Training treats & Exciting News.

Soo... I would really like to start leaving treats throughout the house and next to the back door, but I mainly get things that need to be refrigerated. I can get treats that don't no problem, but I feel like leaving them in cups or bowls will make them stale. What do those of you who leave treats throughout the house use?

Also... I just registered for my first Nosework class with Rider. It starts Feb 7th. I'm super excited and super nervous. I've been really trying to work on focus in weird/stimulating places. Wish me luck!

Would keeping treats in a plastic bag instead of a bowl be an option?

I've always run into the same issues, but usually I use treats for reinforcing now throughout the house and not training, so the "instant" dispense into their mouths isn't really needed. I know zip lock bags are a hassle though, too.

This is what I use for nosework, it's just so STINKY! And I plastic bag it, but even sitting out it takes about a day to go stale/start getting harder. Only downside to this is the crumbs.

I use kibble in the house and just reduce their meals. But then if I am training a lot, the dog/pup tends to recieve all food directly from me and don't get 'meals'.

They quickly know when they have earned a jackpot or bigger reward, all my dogs know the word jackpot and what it means. Therefore, I can go to the fridge and get them the higher valued reward. Yes, I have done this when outside as well, they know that coming into the house and heading for the fridge is a good thing lol.

The only problem with that is I am planning to switch to raw here in the next few weeks, so I won't be using kibble any more and I can't leave raw meat out all the time. Lol. I do like the idea of the jackpot treats being dispensed at the fridge though! Right now when they come inside, we go straight to the fridge, but sometimes DH forgets and I know he wouldn't if they sat by the door.

Typically I use Fromm for training because it's tiny and healthy. So I get the Surf and Turf and Salmon Fromm and leave cups of that around the house.

I feed raw but because of the amount of training I do I wasn't comfortable feeding something that was more treat like and less food like. So this way they get a high quality kibble plus raw like normal. If that makes sense?

When feeding raw, is there an amount of kibble that is too much too feed? What about canned food, as I like to use that in Kongs...

I use kibble (varies, currently Nutrisca) and JillCookies for leaving around the house. I put them in little airtight food jars.

Using raw would be...ick lol. Though I do know folks who use it in squeeze tubes for training, but that still wouldn't work for just leaving it around the house.

I don't worry about giving them too much as it's never seemed to bother anyone. Two of my dogs are big enough that training treats don't seem to make a weight impact...the third I will reduce his dinner a bit if he got a particularly high number of treats that day.

Have a dehydrator? You could always dehydrate raw meat to use, too! Or bake it for a long time at a low temp to get the same results.

My dogs seems to get upset bellies if they eat any kibble while on their raw diet, unfortunately.

Am I being stupid, but why are you leaving bowls of treats round the house?

Eta..... Doh I think I get it.


I use a bum bag (or fanny bag to you.... Lol... Fanny means lady bits here) or a treat bag if I'm in the house. Saves remembering where you've put things.

Not that I know of, if they start getting fat you have an issue :rofl1: If I do a lot of extra training during the day I'll sometimes cut their dinner but I don't really measure things out ever so I just go with what looks right.

That's a good idea, too. Have you thought of one of these? I have one in maroon and haven't used it in a while because I forgot about it!

To have rewards close by to capture behaviours that we like or for those 30 second training sessions through out the day/evening. Dog never knows when a reward will appear or for what. Of course rewarding desired behaviours when captured increases the chance that the dog will do it again Also removes a visual of a bait bag because some dogs focus too much on the bait bag and will work best when the handler/owner is wearing one.

I used to wear mine 24/7 when frag was growing up to avoid this. I probably looked like a fool. Lol

I have a treat bag, but I don't think it would work for 24/7. I like the idea about airtight containers. I may pick some up.

I've done dehydrated meat before... That is genius.

:spam:?