high quality puppy and dog food, so it's a balancing act. Don't want garbage, but I can't break the bank either. I'm looking for the elusive middle ground. Hence the request for suggestions. (I'm not taking her to Taco Bell, but there's no way the dog's eating at Ruth's Chris every night either, if you know what I mean.)


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I think for the best cost/quality balance it is worth preparing your own. Poached chicken breast; a batch of liver or tuna cake cut into batons; Freddy's favourite liver pancakes; a chunk of cooked beef, etc, etc. Chicken hearts for really, really high distraction training. You can vary the recipe according to the dog's digestion - wheat flour or rice instead of corn, chicken instead of beef, etc, etc. I keep a box of frozen treats in the freezer and take out enough for a walk and a bit of training - they defrost within minutes or even less in the warmth of my hand and are not sticky if sliced, and spread to dry a little before freezing.


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## PhoebeDuck (6 mo ago)

fjm said:


> I think for the best cost/quality balance it is worth preparing your own. Poached chicken breast; a batch of liver or tuna cake cut into batons; Freddy's favourite liver pancakes; a chunk of cooked beef, etc, etc. Chicken hearts for really, really high distraction training. You can vary the recipe according to the dog's digestion - wheat flour or rice instead of corn, chicken instead of beef, etc, etc. I keep a box of frozen treats in the freezer and take out enough for a walk and a bit of training - they defrost within minutes or even less in the warmth of my hand and are not sticky if sliced, and spread to dry a little before freezing.


I will consider this, might try it once to see what sort of investment it requires. I'm stretched pretty thin as it is, time/effort wise. It's not all finances. I'm a sole caretaker, too, and I'm just absolutely exhausted.


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## beowoof (Dec 6, 2021)

training classes:

boiled chicken (made in the instant pot and frozen into baggies)
sliced string cheese/babybel cheese
zuke's minis (chicken/peanut butter flavour) 
rollover dog food rolls frozen and cut into chunks (i affectionately call this "puppy crack")
at home:

freeze dried chicken/freeze dried liver 
kibble in another flavour or protein (acana, orijen, nulo)
small amounts of doggie safe fruit/veg work for Kirby (pear, apple, cucumber)
regular kibble in a bag with a bit of parmesan cheese sprinkled on top to make it stinkier aka "higher value"


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

PhoebeDuck said:


> I will consider this, might try it once to see what sort of investment it requires. I'm stretched pretty thin as it is, time/effort wise. It's not all finances. I'm a sole caretaker, too, and I'm just absolutely exhausted.


I get this 100%.

Have you tried PureBites? It’s just single-ingredient, freeze-dried meat. Very easy to handle until you get down to the crumbly dusty bits, at which point you can sprinkle it in a food bowl or in a box or toy for enrichment.


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## PhoebeDuck (6 mo ago)

PeggyTheParti said:


> I get this 100%.
> 
> Have you tried PureBites? It’s just single-ingredient, freeze-dried meat. Very easy to handle until you get down to the crumbly dusty bits, at which point you can sprinkle it in a food bowl or in a box or toy for enrichment.


I was thinking of getting Stewart's. Says single ingredient chicken livers. Amazon has a BOGO for them when I pulled it up. 2 containers 11.5 ounces for $18 I think. Only complaint was the crumbly dust, but she should enjoy that too. 

Was thinking of saving those for when I need really high value stuff. She seems confused by what I want with "spin" and just sits down instead of following the treat under her nose. If I try again, she does a roll over or "shake" like she's trying to find the magical trick that will get her the treat, but isn't willing to just follow it in a circle.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

PhoebeDuck said:


> I was thinking of getting Stewart's. Says single ingredient chicken livers. Amazon has a BOGO for them when I pulled it up. 2 containers 11.5 ounces for $18 I think. Only complaint was the crumbly dust, but she should enjoy that too. Was thinking of saving those for when I need really high value stuff.


Nice! That sounds good for an occasional super high value reward. Liver was too rich for my last girl. Gave her terrible bloody diarrhea. But Peggy can enjoy a little piece here and there.


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## PhoebeDuck (6 mo ago)

PeggyTheParti said:


> Nice! That sounds good for an occasional super high value reward. Liver was too rich for my last girl. Gave her terrible bloody diarrhea. But Peggy can enjoy a little piece here and there.


I edited to add on my last comment. Hoping you have suggestions. 🙂


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

PhoebeDuck said:


> I edited to add on my last comment. Hoping you have suggestions. 🙂


Hmmm! All dogs are different, but Peggy actually can’t handle high-value treats for trick training. She gets a little frantic and starts looking for shortcuts, or she’ll offer up literally every trick she knows in rapid succession.

Especially in the early stages of something new, when I’m working with a lure rather than a reward, I stick with Honest Kitchen Whole Food Clusters. We now go through 1/4 - 1/2 cup per session, but in the puppy days it was just a few at a time. My #1 goal was to avoid any frustration at all.

Do you do any clicker training? This is probably better suited to its own thread, but clicker training was a total breakthrough in Peggy’s and my communication. It’s like she was saying, “_Oh wow that’s all you wanted me to do?? Why didn’t you just say so!_”


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## PhoebeDuck (6 mo ago)

PeggyTheParti said:


> Hmmm! All dogs are different, but Peggy actually can’t handle high-value treats for trick training. She gets a little frantic and starts looking for shortcuts, or she’ll offer up literally every trick she knows in rapid succession.
> 
> Especially in the early stages of something new, when I’m working with a lure rather than a reward, I stick with Honest Kitchen Whole Food Clusters. We now go through 1/4 - 1/2 cup per session, but in the puppy days it was just a few at a time. My #1 goal was to avoid any frustration at all.
> 
> Do you do any clicker training? This is probably better suited to its own thread, but clicker training was a total breakthrough in Peggy’s and my communication. It’s like she was saying, “_Oh wow that’s all you wanted me to do?? Why didn’t you just say so!_”


I tried clicker training in the beginning. She locked in on the clicker not me. I'll try it again now that she's a little older. Thank you. And yes, better suited to it's own thread. If I keep having communication issues, I'll post it.


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## PhoebeDuck (6 mo ago)

Update: the Charlee Bear treats are good and crunchy for at home general treats (only 4 ingredients). Even the cats like them and sat on command for their share. 🙃 I filled up a jar for DH to use around the house. I got a full pound for $6 on sale. 

I got the 500 ct of Pet Botanics minis for dog walks and training since they are so small and chewy. No choking hazards. $10 

And since she needed a little more bribery to learn spin... Extra sharp cheddar cheese (naturally lactose free) cut into teeny, tiny pieces. Cheese is one thing we always have on hand, so I just grabbed the tail end of the block.


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## PhoebeDuck (6 mo ago)

Also... @PeggyTheParti ... Cheese plus clicker got the spin. I had to get a new clicker (quieter one), but she followed the cheese. She now spins with no lure and sits immediately after for her treat. Frannie the Pitt even tries it. She moves slower than molasses in December, but she gets there! Anything for cheese! 😂


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## cowpony (Dec 30, 2009)

A caution on liver. It is very rich, and some dogs have trouble with it in large quantities. Pogo as a puppy would get terrible runs if he got more than three or four pieces in a day. His immature digestive tract simply couldn't handle that much fat. I therefore tend to save liver for special rewards: coming when called, dropping a high value item, and so forth.


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## PhoebeDuck (6 mo ago)

cowpony said:


> A caution on liver. It is very rich, and some dogs have trouble with it in large quantities. Pogo as a puppy would get terrible runs if he got more than three or four pieces in a day. His immature digestive tract simply couldn't handle that much fat. I therefore tend to save liver for special rewards: coming when called, dropping a high value item, and so forth.


Duly noted. PTP mentioned this as well. The order hasn't shipped yet, so I may just cancel. She currently will almost backflip for a tiny piece of cheese, so I don't think I need to go higher value just yet. The pieces I gave her are literally the size of my pinky nail, but she doesn't care. I switched her from cheese to regular treats once she "got" the trick. I don't know if it constipates dogs, but I don't want to risk it either.


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

PhoebeDuck said:


> Duly noted. PTP mentioned this as well. The order hasn't shipped yet, so I may just cancel. She currently will almost backflip for a tiny piece of cheese, so I don't think I need to go higher value just yet. The pieces I gave her are literally the size of my pinky nail, but she doesn't care. I switched her from cheese to regular treats once she "got" the trick. I don't know if it constipates dogs, but I don't want to risk it either.


Elroy's highest value treat _*is*_ cheese. He doesn't really like liver (freeze dried, anyway).


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## PhoebeDuck (6 mo ago)

94Magna_Tom said:


> Elroy's highest value treat _*is*_ cheese. He doesn't really like liver (freeze dried, anyway).


Maybe cheese is the answer to all my training woes. 😁 seriously though, she's fairly easy to train right now. Not a teenager yet. The above 3 things might be all I need until she hits that stage.


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## TeamHellhound (Feb 5, 2021)

An alternative to freeze dried liver is freeze dried lung. It's a lot lower in fat, and my crew seem to like it just as well as, if not more than, liver.


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## PhoebeDuck (6 mo ago)

TeamHellhound said:


> An alternative to freeze dried liver is freeze dried lung. It's a lot lower in fat, and my crew seem to like it just as well as, if not more than, liver.


I'll keep that in mind. Thank you!


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

TeamHellhound said:


> An alternative to freeze dried liver is freeze dried lung. It's a lot lower in fat, and my crew seem to like it just as well as, if not more than, liver.


Elroy does like his dehydrated beef lung!


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## TyrannicalTrix (5 mo ago)

Just gonna pop in to say that I actually bought some PureBites liver (lamb and beef) treats this weekend. They are terribly hard to break apart for me— the large chunks are basically impossible.

Personally if you were to go with something under PureBites, I’d choose either chicken breast or salmon. Chicken breast is always a favorite, but ends up being a lot more ’powdery‘ than the rest. Salmon is my all around favorite, but sometimes you have to remove a bit of skin while you break it apart. It’s also smelly!


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## PhoebeDuck (6 mo ago)

TyrannicalTrix said:


> Just gonna pop in to say that I actually bought some PureBites liver (lamb and beef) treats this weekend. They are terribly hard to break apart for me— the large chunks are basically impossible.
> 
> Personally if you were to go with something under PureBites, I’d choose either chicken breast or salmon. Chicken breast is always a favorite, but ends up being a lot more ’powdery‘ than the rest. Salmon is my all around favorite, but sometimes you have to remove a bit of skin while you break it apart. It’s also smelly!


Good to know, thank you! I'm debating on trying to convince DH to let me boil some chicken thighs for the puppy. He's likely to be jealous since he loves the way I cook them.


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## TyrannicalTrix (5 mo ago)

PhoebeDuck said:


> Good to know, thank you! I'm debating on trying to convince DH to let me boil some chicken thighs for the puppy. He's likely to be jealous since he loves the way I cook them.


Haha, tell him it’ll be worth it later! What’s a little bit of chicken versus a well rounded and behaved dog? Nothing, in my opinion!


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## PhoebeDuck (6 mo ago)

I know I posted this thread about a month ago, but here's a status update. When you guys told me about cooking chicken (and tuna fudge, and beef cubes, and beef/cheese meatballs, etc., etc, etc.), I thought you were all over the top dog lovers, and quite possibly loonie bins. One month later...

I now have a container of tuna fudge in my fridge (she loves more than cheese), a bag of cheddar cubes, another container of chopped chicken pieces, a freezer tray of chicken "broth" ice cubes, and a couple of thighs defrosting to cook for her later. The bottle of LID treats sits ignored on the counter, and while she's happy with the freeze dried duck nibs, she's happier with the fresh made stuff in my fridge.

Her scratching is almost gone, her poo is now normal, she had started scooting her butt and stopped when I switched her treats, she's frequently glued to my side, picks up new tricks like it's nothing, and I usually have her undivided attention... unless there's a dead mouse involved. So if you guys are over the top dog lovers, borderline loonie bins... Then so am I.

Consider me a card carrying member of the Poodle Cooking Club. 😂 Got any new recipes??? Asking for a friend.


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## TyrannicalTrix (5 mo ago)

PhoebeDuck said:


> I know I posted this thread about a month ago, but here's a status update. When you guys told me about cooking chicken (and tuna fudge, and beef cubes, and beef/cheese meatballs, etc., etc, etc.), I thought you were all over the top dog lovers, and quite possibly loonie bins. One month later...
> 
> I now have a container of tuna fudge in my fridge (she loves more than cheese), a bag of cheddar cubes, another container of chopped chicken pieces, a freezer tray of chicken "broth" ice cubes, and a couple of thighs defrosting to cook for her later. The bottle of LID treats sits ignored on the counter, and while she's happy with the freeze dried duck nibs, she's happier with the fresh made stuff in my fridge.
> 
> ...


Oh here’s a recipe for you! I made these biscuits the other night, they’re a good way to work a little bit of pumpkin into their diet.

1 cup pumpkin puree
2 tbs peanut butter
2 large eggs
2 cups flour (use whatever you have!)

Blend these together to make a dry, but still doughey consistency. If it gets too hard, just add a bit of water, but the goal is to have a dough that doesn’t stick to your hands (….too much, haha.) Preheat the oven to 350 and bake for about 30 minutes. Take them out, let them cool, and tada! Pumpkin biscuits!

The recipe makes about a cookie sheets worth of biscuits. I love this recipe because it’s easy to replace the pumpkin with things like over ripened bananas, I just wish I could find a way to lessen the amount of flour needed. Oh well!


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## PhoebeDuck (6 mo ago)

TyrannicalTrix said:


> Oh here’s a recipe for you! I made these biscuits the other night, they’re a good way to work a little bit of pumpkin into their diet.
> 
> 1 cup pumpkin puree
> 2 tbs peanut butter
> ...


Thanks! Much appreciated. 🙂


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## JasMom (7 mo ago)

I’ve made tuna biscuits before, a more dry crunchy biscuit than a softer fudge. It was very similar to TyrranicalTrix’s recipe instead of peanut butter, I used a can of tuna. You could sub chicken, turkey, salmon, etc. I made them into decently sized biscuits to be more of an evening snack than a training reward, but you could make them smaller for training sessions.


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## TyrannicalTrix (5 mo ago)

JasMom said:


> I’ve made tuna biscuits before, a more dry crunchy biscuit than a softer fudge. It was very similar to TyrranicalTrix’s recipe instead of peanut butter, I used a can of tuna. You could sub chicken, turkey, salmon, etc. I made them into decently sized biscuits to be more of an evening snack than a training reward, but you could make them smaller for training sessions.


It really is a versatile recipe! I do agree with it being more of a snack than a training reward though, because it can be hard to cut into small enough pieces for training. I’m sure you could use them if you tried, though!


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## PhoebeDuck (6 mo ago)

JasMom said:


> I’ve made tuna biscuits before, a more dry crunchy biscuit than a softer fudge. It was very similar to TyrranicalTrix’s recipe instead of peanut butter, I used a can of tuna. You could sub chicken, turkey, salmon, etc. I made them into decently sized biscuits to be more of an evening snack than a training reward, but you could make them smaller for training sessions.


I'm wondering if I can get DH to taste test one. 😇😂 I haven't found any takers yet! I've mentioned the tuna fudge to a few people and get the funniest expressions of horror from them. Lol


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## JasMom (7 mo ago)

I may or may not have tried a dog treat before…


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## PhoebeDuck (6 mo ago)

JasMom said:


> I may or may not have tried a dog treat before…


You plead the 5th?

Coworker is a self-described health nut and has a Cane Corso. I gave her a small baggie of tuna treats. She mentioned them to her ex, who looked horrified and thought they were snacks FOR HER!!! 🤣 The Corso loved them, of course, and left a trail of slobber as thanks


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## TyrannicalTrix (5 mo ago)

JasMom said:


> I may or may not have tried a dog treat before…


Not that great; biscuits just take like flour gone bad haha, I don’t want to think about what tuna fudge would taste like.


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## For Want of Poodle (Feb 25, 2019)

For me, it's the cost savings that keeps me making homemade dog treats. Also laziness. The nearest pet store is about 45 min away and I go less than once a month or less to grab food. When you are buying multiple months of dog food, cat food, and cat litter all in one trip it's a bit of an eye watering experience even without buying dog treats! 

It's not a particularly high value as a treat, but right now we have a bunch of sliced sweet potatoes in the dehydrator as chews for the dogs. A small bag costs $10+ in a pet store so it's more than worth the effort. 

As for trying to find a human for tuna fudge - When I make tapioca starch based tuna fudge, I eat some of it hot from the oven as a savoury, chewy, kinda crunchy snack. Yum! But I like tuna.


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## Looniesense (Jul 10, 2021)

I have a clicker that has a folding antenna with a ball on the end. It’s good for shaping. Once you teach them “touch” with the ball on the end you can get the dog to follow it. It was good for learning spin and rewind (spin in other direction). It’s not that cheap but it also works with the cat LOL.


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## TeamHellhound (Feb 5, 2021)

My Click Stick resurfaces every so often. Sadly, it's almost never when I want or need it....


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