Anxious dog gaining weight? Need high-value, low-cal training treats!

Hello and thank you for your post on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I like to use Tricky Trainers because they are grain free and are only 4kcal/treat. They also smell amazing to dogs and seem to be quite tasty to them. You can purchase these at any major pet supplies store. I hope this helps!

Lean cuts of meat such as chicken or turkey lunch meat, or freeze-dried liver should be a high enough value treat without adding too many calories. You can give small pieces and then reduce some of Kyro's dinner on training days to avoid overfeeding. The head shaking and rubbing on the couch could just be ways Kyro relaxes or calms himself down (some dogs will shake when stressed as a relaxation technique), or he may just be happy to be home and so is rubbing on things he enjoys. I wouldn't be too concerned unless it is causing an issue or you suspect a health problem as the cause.

Hi there. For training treats, you have quite a few different options depending on what she likes. Good, relatively low-value training treats would include kibble, Cheerios, carrots or green beans (cooked or raw), or packaged moist treats like BilJac or Blue Buffalo Blue Bits. High value training treats would include string cheese, pieces of meat (chicken, roast beef, or turkey), or cat food or liverwurst dispensed from a squeezable tube. It may take some trial and error to figure out what she likes enough to work for. Good luck!

The best training treats are ones that your dog really loves and that can be broken into very small treats. This is especially important with a small dog like Bella. I have used and really like Wellness Soft Puppy Bites and Fruitables. This article also mentions a couple of other small and soft chews that would work well for Bella. https://www.rover.com/blog/favorite-healthy-dog-training-treats/ Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Hello. Much depends on what is the underlying cause of your pets anxiety. Noise phobias can sometimes respond to gradual conditioning to that noise. Training & training tools & toys can sometimes help with separation anxiety. Often, we turn to pharmaceuticals & supplements. I always recommend OTC products like Zylkene or Composure. These are natural supplements that contain ingredients that are not harsh or dangerous. CBD may help with anxiety, but you need to be sure the company you use has scientifically formulated their products to be sound. Canopy Growth seems to be one doing so for pets (https://canopy animal health.com ) & yes, this is the one associated with Martha Stewart. Prescription medications are often used, as needed or for help with behavior modification. Sileo, Trazodone, acepromazine & anti-anxiety medications like Prozac have all been utilized, but you will need to work with your veterinarian on these. Start with some of the supplements, like Zylkene & go from there until you find the right fit for your pet. Thanks for contacting PetCoach.

A few general recommendations: stick with well known brands with a good reputation. Look for products made in the USA. Kibble works great for treats and I use Purina Pro Plan chicken or lamb and rice. Dry biscuit type treats usually have less calories and salt. The jerky or moist type treats are fine in moderation (they have more calories and salt usually). Lastly, many dogs really like dehydrated chicken livers and chicken jerky. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

The most popular training treats are soft, small treats. Dehydrated liver also works well. Certain biscuits are also made small for training purposes. As long as the treat is made in the United States, it should be fine to give. Treats should account for <10% of the daily calories because they are often higher in calories. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.