Don't have a way to carry your training treats? Or did a dog chew a hole in yours? Or are you training more than one species and need a treat pouch that's not "contaminated" with the smell of liver?

You can quickly and easily create one from an old pair of jeans!

Don't have an old pair of jeans? Ask on a neighbourhood Facebook group for a pair someone is going to throw out, or inquire at your local thrift store for ones they cannot sell.All you need are:

  • a pair of old jeans, with no holes in the rear pockets
  • a sturdy, sharp pair of scissors

Two ways to create a treat pouch:

Version 1: Choose a pair of jeans whose waist is at least as big as yours. I like to use jeans that are too big for me, so the pouch will fit over my coat.

Starting at the front of the jeans, at the snap or button, cut just under the waistband around towards the back until you reach the back pockets. Turn your scissors downward and cut down and around under the rear pocket (or around both pockets, it’s up to you) and then back up to the waistband. Continue cutting just under the waistband towards the buttonhole. You can leave a flap of fabric between the two pockets and later cut it away if you prefer.

   Treat pouch made from blue jeans

Button the waistband around your waist, with the rear pocket at the front or side for your treats.

If the waist is too big, you can try tying a knot near the button hole.

Version 2: For this version the jeans must have belt loops above the rear pockets. Beside a belt loop above a rear pocket, cut straight down through the waist band, around the rear pocket, and up through the waistband. Ensure you have at least two belt loops on your cut out portion.

  

Thread a belt through the loops and wear your pouch just in front of your hip bone.

Turn the pocket inside out before washing in your washing machine to get out all the crumbs!

After washing, simply trim off the threads that fray along the cut edges.

You can attach a carabiner clip to one of the belt loops to hold your clicker.

Even though I usually use a custom-made, spring-closure treat pouch, I keep one of these in my vehicle for the odd time I forget mine at home.

Thanks to Vicky Gains of Gainspride Labrador Retrievers for this wonderful tip she shared with our obedience club in the 1990s!

Christine Heal

About

In pet rescue, I believe in being kind to both animals and their guardians whether adopting or needing to rehome. I promote cooperative care and trick training for fun and enrichment, in goats to cats to chickens. ~Vancouver Island~