Snacks & Treats
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Praise is a Great Reward

The Weimaraner favors kisses, attention, snuggling, and being the center of your universe. It is a well-known fact that the Weimaraner would crawl under your skin if it were possible. Lavishing them with praise is (more often than not) the best possible reward. Enticement (other than praise) for every compliance is best avoided. Nonetheless, snacks and treats have their place. 

Use Treats Correctly

The food-driven Weimaraner does benefit from the occasional enticement or reward during training and at other times. In truth, we humans delight in giving them a special morsel. Nevertheless, remember to keep this reward at your discretion. Try to remember to make every effort not to set the treat as the automatic reward for compliance or for them doing something cute. The Weim, who gets the idea, they deserve the treat for doing what is expected may soon place you in a checkmate situation that is a huge loss for them. You don't want them ignoring your command and walking out into traffic. It is never a good idea for the Weimaraner to get the idea they running things. The paws up approach (meaning the Weimaraner is in control) will lead to nothing good.

Treats and Snacks count as Food

We realize how hard it is to stay out of the temptation of giving too many treats and letting the Weimaraner run things. This is an ongoing tug-of-war between doing what is the best and getting duped by the manipulative and cunning Weimaraner. Treats and snacks are add-ins to the Weimaraner diet. They count as part of the day's food. Remember if you are feeding them 3 cups of kibble food a day and you give them another cup of treats it is easy to put on extra weight. 
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Americans seem to be obsessed with giving treats to their pets. The Weim owner is no exception. This being said, an overweight Weimaraner is not a good thing. Pat Hastings, Dog Folk Enterprises, says that for every five pounds of extra weight, your dog carries, you lose one year of togetherness.
Healthy Snacks are Important
       Here are some ideas in no specific order!

  • Carrots -- small carrots or slices *
  • Sweet Potato -- cooked slices, baked, mashed, etc. These can be frozen for future use--fed frozen too!
  • Sweet Potato -- raw pieces or slices *
  • Sweet Potato dried -- you can buy it but please read the label and know the place of origin.
  • Greens--spinach, lettuce, etc. can be fed in small quantities. 
  • Green Beans -- fresh or frozen; some people used canned green beans. The first two options work the best for a snack. 
  • Yogurt -- we use store brand with live cultures. Our Weims like strawberry, vanilla, or plain. 
  • Peanut butter -- this is often used in the Kong as stuffing. Some people freeze their peanut butter stuffed kong to make it last longer. 
  • Cream cheese -- for those folks allergic to peanut butter, cream cheese is another stuffing option.
  • Store bought treats -- smaller training treats are better; however, we also like the natural duck, chicken, and such treats. The type available vary. When possible avoid grain (wheat and barley).
  • Baking Grain Free Snacks --Click here to find some recipes.
  • Pumpkin -- Baked and sliced works well. It can be frozen for later. Canned pumpkin (not the pumpkin pie mix) can be served with each meal--a couple spoons full. 
  • Apples -- slices (sometimes with peanut butter) are a good choice. Make sure you do not give them the apple seeds. They have cyanide which can build up in their liver, etc. 
  • Cucumber slices
  • Zucchini
  • Squash
  • Bananas
  • Strawberries and Blueberries
  • Watermelon -- no seeds though because they have a trace amount of arsenic.
  • Cantaloupe
  • Baked potatoes – A plain baked potato is okay to feed your dog but honestly it is not something that should be done frequently and should never include any toppings. A few slices of cooked baked potato can make a great treat for a patient dog at a meal time though.
  • White rice and pasta – White rice and pasta are frequently referred to as a potential meal for a dog with an upset stomach. Generally boiled white chicken and white rice are used to help firm up stools as well as nourish a dog that is having trouble getting any nutrition from food as a result of illness. 
  • Raw eggs (and cooked ones, too) – The most obvious problem here is salmonella, but Raw diet enthusiasts tout the power of a raw egg in your dog’s diet. While the white contains the Avidin enzyme, which inhibits the absorption of vitamin B (Biotin), the yolk contains more than enough Biotin to even out the enzyme. So, when fed raw and whole, or cooked and whole, eggs are an excellent source of protein and a host of vitamins for your pup.

It is perfectly Ok to share some people food on occasion. This can include a variety of things--some of which we do not eat ourselves. 
  • Lean Meat--Beef, Chicken, Turkey, and Pork.
    Meat Products -- Hot Dogs and Luncheon Meats.
    Cheese

    Other things may be Ok in smaller amounts. For example, a bit of casserole stirred into their kibble on occasion should not cause an issue; however, not everything in your casserole might be safe. Onions are toxic to cats and dogs. Click here to read more on the dangers of onions. 

    Even though garlic is considered a natural cure please proceed with caution. A small amount of garlic (while controversial ideas abound) is often thought to be healthy. Other experts encourage you to avoid garlic altogether. Click here to read about garlic toxicity. Onion and Garlic in small amounts can lead to gas and bloat. Rich table scraps can least pancreatitis.
 *Make sure they are not going to be the size to get stuck and cause an issue if they forget to chew.
Disclaimer: Information published on this website is intended for reference use only. The only clear option for ensuring your pet’s health is to feed commercial grade dog foods and treats only. Feeding human foods of any sort carries some degree of risk and is not under the control of this website.
Other Thoughts to Keep In Mind


  • Rising Bread Dough or Yeast is very dangerous. Click Here!
  • Raisins and Grapes.
  • Macadamia Nuts – These contain a toxin that can inhibit locomotory activities, resulting in weakness, panting, swollen limbs, and tremors as well as possible damage to your dog’s digestive, nervous, and muscle systems.




  • Fat trimmings – Can cause pancreatitis.Fish – The primary fish that you need to be careful about are salmon and trout. Raw salmon can be fatal to dogs if the fish is infected with a certain parasite, Nanophyetus salmincola. The parasite itself isn’t dangerous to dogs, but is often infected with a bacteria called Neorickettsia helminthoeca, which in many cases is fatal to dogs if not treated properly. If diagnosis occurs early on, the dog has a great chance of recovering. Cooked salmon is fine as it kills the parasite.
    Grapes and raisins – This is one that lots of dog owners are unaware of. Grapes contain a toxin that can cause severe liver damage and kidney failure. We’ve heard stories of dogs dying from only a handful of grapes so do not feed your pup this toxic food.
    Hops – An ingredient in beer that can be toxic to your dog. The consumption of hops by your dog can cause panting, an increased heart rate, fever, seizures, and even death.
    Human vitamins – Some human vitamins are okay to use, but the key is comparing the ingredients (all of them – active and inactive) to the vitamins your vet subscribes for your dog (often you can get the human equivalent for much less money). Make sure there’s no iron – iron can damage the digestive system lining, and prove poisonous for the liver and kidneys.
    Liver – In small amounts, liver is great but avoid feeding too much liver to your dog. Liver contains quite a bit of Vitamin A, which can adversely affect your pup’s muscles and bones.Marijuana – Not that you would pass the bong to your dog, but if you do, you should know that it can adversely affect your pup’s nervous system and heart rate, and induce vomiting.
    Milk and dairy products – While small doses aren’t going to kill your dog, you could get some smelly farts and some nasty cases of diarrhea. Why? Dogs are lactose intolerant (as are an increasing number of humans today), and don’t have enough of the lactase enzyme to properly digest dairy foods. If you really need to give them dairy, look into lactose-free dairy products.
    Mushrooms – Just as the wrong mushroom can be fatal to humans, the same applies to dogs. Don’t mess with them.Persimmons, peaches, and plums – If you live in an area that is home to persimmon, peach, or plum trees, look out. Persimmon seeds and peach and plum pits can cause intestinal obstruction and enteritis. You’ll want to make sure there aren’t any wild persimmon or other fruit trees that produce seeds growing in your backyard. If you notice your dog pooping all over the place, and see a bunch of seeds or pits in their waste, you’ll need to break out the saw and chop down some trees.
    Rhubarb, and tomato leaves – These contain oxalates, which can adversely affect the digestive, nervous, and urinary systems.
    Raw fish – Another vitamin B (Thiamine) deficiency can result from the regular consumption of raw fish. Loss of appetite will be common, followed by seizures, and in rare instances, death.
    Salt – Just like salt isn’t the healthiest thing for humans, it’s even less healthy for dogs. Too much of it can lead to an imbalance in electrolyte levels, dehydration and potentially diarrhea.
    String – While not a food itself, foods can often contain or be similar to string (ie. meat you’ve wrapped for the oven). If your dog were to eat a string, it could get stuck in their digestive tract and cause complications.
    Sugar – This applies to any food containing sugar. Make sure you check the ingredient label for human foods – corn syrup (which is a less expensive form of sugar or glucose) is found in just about everything these days. Too much sugar for your pup can lead to dental issues, obesity, and even diabetes.
    Tobacco – A major toxic hazard for dogs (and humans). The effects nicotine has on dogs are far worse than on humans. Nicotine can damage your pup’s digestive and nervous systems, increase their heart rate, make them pass out, and ultimately result in death.
Xylitol – A sugar alcohol found in gum, candies, baked goods, and other sugar-substituted items, Xylitol, while causing no apparent harm to humans, is extremely toxic to dogs. Even small amounts can cause low blood sugar, seizures, liver failure, even death for your pup.
Old food – You don’t like old and moldy food, so what makes you think your dog will? The bacteria in spoiled food contains all sorts of toxins that can be damaging to your dog’s health. Feed them the freshest and best, dog-approved food only!
Leftovers – I know it’s difficult to keep your dog from feasting on your dinner left overs after they’ve had to sit there and watch you eat it all in front of them. But the fact is that if you feed them leftovers regularly they won’t be getting a proper diet. If you do give them table scraps, make sure to take out any bones and trim down the fat.
Check the ingredients – Bottom line is be sure to know what’s in the food you’re giving your dog. The items from the list above should definitely not be on there. You’d be surprised at how many foods contain sugar and caffeine, that you wouldn’t expect to without first checking the ingredient list.
Human snacks – Chips can contain garlic and onion powder, cookies may contain raisins, chocolate or macadamia nuts, etc. Bottom line – there’s a reason there’s food and treats made especially for dogs.