Food is a powerful motivator for most dogs, which makes it a great way to reinforce training behaviors that we want our dogs to do! And most dogs agree that organ meats are pretty darn tasty!
These liver treats are a wholesome, high quality dog treat that can be made with a variety of local meats from Apple Creek Farm.
Even though they are "working dogs" all of our dogs at Apple Creek know the basics of obedience. These treats are great for periodic rewards.
We've collaborated with Jane at In Partnership Dog Training on this blog post which talks about how to use treats to support your dogs training….and increase their wags.
This recipe can be made with "odd bits" we offer including beef, chicken, or lamb liver.
Says Jane, "Dogs are more likely to perform a given behavior when they have good reason to do it. Food, in addition to play and access to friends and fun places are certainly good reasons. The better the snack, the bigger the motivation."
You are more driven to work for $100 than $5 right? The yummier, richer, bigger, greasier, wetter the treat, the higher the value. Yes, dogs can tell the difference!
Using high quality, yummy treats is an effective and positive way to help with basic training- sit, stay, leave it- using itty bitty pieces. They can also be used in bigger pieces to reward and maintain more difficult tasks such as recall away from a deer, or going to bed when the doorbell rings! Food can also be a powerful tool in building good associations which is the foundation of addressing fears and anxieties.
These liver treats are a wholesome, high quality and local dog treat that can be used to supplement all of your dog training needs whether you are regularly training, addressing a behavior challenge, or you just want to give your dog some positive feedback here and there.
If you are using a lot of treats for training each day, consider using smaller pieces, especially for small dogs, and even cutting back on a little of your dog’s daily food ration if it’s a super big work day.
Questions about your dogs training and behavior? Jane is available for virtual consults worldwide and serves in-person clients near her home in southern British Columbia.
Ingredients
- 1 lb(ish) liver
- 1 splash milk (substitute with water or enrich with cream)
- 1 Apple Creek Farm egg
- 1 ½ cups flour or less if you want them meatier (meatier = higher value!)
Directions
- Blend together the liver, milk, and egg in a mixing bowl
- Add flour and blend again until the flour is incorporated
- Using a spatula, spread the mixture thinly on a well greased cookie sheet
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, adjust baking time based on thickness at 350 degrees. Don’t let them get too dry!
- Remove from heat, let them cool until they are safe to touch, and then cut into bite sized pieces.
- Portion a handful or so each into small zip locks and freeze until needed. Grab and go whenever you need some training treats.
They defrost quickly but it is not a big deal if they are a little frozen still when you reward your dog.
