I am trying to train my dog, and of course giving him treats for training (eg. chicken, ham, liver or cheese), anyway, he gets through quite a bit of the food.  Should I really lessen his food at meal times to compensate for the treats he gets while training.  I don't want him to get fat or for me to be over feeding him.  I feed him on James Wellbeloved dried food with mince mixed in it.  He has two meals a day.

Hi Debbie

When I find I am giving quite a few treats throughout the day then I do reduce my dog's meal allowance.  I don't follow any hard and fast rules though and just reduce it by how much I think.  Easier to reduce it now than have to put dog on a diet later.  Having said that I adjust my dog's allowance according to how she looks anyway so if she looks like she is getting porky in anyway I would reduce it then as well. :) 

If only I could follow my own advice when it comes to my own eating habits :D

I use my dogs' kibble to train them with - that way the number of treats they get in trainnig doesn't make any difference to their weight (we get through a LOT too!) - any additional titbits like cheese or ham out on walks is accounted for with exercise.  I have also found that using all their food to train has improved their attentiveness to me dramatically - they do still get a little bit out of a bowl, just a little meat so they can have their probiotic/enzyme supp and worming tablets when they need them.  It also stops that forlorn "why aren't you feeding me??" look I get when they don't get their meals in a bowl :D