When's The Best Time To Give Treats To Your Pups?

If there’s one thing that unites all dogs, it’s their undying love for a tasty treat. But these treats aren’t just yummy, they’re also useful tools for training and ensuring good behavior – that is, if you use them right! Here are some tips for treats!

1. Know how to give treats

You should not reward a pup with treats if they are overly excited. Instead, when you introduce a treat, hold it up a bit of a distance away from your pup so they can catch a whiff first. This will likely make them excited, so show that this is not the desired behavior by backing away and waiting patiently. Your pup will eventually calm down as they try to figure out how to get the treat. When they sit and watch you quietly in contemplation, that is when you give the treat. Be consistent. Stick to one format: train and discipline before offering treats to avoid confusing a pup.

2. Know the best time to give treats

If you’re using treats for training, you should do so in between meals, not right before and after, in order for them to be most effective. If the training session will be long, save the best and most favored treats for last to prevent loss of interest. Appeal your pup to the treat by letting them sniff it first, as previously mentioned. Then raise the treat above nose height, causing your pup to follow it with her head, forcing her into a seated position. If your pup jumps, remove the treat and start again. If they do not, then say “sit” in a calm voice as they begins to sit down and give them the treat.

3. Look for the right ingredients

Search for something you know your pup will like, but is also suitable and healthy. Read the ingredients list before buying, and if there are some listed that you don’t recognize and look like gibberish, move on. Try not to go for human foods as treats unless approved by a vet first.

Still on the prowl for perfect, healthy dog treats that are also yummy? Then check out the Dogs Love Kale Wheat & Grain Free Treats! They’re available in five different flavors: sweet potato, coconut-banana, apple crisp, pumpkin, and peanut. They come in sets of two packs, and each purchase helps feed shelter dogs. Like and share away!