A question on raw feeding - training treats

[Sarah.H]

Millie is a week into proper raw feeding rather than the odd chicken wing, naturesmenu but mostly dry food routine we had got stuck in.

The question is can you give the occasional biscuit type treat or does it have to be cut out entirely? Millie loves a gravy bone before bedtime (just the one - I'm so mean!). I have also been using a handful of Arden Grange kibble mixed with a handful of dried beef bits throughout the day as rewards for recall.

I have to take the food rewards to work with me so need it needs to be fairly non offensive to handle. Also it seems that anything suitable to use as rewards is mega expensive!

Any tips and advice will be gratefully received 

[dizzytrish]

my three have been on raw for about a month, but they still get one biscuit each when they go to bed, can be anything from a gravy bone to charcoal cob.
for training treats, always homemade liver cake.

i'm a meany mum too, they don't have anything else processed throughout the day now. and treats are apples, pears, carots, banana, and just got celery, but they are not keen on that

[elaine.e]

One of the reasons I switched to raw feeding was because of William's sensitive digestion. I never had him allergy tested but even small quantities of food/treats containing wheat or dairy products or the very occasional cocktail sausage as a training treat would give him an upset tummy, usually followed by throwing up yellow bile.

Since the change to a raw diet I've been able to give him a much wider variety of treats. We always have mini markies or gravybones at home and he has 1 or 2 a day. I use small pieces of cooked cocktail sausage or home made sardine bread at training class and last week he was given a piece of his friend Arthur's birthday cake which was a commercially bought flan case filled with sausages, fish fingers and grated cheese . William enjoyed it and suffered no ill effects. He has healthy treats as well, like Fish4Dogs twists, which aren't raw but are 100% dried fish skin.

So although his meals are raw his treats aren't and some of them are definitely unhealthy, but they're only a small part of his daily rations and I'm just delighted that I no longer have to worry about how he'll cope with them

[karen488]

Am new to raw so no expert at all, but, mine don't like raw liver so get cooked liver as their treats. (they have biscuits aswell though  ) just a suggestion if you wanted to avoid.

[Joules]

Coco has normal treats for training or I just use a good quality kibble - much cheaper than buying treats    I do make her livercake and tuna bread but not enough to always have a supply.  

For other treats she has carrots, and other natural treats from Zooplus like ostrich bickies, pizzles etc. 

[Karma]

Honey has biscuits as treats.... and one every night at bedtime to prevent overnight sickness.
And, like Joules, we sometimes use a good kibble as training treats (she loves it, though wouldn't entertain eating kibble as a meal!!!). 

I tend to use a lot of meaty treats too (like natures menu training treats)... I do look for training treats that don't have added colours, but otherwise use the whole range available.

[Sarah.H]

Thank you for all the replies 

I think I'll stick to what I'm doing for now then and give her the kibble and beef during the day and a gravy bone at night. Although looking at the nearly empty tin just now I think the OH has been a bit generous today 

[Patp]

Jinley loves small pieces of hot dog sausages as treats and has 2 gravy bones before bedtime.

I have a pdf of 130 dog treats that you can make yourself - there might be something in there that will inspire you.

PM me and I will email it to you.

Pat

[Abbi]

Mine are raw fed but still have the odd biscuit as treats or Fish4dogs sea jerky and other treats in their range. I think it depends if the biscuits agree with them. If so then you can feed what you want really. You should be relaxed and not worry unless it's upsetting them or you want to take ALL processed foods out of their diet. Really there aren't any "rules" it's just what suits you.

Sorry I hope that didn't sound like a lecture but just wanted to say go with what YOU want.