When it comes to training your dog, food rewards are extremely important because they allow us to continuously reinforce our dog’s desired behaviors and are a great way to build your dog’s love for training. Although there are other physical rewards such as pets or toys, at the end of the day, all dogs need food. This simple fact makes training food or treats a staple in any dog’s reinforcement system. Just like any dog product out there, it can be overwhelming when you are trying to decide which training food is best for your dog. First you must watch out for any potential food allergies that your dog has so consult with your vet to make sure whatever you choose has ingredients that your dog is not allergic to. Protein allergies such as beef and chicken are the most common allergies amongst dogs. The next most important factor is making sure you prioritize balanced nutrition, which means staying away from unhealthy treats. Using your dog’s kibble for training can ensure that they do not become too unhealthy, however lots of dogs do not typically eat their kibble when training if they get fed the same food for their meals. If this is the case, look for high value foods such as freeze dried or fresh food to only use when training. Below we will include our top 4 recommendations of trusted products that will keep your pup happy and healthy!
1. Biljac Frozen Dog Food
This is our #1 choice here at Seek K-9. This is a high protein food that comes frozen and dethaws to a soft food. Since it is high in protein it holds more value to your dog than most kibble or dry foods. Since it is soft, it is very easy to control the size of each reward you give your dog, making it great for large and small breeds with small stomachs that can’t eat too much.
https://www.bil-jac.com/bil-jac-frozen/
2. Stella and Chewy’s Freeze Dried Raw Food
Another great option for those who prefer to stick to food rewards rather than treat rewards. Since it is freeze dried it is also very easy to break into pieces to portion out rewards so we can reward our dog multiple times without overfeeding. The nutrition content is great and this food will also usually hold more value than your dog’s normal dry kibble.
https://www.stellaandchewys.com/dog-food/frozen-and-freeze-dried-raw-dog-food/
3. Vital Essentials Beef Liver Freeze Dried
This single ingredient treat is great for picky eaters or for rewarding in a distracting environment. Freeze dried liver tends to be smellier than most other treats which means it can draw our dog’s nose and get their attention easily. The other great characteristic of this treat is it has one ingredient; liver. That way you always know exactly what your dog is consuming when using
these.
https://www.chewy.com/vital-essentials-beef-liver-freeze/dp/152702
4. Zuke’s Mini Naturals Peanut Butter and Oats Recipe
These are organic and have a very balanced nutrition profile. They are very low in calories and are great for dogs with protein allergies. With only a few ingredients this makes a great choice for sensitive stomachs as well.
https://www.chewy.com/zukes-mini-naturals-peanut-butter/dp/30294
If you have more questions on what food or treats are best for training your dog, give us a call today and one of our professional trainers would be more than happy to steer you in the right direction!