What treats are OK for my puppy
Training for your new puppy should start from the day your puppy arrives into your home. Remember, train your puppy to behave now the way you want him or her to behave like an adult dog. For example, if you are wanting your puppy to toilet outside, start teaching this from day one, don't try to teach them to use newspaper then decide they are ready to learn to go outside.
Food acts as a great reward for positive reinforcement for puppies- most are food oriented and will do anything for food! (Conversely, the best negative reinforcement for puppies- what to do when they have done something you don't want them to do - is NO ATTENTION! The worse thing that can happen to a puppy is for you to ignore them, even telling them off is still attention and they can try to make this a game so completely ignoring them is the best way to let them know what they have done is not acceptable!)
There are however a few things to remember with food rewards and treats
Food acts as a great reward for positive reinforcement for puppies- most are food oriented and will do anything for food! (Conversely, the best negative reinforcement for puppies- what to do when they have done something you don't want them to do - is NO ATTENTION! The worse thing that can happen to a puppy is for you to ignore them, even telling them off is still attention and they can try to make this a game so completely ignoring them is the best way to let them know what they have done is not acceptable!)
There are however a few things to remember with food rewards and treats
- Use something that they like!
- Rawhide bones and chews are too brittle for puppies teeth- they are likely to shatter baby teeth on hard things like this
- Remember, all food counts towards daily calorie intake, remember to factor treats into the daily food amounts you measure out for your puppy to avoid too many calories.
- Try to use things without lot of cereal fillers and colourings and additives- we like Eukanuba Healthy treats or Liver treats - these are frequently used at the vet clinic and most puppies love them!
