Best training treats for Tibetan Mastiff recall

A 10-month-old Tibetan Mastiff working on recall — that's one of the more demanding training challenges out there. TMs are independent thinkers; they don't work for praise or kibble, and at 10 months they're right in that adolescent phase where distractions win unless the treat is genuinely extraordinary. The most effective training treats are pea-sized, intensely smelly, and high in protein — gone in one bite so focus never breaks, and noticeably more exciting than anything they'd get at mealtimes. How big is your dog right now, what does recall training look like for you (garden, open fields, off-lead parks?), and are there any allergies or dietary restrictions I should know about?

That tells me everything I need — a large adolescent TM in high-distraction environments who's already learned he can opt out. For recall at that level you need something that cuts through like a smell alarm. What specifically tends to crack through with dogs like this is single-ingredient meat treats with a very strong scent profile: think dried tripe, sprats, or liver. Can I ask — have you tried anything so far, or are you starting fresh with treat selection?

Chicken is just not pungent enough to compete with a rabbit 200 metres away. You need something a dog can smell before it even leaves your hand. My recommendation is Skinner's Field & Trial Sprats — whole dried sprats, single ingredient, intensely fishy, and small enough to use as-is or snap in half for a 45kg dog. The smell is genuinely powerful, the fat content makes them more rewarding than lean meat treats, and they're available in resealable bags so you can keep them fresh in a treat pouch. They're consistently one of the highest-value options for difficult outdoor recall because the scent carries. Break each one in half — you'll get two rewards per sprat, which matters when you're doing high-repetition recall work. Keep them solely for recall outdoors and never give them at home; scarcity is part of what makes them work.

Honest answer: yes, sprats are pungent and they will make a fabric treat pouch smell. Use a silicone or hard-shell treat pouch that you can rinse out, or keep them in a small zip-lock bag inside the pouch. It's a minor inconvenience and completely worth it for the results. Wash your hands after, and don't leave them in a hot car. The upside is that same smell is exactly what gets a Tibetan Mastiff to abandon whatever he's fixated on and come back to you — it's doing its job.

Keep it simple: sprats are for recall only, every single time, no exceptions — he needs to learn that coming back to you produces the best thing in his world. Start in a lower-distraction area of the park, call once, and the moment he commits to moving toward you, mark it (clicker or a sharp 'yes') and reward immediately when he arrives. Don't call him repeatedly if he ignores you — go get him, reset, and practice at shorter distances. Gradually add distance and distraction as reliability builds. With a TM, consistency over weeks matters more than intensity in a single session. You're essentially making yourself more interesting than the environment — and with sprats, you have a real shot at that.