Dog Training Secrets: Replacing Store Bought Treats

We all know how treats can, in many cases, be training miracles. We can beg and plead with our pets to sit down or heel; but until we pull out that treat, our efforts are unsuccessful. At some point in training, we must pull our pets off treats, and replace the tasty incentive with a new one. If you are still at a point in training where treats are required, then you may just want to use something else to get your pooch motivated. Here are a few ideas of snacks and gestures that can replace a store-bought dog treat.

Even if you buy store-bought dog treats, you must be careful. Choose a small, low calorie treat. Otherwise, during one training session, your pet stomach will be full and he will have no motivation to continue training. Not all store-bought treats are bad, but they can be costly. The following suggestions are taken from items that you might keep in your home. But, as with all treats, you should use small pieces and don’t overdo it.

Cereal makes a great training treat, as long as you choose the right one. In most cases, the cereal pieces are small. So, you can feed your pet multiple bites during training, and you don’t have to worry about him filling up on a sugary snack. Which leads to the main point: do not choose a sugary cereal. Try to go with a whole grain cereal like Cheerios. Your pooch will love the taste, and you’ll love knowing that he’s not gobbling down a ton of calories.

Another food that dogs love is normally given to their pet counterparts: cats. If your dog has ever gotten into the cat food, then he probably inhaled it before you had a chance to stop him. Giving him a small spoonful of cat food here and there is not bad, and he will love the taste. However, never let your dog consume cat food on a regular basis. Cat food is made especially for a cat’s diet, and your dog has different nutritional requirements than a cat. But, if you give him a taste here and there, then he will enjoy the change in routine. Just don’t let him see where you get the treat. For instance, if you have a cat in the home, you don’t want him going straight for her food bowl since he knows that is where you retrieved the snack. Instead, keep a small can in the refrigerator (wet food is the better motivator), and pull the food straight from the can when it’s time.

Never forget the power of a healthy treat. You may – think your pooch would be uninterested in a fruit or vegetable, but you are wrong. Many owners buy canned vegetables just for their pets. They are careful, however, to feed the dogs small amounts at a time. If you are looking for a canned treat, then try green beans or carrots. Try to drain the – can before your pull your pet out a treat. Draining will get rid of some of the extra sugar and sodium that your pet doesn’t need. If you want to take a more fresh approach, then cut up an apple or carrot, or grab a small handful of blueberries.

If you don’t want to give your pet fruit or vegetables, then grab a healthy protein. You can cut up small pieces of boiled chicken or use crumbles of ground beef to feed your pet. Both of these treats are tasty and fairly healthy.

You don’t have to use treats to motivate your pet, especially once he gets the command you are working on down pat. Replace the snacks with other forms of treats. Your dog loves a good tummy rub or a fun game of Frisbee. If it’s warm out, go play in the water hose or set out a sprinkler. You can even take your dog to a park; he’ll enjoy the car ride and the change of scenery. Find out what he likes, and use that as a treat during training.

When you or your pet get tired of the same old store-bought treats, spice things up a bit. There are items in your own pantry and refrigerator that can be great, low-calorie incentives. Grab a handful of Cheerios or a piece of boiled chicken, and your pet will love it. Be creative with your treats; they don’t always have to be in the form of food.

This article was provided by pet-super-store.com which is an online pet supplies store featuring patio pet doors.

By Brian S.
Published: 12/6/2008

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Posted under Dog Training Treats

This post was written by admin on March 4, 2009

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Puppy House Breaking

House breaking your puppy is quickly accomplished with the secrets to dog training by Steven Daniels of The Kingdom Of Pets

Dog Potty Training – How to House Train Your Puppy

Once you have brought your new puppy or dog home you will want to make sure start dog potty training as soon as possible. There is not need to put up with an untrained dog, with numerous dog potty training resources available it is quite easy to complete the task without a lot of fuss.

The options include-

crate training – – the method of crate your training puppy to go potty on a more regular schedule. This can help if you are away from home for extended periods regularly.The dog learns to hold things until it is allowed out, since they hate to deficate in their sleeping area.

Paper training – as the name implies your dog is trained to relieve himself in a certain spot in the house and not just where they feel like it. Starting with a larger area as the puppy learns to use the area you slowly reduce to size of the covered area until it is just a small spot in the corner of a room.

Outdoor potty – where the dog is trained – to go outside in a regular area on a schedule so that there is practiclly no mess inside ever. Yes, accidents do happen but rarely.

Some people have used small trays with ‘kitty litter’ inside the house to train small breeds, but this not to practicle with the large breeds. What ever method or routine you choice it you stick with only one method it won’t be long before you new family member is housebroken. The many joys of having a dog in the family are truly wonderful. So a short inital training period should not be too much of a hardship.