Lung Bite Treats for a Healthier Dog Training Experience

Lung Bite Treats for a Healthier Dog Training Experience 

     

The other day, while strolling in the park, a fellow dog mom commented on how well-behaved my pups are. She said she'd never have the time or patience to train her own dog so well. I thanked her and acknowledged that it indeed takes time and patience. But I quipped, "It sure is easier with the best dog training treats."

Not all treats are good for dogs—or at least not in the quantity it takes to train a pup. Whether I'm working on sitting, fetching, or heeling, I had to reinforce that behavior a lot to get to this point—especially with my boisterous terrier Pixie.

Why Most Treats Aren't Right for My Pampered Pups

Some are packed with unhealthy fillers, preservatives, and unnecessary ingredients. They often have added sugar because they don't taste very good without it. And honestly, they're pretty high calorie when I take into consideration how many treats I'll need to reinforce a behavior enough for it to stick.

I need a healthy training treat that wouldn’t pack on pounds or compromise my dog’s health.

Just take a look at the back of most dog treat bags. I dare you. You'll find a long list of ingredients—many you can't pronounce. Artificial colors, preservatives, fillers, and GMO grains are some common offenders. These can lead to weight gain, digestive issues, and even behavioral problems.

With training requiring frequent rewards, feeding these unhealthy snacks can quickly add up.

Beef Lungs for Dogs Are A Healthier Dog Treat

It's night and day—comparing most dog treats to these. Beef lung for dogs are single-ingredient, free of additives, and packed with essential nutrients like protein, vitamins, and minerals. No weird stuff!

Now, I know you're skeptical. Those sound "odd", to put it nicely. Do I really feed my dogs lung—as in that sac in the body that allows animals to exchange oxygen for carbon dioxide?

Why yes, I do.

Lungs are organ meat—and as far as nutrition goes, you can't really beat it. In the wild, my dogs' ancestral wolves would eat the whole animal (except the skin). Organ meat is rich in collagen, a structural protein that humans and dogs struggle to make enough of, especially as we age. Plus, iron, calcium, and B12, among others.

They’re lean, natural, and packed with the protein your dog needs. You’ll feel confident rewarding your dog with these every time they practice their tricks.

Why Reinforcing Good Behavior Is Essential

In dog training, timing is everything. You want to reward your dog immediately when they demonstrate the behavior you're teaching, whether it's “sit,” “stay,” or a quick recall. The quicker you reinforce the action, the faster they’ll make the connection between the command and the reward.

And this often requires a lot of treats...because when I'm training a dog, they don't get it right the first time. Or the second. So, as any professional trainer will probably tell you, you keep giving them a treat as they get closer to doing the behavior.

If you're trying to teach your dog to shake your hand on command, and they just raise their paw slightly off the ground when you say "shake:, "you reward that. Then, you lift their paw to show them a paw shake while saying the command word. Then, say the word and reward movement in the right direction.

Depending on the dog, this can take a lot of treats. It's a good thing I found out where to get a huge bag.

My Terrier Pixie and the Million Treat Challenge

Let me tell you about my terrier, Pixie. She's so excitable. She couldn't sit still for 2 seconds to learn a trick. But you know what? We stuck with it. Every morning in the backyard, while my other two enjoyed their filled dog bones in the kitchen, we practiced. I have some bone refill recipes you can download for free.

And you know what? She got it....after many, many tries.

Was it worth it? Absolutely! Because once she learned a trick, she wanted to learn more. The more lung bites for her, the better.

She began to behave better all the way around because she started to learn not to be so over-stimulated all of the time. She's a happier, healthier dog. She still runs her energy out in the backyard or the dog park. But she acts like a perfect lady indoors and while we're out together.

Beef lung bites really are the best dog training treats. I can feel good about continuing to give them to her until she gets it. With beef lung treats, I can give rewards liberally without feeling guilty about poor nutrition.

This allows me to be very consistent. And here's my little secret.

I don't share this with everyone. Shhh!

So, one lung treat is small, maybe around the size of your thumbnail. But they're also tearable. So, if I know we're going to be in for an extra long dog training session, I break several into smaller pieces and put them in a pocket. Then, I can quickly pull one out to reward the attempt.

Then, when she gets it perfect, I give her a whole treat. And Voila! A perfectly trained K9.

Try breaking apart most treats. They would just crumble.

Preparing for Pixie's Training Sessions

I start by getting the best dog training treats and lung bites. Now, you don't have to do this. But I choose to buy them in bulk. I can save a ton that way on a treat I feel really good about.

Then, we set a schedule. Consistency is important. So, I put her training sessions on my calendar.

If you want to go reallly hard core, the experts suggest twice a day 4-5 days a week.

A dog training session shouldn't feel grueling. You want it to feel fun for you and your K9. So, limit it to 15 minutes and keep it positive. 😊 If they're a puppy or very distractible like Pixie, try 5-10 minutes or as long as they'll stay engaged.

Remove any distractions to help your pup focus.

Get your lung treats ready so you can immediately reward the behavior. And keep in mind you'll probably need around 5-10.

Pixie got better day by day. Once she understood that I rewarded her for learning, she started to get into the program. And we can practice for as long as 30 minutes or 1 hour sometimes.

They'll stay engaged and eager to please you with a new trick. I would never have believed Pixie would endure a 1-hour training session. But she's all ears and tail when it's time to train now.

Don't feel bad if you can't fit hour-long training into your schedule. Shorter sessions work just fine. In fact, the American Kennel Club suggests short but frequent sessions are best.

Best Dog Training Treats: Keep it Simple

Stick with single-ingredient treats like beef lung for dogs. I buy grass-fed lung treats from a small local business.

Beef lung treats provide clean, guilt-free nutrition while keeping your dog energized and healthy during training. I’ve found them to be some of the best dog training treats out there—ideal for rewarding good behavior consistently.

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