There are many reasons why we give our pooches treats. Sometimes, owners use them to reinforce desired behaviors. Other times, owners provide them in order to help their canines learn a desired behavior to a new command. Still other times, treats might be used simply as a way to show affection for our four-legged companions.

It’s important to realize the right treats can prove instrumental in motivating a specific behavioral response from your dog. Moreover, they’ll help ensure your pooch remains engaged during your training sessions, and healthy over the long run. On the other hand, the wrong treats can have the opposite effect, especially when given in excess.

Below, we’ll provide an overview of the different types of dog treats you can offer your canine. You’ll discover that some work better than others, depending on the circumstances and your goals.

Crunchy Versus Soft Treats

Some are hard and crunchy; others are soft and pliable. Treats of both varieties are available in different flavors and sizes. Generally, smaller is better because they are less likely to become lodged in your dog’s throat.

When you’re training your pooch, it’s a good idea to use softer treats. The hard and crunchy variety tends to break apart, which will distract your dog while he tries to clean up the pieces. Any distraction is an obstacle during training.

Treats That Taste Like People Food

There are many dog treats that are formulated to taste like foods normally eaten by people. For example, some taste like liver while others are reminiscent of seafood and various meats. While these morsels are effective for training purposes, a lot of owners mistakenly believe they are always preferred by canines. In reality, it depends on the dog. Some canines will enjoy them; some won’t. The only way to know whether your pooch likes these types of treats is to offer them and note his reaction.

Good For Oral Health

Some dog treats are designed to promote good oral health. They require a lot of chewing, which helps to keep your pooch’s teeth and gums clean. The problem is, if they’re swallowed, the wrong size can cause choking or problems in your canine’s GI tract.

If you’re going to give him treats that are meant to promote dental health, make sure they are the right size for him. Then, avoid letting him chew them unsupervised.

Table Scraps And Other People Food

First, some types of table scraps can be beneficial to your canine. For example, small pieces of lean meats and seafood carry nutritional value. The danger is that there are plenty of foods that can make your dog sick. Grapes, chocolate, onions, and macadamia nuts are all potentially dangerous to your pooch. Plus, veterinarians suggest the quickest path to canine obesity is through table scraps because there are far more calories contained in them than in treats.

The thing to remember with table scraps is this: they can be good for your dog’s health. However, owners can do plenty of harm if they’re unaware regarding the types of foods their canines should stay away from.

An Indispensable Training Tool

One of the most compelling reasons to provide your dog with treats is to influence his behavior in a way that conforms with your wishes. In fact, most professional trainers recommend the benefits of using food as a positive reinforcement tool.

When you purchase treats for your pooch, make sure they have similar ingredients to those you’ll find in commercial dog foods. Commercial brands are already formulated to deliver the vitamins and nutrients your canine needs. Don’t make the common mistake of providing him with certain treats just because the flavors appeal to you. Your pooch is bound to have different tastes. Let him decide the flavors he enjoys.

Canines learn to beg largely because of the success they’ve enjoyed while doing it in the past. Owners often inadvertently encourage bad behavior. Sometimes, they’ll give in when their pet looks longingly at their plate during dinnertime. Sometimes, owners purposefully train their dogs to beg for food because they find it cute. The problem is, doing so reinforces the behavior.

If your pooch is begging to the point that he is beginning to make a nuisance of himself, it is important that you take steps the curb the habit. If you don’t, he may become more aggressive in his approach. While it may being as a little whining and nuding, it can quickly devolve into barking and pawing.

Below, we’ll offer several tips you can use to motivate your canine to stop begging. You’ll notice that none of the following suggestions use punishment as a training tool. Instead, using positive reinsforcement to encourage desired behavior is a more effective way to modify bad behavior.

Tip 1 – Stop Providing Table Scraps

Consistency is the most important factor when trying to modify any habit in your pooch. To that end, you cannot hope to curb his begging if you reinforce that the behavior is successful. Stop giving him table scraps. If you have friends over for meals, let them know that they too, must not provide your dog with table scraps.

Tip 2 – Establish A Scheduled Mealtime

If you’re giving your canine two meals each day, serve them according to an established schedule. If possible, give him his evening meal at the same time you and your family eat dinner (preferably in a different room). Not only will doing so keep him occupied while you’re eating, but he’ll learn that his food comes at specific times. That creates a disconnect between his meals and your own.

Tip 3 – Train Him To Wait

Over the course of the day, take one of your puppy’s favorite treats, making sure he knows it, and hold it in your hand. If he is accustomed to begging, he will begin to do so. Do not give him the treat until he has calmed himself. Wait until he has sat down and stopped whining or barking. Once he has become calm, lower your hand and praise him while he takes the treat.

This process trains your dog to display patience and proper manners. Just as important, he will learn that begging does not yield the results he wants.

Tip 4 – Do Not Give In

One of the worst things you can do while proactively trying to curb your dog’s begging is to give in to the behavior. Many owners rationalize conceding table scraps and other food “just this once” when their canines start to beg. Unfortunately, doing so is counterproductive to all of the behavioral modification training that has taken place up to that point. Stick to your guns and realize that the training is, in some ways, a test of wills. Moreover, giving in makes the task more difficult in the future.

Dogs beg because they learn that in doing so, they can get what they want. Use the suggestions above to gradually shape your pooch’s behavior into something you find more acceptable.

There are many types of dog chews on the market today, so you are sure to find some kinds that your dog will find irresistible. Rawhide dog bones are quite popular treats for dogs, but if you give your dog rawhide, be sure to supervise his snack, so that he doesn’t swallow parts of the bone. Rawhide bones are helpful dog treats, as they improve your dog’s dental health. It appears that dogs really enjoy rawhide bones, and are kept occupied during boring times.

However, rawhide dog bones can cause a reaction in dogs who are allergic to any of the ingredients. Chewing rolled rawhide dog chews, instead of flat, can cause your dog’s teeth to crack. Also, bone chunks can cause a choking hazard if they happen to break off. Sometimes part of the rawhide can be swallowed by your dog, and it can cause an obstruction in your dog’s intestines.

Many other kinds of chews don’t carry the risks of rawhide dog chews. Nutri-Dog chews will keep your dog busily chewing, and they are good for him, too. And they come in several varieties that can help your dog stay healthy. One kind can help support your dogs joints with added glucosamine and vitamins. Their dental chews are made from all natural ingredients, to keep your dog’s teeth free of tartar and plaque. The fatty acids in skin and coat chews can help your dog look and feel his best.

Now, let’s examine Greenies dog treats. Greenies dog chews are nutritious, and are made of all natural ingredients that help keep your dog’s teeth clean. They also freshen your dogs breath by killing the bacteria that live there. Greenies strengthen the gums, which can help to extend the life of your dog, since gum diseases often lead to more serious bacterial health issues. Greenies don’t have any preservatives, or artificial colors or flavors.

Bully Sticks are made with all natural ingredients that your dogs will love. They have a great beefy taste that encourages healthy chewing. They are also known as Bullies dog chews, Bull Sticks and beef dog chews. You can select either smoked or natural flavor, depending on what your dog likes the best.

Dog chews are just that, and they encourage dog to chew. When pet owners in the know talk about dog bones, they don’t mean real bones, they mean all-natural nylon or rawhide bones. Real bones can splinter in your dog’s mouth, or be swallowed, and can wear his teeth down.

Dogs have an innate urge and desire to chew. Puppies, while teething, seem particularly inclined to chew. Dog chews give your dog something that satisfies that urge without costing you your shoes, or pieces of furniture. When you give puppies healthy dog treats, they will help in their teething process, and the growing in of their adult teeth. Chewing helps to relieve puppies’ pain when they are teething, too.

Different dogs will prefer larger or smaller bones to chew on, usually depending on the size of the pet. Dogs may ignore bones that are too big for them, even when they love to chomp on smaller bones. Be careful, also in choosing the hardness of the dog chews you buy your dog. If your dog chews aggressively, he can make a smaller dog bone disappear, so select the size and hardness that keeps your dog happy and chewing for the longest time.