It is almost impossible to imagine training dogs without using treats. This option for rewarding your pet is the most common. You can use store-bought treats, but they are not suitable for all four-legged animals. For dogs with allergies or digestive problems, it's best to make your own treats. Even if your dog is completely healthy, making homemade tasty snacks is a great option.
Training is impossible without tasty reinforcement
How to give treats correctly
As a reward, a tidbit can be given only after performing a trick or command. You can use the treat as a snack, but this should not be done often. This is especially true for dried and dried offal. They are recommended to be used no more than 2-3 times a week and in limited quantities.
Important! For small breed dogs, rewarding with food during training can be an alternative to one meal or half a serving.
Giving the same treat during training and just like that is not worth it. This will break the logical chain in the pet’s head, and he will begin to think that it is not necessary to do something to get a tasty bite. If you want to give your dog treats just like that, you should use products for this purpose that are different from those used in training.
The meaning of the treat
Treats for dogs are not only a way to please your pet and express your warm feelings to him. This is the most important component of the learning process. When training, it is very important to reward your pet for success in following commands, this will stimulate him to further success.
Like people, dogs love tasty and not always healthy food.
In addition, various homemade dog treats are enriched with vitamins and minerals, which have a beneficial effect on the appearance and health of the pet. Therefore, you can and should give them to your dog.
The benefits of homemade treats
You can buy ready-made treats in pet stores, but it is difficult to say for sure whether they are safe for your pet. Unscrupulous manufacturers may use different additives, sometimes without even listing them on the packaging. Ingredients may also be used that are harmful to the pet or simply not beneficial. Making homemade delicacies will give you complete confidence in what they consist of.
Special mention should be made of dogs with allergies. It can be expressed in intolerance to one product or even an entire list. In such a situation, it is quite difficult to select a finished product. Even a thorough study of the composition will not guarantee that the risk of an allergic reaction is excluded. For these pets, the only safe option is homemade treats.
Benefits and harms
How to distinguish safe treats for dogs from those that can harm their health? For the most part, the factory-made goodies on sale do not pose a threat to health. Even after eating a significant amount, your pet will not be able to get poisoned by them. But if you regularly consume extra calories, your dog will be at risk of becoming obese.
The benefits of treats
The main benefit of dog treats is related to taming the obstinate temperament of the pet. With the right selection of treats, you can encourage your dog to master the most difficult skills. For small breeds, it is recommended to stock up dried fruits or vegetables as a tasty addition. They are easy to prepare at home and serve as an additional source of vitamins and fiber.
Large dogs can receive additional cartilage - a source of collagen, beneficial for joints, offal, dried and cut into portions (heart, liver). It is acceptable to give spongy bones that have not undergone heat treatment as toys. Raw meat is healthy as a delicacy, but requires careful freezing.
Among the useful treats for dogs are special sticks and veins that help relieve itching in the gums during the period of teething in puppies. They are given to adult dogs to get rid of bacterial plaque. There are special medicinal treats that improve digestion or relieve inflammation, vitamin and mineral fortified treats.
Harm from treats
There are treats that are sold quite officially, but can seriously harm a dog. You should know what applies to them.
- Intestines of cows, goats, and other ruminants. In both industrial and private production, they are dried, but if cleaning rules are neglected, pathogenic microflora remains inside. Through such treats, a dog can become infected with hepatitis, get an upset stomach, as well as other unpleasant concomitant diseases.
- Rawhide and ears. Manufacturers rarely indicate that formaldehyde is used as a preservative, and when cleaning hides from traces of organic matter, deadly chemicals are used. It is very difficult to say how the purchase of such a “yummy” will end.
- Any delicacies made in China. In this country there are no strict regulations or control over the quality of products for animals. The low cost of goods suggests that sellers are not at all averse to saving money on the safety of raw materials.
Arguments not in favor of ready-made treats include their uncontrolled content of fat, sugar, and salt. Such feeding will not bring any benefits, but it may well disrupt the metabolism.
There are many types of treats, differing in the form of release, appearance, and composition of the product. Among the most popular options are the following.
- Natural treats for dogs. These include beef lung, ox root, dried strips of liver and meat, and bones. The products are safe and tasty, and are of high quality. With proper processing and careful selection of raw materials, such treats are safe for the dog’s health.
- Sublimated products. It is sold in cans or bags and is produced by low-temperature processing of meat or fish. There is only one danger - if the technology is violated, the pet may get an intestinal disorder.
- Chewy sticks and sausages. They contain about 20% meat and filler additives and can serve exclusively as a treat or act as a teeth cleaner or mouth freshener. They are usually hypoallergenic and may contain calcium and vitamins.
- Baked snacks. Usually these are healthy products, similar in composition to dry food. Additionally, amino acids may be included to increase the dog’s performance. One of the most high-calorie options.
- Biscuits. Dog biscuits have the same calorie content as those made for humans. But the sugar and fat content is lower here. It is worth choosing small biscuits so as not to exceed the calorie intake of the diet.
- Healthy gelatin. Available in the form of seeds, they have a beneficial effect on the condition of bones and teeth. Suitable for juniors and teenagers during the teething period.
Separately, it is worth mentioning product options when a tasty treat is hidden inside the toy. They are aimed at service dogs, animal athletes, and are used during training.
Homemade natural treats
All homemade treats for dogs, prepared with your own hands, can be divided into several categories. Namely:
- cookie;
- dried products;
- dried products.
They all differ from each other both in the method of preparation and in composition. Some use only one ingredient, while, for example, cookies have a more complex composition.
Dogs love to crunch on cookies.
Cookie
Our four-legged friends love to crunch on cookies, but you can’t give them a regular human product. It is better to prepare crispy vegetables or liver cookies for them separately. There are 3 interesting options for preparing it:
- Carrot. To prepare, mix 2 grated carrots, 1 beaten egg and a glass of oatmeal. To obtain a denser consistency and the correct shape of the flakes, it is better to grind them first. Bake on a greased baking sheet for 10 minutes. Baking temperature – 180 °C.
- Apple. Mix 1 cup of applesauce, 0.5 cups of water, 100 g of butter and 3 cups of flour. Bake for 30 minutes at 180°C. You can add a little honey for flavor.
- Hepatic. Mix 0.5 kg of chopped chicken liver with 3 tablespoons of oatmeal (flakes) and 2 beaten eggs. It is better to pass the liver and flakes through a meat grinder to obtain a uniform consistency. Bake for 1 hour at the lowest temperature the oven is designed for.
Note! You can add honey or a little garlic for flavor, but if your pet is prone to allergies, you should not add these products to the composition.
What treats are good for dogs?
DIY dog toys at home
To ensure that the treat brings only benefits to your pet, you should familiarize yourself with its ingredients. The presence of artificial colors, flavors and other chemicals is unacceptable. It is very good if the composition is completely natural. To avoid mistakes and not become a victim of deception by unscrupulous manufacturers, you can make dog treats for training with your own hands. Then the owner will be 100% sure that the treat is harmless.
Note! Some dogs suffer from allergies, so when purchasing a treat, you need to make sure its ingredients are safe for your particular animal.
Treats for dogs and for people are not the same thing; it is important to choose something healthy but tasty for your pet.
Dried treats
The simplest dried treat is crackers. They are prepared in the oven from rye bread. You can sprinkle the pieces with a little oil before drying. Not all dogs love bread, but those who do will like this dried treat.
By drying at a low temperature, you can also prepare tasty treats from such products as:
- fish or squid fillet;
- offal (liver, tripe, trachea);
- tendons.
Drying time depends on the capabilities of the oven and the nature of the product used. Most often, the process lasts from 1.5 to 3 hours. You can also use a microwave for drying, if it has such a function. Dried fruits, which are prepared in a special dryer, are also given as dried treats. Such goodies are very good for teeth, especially for puppies. You can also entice your pet with a tasty morsel for a while to go about its business.
A tasty dried piece will distract your pet and keep him occupied for a while
Three reasons for treats
There are three main reasons when giving dog treats is appropriate.
Encouragement and incentive First of all, this is a treat, the owner’s “thank you” for good behavior at the exhibition, during training.
Note: professional trainers actively use dog treats when training guard, hunting, and service breeds.
Feeding There are treats with a high content of vitamins and minerals, special cleaning bones to strengthen teeth and free them from plaque. By giving these to your pet, the owner kills two birds with one stone: it improves the dog’s mood and improves its health.
Distraction The reason to force the owner to go to the pet store for a treat for the dog can be a puppy that has begun to show increased interest in the owner’s slippers or furniture.
In this case, a “long-lasting” bone, made from natural veins and tendons, can distract the attention of a little mischief for a long time.
Types of treats
Treats for dogs are distinguished by release form and content. Content is key. It is it that dictates the form, and not vice versa.
According to their composition, treats are distinguished with a high content of carbohydrates, proteins, or both at the same time. There are “sweets”, the composition of which is “tailored” to a dog’s specific age, size, disease, and weight deviation from the norm.
Based on shape and consistency, there are 4 types of dog treats:
- Semi-dry - crispy pillows filled with soft pate, such as jerky treats with added trace elements and vitamins (for example, "Jerky with Iron for Puppies or Lactating Bitches"). They are convenient to add to the main feed.
- Dry treats are presented in a huge variety of types: balls, rings, cookies... They are made from tendons, internal organs of various animals, as well as from pig, calf ears, bird paws, beef genitals and hooves.
- Pressed - all kinds of bones, the production of which uses compressed skin, veins, and cartilage. These long-lasting treats are good for puppies who have their sights set on their owner's shoes, as well as for adult dogs as a teeth cleaner. Unlike natural bones, pressed bones do not injure the animal’s stomach, and are also additionally saturated with vitamins.
- Semi-moist – fillets, slices, sandwiches, wedges. This type of treat is suitable for older dogs who already have problems with digestion and teeth.
Two important rules of use
MeasureTreats for dogs are like candy for people. Although they are designed to bring pleasure and joy, in large quantities they can only bring problems.
Important: the treat content should be no more than 10% of the dog’s daily diet.
Otherwise, the pet will lose its appetite for regular food - at a minimum, diabetes will develop, and digestive problems - at a maximum. To avoid overfeeding your dog with treats, you can resort to two tricks: choose types with small pieces - the size of a fingernail; give preference to low-fat and low-calorie treats. Caution. The treat should be introduced into the diet gradually, in small, test portions, carefully observing the dog and its body’s reaction. The treat should be introduced into the diet gradually, in small, test portions, carefully observing the dog and its body’s reaction.
The treat should be introduced into the diet gradually, in small, test portions, carefully observing the dog and its body’s reaction.
Attention! When choosing dog treats, you should consider your pet's size and health. You should be especially careful with pets prone to allergies, skin problems and excess weight.
Treats for training
Not all treats are convenient to use during training. They should not get your hands dirty and should be small pieces that are convenient to give to the dog. You can prepare such treats for dogs from liver or lung.
Dried liver for dogs
For cooking, you can use both lung and liver. Beef offal or chicken are best. The cooking procedure is as follows:
- Soak the liver for 3 hours, replacing the water 3-4 times.
- Rinse and clean the offal.
- Boil for 5 minutes or pour over boiling water.
- Cut into small pieces.
- Place on a baking sheet and place in the oven.
The temperature level in the oven is set to the lowest. Approximate drying time is 1.5–2 hours.
Important! Pork offal and pork meat cannot be used to prepare delicacies and add them to food. Dogs can only be fed beef and beef by-products, as well as chicken in limited quantities.
How to make dried lung for dogs with your own hands
We take fresh beef (or lamb) lung and cut it into the pieces we need. I cut it into slices about 1-1.5 cm thick.
To make the lung easier to cut, it is better if it is slightly frozen.
First line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Grease the paper with vegetable oil and lay out the cut pieces.
I know that some people place the lungs on a wire rack or directly on a baking sheet/or on a baking sheet covered with foil. But in this case, at the end of the drying process, you will need to make some efforts to “scrape” the dried delicacy from the foil or baking sheet, and then to clean the dishes from burnt marks.
While you are cutting the lung into pieces, preheat the oven. We set the convection mode (forced ventilation) and set the temperature to approximately 100-120 degrees.
If your oven does not have a convection mode, then simply preheat the oven to 100-120 degrees.
Place the baking sheet in the oven. We will dry at a temperature of 100-120 degrees for one hour.
I don’t know about you, but my controller vigilantly monitors all ongoing processes.
After an hour, reduce the temperature to 50-60 degrees.
At this temperature, we continue to dry the lungs in the oven for about 3 more hours.
If your oven does not have a convection setting, it is important to do the following during this drying step. To remove excess moisture, you need to open the oven door slightly. You can use a small towel or rag for this.
In the end, your dried dog lung should be quite crispy on the outside and a little soft on the inside.
This delicacy can be stored at room temperature for about 7 days. If you don’t eat the delicious food within seven days, you can put it in the refrigerator. I put the lung in a jar and store it with the lid slightly open. I sometimes put paper at the bottom of the jar so that it absorbs any remaining moisture (especially if you store it in the refrigerator).
Although from my own experience I can note that we did not prolong the pleasure for more than a week and ate all the delicacies.
Today Dzhekusik and I told you how to make dried lung for dogs with your own hands. Be sure to try our recipe and share your impressions. This is very interesting to us.
Do you have your own recipe for making this dog treat? Share your recipes in the comments.
Benefits and harms
Dog treats, like any food, can be beneficial or harmful to the animal. The positive aspects of such delicacies include:
- easier learning of commands;
- presence of vitamins and nutrients;
- assistance during the period of teeth change;
- cleaning from tartar.
There are special products that improve the digestive process and relieve inflammation in the oral cavity. All treats for dogs must be given out under strict control.
There are products that are not recommended to be given to dogs, so as not to harm the animals. These include:
- The intestines of ruminants - it can become a source of harmful microorganisms and cause various diseases.
- Rawhide and ears – These are often treated with dangerous chemicals that are harmful to any body.
- Products made in China do not undergo strict control, so they cannot be guaranteed to be safe.
