Best training treats for a bored Akita

Treat boredom is a real problem, especially with smart breeds like Akitas — they habituate fast and once a treat loses its novelty, it's basically invisible to them. The most effective training treats are pea-sized, intensely smelly, and high in protein so the dog eats them instantly without losing focus. They need to feel like a genuine upgrade from whatever they've been getting. Tell me: how much does your Akita weigh, what are you training for right now, and are there any allergies or ingredients you're avoiding?

Good to know — at 45kg you'll be going through a lot of treats in a recall session, so calorie density really does matter. What jerky treats was he on before? I want to make sure we go in a genuinely different direction in terms of smell and texture, not just a different brand of the same thing.

Classic dried chicken fatigue. The smell fades as the novelty wears off, and Akitas in particular stop working for anything that feels routine. You need something with a much stronger, more pungent scent profile — something he's never associated with everyday feeding. My recommendation is Forthglade Natural Liver Treats. They're made from 100% beef liver, which has a much more intense smell than dried chicken, they're soft enough to break into pea-sized pieces easily, and the protein-to-fat ratio is reasonable for a dog you're watching the waistline on. Liver is also one of the few things that consistently re-engages dogs who've gone off standard meat treats. For recall and loose-lead work you'll be rewarding frequently, so keep pieces tiny — around pea-sized — and you'll get 50+ rewards from a single pouch without overdoing his intake.

Possibly, over months — but liver tends to hold its appeal much longer than chicken because the smell is stronger and more complex. The practical way to stay ahead of it is to rotate between two or three high-value options rather than relying on one exclusively. Once liver is established as your recall reward, you can introduce something like dried sprats or venison as a second option and alternate sessions. That way nothing becomes routine. But start with the Forthglade liver — get the recall solid first, then add variety once he's reliably coming back.

Good luck — recall with an Akita is worth every treat you spend on it. Keep the pieces small, reward the instant he reaches you, and you'll see a real difference quickly.