When you begin training your dog or puppy, you’ve got to find a reward that your dog is willing to work for. For many pups, it’s all about the treats. Most dogs are willing to put in the work to receive a tasty treat packed with flavor.
There are a lot of treats on the market, and when you’re training your dog, it usually involves feeding them a lot of rewards in one sitting. You really have to be conscientious of what you’re feeding your dog during training, and choosing a healthy natural treat is the best option to ensure they aren’t overeating.
Sure, many dogs love praise, and you can certainly do both, but treats are the most effective way to reinforce positive behaviors and tricks your dog completes. Here are a few tips on choosing the best treats for your dog during your training sessions.
Be sure to choose smaller treats for quick tricks and rewards for good behavior.
Smaller treats are essential in helping to ensure your training sessions keep moving along. When you feed your dog larger treats, they end up having to stop to chew a little longer than if they had a small treat. You can purchase treats that are the perfect pea-size for training, or you can purchase ones that are easy to break into smaller pieces. Smaller treats also help ensure you aren’t overfeeding, leading to unnecessary weight gain.
Soft and Stinky are the best treats.
Soft treats are better for training younger puppies whose gums and teeth are still developing or older or senior dogs with weakened dental health. Soft treats tend to have stronger scents and flavors that dogs enjoy and are often high in protein and lower in fats. Softer treats are also a much easier and faster treat for your dog to eat during your training sessions.
Change up the treats regularly.
Training involves consistency, and dogs can get bored with the same treat day after day. It’s important to keep a variety of dog treats on hand or be ready to purchase a different flavor of a treat as a way to alternate. Rotating between a few favorites can help to ensure your dog stays motivated and keeps them interested in training sessions for much longer.
Choose longer-lasting treats for training that requires extended attention spans.
You’ll want to choose a treat that will last a little longer for training that requires your dog to focus on something in particular for a longer period of time. Crate training or preparing for you to leave the house for extended periods is a great example of when you would want to introduce chewy treats like bully sticks that your dog can enjoy and savor.
Training your dog takes time and patience, and a lot of treats. Training is a great bonding experience between you and your dog and is best done with the healthiest natural treats. Training with treats doesn’t last forever, and you can eventually give them treats to show love once they get down all the tricks and good behaviors you want to instill in them.
