Power up your treat pack!
Rewarding your dog with irresistible treats
Rewards can effectively reinforce your dog’s good behavior or teach new cues and tricks.
When deciding which treat to use, the choices can feel endless. But as long as you’re providing safe options for your precious pup, the right treat is the one THEY love!
So, what can you use to help power up your treat pack?
Homemade treats
Don’t automatically dismiss cooking in your kitchen as too much work. Top trainers suggest simply dehydrating, boiling, roasting, searing, or even grilling plain meats that you can cut into bite-sized pieces for a quick, effective motivator.
For a baked alternative, combine ground meat and/or cheese, drop spoonfuls onto a pan, and bake until it dries. Even simpler, these sweet potato cookies have just one ingredient, or try these homemade dog treats.
Store-bought people treats
Items in the refrigerator that your dog may find high-value include precooked rotisserie chicken, hot dog pieces, cooked bacon, and deli meat. Dogs often love cheeses: string cheese, mozzarella, cheese curds, and even canned squirt cheese (if feeding straight from the can, you may want to label it as a dog treat!).
Check your pantry for dried goods.
Prepared meats like jerky, cured meat sticks, cured pepperoni, and pork rinds; cheese puffs, Goldfish crackers; and even peanuts have been known to be pup-pleasers.
Consider fruits and veggies, too.
If your dog is overweight, these options add variety and interest to your treat pouch! Chunks of carrots, peppers, cherry tomatoes, squash or pumpkin, banana, apple, blueberries, and watermelon are some of our pups’ favorites!!
And remember, it doesn’t have to be fancy!
If you’ve got a very hungry dog, use some of their own kibble as an incentive.
Don’t forget!
Some foods are toxic to dogs, so leave the grapes, onions, mushrooms, and chocolate at home!
Store-bought dog treats
Prepackaged rewards are convenient and they can do double-duty if you need something designed to help address common health issues.
Tried and true choices include:
- Anything freeze-dried or dehydrated
- Beef or lamb rolls
- Jerky treats
- Meal toppers
- Meaty sticks
- Training treats
Pea-sized treats will keep a training session moving along. Small pieces also support a healthy balance as you consider how many treats your dog can have to maintain good health. Check with your veterinarian if you’re unsure what treats are right for your pet.
Whatever you decide, the most important factor when choosing a reward for your dog is to make it something they are excited to have.
Good luck with your powered up treat pack!