If you’re training your dog, having the right treats is essential. The best training treats are small, soft, smelly, and high-value—your dog should be so excited about them that they’re willing to work for them. At the same time, you want treats that are healthy and won’t cause weight gain or digestive issues, especially if you’re using a lot of them during training sessions.
I’ve trained two dogs over the years, and I’ve tried dozens of different training treats. Some were huge hits (my dogs would do anything for them), and some were completely ignored. I’ve learned what makes a good training treat, and here are my recommendations, based on what has (and hasn’t) worked for my dogs.
First, what makes a good training treat?
– **Small size:** Training treats should be small—about the size of a pea or a pencil eraser. This allows you to give many treats during a training session without overfeeding your dog. Small treats are also quick to eat, so your dog can get back to training faster (no long chewing breaks).
– **Soft and chewy:** Soft, chewy treats are better for training than hard, crunchy treats. They’re quick to eat (no long chewing breaks), and they’re usually smellier and more appealing to dogs. Hard treats take longer to eat and can break into crumbs, which can be distracting.
– **Strong smell (high-value):** The best training treats have a strong, appealing smell that gets your dog’s attention. This is especially important in distracting environments (like the park or a busy street) where you need high-value treats to keep your dog’s focus. Smelly treats like hot dogs, cheese, freeze-dried meat, or liver are usually high-value.
– **Healthy ingredients:** Look for treats made with high-quality, natural ingredients. Avoid treats with artificial preservatives, colors, flavors, or fillers (like corn, wheat, or soy). The first ingredient should be a named meat (chicken, beef, lamb, etc.).
– **Low calorie:** Since you’ll be using a lot of treats during training, look for treats that are low in calories (under 5 calories per treat is ideal). This helps prevent weight gain. You can also use your dog’s regular kibble as treats for low-distraction training to save calories.
– **Easy to handle:** The treats should be easy to hold in your hand or a treat pouch, and they shouldn’t be too sticky or crumbly. You should be able to grab one quickly with one hand while the other hand is giving cues or holding a leash.
– **Affordable:** Since you’ll be using a lot of treats, look for options that are affordable. You don’t need to spend a fortune on training treats—some of the best options are cheap human foods (like hot dogs or cheese).
What to avoid:
– **Treats that are too large:** Large treats take too long to eat and can overfeed your dog. Cut large treats into small pieces.
– **Hard, crunchy treats:** These take too long to eat and can be distracting. Stick to soft, chewy treats.
– **Treats with artificial ingredients:** Avoid treats with artificial preservatives, colors, flavors, or fillers.
– **Treats that are too high in calories:** High-calorie treats can lead to weight gain if used frequently. Look for low-calorie options or use smaller pieces.
– **Treats your dog is allergic or sensitive to:** If your dog has food allergies or sensitivities, avoid treats with those ingredients.
– **Rawhide or bones:** These are not suitable for training—they take too long to eat and can be a choking hazard.
– **Grapes, raisins, chocolate, onions, garlic, xylitol, macadamia nuts:** These are toxic to dogs and should never be used as treats.
My top picks for training treats:
**Best overall (high-value, healthy):** Zuke’s Mini Naturals Dog Treats
– Small, soft, chewy treats (about the size of a pea)
– Made with real meat (chicken, salmon, peanut butter, rabbit, etc.) as the first ingredient
– Only 3.5 calories per treat
– No corn, wheat, soy, artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives
– Available in multiple flavors and sizes
– Affordable (about $8-12 for a 16-ounce bag)
– This is my go-to training treat. They’re small, soft, smelly, and my dogs go crazy for them. The small size means I can give a lot of treats during a training session without overfeeding, and the soft texture means they’re quick to eat (no long chewing breaks). The ingredients are healthy, and at 3.5 calories per treat, I don’t have to worry too much about weight gain. They’re also affordable and come in a resealable bag that’s easy to keep in a treat pouch.
**Best high-value (for distracting environments):** Freeze-dried meat treats (like Stewart Freeze Dried Liver Treats or PureBites)
– Made from 100% freeze-dried meat (liver, chicken, beef, salmon, etc.)
– Very smelly and high-value—dogs go crazy for them
– Can be broken into small pieces (freeze-dried treats crumble easily)
– No additives, preservatives, or fillers—just meat
– About 5-10 calories per piece (depending on size)
– More expensive (about $15-25 for a bag), but a little goes a long way
– For high-distraction environments (like the park, a busy street, or around other dogs), you need high-value treats that your dog will do anything for. Freeze-dried meat treats are the highest-value option I’ve found. The strong smell gets your dog’s attention even in distracting environments, and most dogs will do anything for them. They’re more expensive than regular treats, but you only need a few per session (break them into small pieces), so a bag lasts a long time. I keep a small bag of freeze-dried liver treats in my treat pouch for high-distraction training, and I use Zuke’s for regular training at home.
**Best budget option (human food):** Hot dogs (all-beef or turkey)
– Cheap, widely available, and very high-value (most dogs love hot dogs)
– Soft and easy to cut into small pieces (pea-sized)
– About 10-15 calories per piece (depending on size)
– Can be frozen for longer shelf life
– Very affordable (about $3-5 for a pack)
– If you’re on a tight budget, hot dogs are one of the best training treats you can use. They’re cheap, smelly, soft, and most dogs will do anything for them. Cut them into small, pea-sized pieces (you can use kitchen shears for quick cutting) and use them for training. The downside is that they’re higher in calories and sodium than commercial training treats, so use them in moderation and account for the calories in your dog’s daily food intake. You can also use low-sodium hot dogs to reduce the sodium content. I always keep a pack of hot dogs in the fridge for training—they’re my go-to budget option.
**Best for puppies (soft, gentle):** Wellness Soft Puppy Bites
– Small, soft, chewy treats designed specifically for puppies
– Made with real lamb and salmon (gentle on puppy stomachs)
– Only 6 calories per treat
– No corn, wheat, soy, artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives
– Small size perfect for puppy mouths
– About $8-12 for a 3-ounce bag
– If you’re training a puppy, these are a great option. They’re small, soft, and gentle on puppy stomachs (important for puppies with sensitive digestion). The small size is perfect for puppy mouths, and the low calorie count means you can give a lot of treats during training without overfeeding. They’re also made with high-quality ingredients and no artificial additives.
**Best for dogs with allergies:** Natural Balance L.I.T. Limited Ingredient Treats
– Made with limited ingredients (one protein and one carbohydrate) for dogs with food allergies or sensitivities
– Available in multiple protein options (venison, bison, duck, salmon, etc.)
– Small, soft, chewy texture
– No corn, wheat, soy, artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives
– About $8-12 for a 4-ounce bag
– If your dog has food allergies or sensitivities, finding good training treats can be challenging. These limited-ingredient treats are made with just a few simple ingredients, making them suitable for dogs with allergies. They’re small, soft, and chewy, and they come in a variety of novel protein options (venison, bison, duck) that are less likely to cause allergic reactions.
**Best low-calorie:** Fruitables Skinny Minis
– Small, soft, chewy treats
– Only 3.5 calories per treat
– Made with real fruit and other natural ingredients
– No corn, wheat, soy, artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives
– Available in multiple flavors (apple bacon, pumpkin berry, mango, etc.)
– About $8-12 for a 5-ounce bag
– If you’re doing a lot of training and worried about weight gain, these low-calorie treats are a great option. At only 3.5 calories per treat, you can give a lot of them without overfeeding. They’re small, soft, and chewy, and they come in interesting fruit-based flavors that many dogs love.
**Best for clicker training (very small):** Charlee Bear Original Dog Treats
– Very small, crunchy treats (about the size of a pencil eraser)
– Only 3 calories per treat
– Made with simple, natural ingredients (chicken liver, turkey liver, cheese, etc.)
– No corn, wheat, soy, artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives
– Very affordable (about $5-8 for a 16-ounce bag)
– These are classic clicker training treats. They’re very small and low-calorie, so you can give a lot of them during a clicker training session without overfeeding. They’re crunchy (not soft), so they take a little longer to eat than soft treats, but their small size makes them quick to consume. They’re also very affordable and come in a large bag that lasts a long time.
Tips for using training treats:
1. **Use the right value for the situation:** Use lower-value treats (like your dog’s regular kibble or Zuke’s) for low-distraction training at home, and higher-value treats (like freeze-dried meat or hot dogs) for high-distraction environments (like the park or around other dogs). You don’t need to use the highest-value treats for every training session—save them for when you really need your dog’s focus.
2. **Cut treats into small pieces:** Even if the treats are already small, cut them into even smaller pieces (pea-sized or smaller) for training. This allows you to give more treats without overfeeding, and it keeps your dog hungry and motivated.
3. **Use a treat pouch:** A treat pouch (worn around your waist or clipped to your belt) makes it easy to access treats quickly with one hand. Look for a pouch with a magnetic closure or a wide opening for easy access, and a separate pocket for poop bags or your phone.
4. **Deliver treats quickly and smoothly:** When your dog does the desired behavior, deliver the treat quickly (within 1-2 seconds) so they make the connection between the behavior and the reward. Deliver the treat smoothly—don’t wave it around or make your dog chase it (unless you’re specifically doing a “get it” game).
5. **Vary the treats:** Don’t use the same treat every time. Vary the treats to keep your dog interested and motivated. You can even use a “treat lottery”—sometimes give a low-value treat, sometimes a high-value treat, sometimes a jackpot (multiple treats at once). This keeps your dog guessing and makes training more exciting.
6. **Account for treats in daily calories:** Treats should make up no more than 10% of your dog’s daily calorie intake. If you’re doing a lot of training, reduce your dog’s regular food to account for the extra calories from treats. This helps prevent weight gain.
7. **Use your dog’s regular food for some training:** For low-distraction training at home, you can use your dog’s regular kibble as treats. This saves money and calories, and it’s especially useful for dogs who are on a special diet or who need to lose weight.
8. **Fade treats over time:** Once your dog has learned a behavior reliably, gradually fade the treats (use them less frequently, or replace them with praise, petting, or a favorite toy). This prevents your dog from becoming dependent on treats and ensures they’ll respond even when you don’t have treats. But don’t fade treats too quickly—keep using them for new behaviors and in distracting environments.
9. **Use “jackpot” rewards for exceptional performance:** When your dog does something really well (like coming to you when called in a distracting environment), give them a “jackpot”—multiple treats in a row, or a special high-value treat. This reinforces the exceptional behavior and makes it more likely to happen again.
10. **Store treats properly:** Keep treats in a cool, dry place, and seal the bag tightly after opening. Soft treats can dry out or go bad if not stored properly. You can also freeze soft treats (like hot dogs or cheese) for longer shelf life.
Common mistakes:
– **Using treats that are too large:** This is the #1 mistake. Large treats take too long to eat and can overfeed your dog. Cut treats into small, pea-sized pieces.
– **Using hard, crunchy treats:** These take too long to eat and can be distracting. Use soft, chewy treats for training.
– **Using the same value treat for every situation:** Use lower-value treats for low-distraction training and higher-value treats for high-distraction environments. Save the high-value treats for when you really need them.
– **Delivering treats too slowly:** Deliver treats within 1-2 seconds of the desired behavior so your dog makes the connection.
– **Not accounting for treats in daily calories:** Treats should make up no more than 10% of your dog’s daily calorie intake. Reduce regular food if you’re using a lot of treats.
– **Not fading treats over time:** Once a behavior is learned, gradually fade treats so your dog doesn’t become dependent on them.
– **Using toxic foods:** Never use grapes, raisins, chocolate, onions, garlic, xylitol, or macadamia nuts as treats—these are toxic to dogs.
– **Not varying the treats:** Using the same treat every time can lead to boredom. Vary the treats to keep your dog interested.
My personal story: When I first started training my German Shepherd, I used regular store-bought treats that were large and crunchy. Training was slow—she would take a long time to eat the treats, and she would lose interest quickly. Then I learned about using small, soft, high-value treats for training. I started cutting hot dogs into small pieces, and the difference was amazing—she was much more motivated, training was faster, and she learned new behaviors in a fraction of the time. I also started using different value treats for different situations: Zuke’s Mini Naturals for regular training at home, and freeze-dried liver treats for high-distraction environments like the park. I also invested in a good treat pouch, which made it much easier to deliver treats quickly. Over time, I faded the treats for behaviors she knew well, but I still use high-value treats for new behaviors and in distracting environments. The lesson: the right training treats can make a huge difference in how quickly and effectively your dog learns. Use small, soft, smelly, high-value treats, cut them into small pieces, deliver them quickly, and use the right value for the situation. With the right treats, training can be fast, fun, and effective for both you and your dog.
The bottom line: the best training treats are small, soft, smelly, high-value, and healthy. Zuke’s Mini Naturals are the best all-around option (small, soft, healthy, affordable), freeze-dried meat treats are the best high-value option for distracting environments, and hot dogs are the best budget option (cheap, smelly, and most dogs love them). Cut treats into small, pea-sized pieces, use the right value for the situation (lower-value at home, higher-value in distracting environments), deliver treats quickly, and account for treats in your dog’s daily calorie intake (treats should be no more than 10% of daily calories). Use a treat pouch for easy access, vary the treats to keep your dog interested, and gradually fade treats for learned behaviors. With the right treats and proper technique, training can be fast, fun, and effective for both you and your dog.