Not all dog treats are created equal.
Some treats are made for long-term chewing and are good for things like crate training. Others treats are designed to clean your dog’s teeth or keep him entertained as he chews and licks.
But today, we’re going to talk specifically about the best treats for training.
While pig snouts, stuffed KONGs, and other long-lasting treats are great, we’re focusing on treats that help you train your dog and teach him to be a class act canine!
In a hurry and just want some quick recommendations? Check out our quick picks below!
Best Training Treats For Dogs: Quick Picks
- #1 Zuke’s Mini Naturals [Best Overall Training Treats]: Tiny, tasty, and made in the USA, Zuke’s Mini Naturals are some of the most popular treats with trainers and dogs alike.
- #2 Lick You Silly Savory Beef Bites [Best Super-High Value Training Treats]: These treats are admittedly a bit pricier than some other options, but dogs go crazy for their taste and texture.
- #3 Bil-Jac Liver Dog Treats [Most Affordable Training Treats]: Squishy, chicken-flavored training treats that’ll motivate your dog without emptying your bank account.
What Makes A Good Dog Training Treat?
The best training treats must meet a few specific parameters to get the best results. Specifically, you’ll want to pick treats that have the following characteristics:
1. Size Matters, So Pick Small Training Treats
When it comes to dog training, you’ll want to pick treats that are very, very tiny.
Imagine giving your child a cupcake every time she went to the bathroom, another when she washed her hands, and another whenever she said “please” and “thank you.”
Your child would quickly gain weight, get sick, or at the very least fill up with food (and have no room for the meatloaf you slaved over all day)! Instead, you might reward her with chocolate chips. They’re still tasty, but they won’t fill her up — in fact, they’ll leave her wanting more.
Dog training works the same way — if you give your dog an entire bully stick every time he sits, you’re not going to have a very effective training session.
Using smaller treats will help keep your dog in shape and excited to train, without filling him up or slowing down training.
2. Select Training Treats That Are Quick and Easy to Swallow
Stay away from crunchy or chewy treats for training purposes.
Waiting for a dog to finish chewing slows down training, but you can sidestep this issue by sticking to soft treats that are easy for your dog to gobble down and swallow.
This is why trainers don’t often recommend training dogs with traditional dog biscuits — they take some time to eat.
Soft, small treats are key to fast, safe training!
3. Training Treats Must Be Super Portable
Yes, your dog might love miniature meatballs. They’re healthy, small, and soft (and insanely tasty).
But they don’t work well for training because they fall apart in your pocket and stain your jacket. This is especially difficult while training during quick walks, when you may not have your treat pouch handy.
If you wouldn’t put the treats in your pocket, chances are, there are better options.
4. Training Treats Must Still Be Healthy and Nutritious
It should go without saying that nutrition matters for treats, too.
So, keep an eye out for all-natural ingredients, and aim for treats made in the USA that are USDA-inspected.
If your dog has specific dietary needs, such as needing special hypoallergenic dog treats, talk to your vet about which are the best treats for training your dog.
Finally, be sure to reduce the size of your dog’s dinner if you’re giving a lot of treats. You don’t want to fatten your pooch up too much!
5. The Best Training Treats Are Stinky! And the Smellier, The Better!
As far as your dog is concerned, smelly treats are usually yummy treats.
When you’re working on difficult tricks or training in distracting situations, you want the treats to grab your dog’s attention quickly and effectively. While some dogs will work for kibble or Cheerios, you’ll want to rely on the really good, stinky stuff for training.
The more challenging your goals, the better the treat should be. Stinkiness for humans is often a good indicator of tastiness for dogs!
What Kinds of Training Treats Should You Avoid?
Now that you know some of the things you should look for when picking training treats, it’s time to focus on some of those things that you want to avoid when picking training treats.
In a nutshell, you want to avoid using treats that are super big or hard for your dog to eat.
This includes many commercial dog “cookies” or milk-bone type treats. These are simply too big, and the crunchiness can even make them a potential choking hazard, as your dog tries to wolf them down and move on to the next trick.
Cookie treats also take too long to eat, and they are cumbersome. They’re also not stinky or tasty enough for high-level training. While they’re a fine treat for hanging at home, we do not recommend using milk-bone type treats for training.
The 9 Best Dog Treats For Training: Our Favorites
Ready to get training? We’re detailing the best dog treating for training below! These are fan favorites among four-footers, so try these out and see how they work for your pooch!
1. Zuke’s Mini Naturals Training Treats
About: Zuke’s Mini Naturals Training Treats offer a tasty reward in a small training-friendly size. With a quick chew, your smart pupper will be onto his next trick and wowing you in no time.
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Zuke’s Mini Naturals Training Treats
Tasty, chicken-and-rice-based treats that are made in the USA and perfect for training.
Features:
- Made in the USA
- Contain no artificial flavors or colors
- Contain less than 3 Calories a treat
- A soft treat with a strong, enticing scent
- Compact size is perfect for holding, storing, and rewarding
Options: Available in 6-ounce and 16-ounce packages and six flavors, including duck, rabbit, salmon, and peanut butter.
Ingredients List
Chicken, Rice, Barley, Malted Barley Extract, Vegetable Glycerin...,
Tapioca Starch Modified, Cherries, Natural Flavor, Potato Protein, Sunflower Oil, Salt, Sunflower Lecithin, Dried Cultured Whey Product, Phosphoric Acid, Turmeric, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Proteinate, Citric Acid, Mixed Tocopherols
Pros
- Available in several different flavors, making it easy to find the one that best motivates your dog.
- They’re quite small, making them ideal for training sessions.
- They’re made in the USA from nutritious ingredients.
Cons
- They may cause stomach upset for some dogs .
- They will dry out if not stored properly.
2. Lick You Silly Savory Beef Bites
About: Want to spoil your dog? Look no further than these Lick You Silly Savory Beef Bites. They’re soft, nutritious, yummy, and awesome for training. They’re a bit expensive for use during regular training sessions, but they work fantastically for those times you need to motivate your mutt a little more than usual.
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Lick You Silly Savory Beef Bites
Freeze-dried, single-ingredient training treats that don’t require special storage.
Features:
- Each bag contains about 200 treats
- Treats are freeze-dried
- Made in the USA with USDA-inspected beef or chicken livers
- Require no refrigeration
- Protein-rich recipe that dogs love
- About 4 Calories per treat
Options: Available in beef or chicken flavors
Ingredients List
Beef liver...,
That’s it!
Pros
- Dogs seem to love the taste and the single-ingredient recipe makes these nutritious and awesome for dogs with food allergies.
- Treats are made in the USA from high-quality proteins.
- The manufacturer donates a portion of the sales proceeds to animal shelters.
Cons
- They are likely too expensive for some owners to use as regular, day-to-day training treats.
- They may need to be broken in half for small dogs.
3. Bil-Jac Liver Dog Treats
About: Bil-Jac Liver Dog Treats are always a big hit with dogs (whether they’re training or not). These delicious dog treats are soft enough to be pinched into smaller pieces for training small dogs or puppies, they’re made with fresh chicken liver, and did we mention dogs love the taste?
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Bil-Jac Liver Dog Treats
Super-tasty, soft-and-squishy training treats that are made in the USA with chicken liver.
Features:
- Made from real chicken liver for a taste dogs love
- Treats are soft, squishy, and easy to pinch into smaller pieces
- No refrigeration required
- Packaged in a double-zipper, resealable pouch for extra convenience
- 8.3 Calories per treat
- Made in the USA
Options: Available in 10- or 20-ounce bags
Ingredients List
Chicken Liver, Chicken, Chicken Meal, Wheat Flour, Glycerin...,
Propylene Glycol, Phosphoric Acid, Salt, Potassium Sorbate And Citric Acid And Mixed Tocopherols And Calcium Propionate And Bha (Preservatives), Rosemary Extract.
Pros
- These are very effective, yet budget-friendly training treats.
- You can mold and squish these treats easily, making them perfect for puzzle toy use.
- These treats are tasty, stinky, and soft, making them ideally suited for training.
Cons
- Even though they’re pretty affordable, these treats are still more expensive than hot dogs.
- They aren’t quite as stinky as some other treats.
4. Rocco & Roxie Gourmet Jerky
About: Rocco & Roxie Gourmet Jerky Sticks are nutritious, chewy, and stinky treats that some dogs love more than all others. And best of all, these treats are fairly mess-free, so you can use them to reward your dog without having to worry about a grody residue on your fingers and clothes.
Note that you will need to break these into smaller pieces for training, but that means each individual jerky stick will last quite a while.
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Rocco & Roxie Gourmet Jerky
US-made, jerky-style training treats that’ll make less of a mess than other options.
Features:
- Jerky-like feel won’t leave you with greasy hands
- Made in the USA
- These treats contain no artificial flavoring
- Real, whole protein is the first listed ingredient
- Natural smoke flavoring added for extra appeal
- Backed by the manufacturer’s 100% satisfaction guarantee
Options: Available in beef and turkey flavors
Ingredients List
American-raised Beef, Rice Protein, Spices, Salt, Sugar,...,
Garlic Powder, Potassium Sorbate, Natural Wood Smoke Flavoring.
Pros
- These treats won’t stink up your hands like some other treats will (you may even be able to carry them in your pocket without issue).
- These treats are softer than many other jerky-style treats, making them suitable for training.
- Many dogs seem to love the taste of these treats.
Cons
- You’ll have to cut or tear these into smaller pieces before your training sessions.
- They contain garlic powder, which gives some owners pause.
5. BIXBI Pocket Trainers
About: All training treats should be small, but if you’re trying to train a tiny doggo, you need treats that are even smaller than normal! Fortunately, BIXBI Pocket Trainers are perfect for such scenarios, and these bite-sized goodies make training fun for your little one. Packing a punch of flavor in their small size, they’re perfect for rewarding your pooch without adding to his waistline.
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BIXBI Pocket Trainers
All-natural, flavor-packed training treats that are perfect for training small dogs.
Features:
- Sweetened with real maple syrup
- Made in the USA
- No artificial preservatives, flavors, or colors are used in the recipe
- Contain less than 4 calories per treat for a guilt-free training reward
- Offered in 6-ounce packages
- Available in four different flavors to suit your pup’s palate
Options: Available in four flavors: bacon, chicken, peanut butter, and salmon.
Ingredients List
Pork, Chickpea Flour, Maple Syrup, Vegetable Glycerin, Tapioca Starch...,
Bacon, Natural Flavor, Gelatin, Salt, Lecithin, Phosphoric Acid, Sorbic Acid, Turmeric, Citric Acid, Mixed Tocopherols, Rosemary Extract
Pros
- The small size of these treats makes them perfect for training small dog breeds or puppies.
- These treats are tasty yet very low in calories.
- Most dogs go ga-ga over the taste of these super-stinky treats.
Cons
- They may be too small for large breeds and dogs who “inhale” their treats.
- While the odor of these treats often appeals to dogs, many owners found them to be too stinky for constant use (you may even have to wash your treat pouch more frequently).
6. Simply Nourish Freeze-Dried Liver Treats
About: Simply Nourish’s Freeze-Dried Liver Treats are a high-protein snack for a job well done. Made with real meat, they provide a satisfying crunch that doggos love.
These treats are really stinky, making them super desirable for doggos. Made with just mouth-watering beef liver, these are great ultra high-value treats when you need something really special to reinforce an important command, such as a come when called.
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Simply Nourish Freeze-Dried Liver Treats
Stinky, chunky, US-made, single-ingredient training treats that are ideal for big dogs.
Features:
- Made in the USA
- A single-ingredient treat containing beef liver
- Moderately large treat size compared to some other options
- Freeze-dried, liver-flavored treats are often beloved by dogs
- Very aromatic treats will grab your dog’s attention
- Each treat is roughly 5 calories
Ingredients List
Beef liver...,
That’s it!
Pros
- These treats are slightly bulkier than many others, making them perfect for large-breed dogs.
- The single-ingredient recipe makes these treats ideal for dogs with food sensitivities or allergies.
- Despite being somewhat larger than other training treats, these morsels have a reasonable caloric value.
Cons
- The cubed shape of these treats can make them a bit awkward in your treat pouch.
- According to the product packaging, these treats may stain fabrics or surfaces, so use them with care (and outside).
- They’d need to be broken into smaller pieces for small dogs.
7. Full Moon Organic Training Treats
About: Full Moon Organic Training Treats are grain-free goodies that your four-legged learner will love. Perfectly portioned to be snack-sized, they’ll work great in your pocket, palm, or training pouch. And because they’re certified USDA-organic and made from human-grade ingredients, you can rest easy knowing your dog is getting only the best.
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Full Moon Organic Training Treats
Organic, human-grade, grain-free training treats made from cage-free poultry.
Features:
- Made in the USA
- Poultry used in the recipe are raised in a cage-free manner
- Sweetened with real organic cane sugar
- Contain flax seed (a source of omega-3 fatty acids)
- Made from human-grade ingredients
- Each treat is less than 3 calories
Options: Available in duck and chicken recipes.
Ingredients List
Duck, Organic Cane Sugar, Flax Seed, Ground Celery, Dried Cultured Skim Milk...,
Paprika, Salt, Natural Smoke Flavoring, Rosemary Extract
Pros
- Most owners will be very pleased with the quality of the ingredients used in these treats.
- Many owners noted that these treats don’t have an objectionable odor, though they’re still appealing to pooches.
- Very low calorie count makes these a great choice for dogs who must watch their weight.
Cons
- Owners explained that these treats have a “skin” that’s difficult for some dogs to chew.
- These treats include milk, which may upset the stomachs of some dogs.
8. Merrick Power Bites
About: Merrick Power Bites are itty bitty bites, but despite being small in size they’re BIG in flavor. Made with premium proteins, like deboned salmon, these US-made treats will grab your dog’s attention and keep it while you work on your training goals. Best of all, these treats are available in five different flavors, making it easy to rotate flavors and keep your pup’s interest.
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Merrick Power Bites
Nutritious, US-made, 5-Calorie treats that are available in five different flavors.
Features:
- Made in the USA
- Contains no corn, soy, wheat, or grains
- Each treat contains 5 calories
- Real meat is always the first ingredient
- Available in five pooch-approved flavors
Options: Offered in five proteins: chicken, turducken(!), salmon, rabbit, and beef.
Ingredients List
Deboned Salmon, Potatoes, Peas, Potato Protein, Potato Starch...,
Organic Cane Molasses, Vegetable Glycerin, Brown Sugar, Gelatin, Cultured Skim Milk, Sunflower Lecithin, Phosphoric Acid, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Natural Smoke Flavor, Carrots, Apple, Blueberries, Mixed Tocopherols, Rosemary Extract
Pros
- The assortment of flavors available makes it easy to keep your pooch’s interest and avoid flavor boredom.
- Regardless of which flavor you select, most dogs seem to find these delicious.
- Made with antioxidant-rich fruits for extra nutritional value.
Cons
- These treats will dry out if not stored properly.
- Some owners complained that the size and shape consistency of these treats was sub-par.
- These treats contain milk, which may cause digestive difficulties for some dogs.
9. Nutro Mini Bites
About: Nutro Mini Bites are meaty little bites made from nutritious ingredients that aren’t often seen in treats (such as blueberry puree and yogurt), making them a great choice for dogs who’ve lost interest in their current treats. But most importantly, these these low-calorie treats (they contain less than 3 Calories per treat) will help keep your dog fit and trim.
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Nutro Mini Bites
Tasty, US-made, non-GMO training treats that contain less than 3 Calories each.
Features:
- Made in the USA
- High-quality protein is always the first ingredient
- Made without artificial flavors, preservatives, or colors
- Contains less than 3 calories per treat
- Available in 4 lip smackin’ flavors to tempt all dog palates
Options: Offered in two package sizes: 4.5-ounce and 8-ounce. The four flavor options include berry & yogurt, chicken, peanut, and beef & hickory smoke.
Ingredients List
Chicken, Brown Rice Flour, Feeding Oatmeal, Glycerin, Brown Rice Syrup...,
Natural Flavors, Dried Nonfat Yogurt, Blueberry Puree, Dried Cultured Skim Milk, Salt, Sodium Bisulfate, Vinegar, Citric Acid, Pork Gelatin, Mixed Tocopherols, Rosemary Extract
Pros
- The miniature, bone-like shape of these treats makes them easy for human fingers to handle.
- These treats have a meaty texture that drives dogs wild.
- They’re perfect for dogs who’re watching their waistline, as they contain less than 3 Calories.
- You can get these treats in unusual flavors that many dogs enjoy.
Cons
- These treats contain milk, which may cause some pups to have digestive issues (though the yogurt may help offset that problem).
- These treats crumble more easily than some other options.
Training Treat Selection Tips: Finding Treats Your Dog Will Adore
Choosing the best dog treat for training your dog will go a long way in transforming your pup into the ideal canine citizen. So, be sure to consider the following things when picking the best training treats for your pup!
- Check the ingredient list. Be sure to read through ingredients on your dog’s treats. Make sure that you avoid treats that contain ingredients your dog is allergic to or has difficulty digesting.
- Experiment with different treats. Some dogs will do anything for freeze-dried treats, while other dogs prefer tiny apple bits — you’ll just have to experiment a little to figure out the perfect training treats for your pooch.
- Make a List of your dog’s favorite foods. Rank your dog’s favorite snacks and then use that to guide your treat-selection process! This way, you can pull out the tastiest options when you’re working on tough training situations, and use the mediocre treats for easy training sessions.
- Keep things interesting by mixing things up. If your dog doesn’t know what’s coming out of your hand next, he’ll work harder to earn the treats. Just as slot machines are addicting for humans, offering a variety of different treats keeps your dog addicted to training. I often mix hot dog pieces, kibble, and chicken bits in my treat bag. It keeps dogs interested and prevents them from getting too sick of any given treat!
- Use what works for both you and Fido. Picking the right treats is obviously about selecting ones your dog likes, but it’s also about staying within your budget and fitting the nutritional goals for your dog. Hot dogs and string cheese can be great motivators for some dogs, but if your dog is normally fed only organic, free-range bison, hot dogs may not seem so appealing. Find what works for you and your dog!
Consider getting a treat pouch to hold those tasty morsels! Small, chewy, stinky treats often don’t work well inside jacket pockets. Plus, a treat pouch is a much better — and more effective — accessory for dog training than a scary-looking (and painful) shock, prong, or choke collar!
Help! My Dog Isn’t Treat Motivated!
What if your dog isn’t treat-motivated? To any owner with a food-obsessed canine, the idea of treats not being able to motivate your dog sounds crazy!
However, it does happen. Some dogs just don’t find treats rewarding — and that’s ok.
Does your dog like toys? Praise? Cuddling? Find what your dog likes instead, and give those as rewards for training successes.
You can even teach a dog to like food by giving him food, and then rewarding him with a toy afterwards! He’ll quickly learn that treats are good, because they foreshadow playtime.
Why Should You Use Treats For Dog Training?
Simply put, dog or puppy training treats make training fun and easy for your dog. While it’s totally possible to train dogs without treats, it can be much more difficult.
Treats are an easy way to tell your dog, “YES! That’s what I want you to do! Do it again!”
Once your dog learns that all he has to do is sit when you say “sit,” and he earns liver or something else he likes, you’re golden.
Treats and hand-feeding dogs are also useful for bonding. Your dog will come to trust you and enjoy working with you if you’re a constant source of good things.
Finally, giving your puppy treats by hand is a good way to teach your puppy bite inhibition. If your puppy is overly zealous when taking a treat, you can use treats to teach him how to be more careful. It’s extremely important that puppies learn how to be careful with their teeth around humans. Giving your puppy regular treats makes that easy to train!
Human Foods That Work Great for Training
In addition to the doggo treatos discussed above, there are a few great human foods that’ll also work well for training your pooch too. We’ll discuss some of the best ones below!
1. Hot Dogs
About: Plain old hot dogs are my favorite training treats to use with dogs, as they’re soft, stinky, tasty, and cheap! I cut them into teeny, tiny bits — smaller than a penny — to make them work best. If necessary, you can opt for turkey franks instead of beef or pork hot dogs. While they may not be the classiest treat available, their cost and effectiveness makes them hard to beat!
Pros
- Hot dogs check off all the training treat boxes — they’re soft, stinky, yummy, and affordable.
- You can easily cut hot dogs into sizes that are perfect for your pooch.
- You don’t have to cook hot dogs, like you would some other human proteins (like chicken or beef).
Cons
- Hot dogs can be a bit messy in treat pouches and make your fingers stinky.
- You have to be selective to ensure you end up with hot dogs made from environmentally friendly, humanely treated proteins.
- Because you’ll have to cut them up, hot dogs require you to do a bit more work than commercial training treats.
2. String Cheese
About: String cheese is another human-food favorite that also works great on dogs. No reason to buy expensive freeze-dried liver for dogs that will go bonkers for string cheese! Like hot dog pieces, string cheese is soft and can be cut to any size. It’s more transportable than hot dogs, but less stinky.
Pros
- String cheese is cheap and easy to purchase in gigantic quantities.
- Bits of cheese are tasty and motivating for dogs, yet they won’t leave the mess that some other training treats do.
- You can choose from several different types of cheese to figure out the one that best tempts your pooch.
Cons
- Cheese farts are a real problem for some pooches (as is other types of digestive difficulties).
- You’ll have to cut them into training-appropriate pieces.
- Cheese isn’t as stinky as hot dogs or other meat-based training treats.
Homemade Dog Training Treats
Making your own treats at home is an excellent way to save yourself some money. You can make a big batch at once that is likely far cheaper than buying bags at the store, which can dwindle fast if your dog participates in a lot of training or activities.
Another perk to DIY dog treats is the control you have over the ingredients list. Oftentimes, treats contain things you might not expect, like a hidden chicken additive on a beef formula. If your dog has allergies or other restrictions, you can prevent surprise problems by sticking to a homemade recipe.
Check out our article about DIY dog training treats to make some tasty morsels at home!
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What does your dog go bonkers for? Does your dog do backflips for a certain treat? Share your thoughts in the comments!
2 Comments
March 17, 2021
We had great success with TruDog! It was the best for our little. #aff
April 9, 2018
Our standard poodle thinks the Bil Jac treats are the best but the store ran out. We tried several that didn’t suit him well, puppy farts were terrible. He is also pretty fond of Purina Moist and Meaty dog food as treats. three varieties, no gas either. One looks like ground meat, inconvenient to carry around. One looks like little cubes of beef he likes them a lot and 6 bucks or so gets you six little bags of them. We recently saw a new variety with what looks like bacon and soft kibble he flips over the bacon like pieces. I can’y say I would use it as food but he loves it as a treat.