Training treats for Schnauzer with lamb intolerance

The most effective training treats are pea-sized, smelly, and high in protein — your dog should swallow them instantly without losing focus, and they need to feel more exciting than their regular meals. For a Schnauzer with a confirmed lamb intolerance, that just means we need to find the right alternative protein rather than reaching for the usual options. What are you training for — basic obedience, recall, something trickier? And is it just lamb you're avoiding, or are there other ingredients to steer clear of?

Recall is exactly the situation where treat quality really matters — you're competing with whatever your dog has decided is more interesting than you, so the treat has to win every time. For a 9kg Schnauzer, pea-sized is right, and you want something with a strong smell he can detect from a distance. Can I check — is he currently on a chicken-based main diet, or something else? That matters because ideally the training treat should be different from what he eats daily, so it stays special.

That's actually ideal — chicken liver is going to be your best tool here. It's a different protein from his salmon kibble, it has a very strong smell, it's soft enough to eat in a second, and it's naturally high in protein without any of the fillers that slow things down. The specific product I'd go with is Forthglade 100% Natural Chicken Liver treats. They come in small, soft pieces, they're made with a single protein source so nothing hidden, and they're reliably lamb-free. You can break them down smaller if needed, but for a Schnauzer they're close to the right size as they come. They're available on Amazon UK and widely stocked. Given how strongly he already reacts to chicken scraps, he's going to rate these very highly — which is exactly what recall training needs.

A standard recall session — say 10 to 15 minutes — you'd typically use around 20 to 30 repetitions, so 20 to 30 treats. At pea-sized portions, that's a small total volume and Forthglade chicken liver treats are low in fat compared to many alternatives, so it won't upset his stomach or add meaningfully to his daily calories. That said, on heavy training days, just reduce his kibble portion slightly at the next meal to keep things balanced. Schnauzers are prone to weight gain, so it's worth keeping an eye on overall intake even when treats are low-calorie.

Good luck — recall with a Schnauzer takes consistency but once it clicks it's very solid. Chicken liver should give you the edge you need to make coming back to you more rewarding than whatever he's found in the bushes. Keep sessions short and high-rate at first, and you should see real progress quickly.