Product Pick: PureBites

I have a new favorite training treat.  PureBites are made by a Canadian company, and the beauty is in their simplicity.  Each treat is a single, freeze-dried ingredient.  The chicken treats are freeze-dried chicken, the cheese treats are freeze-dried cheddar cheese.  PureBites also come in Ocean Whitefish, Beef Liver, Duck and Trail Mix (which is actually a whopping 3 ingredients - sweet potato, beef liver and green beans).

The best thing about training with PureBites?  It's hard to say without sounding like a spokesperson for the company (though I assure you I'm not), but dogs LOVE PureBites.  I have seen some of the most finicky dogs go bonkers for PureBites, and if a dog really wants what you've got, you can teach them to do just about anything.

Since they don't need to be refrigerated, PureBites are easy to take on a walk, to training class or just to keep a few in your pocket.  They aren't stinky (with the exception of the Beef Liver, though it's pretty mild smelling for liver).  Usually, while unappreciated by owners, stinky is a good quality in a training treat.  But dogs can tell when you get out PureBites.

The last feature I want to highlight: the single ingredient.  It's tough to find treats that can be tolerated by dogs with allergies, but one of the PureBites should work for just about any dog.  If your dog tends to have a sensitive stomach or gets car sick, you may want to try the chicken.  And if your dog needs to loose weight (or just not gain any extra!) chicken is pretty low in fat.

If you are going to use PureBites for training you may want to break the treats into smaller pieces ahead of time.  PureBites can be found in a variety of stores across the U.S., including Petco and Petsmart (try their website to search for independent stores near you) and online at Amazon.com.