Have you tried rewarding your dog with kibble, but found turns up their nose and acts like they’re not hungry? Maybe your dog is a picky eater, or knows that by holding out for long enough, you will bring out higher-value treats. Some dogs are picky eaters who only want to eat meatballs, or offer their best manners for some peanut butter. While some (especially Labradors and Beagles) will show off everything they have learned for whatever treat is available. To help you navigate the world of choosy eaters, we have created this blog on dog treats for training. This will showcase our favorite recipes, places that offer dog treats, and our trainer’s favorite dog treats so that you can make the most of your dog’s training sessions.
Our favorite treat recipes
After training thousands of dogs across multiple cities, our trainers have created or discovered many treat recipes that keep dogs engaged during training. A wide variety of recipes is essential, not only because every dog’s tastes are unique, but also because it’s fun to make festive recipes throughout the year. So we like to rotate our treats throughout the year. It just doesn’t feel right to be still baking Christmas treats in October, when it’s peak pumpkin season.
Some of our favorite recipes include:
- Liver Star Biscuits
- Blueberry Dog Cookies
- Fall-Inspired Dog Treats, which include pumpkin dog treats, banana pumpkin dog treats, oat cinnamon apple dog treats, sweet potato dog chews, and cinnamon roll dog treats.
Visiting dog-friendly restaurants isn’t just about enjoying a meal together. These outings also offer great socialization opportunities for your puppy.
Our favorite Houston bakeries and restaurants that offer dog treats and doggy menus
It’s important to take your dog out in public for training, whether it’s for socialization, obedience training, exercise or just to explore Houston with your dog. There are many restaurants that offer puppy menus and dog bakeries. You can check out our blog on the Best Houston Dog Bakeries, and for restaurants that offer puppy menus, we suggest:
- Barnaby’s Cafe: Offers ground beef, sliced chicken breast, or scrambled eggs served over brown rice. And for those dogs who would like to browse the dessert menu, they also offer doggie ice cream.
- Lazy Dog Restaurant: Offers grilled chicken breast, or grilled hamburger patty served with rice or veggies
Restaurant outings support puppy socialization
While these restaurant menus offer meals rather than treats, the outing itself can serve as a socialization opportunity. You want to expose your puppy to diverse range of people and dogs, so that they are comfortable with them as an adult dog. To better understand the importance of puppy socialization, you can check out our blog on “How to properly socialize your puppy”.
But sometimes, even when you bake a delicious recipe or take your dog out to a restaurant, your dog/cheese connoisseur may prefer store-bought options. Our trainers have collated a list of our preferred dog treats in an Amazon shopping list. This list is made from years of trials of error, from the Chihuahua with a sensitive stomach to the Golden Retriever with a seemingly bottomless pit of an appetite.
Our Amazon Shopping List
Our Amazon shopping list includes freeze-dried, jerky, chewy, oven-baked, and the classic peanut butter. Included in this list are:
Freeze-Dried
- Pupford freeze-dried training treats
- Primal freeze-dried toppers (fish, beef, and chicken)
- Orijen freeze-dried dog treats
Jerky / Chewy Treats
- Blue Buffalo Nudges (grillers, jerky cuts, and chicken)
- Blue Buffalo True Chews (jerky cuts)
- Top Chews chicken and apple
- Tyson Top Chews chicken jerky
- Steward beef liver dog treats
Oven Baked Treats
- Grandma Lucy’s oven baked pumpkin treats
- Buddy training bites
Peanut Butter
- Skippy creamy peanut butter
A choice of home-made recipes, restaurant and bakery menus, and store-bought favorites should ensure you can find an exciting treat for any dog. Whether it’s a quick training session at home or exploring Houston.
We are here to help
