Treat Help?

[_whits_]

Addie's going to drive me mad with her persistent pouting. She's just so sad and pathetic looking and it breaks my heart. Could use some help.

Here's the situation:

Since the day I brought her home, I've given Addie a treat to chew on before bed. It's her signal that it's time to settle down, and it's the best way for me to get her into her crate (when she was a puppy) or the bedroom (as an almost 5-year old now) without a hassle. She likes the routine. I like the routine. She likes the treat. I like giving her a treat. 

Without a nighttime treat she gets anxious and doesn't want to go to bed and paces the apartment and whines and pouts and takes FOREVER to settle down. I could choose to not give her a treat at all, but I like her having a routine to signal bedtime. Just like I brush my teeth, she gets a treat.

A few years ago I stopped giving her bully sticks because they were giving her diahrea. Then we switched to these rawhide-like dental chews from her veterinarian grandpa. Unfortunately, Addie has developed allergies to beef, chicken, and grain, which means the dental chews have been taken away. I tried Whimzees (similar to Greenies) but she won't even attempt to eat the things. There are no greenies without chicken/beef/grain. As a vegetarian (don't worry, I would never make Addie a vegetarian, she just can't have beef and chicken because of the allergies), I'm squeamish around any treats that are clearly dead animals (ears, hooves, lungs, etc). And I'm worried for her teeth when it comes to animal bones. 

She gets and loves little training treats (Zukes, Blue Buffalor bits) for good behavior but she swallows them too fast for them to be a nighttime treat. 

So does anyone any any suggestion of a treat I could give Addie at nighttime that would at least take her a second or two to chew that also doesn't have beef/chicken/grain?

[Jack]

These are morning treats at our house but, they could be bedtime treats just as easily.

http://www.amazon.com/C-E-T-VeggieDent-Chews-Regular-30/dp/B001P3PR5Y/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1459746810&sr=8-3&keywords=dental+chews

[sanford]

I've also tried a number of alternative chews to Greenies, but Ruffy had absolutely no interest, so I know what you mean. However...

I've seen venison jerky and salmon jerky, (which are fairly tough and chewy) at a local holistic pet food store. They can also be found at Costco and online at Amazon.com, Chewy.com, etc. 

Would Addie go for carrot or apple chunks?

If anything else comes to mind, l'll let you know.

Edited April 4, 2016 by sanford

[kjwarnold]

Nothing wrong with a good bedtime routine.  Packy & Kirby each get one big crunchy nugget of TD Bites (dental food) before bed.  We call them toothbrushes.  They know that means it's bedtime and are ready to settle down after having one.  I like Sanford's suggestion of a carrot.  My boys love carrots and even one of the baby carrots take a minute to crunch down and eat.

[Hillscreek]

Angus has only ever had one Charlee Bear treat or one Old Mother Hubbard puppy size biscuit at bedtime. He goes in his crate. He gets his treat. He goes to sleep. I'm not keen to give him something that takes time to chew when I'm not there to supervise.

[hheldorfer]

I like the carrot idea too.  Another thought:  I believe remltr once mentioned he gives Sassy a handful of frozen green beans at bedtime.  Seems like anything frozen would be good because it would take Addie a few minutes to get through it.

[Sam I Am]

I wonder if it's the chewing thing or just getting a treat before bedtime? If it's just a treat a small piece of cheese usually puts a smile on any dog.  How about one of those balls you can put a few pieces of her Acana kibble in. It will take her a while to get the treat outs. You could even put a small piece of cheese among her kibble to make it more enticing.

something like this? http://www.bedbathandbeyond.ca/store/product/omega-paw-tricky-treat-ball-for-dogs/134854?mcid=PS_google_nonbrand_dsa_&adpos=1t3&creative=50052804810&device=t&matchtype=b&network=g&gclid=CKDhwM2I9csCFQ4zaQodn8wJ1Q

Edited April 4, 2016 by Terrier lover

[utgaard]

I got a small bag of homemade dog biscuits once while waiting in a ferry line.  I quizzed the woman who gave them to me said she said they were corn and flour free and pretty low in calories, too.  My dogs loved them.  I really wish I had gotten the recipe.  Homemade biscuits could be made into sticks or other shapes that should take Addie a couple of seconds to consume.

[oscar's mom]

http://www.amazon.com/Gluten-Free-Best-Bully-Sticks-Natural/dp/B00JWWEEXQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1459901567&sr=8-3&keywords=dehydrated+sweet+potato+dog+treats

 

Dehydrated Sweet Potatoes,

I have made my own but it takes a long time and patience to let them dry out and cook on a low temp/ 

[_whits_]

I found these this weekend: http://bluebuffalo.com/natural-dog-treats/blue-health-bars-with-fish-and-sweet-potato/

They don't a have any chicken, beef, or grain. They're made in the USA. To top it off, Addie likes them and it takes a minute or so for her to break them down.

She followed my instructions to "take it to the bedroom," ate the treat, and settled down for the night. 

Now I can rest too. 

[Kathryn]

Oban is absolutely crazy for the salmon jerky and I have to admit I have thought about trying it because it smells pretty good to me too (and almost all of these treats do NOT!) And it tears quite easily, so you don't have to give your dog an entire piece, just a smaller chunk.  When I am working hard on training Oban, I shred these into little bits and use them as training treats.

[MaryellenK]

I have a great recipe for a healthy pumpkin, banana treat that our breeder gave us.  Jax get one every night when she goes into her crate and loves it.  Let me know if you are interested and I will post the recipe.

[_whits_]

I would love the recipe! Thank you!

[_whits_]

On April 18, 2016 at 9:25 AM, Kathryn said:

Oban is absolutely crazy for the salmon jerky and I have to admit I have thought about trying it because it smells pretty good to me too (and almost all of these treats do NOT!) And it tears quite easily, so you don't have to give your dog an entire piece, just a smaller chunk.  When I am working hard on training Oban, I shred these into little bits and use them as training treats.

Would you mind letting me know where you get the salmon jerky and what it's called?

With the number of nighttime treat brands I've gone through the past year, I'm not taking any chances of an all0nighter brought on by an Addie temper tantrum!

[Kathryn]

Alas, I buy ours at the local farmers market where a fellow and his family bring in Alaska wild-caught salmon and make and sell various salmon products for people, dogs and cats. But I have seen salmon jerkys at the local pet food store - Chuck and Dons, or something like that? I think any 100 percent salmon product would work...

Edited May 1, 2016 by Kathryn

[MaryellenK]

Here is the recipe for the pumpkin snacks.  Our breeder has been using this recipe for a long time with no negative reactions and the dogs love it!

 

Puppy Pumpkin Pie Snacks

 

Ingredients

 

2 TB. honey
1 carrot, scrubbed and grated
3/4 Cup pure pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1 over-ripe banana, mashed
2 tsp. PARSLEY FLAKES
1 tsp. PURE VANILLA EXTRACT
1/2-1 tsp. CHINA CINNAMON
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 Cups raw rolled oats
1 Cup regular or gluten-free flour (Jen uses a gluten-free all-purpose baking blend since her dog has allergies)
Prep. time: 20 minutes
Baking time: 25 minutes plus drying time
Yield: 50-60

 

 

Directions

 

Preheat oven to 350° (or 325° if using a glass or nonstick pan). Line a smaller sized (11x15) rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. A 9x13 glass pan will work. Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl until well combined. Spread the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out to about 1/4-inch thickness. Using a pizza cutter, score the raw batter into sticks or squares in a size appropriate for your dog. Bake for about 25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time. Let the snacks cool in the pan for about 10 minutes and then remove them from the pan and cool on a wire rack. Break into pieces (you may have to run over the scores with the pizza cutter again to help them break cleanly). The snacks will be cake-like at this point, but if your dog likes a crunchier treat, preheat the oven back to 350°. TURN IT OFF and return the snacks to the warm oven. Let dry in the oven for 1-2 hours (or even overnight). Store the snacks in the refrigerator or freeze—Jen freezes the treats portioned out in storage bags.

[bradl]

Would you mind if I added this to the site cookbook?

http://www.cairntalk.net/cookbook/

(All are welcome to add recipes)

[Kathryn]

Now that's a dog treat I might actually eat myself!

[hheldorfer]

On 5/2/2016 at 7:56 AM, Kathryn said:

Now that's a dog treat I might actually eat myself!

Yep.  I have tried the chicken jerky I make for the dogs and I think it's pretty good too.  The only problem is that Buffy and Ziggy don't like to share.

[MaryellenK]

On May 2, 2016 at 8:52 PM, bradl said:

Would you mind if I added this to the site cookbook?

http://www.cairntalk.net/cookbook/

(All are welcome to add recipes)

Sure thing...I didn't know you had a cookbook.  How wonderful!

[LindaMC]

I give Maisie baby carrots or light string cheese at bed time, she is wicked picky these days, things she use to like, she doesn't anymore, i.e., pumpkin, coconut oil, bananas, apples, it's so very strange.  I also give her a frozen raw chicken foot a couple of times a week at bedtime, they are good for her teeth and gums, lots of calcium and also chrondroiton sp? and glucosamine in them and the bones are tiny.