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Liver as the reward, cue by cue
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Liver is the treat many owners save for the hard moments, and these guides cover how to use it that way. Each one describes how to break freeze-dried liver into small bits, when to pay, and how to keep sessions short, across recall, leave it, drop it, leash and harness work, crate training, tricks and obedience class. There are also guides for sport and field work: agility, nose work, hunting dogs and liver bait in the show ring. Start with liver treats for recall training, or see the beef liver bag.
All Training posts
13 posts, newest first. See every post.
Freeze-dried liver in the field with a gun dog
Freeze-dried liver as a field training reward: where it fits, carrying it in a vest without a cooler, keeping it dry in wet cover, and the treat budget on long days.
Freeze-dried or cooked liver as bait in the ring
Cooked liver or freeze-dried pieces as show bait: how each one handles, keeping it off your clothes, and holding bait through a long day between classes.
Liver as the payout in nose work and scent games
Use liver as the hide for a beginner and the payout at the find: setting up boxes, delivering the reward at the source, and keeping a session inside the budget.
Packing and paying with liver at obedience class
Ask the instructor first, measure the class liver out of the day's budget at home, break it small, carry it in a closed pouch and leave the bag sealed at home.
Paying a dog with liver for walking at your side
Pay small bits of liver at your leg while the leash is slack, pay often at first and then less, and save bigger pieces for the hardest parts of a walk.
Paying for each step of putting a harness on
Break harness training into steps, from looking at the harness to the buckle, pay one small bit of liver for each, and go back a step when your dog moves off.
Teaching a cat new habits with small bits of liver
Liver treats for cat training work as small crumbled bits paid right after the behavior, in short sessions that stay inside the cat's small share.
Teaching a dog new tricks with tiny liver rewards
Break the trick into steps and pay each one with a tiny bit of liver: timing, session size, thinning the rewards out, and ending while the dog still wants more.
Teaching drop it as a trade for a bit of liver
Teach drop it as a trade: the toy comes out of the mouth, a small bit of liver goes in, and the toy often goes straight back.
Teaching leave it with liver as the hardest test
Liver in a closed hand, then on the floor, then on a walk: how to teach leave it with the treat your dog wants most, and what to reward with instead.
Using freeze-dried liver in agility practice
Liver as an agility practice reward: when to pay, how small to break it, where the pouch waits while your dog runs, and keeping a long class day inside the budget.
Using liver to make come the best cue your dog knows
Why trainers hold the strongest reward back for the come cue, how small a recall bit should be, and how to pay recalls without blowing the treat budget.
Using small bits of liver to make the crate pay
Toss small bits of liver into the crate so walking in pays, pay through the door while the dog stays in, and count every bit against the day's treats.