Training treats are different from regular treats. During a training session, dogs may eat 30-50 treats. The right training treats are tiny, highly palatable, healthy, and not too high-calorie. Here's what to look for and what to avoid.

Characteristics of Good Training Treats

Tiny Size

Small enough that they're consumed in one bite. Quarter-inch pieces or smaller. Many "small treats" sold in stores are still too big for training purposes.

Quick to Eat

Soft or quickly-chewable. Hard biscuits that take 30 seconds to chew break the training flow.

High Value

Smelly, meat-based, exciting. Generic carbohydrate treats don't capture attention the way real meat does.

Low Calorie

Each treat should ideally be 1-5 calories. At 30-50 treats per session, this matters.

Healthy Ingredients

Avoid artificial preservatives, dyes, lots of sugar/salt. You're feeding many of these.

Quality Commercial Training Treats

Single-Ingredient Freeze-Dried Meat

Stella & Chewy's, Primal, Vital Essentials freeze-dried treats. Break easily into tiny pieces. Single-ingredient (just meat). Healthy, high value.

Soft Training Treats

Zuke's Mini Naturals (good calorie content), Cloud Star Tricky Trainers, Wellness Soft Puppy Bites. Pre-sized for training.

Cheese-Based

Charlee Bear (very small, low-calorie), various cheese training treats. Watch lactose sensitivity.

DIY Training Treats (Often Best)

Boiled Chicken Breast

Cube small, no seasoning. High value, healthy, very low cost. Refrigerate, lasts 5-7 days.

Hot Dog Pieces

Quick prep — slice into thin coins, then quarter. Higher sodium than ideal, so use sparingly. Very high value for most dogs.

Plain Cooked Meat

Ground beef (drained), turkey, chicken — small pieces. Plain, no seasoning.

Cheese

Small cubes of low-sodium cheese (mozzarella, Colby). Watch lactose intolerance.

Liver Treats (DIY)

Liver is highly palatable to most dogs. Dehydrate small pieces, or buy commercial single-ingredient liver treats.

Treat Hierarchy by Difficulty

Match treat value to training difficulty:

  • Low value: Regular dog kibble — for easy tasks in familiar environments
  • Medium value: Commercial training treats — typical training sessions
  • High value: Chicken, hot dog, cheese — challenging skills or distractions
  • Jackpot value: Cooked steak, liver — major breakthroughs or extreme distractions

Calorie Management

Treats should be under 10% of daily calories. For a 30-lb dog needing 700 cal/day, that's 70 cal max from treats.

If using kibble for training, count it toward daily food allotment.

For high-volume training sessions, reduce regular meal portions.

What to Avoid

Rawhide

Not for training (too large, too hard). Some have safety concerns.

Treats with Xylitol

Toxic to dogs. Check labels — some "natural" treats contain it.

Cooked Bones

Splinter and cause GI problems.

Treats with Strong Artificial Smells/Colors

The brightly-dyed bone-shaped treats common at stores. Health concerns and not particularly motivating.

Treats Too Large

Need to chew breaks training flow. Even pre-sized training treats sometimes need to be broken into smaller pieces.

Special Situations

Allergy-Prone Dogs

Single-ingredient freeze-dried treats or DIY using the dog's tolerated protein.

Weight Management

Low-calorie options: green beans, baby carrots, plain cooked broccoli pieces. Or commercial low-cal training treats.

Puppies

Soft, easy-to-chew, very small. Wellness Soft Puppy Bites, Zuke's Mini Naturals.

Senior Dogs

Soft treats easier on dental issues. Slightly higher value to compensate for reduced food drive.

FAQ

How many treats per training session?

30-50 is normal for a 15-20 minute session. Adjust food meals accordingly.

Can I use regular kibble as training treats?

Yes for easy/maintenance training. Boring for new skills or distracting environments.

What if my dog ignores treats during training?

Try higher-value treats. If still uninterested, train when truly hungry (skip a meal before session).

The Bottom Line

Best training treats are tiny, soft, high-value, and low-calorie. DIY chicken or hot dog often beats commercial options. Match treat value to task difficulty. Manage daily calories to avoid weight gain.