# Alternative Treats



## Macaroni

Our pup is now 12 weeks, and was just curious as to any suggestions for alternative treats anyone provides their V, ie veggies, fruits, yogurt, meats etc?
Up until now we've only been feeding him his dry kibble (recently switched to Acana), for treats during training/rewards some liver treats (but mostly just his kibble) and some dental chew sticks and his deer antler. 
We haven't given him any type of "human food" to date as I know they tend to be picky eaters and don't want him to get so. But was wondering if any healthy alternatives anyone uses on thier V's for treats or to mix in w/ kibble (if even a good idea) to help get him to eat. He is looking a little skinny and as my previous dog was a beagle (who would eat himself to death if allowed to - and almost did once!) just looking for some advise.

Much appreciated


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## JillandDan

We feed Holley boiled or baked chicken. This is not by choice however. She is on a restricted diet and can not have normal treats. She loves it and has not gotten sick of it as the trainers had thought she would. They do get fussy though once they have had human food. We went through this with Holley. She had to be on a boiled meat and rice diet for a week or so. After that, we had a hard time getting her to eat puppy food. We went through several brands/flavors to try to correct this.


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## jakersmomma

Jake loves oranges, carrots, cheese. We do mix human food in with the Orijen at every meal or even a little chicken or beef broth. I've talked with the vet and he said it's fine as long as it is healthy food. For instance-tonight we had steak and asparagus. I cut up a little bit of steak and some asparagus and mixed it in, voila, clean bowl. I'm talking a very small amount. Just don't give him anything too spicy or greasy or with too many onions obviously. It works for us well, Jake is happy, healthy (maybe just a little spoiled). 

I buy the soft treats for training and make sure they have no "meat byproducts" in them. Nasty. Even Milkbones are disgusting! Wellness makes these biscuits they call bars. If I buy little soft jerky bites, I make sure there are no funky ingredients like the byproducts. Costco has some jerky tenders I think they call them that come in a plastic tub, they are usually around $14 and right now in their coupon book, I saw buy one get one free. I also like their big bags of chicken jerky (the harder stuff).


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## kellygh

JillandDan--How is Holley doing? What type of puupy food have you found she can tolerate? I hope her tummy troubles are much better! Best wishes


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## JillandDan

kellygh,
Thank you for checking in. We have not found a puppy food she can tolerate without a fiber adder. We were mixing pumpkin in with her Nutro Natual Lamb but now the vet has us putting metamucil (spelling) in her water twice a day. She still can not have any treats other than chicken though. The vet said that unfortunately there aren't any puppy foods that have high fiber in them so we just have to wait until she is 1 to find a food she can have and hope that she grows out of the issue.


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## Crazy Kian

MAC, we used to give Kian a little peanut butter in his kibble when he was a little pup other things we would give him were a piece of cheddar jammed in his kong.... that would keep him busy for a while. We also used to freeze the kongs with peanut butter or cheese...or sometimes both. 
Now he gets plain probiotic yogurt with his Orijen 6 fish.
The only other "treats" he gets are dried liver, sometimes a piece of cheese, a bite or two of banana or the odd bully stick.


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## raps702

Jill and Dan,

Interesting that your vet said that there are not any puppy foods that have high fibre, as you know Axel has or had similar issues as Holley. Anyway's our vet put Axel on a vetrinary diet to help with the soft stools, its called DCO (dual fiber control) made by Purina. (of course we just got him off his old purina and started him on Blue) Ok, we mix half and half of each (Blue and DCO) and his stool is alot better, basically solid now. However, my wife has a big concern as to weather or not this dco fiber food is even meant for puppies? As it does not say it is on the package? And why would the vet give it to us if its nots meant for puppies? Also the first ingrediant on the dog food is whole grain corn! What's up with that? So the good news is Axel's poop is good, but we do have concerns about this veterinary diet food...

On the alternative treat subject, we like the chicken jerky from Costco also.


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## Macaroni

Much appreciated....thanks to all


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## JillandDan

raps,
The food you have may not be meant for pups. The vet wants to keep her on a puppy food until adult. And the soft stool isn't really the major issue she is having. If we remove the fiber supplement (pumpkin and now metamucil instead) she pushes hard and this leads to blood so maybe my vet means there isn't one with the amount she feels is needed for this issue. Your vet may feel that Axel can be on an adult food if it isn't puppy. Holley was on an adult food for a couple weeks when we first had the issue. It was a prescription diet.


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## cheztek

My 8 month old puppy loves the deer antler treats! Thanks for the idea mac.


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## laurita

I recently discovered that my vizsla pup loves sweet potatoes. Since we do a lot of training, I am starting to use those as treats. I don't have a steamer so I use a double boiler and boil until they are soft, but not mushy. I cut them up and they work marvelously well at keeping his attention.


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## datacan

Kongs filled with all the above might be good. 
Our V. likes bananas.


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## mswhipple

Willie seems to prefer any kind of high-quality protein. It makes sense, as he is a carnivore after all. Whatever I've had for dinner, I often save a little for Willie and he is ecstatic. By "a little" I mean about one ounce... chicken, steak, turkey, fish, etc.


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## JillandDan

laurita said:


> I recently discovered that my vizsla pup loves sweet potatoes. Since we do a lot of training, I am starting to use those as treats. I don't have a steamer so I use a double boiler and boil until they are soft, but not mushy. I cut them up and they work marvelously well at keeping his attention.


There is a treat you can get at Petsmart/Petco that is dried sweet potatoes wrapped in a chicken jerky. It has no aritifical ingredients or anything and Holley loves them. They are also helpful with her fiber issues. They come in a white and orange bag. I can't recall the name at this time.


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## Macaroni

There is a treat you can get at Petsmart/Petco that is dried sweet potatoes wrapped in a chicken jerky. It has no aritifical ingredients or anything and Holley loves them. They are also helpful with her fiber issues. They come in a white and orange bag. I can't recall the name at this time. 
[/quote]

The brand is called Vitalife...at least here in Canada.....it comes in a green resealable bag.....here its dried duck and sweat ptoatoes, or you can just buy the dick brest. There's no othe ringredients other than the duck and sweat potatoe's..two ingredients, that's it. Our dog loves em!


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## laurita

Yum! I'll have to check those out. Thank you!


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