Training treats for Weimaraners without sugar spikes

A hyperactive burst after training sessions is a classic sign the treats were high in sugar or simple carbs — the dog gets a quick spike, finishes the session wired, and you pay for it for the next hour. The most effective training treats are pea-sized, high in protein, strongly smelly, and gone in one bite so focus stays on you rather than the chew. For a Weimaraner at 20 months you're also dealing with a dog that's still adolescent, high-drive, and absolutely does not need anything adding to that fire. What are you training for — basic obedience, recall, something more specific? And has the vet flagged any dietary restrictions?

That tells me everything — those semi-moist colourful treats are almost always loaded with sugar, glycerin, and artificial colourings. They taste great to the dog, which is why they work in the moment, but you're essentially giving him a sugar rush right at the point his adrenaline is already elevated from training. For a high-drive breed doing recall and loose-lead work you need something that hits the reward centre hard through smell and protein, not sweetness. Before I give you my recommendation — how many training sessions a week are you doing, and roughly how long are they? That affects how many treats he's getting through.

Perfect — at that frequency and with a food-motivated Weimaraner you want something calorie-light per piece so you can use volume without it affecting his diet, but still genuinely high-value. My recommendation is Forthglade Liver Bites. They're 100% dried liver, pea-sized straight from the bag, and the smell alone will keep a Weimaraner locked onto you. The ingredient list is exactly one item — liver — so there's nothing causing a post-session spike. They're dry rather than semi-moist which also means no sticky coating triggering that sugar hit. They're widely available on Amazon UK and consistent in size. For recall especially, liver is one of the highest-value proteins you can use — it outranks chicken for most dogs in terms of motivational pull.

Yes — and here's why. The excitement your dog had with the semi-moist treats wasn't the flavour keeping him engaged during training, it was the sugar hit driving the aftermath behaviour. Liver has a very strong, pungent smell, and dogs respond to smell far more than taste. In field trials and competition obedience, liver has been the go-to treat for working breeds including Weimaraners for decades precisely because it's aromatic, protein-dense, and doesn't dull focus. You may actually find his attention during sessions improves because he's not getting a sweet hit that sends his energy unpredictable. Give it two weeks of consistent use and you should see a meaningful difference in both his focus and his post-session behaviour.

One thing worth knowing: pure liver is rich, so if he's getting a lot of treats per session keep an eye on stool consistency for the first week. If it softens noticeably, just slightly reduce the quantity per session rather than stopping — his gut will adjust. Also, liver is high in vitamin A, so you wouldn't want it making up a large portion of his total daily food intake long-term, but at treat quantities across training sessions it's absolutely fine. For a 32kg Weimaraner doing 10-15 minute sessions, you're well within safe range. Forthglade Liver Bites come in resealable bags so they stay fresh and the smell stays strong, which matters for keeping his motivation high over time.