Training and Treats

The Kindred Pups have reached the 7 week old mark, can you believe it?! The 7 week mark means:

• more energy and longer “play times”
• eating more food, and nursing less
• Recall training in full swing
• longer times in crate
• heading home this weekend

I know a few of you have asked me about treats and training and, like most things these days, there are a lot of conflicting opinions on what treats are suitable for puppies. I’ve included a link from the AKC on treats as I believe they are a reputable source.

The Right Treats Make the Best Rewards: How to Choose

One of the main things to watch for is all those added calories treats can bring, especially in the puppy months. This is even more true for Labradors than other breeds as they are strongly motivated by food and can easily become overweight.

I have always had a lot of success with cheese, as it’s soft, stinky, and relatively inexpensive. I know some are averse to dairy for dogs, and I’m sure different pets have different taste preferences.

So, is dairy safe for dogs? I found this article helpful. That website also offers to notify you via email for any pet safety recalls!

I also have cut or broken up NuVet tablets as they are an excellent way to boost health and immunity for dogs, can’t be overdosed on, are easily taken by dogs, and need to be given daily anyway. (You’ve surely read my opinions on NuVet by now, right? If not, you can read them here and here.) Some other ideas that I’ve seen breeders and trainers using are:

• baby food pouches, gently squeezing some to the edge and letting pups lick a little at a time
• Fruits and vegetables – Molly LOVES apples and cucumbers
• Soft beef jerky bites, or other all meat bites
• cream cheese, either rolled into a small ball or squeezed from a tube type package – I’ve seen those available at Costco or Sam’s

As always, please talk to your vet and educate yourself so that you feel comfortable offering your chosen treat to your pup.

Your sweet pups will be home with you soon! I’m sure everyone is counting down the days.

See you all soon… until next time.