What Are High Value Treats? (updated 1/2/2024)

The term high value treat is used frequently in dog training, but what exactly makes a treat high value? The short answer is flavor. To be high value a treat has to be more important to the dog than whatever distraction is going on around them. When you are working with your dog in the living room or back yard with no distractions, kibble would likely work just fine. When you are at the park surrounded by people, running children and other dogs, a treat has to be much more interesting to keep the dog's attention.

Meme courtesy of At Attention Dog Training.

This is why dog trainers will tell you to practice at home until the dog has mastered the behavior, then head to the park to "proof" the behavior with distractions. It is also important to increase the value of your treats as you increase the distraction level.

I like to use freeze dried foods as training treats. They are small, flavorful and since they are nutritionally complete they are a wonderful part of my dog's daily diet. On days we are doing a lot of training I can subtract from regular meals without sacrificing nutrition. These treats come in a variety of proteins so you can change up flavors to keep your dog interested. Freeze dried meat treats are another good choice. You can cut them to the right size for your dog if you need to. Many trainers swear by cheese, either string cheese cut into small pieces or block cheese will work, too.

Treat size and consistency matter too. It is very helpful in training if your dog doesn't have to stop and chew the treat.  A small, soft treat is a great reward but it doesn't break up the flow of training. These treats also hold up well in your pocket or treat pouch, so you aren't fumbling to get one out. Timing is very important in training, when your dog does something great you want to let them know. There is nothing worse than reaching for a treat and only finding dust in your pocket!

We carry a great variety of training treats, please come in and talk to us. No matter the size or age of your dog, we can help you make a great choice. 

Our Ingredients are the BEST for your best friend!

 It's true....we like to brag about the organic local

ingredients we use for our hand made dog treats, and the local produce we grow or buy when it's in season.  

Did you know we also use local cage free eggs for  all of our recipes?  

How local?  

Why...Right out back!  

We have 2 roosters and 24 hens that do their part to keep our ingredients fresh and local. We feed our chickens a vegetarian diet, a combination of layer mash and whatever is ripe in the garden. We have too many predators in the neighborhood to let the chickens free range, instead we use electrified poultry netting. It's light and easy to move, so we move the girls to fresh ground every few weeks.  

Folks have asked if we slaughter and eat our chickens after their egg laying days are over, the answer is no. Our chickens die of old age, because even if they aren't laying eggs they do make their contribution to the compost pile for the garden. Chickens have their own social structure, and they are fun to watch as they go about their daily business.  

We are hoping one of the girls is in the mood to raise some chicks this spring, making our flock self sustaining. We will keep you updated and post pictures of any babies we get!