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Four Best Treats to Use for Dog Training

November 10, 2017 by Mary Telesz

Best treats dog trainingIf you’re a new pet owner thinking about how to discipline your dog, there are various components that can impact the effectiveness of your training regime. Consistency with regards to commands and guidance can make or break dog training, but there are other aspects that are just as important. One is the type of treat you decide to use when implementing your dog training routine. This can make a significant difference in how quickly your new canine companion picks up commands. The most important thing to remember is to remain consistent in your choice of treat. Here are some things you should look for when deciding which treat your furry friend deserves:

What to Look for in a Dog Training Treat

Dogs respond well to routine. This doesn’t mean that your new puppy needs a therapist because they are resistant to change. This simply means that dogs like to know what to expect, and what is expected of them. When your dog starts training, they need to be instructed about what to do.

Choosing the right treat and sticking to it is all part of the routine dogs desire. If you ask your dog to sit and reward them with a delicious treat one day, they will become confused when they are rewarded with something less appetizing the next day. In their canine minds, they wonder why they get two different treats for obeying the exact same command. They need to know that their obedience results in a predictable and enticing reward! Here are some things to think about when trying to figure out what treat to use for dog training:

Taste

Best treats dog trainingA training treat needs to be tasty to your dog, because the idea behind reward training involves the dog wanting the reward. The more your dog wants the reward for obedience, the more receptive they will be to learning your commands. If you are teaching your new dog a command, they aren’t going to be too enthusiastic about doing so if you try to tempt them with a treat that tastes like cardboard. Canines have impeccable senses, so the minute you take out the treat you’re going to use, they will be able to smell its aroma, and they will know straight away if you’re trying to entice them with the doggie equivalent of lettuce or steak. It’s going to be difficult to get your dog into an obedient mindset if they don’t want the treat being offered, so a tasty treat is one of the first steps to making progress with your training regime.

Ease of Usage

Taste is the number one factor when it comes to choosing an effective dog training treat, but you also need to make sure the treat you choose is practical. If you can’t bring treats with you when you take your dog for a walk or on a trip to the vets, it isn’t a good choice. The treat you use for dog training needs to be easy to use and easily accessible.

As dog training progresses, commands become more complex. Commands like ‘heel’ are taught at a later stage than ‘sit’. Some dog owners are content with getting their dogs to sit, for others want to have a companion they can trust to behave appropriately in high stress situations. If, for example, you’re out walking your dog and want to get it to heel before crossing the road, having treats in your pocket could help to ease the potential stress of the situation. Because of this, dog training treats, particularly during later stages of dog training, need to be compact enough to fit in your pocket, because unzipping a purse or backpack is too awkward and time-consuming when you’re out with a dog that is still being trained.

Portion Size

The size of the dog training treat is another important factor to consider when deciding what’s best for your dog. Dogs should only consume a limited amount of calories per day, depending on their weight. On average, they need approximately thirty calories for every pound they weigh. This differs slightly depending on their size and breed. A smaller breed that is hyperactive can require forty calories per pound, while a larger, more docile breed may only need twenty calories per pound.

Best treats dog trainingThe best way of determining if your dog is consuming the right amount of calories is to weigh them regularly. If your dog needs to lose some weight, you can either feed them less or increase their physical activity. If your dog is on the thin side, simply put a bit more in their food bowl.

As a responsible dog owner, you will need to factor in their dog training and the amount of treats they get on a daily basis when trying to assess their daily calorie intake. It is essential to be aware of the amount of treats your dog gets on a daily basis to make sure you don’t overfeed them. If you’re doing training with a lot of treats, you’re going to have to reduce the amount of food in their main meal. You also need to consider that dog food is often going to be more nutritionally balanced than a dog training treat, so treats shouldn’t take up too much of a dog’s diet.

Because of this, it is important to take dog training seriously, but not to go overboard. Using dog training treats that can be broken into more than one portion or ones that have a lower caloric count will ensure that your dog gets trained while also staying healthy.

Four Best Treats to Use for Dog Training

Now that you know what to keep in mind you’re shopping for your dog training treat, here are some brands that can help you on the road to transforming your rambunctious pup into an obedient companion:

Zuke’s Mini Naturals Dog Treats

Packed full of natural ingredients, the most important of which is chicken, Zuke’s treats are bite-sized, which allows for high impact training.

Wellness Soft Wellbites

Another very competitor, Wellness Soft Wellbites contain no corn, soy, artificial colors, or additives. They come in a variety of flavors including chicken and lamb, lamb and salmon, and chicken and venison.

Pet Botanics Training Reward

Specifically designed for dog training, the Pet Botanics Training Rewards are recommended by thousands of professional trainers. They come in the perfect size to make sure that you can repeat commands when training without overfeeding your dog.

Rocco and Roxie Jerky Sticks

Rocco and Roxie jerky sticks are low calorie treats that dogs really love the taste of. They can be torn into many training rewards, as one stick is too big for just one treat, so they work for dog training in that they’re easy to carry around and use.

Filed Under: Pet Training

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Paw Pals specializes in professional dog walking, dog sitting, and pet sitting services. One of our reliable, adult staff members will keep your pet safe, while providing your pet the love and care they need when you are away. Contact us to learn more!

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Paw Pals Pet Sitting, LLC
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(703) 345-1695

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Paw Pals Pet Sitting
Paw Pals Pet Sitting
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Taylor Smith
Taylor Smith
21:22 03 Oct 21
I never worry when Mary and team take care of my dog!
Michæl Silva
Michæl Silva
21:38 01 Jul 22
Mary at Paw Pals Pet Sitting is the greatest! She has helped me train my pooch Chico how play nice with other dogs and for that I am extremely grateful! A+A+A+A+A+A
Kwi Kim
Kwi Kim
22:37 17 Jun 22
I hired Paw Pals based on my sister’s referral. Meet & greet was very thorough and detailed. I was surprised that my finicky cat came to check the sitter out. Subsequently, a sitter watched my cat over several separate visits, and it was clear through the visit reports that my cat loved the sitter. All the visits were completed having followed my directions & with professionalism.I would highly recommend Paw Pals to anyone who’s looking for a dependable, personable, & professional sitter.
Joseph Walter
Joseph Walter
19:55 13 Jun 22
Paw Pals provided a large number of photos of our pets along with a personalized message on how our pets were doing with every single visit. I would highly recommend using Paw Pals, we'll be continuing to use them whenever we go on vacation.
Ashley Manning
Ashley Manning
09:50 11 Jun 22
Highly recommend as pet sitters!Initially, a sitter from the company will visit the house to meet the pets and learn where everything is. Tatiana took careful notes and we got her some spare keys.While we are away, Paw Pals sends sitters to come and look after our boys. They feed them, scoop litter, bring in mail and packages, and they will even manage trash, recycling, blinds and lights so that everything is comfortable for our kitties. Each time they check in, we receive an email message with updates and pictures, which is so comforting when we are on the road.Also, if you don’t let Paw Pals know when you are home, they assume something has happened and will continue to care for your babies. If something were to happen, I know they would be okay.Five stars for Paw Pals!
Brian Wood
Brian Wood
04:08 22 May 22
We have used Paw Pals for a number of years now and would highly recommend to anyone looking for help with their pets. Great communication from owner Mary and flexibility to make adjustments in schedule as life changes over time. Have had a consistent set of walkers who have gotten to know our pup and the various walking routes around our neighborhood quite well.
Lesley Bush
Lesley Bush
13:58 18 Mar 22
We can't rave enough about Paw Pals. They took care of our 18 year old Cat and 20 year old Chinchilla while we were away and when our flight got cancelled, they were so accommodating and available last minute for an extra day. We worked with Jen to coordinate visits from Miko and Danny. I loved the pictures and updates on how our Lil geriatric guys were doing. Thanks a million, Paw Pals!! Our special pets were so well cared for.
Sebastian Barnes
Sebastian Barnes
01:06 17 Jan 22
I have used Paw Pals for several trips over the last few months, and they have been phenomenal every time! Mary is extremely kind and responsive, and she makes sure that my cat and dog have the care that they need every time I am out of town. All of the pet sitters that I've had have been incredibly sweet to my pets, and they treat them like their own! Will gladly continue using Paw Pals every time I need a sitter.
Julie Shildt
Julie Shildt
17:45 14 Nov 21
It has been a pleasure doing business with paw pals. We have used this company for several trips we have taken over the past 6 months. They have been wonderful caretakers for our 2 cats. Anytime there is ever a question they don't hesitate to give us a call and they leave the best notes and pictures in the emailed report of each visit. We are so glad have found such a great company.
Andrea Hall
Andrea Hall
22:45 03 Oct 20
I wasn't sure about hiring a new doggie walker service... after all they are our kiddos... my babies were in great hands and I felt relaxed having them in their care. Thank you for everything!
Katie McCune
Katie McCune
19:19 15 Jul 21
I honestly cannot recommend Mary and her whole crew enough! We started using Mary originally about 7 years ago to stop by occasionally when our Aussie Lana was younger. Over the next couple years Lana stayed with Mary and her family for a couple weekends when we went on vacation. When we moved to our new house in Manassas, Lana stayed with Sam, who lives in Manassas, overnight for moving day, and did great. Right before the pandemic, we adopted our second Aussie, Goose, and Mary recommended a fantastic trainer for him.We now have weekly walks for the dogs, and they love all of their walkers! Trevor, Paul, Hazel, Sofie, and probably a couple others have helped Goose get used to more people, and have helped my husband and me when our schedules are crazy.Paw Pals is our go-to for any help with our dogs, so I highly recommend them!
Alexandra Hill
Alexandra Hill
22:43 23 May 21
I was a nervous mommy to leave my cats with a sitter service for the first time. Paw Pals went above and beyond to care for my cats and ease a nervous mommy. I already made a reservation to use them again!
Cindy Welgoss
Cindy Welgoss
13:12 27 Nov 20
We have been using Paw Pals for several years, and through a variety of pets that we have loved. Mary and her team have always been *exceptional* in every way. They are professional, courteous, and truly love our fur family! Mary herself is an organized and stellar administrator of her pet care business, keeping detailed records of our pet’s needs, scheduled pet visits, payments, and balance due easy to keep track of as the pet owner. The pet caretaking team is reliable and trustworthy. When our dogs see any of their Paw Pal friends, they get SO excited to see them! Follow up comments are left via text to keep the pet owner informed of the visit and how the pets are faring. Paw Pals has allowed our family the peace of mind to leave our pets at home, for work, weekend getaways and longer times away when necessary, where they are the most comfortable and familiar. We are grateful to Mary and her team for giving us the ability to enjoy pet ownership without feeling tied down. The responsibility of having pets comes with the need to keep them safe and comfortable at all times, and Mary and her team affords us this when our family has to be away.
Dr Tammy Cashion
Dr Tammy Cashion
21:11 12 Mar 19
We have used Paw pals pet sitting on multiple occasions for our bunnies while we are away. Many pet sitters are not interested in small pets however; Mary and her team, are amazing and we trust her implicitly! We are very happy with the outstanding service we have received from her team including texts and photos of our pets when we are out of town. They always go the extra mile and we highly recommend them!
Kristin Conrad
Kristin Conrad
16:00 16 Nov 19
We are so grateful we found Mary and her team at Paw Pals. They are exceptionally responsive, amazingly organized and detail-oriented.We have such peace of mind when we travel knowing our home and pets are so well cared for. Paw Pals is the best pet sitting service we’ve used, and we’re so happy we found them.
Katie Russell
Katie Russell
15:01 17 May 20
Paw Pals is fantastic! I have had a great experience with Mary! Compassionate, professional, responsive, and prompt! Thank you!
Phillip Evans
Phillip Evans
14:38 11 Jul 20
When we adopted our new dog in January, Paw Pals agreed to walk her and give her some outside time so she wasn't in the crate all day. She loved her dog walker and you could see her excitement every time the walker showed up. We moved out of the area but would recommend Paw Pals to anyone needing someone to care for their pets.
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