My Journey with Another "You & I." Animal Welfare and Dog Training
Before we started our personal chef journey, I had a dog training business called "You & I ( something familiar name?) Animal Wellness" for about nine years before we moved to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, in 2017.
During my four years volunteering at an animal shelter, I was hired as a foster assistant at the foster department. It was a hands-on experience, from witnessing a mom dog giving birth to her newborn puppies to young adoptable dogs and cats that were poorly injured, scared, or aggressive. While not every story had a happy ending, we often celebrated the small victories when the dogs and cats we had cared for finally found new forever homes. These moments of triumph inspired me to become a bridge between new pet guardians and shelter animals, ensuring they could live their lives to the fullest in their new forever homes.
After the shelter experience, I contacted one of Colorado's best dog trainers who use positive reinforcement methods. I became an apprentice when I was ready to pursue my dream of being an entrepreneur as a dog trainer. Working with food-motivated dogs was easier to train, but I had unique cases in which I had to think outside the box to motivate many of my client's dogs. What can I do when the dog is overweight, and I can't give him tons of treats for training? What should I do when the dog guardian has arthritis and can't feed treats to the dog promptly while in training? How should I reward a dog who gets excited for treats and bites the guardian's fingers?
Need homemade dog treats?
That's when my husband, Aric, a fabulous chef, gave me many ideas. How about cooking some veggies in homemade chicken stock? (of course, without onion in it.) How about pureeing the chicken in the stock and putting it in a squeeze bottle so the elderly guardian doesn't have to grab small treats if the timing is a concern? From there, I used our dogs, Midori and Sakura, as guinea pigs whenever we devised new "recipes" for my dog-training clients.
Meanwhile, Chef Aric figured out how to make "dog gravy" for our fur babies by using scraps, like potato and carrot skins, egg shells, meat scraps, and leftover veggies that are getting a little old in the fridge. We would cook them in a crockpot for 12-14 hours, then blend them all together so nothing would get caught in their throats and intestines. We'd pour it over our dog's kibble for breakfast and dinner. We used to stock up the gravy in the freezer, too! The best part was that they loved it, and we had less waste, less purchasing dog treats from pet supplies stores, and our fridge was replaced with fresh veggies!
A Little Bit of Dog Training Secret with Homemade Dog Treats
Our last dogs, Midori and Sakura, never begged for food. They didn't have a chance to learn to "beg" because we never gave food scraps while enjoying our meals.
Our newest family member, Senna, a Bernese Mountain Dog we affectionately call 'the dish pit puppy,' joined us this January. When we adopted her, she was a big, begging puppy, accustomed to human food in her previous home. We're currently retraining her to be a well-behaved dog. It's not always easy, but seeing her progress and the bond we're building makes it all worth it.
Retraining a dog can be challenging once it has learned unwanted behavior. Our puppy, Senna, begs for table scraps by nudging, barking, and pawing. This behavior may have seemed cute when she was small and looked like a Gizmo, but now, as an 80-pound dog, it's no longer pretty.
Dogs learn what works for them, so it's best to teach them the behavior we want to see before they figure it out themselves. (like Senna did.)
Focusing on the behavior you want your dog to perform is key to success. Teaching basic obedience is crucial to avoiding unwanted behavior. For example, train your dog to "sit" by the door when guests arrive instead of jumping on them or to "lie down" and "wait" for their food bowl rather than pawing at you.
It's essential to be specific about the behavior you want from them, focus on teaching the dog "how," and communicate more precisely. Positive reinforcement training and homemade chicken treats are the best combo for you and your dog to succeed! That's my two cents!
DIY Chicken Treats and A bit of Nostalgia
Our last dogs, Midori and Sakura, never begged for food, and we never gave them table scraps.
But we always had exceptions. Chef Aric would make cheeseburgers on their "Gotcha Days" to celebrate our years of journey together and share pieces of turkey on their kibble on Thanksgiving or Christmas. When I trained them, homemade pig ears, boiled chicken breast, and peanut butter were the usual suspects for their high-value treats. I still remember how Sakura was motivated to compete in Canine Musical Freestyle because she knew some homemade chicken nugget treats would be involved during the training session.
The cheeseburgers were also our final days with them, and we wanted to let them know how much we appreciated the life lessons they taught us before they crossed over the Rainbow Bridge.
Why Homemade Chicken Treats for Dogs?
Since many dogs widely accept chicken, I used homemade chicken treats to train many dogs. I realized that using actual chicken is more cost-effective, less calorie, and healthier than many store-bought "chicken flavored" treats and some expensive "freeze-dried chicken" treats.
On my days off, I would batch-make homemade chicken cookies and chicken jerky for my doggie clients, which I tested with our dogs, Midori and Sakura, to approve the products. This batch-making process saved time and ensured we always had healthy treats on hand. Making our homemade dog-friendly chicken stock (without onion or garlic) in the house was very convenient for making those cookies. Sometimes, I only used the stock, not chicken, but added shredded carrots or canned pumpkin to keep the calories lower and still taste better for the dogs. It also helped us when our dogs had tummy aches. We could make chicken and rice soup to soothe their upset tummy because bland food like this is easier for them to digest until we contact our vet.
Join our Virtual Cooking Class and Let's Celebrate International Dog Day Together!
We were thrilled when we discovered that August 26th was International Dog Day. Recreating our memory and sharing it with all of you was a no-brainer. Let's celebrate this special day together nationwide! Chef Aric and I have come up with a unique idea for a one-off virtual cooking class. This class will teach you how to make a delicious chicken bowl for you and your loved ones and use the scraps from it to create simple, homemade, doggie-friendly treats for your fur family. Imagine the joy when you bring your friends and their fur family to indulge in a delicious brunch! It's a perfect way to have a pet-friendly party on a Sunday!
We are super excited to bring this excellent cooking class to you and celebrate our love for our furry friends. It's like a dream to see all our animal lovers and food enthusiasts unite and become a community through this one-off virtual cooking class! Being in this class shows how much we all care about making tasty food for people and treats that are good for dogs and the environment. We appreciate each and every one of you and are excited to start this journey with you! See you all on Sunday, August 25th! Remember to tell all your dog-loving friends about our on-off virtual cooking class, too!
SIGN UP TODAY, LIMITED SEATS for only 10!
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