Best recall treats for a Basenji

Reliable recall is honestly the most important skill a dog can have — and with a Basenji, you're working with one of the most independently-minded breeds on earth. Standard treats that would stop a Labrador in its tracks often get ignored completely by a Basenji who's spotted something interesting. The right combination is usually a genuinely exceptional high-value treat paired with a long line so you can practise safely without rehearsing failure. To point you in the right direction: how old is your Basenji, what does recall currently look like in practice, and are you after treats, training aids, or both?

Cheese not working tells me a lot — that's already mid-to-high value for most dogs, and the fact she's dismissing it confirms you need something in a completely different league. Before I recommend, one quick question: does she have any known food allergies or sensitivities? Specifically, is she okay with meat-based treats like liver or tripe?

Perfect — that's the information I needed. What you want is Forthglade 100% Natural Chicken Liver treats. Liver is genuinely the highest-value treat category for most dogs, and chicken liver in particular has an intense smell that cuts through even strong environmental distractions. The Forthglade ones are single-ingredient — just pure dried chicken liver — which means the smell is as concentrated and potent as it gets. They're also soft enough to break into tiny pieces, so you can reward frequently during a training session without filling her up. The key with a Basenji is that the treat has to be more interesting than whatever she's chasing, and liver is about as close as you'll get to that. I'd also strongly recommend using a 10-metre long line alongside these so every recall attempt ends in success rather than her learning she can ignore the cue and disappear — but the liver treats are your foundation. Use them exclusively for recall, nothing else, so they stay special.

Good instinct to ask. Liver is rich in vitamin A, and in very large quantities over a long period it can cause problems — but the amounts used in recall training are tiny. If you're breaking each treat into pea-sized pieces and doing two or three short sessions a day, you're well within safe limits. The general guidance is to keep liver treats to no more than around 10% of daily food intake, which in practice means a small handful of pieces across a full day's training is completely fine. Just don't use them as a meal replacement or free-feed them, and you'll have no issues.

For recall work, a 10-metre line is the sweet spot. It gives enough distance that the recall feels real and she has to genuinely choose to come back, but it's manageable and safe in a field or park. Avoid retractable leads — they provide no real control and can actually teach dogs that pulling works. A simple 10m biothane long line is durable, easy to clean, and doesn't tangle as badly as rope. Start in a low-distraction environment, reward every single recall with the liver treat, and gradually build up the distraction level before you ever consider dropping the line completely.