Your dog's favourite treats

[JudyN]

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I use a grain-free kibble (currently Lily's Kitchen I think) for standard treats, and have a stash of high-value treats in the freezer. The latter comprise left-over Xmas chicken and sausages, sausages and burgers left over for when DS2 went to a festival with enough 'barbecue' food to feed the 5000 and then got 'ill' so came home early, rind from goat cheese and blue cheese, pizza crusts, and so on. One advantage of having a big dog is that these unhealthy treats make up such a small proportion of his diet that I can get away with them.

What do you give your dog? What treats would your dog do anything for? I'm a bit low on 'special' treats now and would like to find some commercial ones that are healthy, delicious (as far as J is concerned) and not overpriced. Does anyone make their own and if so, what's your recipe?

 

[JoanneF]

I make liver cake.

A pack of liver (supermarket packs are usually about 500 grams)
About 250 grams of flour - I use gluten free as some dogs are gluten intolerant
1 egg
A slosh of olive oil or salmon oil for a glossy coat (optional)

Cut the liver into pieces and use a hand blender to blitz it with the egg until it's a sloppy mess. Stir in the oil if using and the flour. It still should be a sloppy mess.

Turn into a parchment lined baking tray measuring about 6"x9". It shold be about an inch deep.

Bake at 170 degrees for about 15 minutes until a knife comes out clean.

When it's cold, cut into kit kat finger sized pieces - half them again for a smaller dog - and freeze them in a freezer bag. They freeze in separate pieces so you can take out one at a time and break into smaller pieces for training.

Dogs love it, it has no sugar, salt or other nasties and lasts for weeks. It also is cheap to make - a recent survey showed some dog treats to be more epensive, ounce for ounce, than fillet steak!

 

[Caro Perry]

I cut up and dry chicken pieces in the oven for Harri. They are kept in the freezer. The other staple is dried lambs lung which I buy at a local pet shop and break up into small pieces.

Top of the commercial treats at the moment is some slices of 100% dried duck breast. They are a bit big for him so I tear each slice into 3 bits

 

[JudyN]

Nice I've tried making liver cake in the past but it doesn't half stink the house out! I have a dehydrator too but again, even drying chicken is a bit smelly. I really should do it again though, and put up with the complaints.

I'm amazed at the size of some commercial treats - they're bigger than I'd even give Jasper, and I also reckon he'd think that two small treats was better than one large on.

 

[JoanneF]

I also reckon he'd think that two small treats was better than one large on.

Yes, I have heard this too - several teeny pieces is perceived as greater value than one larger piece of the same weight.

If I can't be bothered making liver cake I sometimes use pieces of frankfurter sausage. I just buy the human ones, i think i get a jar of 8 for about £1.50.

 

[FrankieDoodle]

I've used Lily's Kitchen puppy treats with chicken and white fish, only once mind, as the price is ridiculous for what you got. Have also tried James Wellbeloved and thrive.

I'm going to try the liver cake this week.

 

[FrankieDoodle]

These could also be nice for Summer.

http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/raw-dog-treat-recipes/

 

[JudyN]

These could also be nice for Summer.

http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/raw-dog-treat-recipes/

I quite fancy some of those myself!

 

[Jack-Russell-Lover]

Roxy loves ANYTHING I give her because she just loves food of any kind. Even veggies.
James well beloved treats are good, they don't make your hands stink like some others. Like the mackerel morsels which I think are by fish 4 dogs, stink! You have to wash your hands or antibac after touching! I like using burns training treats for training, the James ones are too big for that. But the burns ones do stink as well! I guess that's the sacrifice, I feel like the treats with less junk in always smell the most, just like the kibble I use. I have to use latex gloves to stuff her treat ball, otherwise my hands stink even after washing!

I like the sound of homemade peanut butter treats, because she loves having a banana & peanut butter Kong. I've seen some recipes on Pinterest but have yet to make them.
This recipe only has three ingredients, banana, peanut butter and oatmeal
Homemade Peanut Butter Banana Dog Treats - Munchkins and the Military

 

[arealhuman]

Normal treats are fish-shaped treats from Bentleys as posted on this forum, and chopped up beef or lamb chews from Davies (I think). Diced chicken goes in my carrier too for something a bit better, as do dried sprats also from Bentleys. Today we've actually bought some sliced beef to cut up and use that instead of diced chicken. He also gets fish jerky in the home a couple of times a week (Bentleys again), and of course his own Sunday roast

 

[Violet Turner]

chopped fruit and some cooked chicken breasts. She has branded ones also Wagg, Pedigree and Natures Menu

 

[Whippylove]

Mine like harrington salmon rolls, dried sprats, venison sticks and sausages