Dog treats for training a goldendoodle puppy

[Lynn M]

Any suggestions for training treats? I’ve been told to use Minties-but can they be used each time?

[zcRiley]

No, dental chews are once a day things, not for training. You can absolutely train successfully with positive verbal reinforcements, no treats needed. Just keep each session no more than 15 minutes long. A treat at the end is fine.

[Brian G]

As an obedience instructor, I tell people to have three levels of food rewards.
Level 1: kibble, cheerios, carrots… lower calorie, lower level rewards for reinforcing good behaviors.
Level 2: higher value dog treats for when you are training new behaviors or are in high distraction environments. Merrick lamb lungs, natural balance logs, anything they like that’s healthy.
Level 3: For those “ah ha!” Moments when the dog deserves a super reward that he will remember. These treats are also used exclusively for advanced training. Say I’ve got a dog that’s super reactive and I’m training in public. I would use chicken ONLY when I’m working on reactivity. Most level 3 treats are people food. Yum! Just avoid the salt.
Best of luck

[Author]

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