What is a good doggie treat for an 8 wk old Westie puppy?

Question

I want to give her treats for pottying outside. Some looked like choking hazards and some just looked unappealing. If someone has a puppy and knows of a treat my puppy would LOVE, it would be appreciated. BTW, I will be picking the puppy up on Christmas Eve and I am trying to get everything together and be prepared!

Thanks to the Vet for the good info. I knew someone was going to advise against the Christmas gift thing but I am doing a lot of research on how to make this a smooth transition for the puppy and my girls know not to overdo it (squealing and jumping, etc). We always enjoy a nice calm Christmas at home- but I understand the concern and will try to give the pup lots of downtime!

Answer 1

Like the person above me said you've gotten a lot of great advice here.

My suggestion is to use a SMALL soft treat (I put a link to one readily available type below & also a link to a very good and natural type of treats that my dog loves. Absoloutely worth the additional cost). I would normally break one treat up into several tiny pieces and used them for all sorts of training.

I would also alternate between using the soft treats and praise.

Grats on your new addition. :)

Answer 2

I heard that all puppies have worms when they are born. So When they are so many weeks old they have to be wormed. Then the worms come out when they poo. (sorry) Are the worms still alive when your puppy passed them? If so maybe the guy has not wormed the puppy as he said. If the worms were dead then the worms will all come out when the puppy does his business ,and the puppy has been wormed. If the worms are still alive I'd try worming your puppy, read the instructions on the packet which will help u. If they the worms are dead they'll be passed as normal. However I have never head of a worms coming out of the month. Maybe the puppy is riddled with worms. Anyway I hope this helps but if it doesn't dont leave too long before you go the the vets. Good luck! xx

Answer 3

Praise is the best reward!! Otherwise she'll come to expect a treat every time she does something right!

If you must reward her with food, and are feeding her dry kibble, give her 1 piece of kibble as a reward. But be sure to monitor how much you give her - if she's allowed 3 cups of food a day, make sure the rewards are included in that 3 cups - or she could end up with a weight problem.

Talk to your vet to be sure - start looking now - some will meet with you or give advice before you actually have the pet. If you are getting her from a breeder, discuss any concerns with them and ask what they would recommend (food, training, etc..)

Make sure she has some toys of her own, bones, rope toys, rubber bones/chewys (all available at pet stores and some vets).
If your children have stuffed animals, I would NOT get stuffed toys for the pup - she won't distinguish between hers and theirs which could result in tears.

Congrats on the new family member!

Answer 4

My dog's favorite treat when she was that young was cat treats. I gave her the soft li'l hearts that come in the small plastic container you can shake. She still comes running just like the cat when I shake the can. :)

Great Westie site
http://www.canadawestieclub.ca/westies/FAQ.html

Answer 5

Being with your dog is going to help you a lot in determining what kind of rewards she will want the most. It's great to praise a dog, but food is almost always a higher value motivator to a dog than praise. Again, this really depends on what you see when you interact with your dog.
Some people food that's OK in small amounts : plain, boiled chicken. Plain cooked hamburger. Small slices of hot dogs. Cheese (I use low-fat mozzarella; also string cheese is a special favorite).
One treat food I really like is the Natural Balance rolls - this is a semi-wet food that's easy to cut up into cubes. It comes in rolls in many different sizes so you can see whether she'll like it or not. I find this is a high-value treat that doesn't mess with their digestion (when you do a lot of training this is a concern). I like Lamb Lung too, but too much of this can cause diarrhea.
A lot of those processed dog treats get passed over by my dogs. But hey - every dog is different. Good luck and here are links for more info about puppy training.

Answer 6

chew toys as she will be teething- rawhides etc
also any little treat is fine (as long as she likes it) no toy with tiny bells on it etc (choking problem if she swollows it)
Tiny treats for housetraining are the best as you will be giving her a lot!
Indoors get items she can chew on
stuffed animals are good but dont buy them new
I get mine at a thrift shop or a goodwill store
goood luck

Answer 7

try some rice & lamb jerkie treat
i saw my friend give his westie that jerkie treat and he Loves it.

He begs for it. lol :)

Answer 8

The absolute best treat, and the one your pup will love the MOST, is a good ear rub or belly rub or loving-on from you. She'll enjoy that infinitely better than any food treat, and it's healthier for her, too. Dealing with weight problems are a daily issue in veterinary medicine, and are brought on by unnecessary food 'treats.'

PLEASE reconsider picking up your pup on Christmas eve....I'm begging you. The week after Christmas, we are inundated with sick puppies from all the stress. Put yourself in her place. It's stressful on a puppy just going to a new home to start with, even when things at home are normal. Throw all the hubbub and commotion of the holidays on top of that, and you're just asking for a sick puppy. Two weeks before, or a week afterward....please.

(Congrats on your new baby, btw!)

Answer 9

I have three small dogs.From the time that they were puppies til now (the oldest is 10yrs.) I have given them animal cookies they are cheap and they are not fattening.My dogs still love them and so does my 110lb.blacklab.Good luck with your new puppy.

Answer 10

The others have given greta advice. Mine is just a caution...dont get those "Greenies" you can get. A lot of the smaller breeds are the ones who are choking on them as they expand inside them. I dont think there is an "official" stance on it yet; but that is what my own vet told me.