You know how important training and socializing is for a well mannered, and happy Chihuahua.
There are many ways to reward your Chihuahua when training. Just your happy voice and a pat after a successful “stay“ or a game of tug for a job well done is sometimes all that is needed. But, when training your Chihuahua something new, often “high value” food treats work the best.
“High Value” Training Treats
The more he loves his treats the harder he will try to figure out what you are asking of him because he wants that mouthwatering treat you have in your hand! Here are some things to look for when choosing the right training treat for your Chihuahua.
Choose Fast-Eating Treats
When you are training your Chihuahua something new, the goal is to keep him motivated and interested. The best way to do that is with a high rate of reinforcement, meaning how often you give them treats. In order to give your Chihuahua a lot of treats in a short amount of time is to choose treats that he can chew and swallow quickly.
In other words, the faster he eats his treats the quicker you can move on with the training and the longer he will stay interested. Chihuahuas have a short attention span (as do all dogs), so each training session should be short and you want it to be productive.
Use Tiny Training Treats
The key to successful training is consistency and keeping the short session moving along. Most commercial dog treats are much too large for a training session with a Chihuahua. Look for tiny treats, if you can’t find any choose those that you can easily cut into tiny pieces.
Just a pea size or less is plenty for a Chihuahua. As long as he is getting something he loves he won’t care if it’s a tiny amount.
You also have to consider your Chihuahua’s weight. Just a few ounces too much can add up and soon your Chihuahua is at an unhealthy weight. When I have a training session with my Chihuahuas and they have been given a handful of treats, I cut the serving size in half for their next meal.
Chihuahuas have tiny tummies and you don’t want them to get full before the training session is over and that is another reason to give them tiny treats when training.
Stinky Treats That Are Soft Are Best
It makes sense that if the treat is soft it is easier and faster for your Chihuahua to eat. Leave the crunchy ones for one-time treats. Another reason to keep them soft is that with crunchy treats your Chihuahua will be concentrating on crumbs dropped on the floor and not the training.
The smellier the better. If you asked your Chihuahua what his favorite treat is, he would most likely choose something like cheese or bacon. Why? Because dogs love smelly things. If the smell is offensive to you, to your dog it probably smells yummy!
Change It Up
Just like us, dogs like a variety of smells and tastes. They can get bored with the same treat even if it is their favorite. If you notice that he is losing enthusiasm or focus, try changing up the treat.
Pocket Food
You should also reward your Chihuahua for good behavior throughout the day. For instance, If he is barking at something and you tell him “enough” and he stops barking, you definitely want to reward that! I use that example because I am in the process now of teaching my two new rescues the “enough” cue.
To do this you need to reward them for good behavior while he is doing it. If you have to run to the kitchen and grab a treat, by the time you give it to him, he won’t have any idea what you are rewarding him for. So you need to have them with you all day, just in case. For this, you want non-perishable treats that you can keep in your pocket or a treat bag tied to your waist. Something like chicken just won’t work. For this freeze-dried beef liver or jerky works best.
Other Treats
Sometimes you want to give your Chihuahua a treat that will last a long time. For instance, when teaching your Chihuahua to love his crate or to keep him engaged and occupied while you are not home.
When you have more than one Chihuahua never try to train them together. Your training sessions should be one dog at a time. While I am training one dog, I will put the others in another room with a stuffed Kong. That way they all get a reward!
More About Treats
I try to give my Chihuahuas only fresh fruit and vegetables as treats during the day for good behavior. That is the healthiest way to go. But, for training I have found the tiny smelly treats you can buy work best for training. That doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice nutrition while training.
Now that you know how to choose the best training treats, you don’t have to. I’ve done it for you! These are the best and most nutritious, natural, and budget-friendly treats you can buy and they have been tested and APPROVED by Pebbles, Winston, Cora, and Miss Remedy Jane (treats not in any particular order)!
- Zukes Mini Naturals – Pork
- American Journey Beef & Chicken Recipe – Bundle Grain-Free Soft & Chewy Training Bits
- Merrick Power Bites Real Rabbit & Sweet Potato Recipe Grain-Free Soft & Chewy Dog Treats
- Zukes Mini Naturals – Duck
- Wild Meadow Farms – Classic Lamb Minis – Soft Jerky Training Treats
- Stella & Chewy’s Crav’n Bac’n Bites Bacon & Duck Recipe Dog Treats
- Cloud Star Dynamo Dog Tummy Soft Chews Pumpkin & Ginger
- Cloud Star Soft & Chewy with Bacon, Cheese & Apples Dog Treats
- Merrick Power Bites Real Chicken Recipe Grain-Free Soft & Chewy Dog Treats
- Smart Cookie Grain-Free Regional Bites Soft Treats – Central Lowlands – Rabbit & Pumpkin
