“Jump! Sit! Stay!”
Training your dog the right way requires an investment of dedicated practice time, patience and perseverance. It can be a lot of hard work! To keep your dog engaged, it’s common to train with the help of a tasty treat. And who could say no to “the look”- that hungry, hypnotizing stare we all know and love. Whether you’re training a new puppy or teaching an old dog new tricks (you can!), using the appropriate training treats is a great way to motivate your dog to play nice and follow commands.
Why Should I Use Training Treats to Train My Dog?
Training with treats is the most common method out there for a few reasons— it’s fun, builds the pet parent-canine bond, and best of all, encourages a love of learning in your dog. Most dogs are easily distracted, so being well equipped with physical rewards to complement your verbal praise will help them remain focused. Incentivizing good behavior and development is the best way to help your puppy or dog grasp the commands you are teaching.
Choose Healthy, Bite-sized Treats
It’s best to look for fun-sized treats or cut larger ones into small bits when you prepare to train your dog. The smaller, healthier and tastier the training treat, the more often you can reward your dog. Bite-sized treats are also kinder to your dog’s waistline. Through the duration of a training session, your pup may be consuming handfuls of treats. Keeping treats small means fewer overall calories consumed. It also means your canine companion won’t become too full before the session is over. As long as your pup is getting something they love, they will be happy.
Choose Low Calorie Treats for Training
According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, roughly 53 percent of dogs and 58 percent of cats in the U.S. are overweight or obese. The general rule of thumb for dog treats, according to many nutritional experts including Dr. Marrie at Uptown Animal Hospital and Dr. Nicholas at Preventative Vet, is anything added to your pets’ diet should not exceed 10% of the calories fed each day.
For example:
If your dog typically eats 500 calories per day, treats should not exceed 50 calories. You can easily locate the calories on a treat bag by looking at the Guaranteed Analysis, similar to the nutrition label on human foods, typically found on the back of the packaging.
Choose the Best Treat for Your Dog
As your pet’s parent, you know what is best for them and what they will enjoy most. Trainers and veterinarians are likely to have different recommendations based on your pet’s health history, taste preferences and chew personality.
Because they’re so curious, dogs can easily become bored with the same old treat. If you notice your dog’s enthusiasm dwindling, change to a different reward of equal or greater value. You can reward your dog for a job well done in many ways, from a simple scratch on the head to a warm belly rub. Be sure to mix it up when training with positive reinforcement to keep things fun and enjoyable for you and your pet!
Redbarn Protein Puffs
Becoming more educated about harmful additives and artificial ingredients found in certain pet foods and treats, health conscious pet parents are looking for a premium, natural training treats that help support the health and wellness of their pups.
Sounds great; however, it can be challenging to find those healthy options that also meet the requirements of a picky eater.
Redbarn Pet Products, a leading manufacturer of dog food and treats, has developed the perfect training treat for dogs that is only one (1) calorie per treat! Made from human-grade caseinate, Redbarn Protein Puffs are packed with 75% protein. If you’re wondering what caseinate is, it’s best known for supporting healthy muscle growth, making it a popular dietary supplement amongst athletes and bodybuilders. It’s frequently used in protein bars, health supplements, and other dietetic products.
The treats are light and crispy, low-fat, high-protein and loaded with essential amino acids to help support your pet’s muscle development. Protein Puffs are also a clean label treat containing no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives, and are free from wheat, corn, soy, grains, and gluten. You can get them in three flavors: cheese, peanut butter and turkey.
An Instagram Influencer and AKC Championship Winner, PoppyBasset says, “Thank you” to Redbarn for their training treats, Protein Puffs.
“Thank you to #Redbarninc for making these yummy treats! We use them for training because they are only one calorie per treat.” Says Angela, Mother of Poppy Basset the Pop Star.
If you’re looking for additional training advice, make sure to check out our other pet training articles.
Featured Image Credit: Christian Mueller, Shutterstock
