As a pet owner, you know the hassle of training your dog. What helps in training your pup is treats. You reward them to your pup as it follows your commands. This encourages your pet to perform more activities as you teach them. So if you are looking for the best dog training treats, this article is for you.
When feeding treats to your fur baby frequently during training, it is essential to worry about its health and nutrition. Overfeeding snacks can lead to health issues, as many treats are high in calories. Fortunately, you don’t have to worry about your pet’s health.
There are special dog treats available, particularly for training purposes. They are small, primarily soft, easy to digest, and, more importantly, low in calories.
In addition, they are packed with essential nutritional value, considering your pup’s health. Besides, they come in different flavors and textures to please your dog’s palate. Different flavors and textures serve as an advantage to encourage your pet to continue training sessions for a longer time.
With various healthy dog treats for training available online, it is overwhelming for every pet parent to choose the best one. This article lists our top picks for the best dog training treats to help you select the healthy, nutritious, and best ones for your fur baby.
Before delving deeper into the list, we would like to familiarize you with some essential factors that classify as good dog treats for training.
What Makes a Good Dog Training Treats?
Here are some parameters you must consider while buying treats for your pet:
1. Small in Size
Choose bite-sized treats. The reason is that overfeeding them will result in obesity due to the presence of calories. Unfortunately, obesity is linked with arthritis and kidney diseases.
Generally, training-specific dog snacks are smaller in size. Ensure to choose one with low calories.
2. Easy to Swallow
Opting for crunchy or chewy treats while training takes time for your pet to swallow. This, in turn, slows down training. Many professional dog trainers don’t recommend crunchy or chew snacks. So, choose soft, easy to chew, and not require time to eat.
3. Portable
The most important aspect of training treats is they should be portable. You should be able to carry them in your pocket.
4. Healthy and Nutritious
You would never compromise your pet’s health for sure. So, choose treats that are highly nutritious and healthy. Opt for ones packed with vitamins and minerals. If your pooch is sensitive, opt for hypoallergenic treats or consult your vet.
5. Stinky
Buy treats whose smell would please your pet. Stinky snacks entice your dog to heed your commands.
The more challenging your training is, the better and more flavored treats your pet deserves.
Kinds of Treats to Avoid
Many treats contain unhealthy ingredients, like artificial elements – sweeteners, preservatives, etc. As you reward your pup frequently while training, treats with unhealthy ingredients are unsuitable for its health.
So, avoid the treats containing the following:
- Preservatives: If you find ingredients like potassium sorbate, ethoxyquin, BHA, BHT, or calcium propionate, strictly say no such treats. These preservatives are harmful to your pup.
- Artificial Sweeteners: Sweeteners are not healthy at all. They result in tooth decay, nervousness, obesity, and allergies. Sorbitol is an artificial sweetener leading to bloody stools, diarrhea, cramps, arthritis, and other health issues in pets.
- Synthetic Dyes: Avoid buying treats with synthetic coloring. Dogs prefer to smell and taste rather than color.
Another treat to avoid feeding your pooch while training is milk-type bones. As they are brittle, there are potential chances of choking hazards. Your pup eats treats in haste to grab another one by performing the activity you direct. This haste can cause serious issues.
Human Food as Treats for Dog Training
Not all human food items are healthy for dogs. Chocolates, grapes, raisins, onions, garlic, and many others harm your fur baby. However, there are certain items you can feed your pup as treats. They are as follows:
1. Hot Dogs
They are soft, smelly, tasty, and even affordable. You can break them into small pieces and reward your pup while training without cooking. Rather than going with beef or pork hot dogs, it is better to choose turkey franks. Ensure there should be no onions and garlic.
2. String Cheese
Cheeze is undoubtedly soft and is the best reward for your canine companion. Cut it into thin pieces and relish your pet. It is essential to take care of the amount you feed, as cheese contains fats.
3. Chicken
It is a high-protein treat for your dog with less amount of fats. This nutrient-rich reward helps promote skin and coat health, and amino acids and glucosamine foster bone health. Use a bit of cooked chicken to train your pup.
4. Beef Liver
It is a power source of nutrients and a mouthwatering delicacy for your pooch. Being a vitamin-rich dietary supplement, you can feed it freeze-dried, boiled, or baked.
Now you know what things work best and what to avoid for the better health of your fur baby. Let us now move on to our list.
1. Zuke’s Mini Naturals – Best Overall
- Product Ratings: 4.7/5
- Price: $7.99 (6-oz bag)
- Note: Seal the packet after use to retain the freshness.
- Key Ingredients: Barley, Rice, Turmeric Spice, Rosemary Extract, and Cherries.
As the name suggests, these wholesome and tender rewards are small, making them training-friendly. The best part is each piece contains less than three calories. Therefore, you can feed them to your pooch guilt-free. You can even break them into two pieces if you train a puppy.
Suitable for all life stages, Zuke’s Mini Naturals are soft and contain natural ingredients, like cherries, rice, barley, savory herbs, and protein. It is available in different flavors – Beef, Chicken, Duck, Pork, Rabbit, Peanut Butter and Oats, and Salmon.
Packed with vitamins and minerals, these are paw-fact rewards for your pup. In addition, they are free from corn, soy, wheat, and artificial fillers, making perfect healthy training treats for dogs.
You can buy this product from Amazon, Chewy, and Walmart.
2. Full Moon Organic Training Treats – Best Organic
- Product Ratings: 4.6/5
- Price: $11.99 (16-oz bag)
- Key Ingredients: Organic Cane Sugar, Cassava Root, Ground Celery, Paprika, and Rosemary Extract.
These USDA-approved, all-natural, organic treats are 100% human-grade, which makes them the top choice for many pet parents. They are delicious and soft, suitable for all life stages.
These rewards stand out because they are kitchen-crafted and made from natural ingredients. They are slow-cooked using time-honored techniques like roasting and smoking to ensure treats retain their nutritional value. As a result, they are among the healthiest dog training treats.
Each piece has less than three calories, making it guilt-free to feed your dog. You get two flavors – Chicken and Duck in two different styles – treats and sticks. Additionally, they are free from artificial fillers, corn, soy, glycerine, grains, and wheat.
You can buy this product from Amazon, Chewy, and Walmart.
3. Pet Botanics Training Reward – Best For Puppies
- Product Ratings: 4.7/5
- Price: $15.74 (20-oz bag)
Though suitable for all life stages, Pet Botanics training rewards are best for puppies, as they are soft and delicious. Besides being scrumptious, they are healthy and nutritious, helping in the growth and development of your puppy. Each bite has less than three calories.
These rewards come in two shapes or styles – mini and regular-shaped. Both styles fit perfectly into your pocket and are ideal for repetitive rewards. For puppies, you can choose mini, and for medium and large-sized pets, opt for regular-shaped. They have a soft texture; they do not crumble or break.
You get multiple flavors – Bacon, Chicken, Salmon, Beef, and Duck & Bacon. So you won’t bore your pup with the same flavor every time.
Key Ingredients: Pea Flour, Potatoes, Dried Whole Eggs, Flaxseeds, Barley Flour, Sweet Potatoes, and Brown Rice.
You can buy this product from Amazon, Chewy, and Walmart.
4. Rocco & Roxie – Jerky Dog Treats – Best Stinky
- Product Ratings: 4.6/5
- Price: $19.97 (16-oz bag)
- Key Ingredients: Rice, Protein, Spices, Garlic Powder, Sugar, and Potassium Sorbate.
Jerky Sticks from Rocco & Roxie is a perfect fit if you are looking for stinky rewards. They are ideal for potty training your finicky pup. Ideal for dogs of all life stages, jerky sticks allow you to see your pet’s wagging tail.
These 6-inch sticks are slow-roasted over hickory wood. After 10 hours of roasting, the sticks obtain a soft, meaty, and chewy texture with a smoky smell.
The major setback is that each stick has 20 calories. However, you can break the sticks into pieces and feed each piece as your pooch accomplishes a task. This way, you can cut down on calorie intake.
Available in three flavors – Beef, Chicken, and Turkey, all of them are gluten-free and do not contain corn, soy, and wheat.
You can buy this product from Amazon, Chewy, and Walmart.
5. BIXBI Pocket Trainers – Best Portable
- Product Ratings: 4.6/5
- Price: $9.43 (6-oz bag)
- Key Ingredients: Natural Maple Flavored Syrup, Vegetable Glycerin, Turmeric, and Rosemary Extract.
BIXBI Pocket Trainers are the best small dog treats to reward your pooch. Make your training simple and fun with these pocket-size rewards from pellets. They have a soft, semi-moist texture, making it easy for puppies to chew and swallow.
These goodies are available in four flavors – Peanut butter, Bacon, Chicken, and Salmon. They are all-natural snacks full of flavor, palatable, and grain-free. Each bite has less than 4 calories.
More importantly, they are free from preservatives, synthetic dyes, corn, soy, and wheat. In short, these rewards are a perfect fit if you are concerned more about your pet’s nutrition.
You can buy this product from Amazon, Chewy, and Walmart.
6. Nutro Mini Bites – Best Natural
- Product Ratings: 4.7/5
- Price: $9.97 (8-oz bag)
- Key Ingredients: Brown Rice Flour, Oatmeal, Pork Gelatin, Dried Cultured Skim Milk, and Rosemary Extract.
Is your pet bored with the current treats? Bring joy to them with flavorful Mini Bites from Nutro. Mini Bites are nutritious and healthy for your pet’s active lifestyle and are packed with all-natural ingredients, minerals, and trace nutrients. Each bite has less than 3 calories.
Entirely made from non-GMO ingredients, high-quality protein (Chicken) is primary. There is no chicken by-product meal, artificial color, preservatives, wheat, soy, or corn. Packaged in resealable bags, you can retain the freshness.
They are available in 4 lip-smacking flavors – Berry & Yoghurt, Beef & Hickory, Roasted Chicken, and Peanut. These grain-free and protein-first goodies delight your pooch’s palate with their flavors.
You can buy this product from Amazon, Chewy, and Walmart.
7. Merrick Power Bites – Highly Nutritious
- Product Ratings: 4.7/5
- Price: $8.98 (6-oz bag)
- Key Ingredients: Potatoes, Peas, Brown Sugar, Natural Smoke Flavor, Carrots, Apples, Blueberries, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Chondroitin Sulfate, L-Carnitine, and Rosemary Extract.
Merrick Power Bites are itty-bitty bites full of flavors. They are incredibly soft and chewy, ideal for only large and giant breeds. They have a meaty texture with protein as a primary ingredient. Each bite is composed of 5 calories.
The goodness of protein helps build muscle tissues and stay your fur baby energetic for a long time. Glucosamine and chondroitin help adult breeds to have healthy joints and hips. Also, these bites help in good metabolism due to L-carnitine. Omega fatty acids help maintain your pooch’s skin and coat.
With two different styles – Power Bites and Big Bites, these goodies come in various flavors – Chicken, Beef, Rabbit, Salmon, Turducken, and Rabbit & Beef. The main ingredient of every bite flavor and style is deboned meat.
Entirely packed with natural ingredients and protein, Power Bites are free from wheat, soy, corn, artificial sweeteners, preservatives, and synthetic colors.
You can buy this product from Amazon, Chewy, and Walmart.
8. Blue Buffalo BLUE Bits Training Dog Treats – Helpful in Cognitive Development
- Product Ratings: 4.7/5
- Price: $4.98 (4-oz bag)
- Key Ingredients: Oatmeal, Brown Rice, Cane Sugar, Potatoes, Vegetable Glycerin, Pea Protein, Flaxseed, Dried Cultured Milk, and Rosemary Oil.
A perfect blend of protein, vitamins, and minerals, the bites from Blue Buffalo are the best training treats for puppies and adults. They are soft and semi-moist and come in small sizes, perfect for relishing your pup while training or for best behavior repeatedly.
Each meaty morsel has four calories and is loaded with high-quality protein without the by-product meals. Further, the goodness of DHA helps cognitive development in puppies, and omega 3 and 6 fatty acids keep skin and coat healthy and shiny.
The four available flavors are Chicken, Beef, Salmon, and Turkey, free from wheat, soy, and corn. Also, Blue Bits are free from artificial preservatives like propylene glycol and colors like red dye 40.
You can buy this product from Amazon, Chewy, and Walmart.
9. Stewart Freeze Dried Dog Treats – Best Hypoallergenic
- Product Ratings: 4.6/5
- Price: $10.53 (4-oz tub)
- Key Ingredients: Single ingredient – Beef Liver, Chicken Liver, Wild Salmon, or Chicken Breast.
If your pooch is senstive and allergic, these one-ingredient rewards are paw-fect and go-to. Free from gluten and grain, they only include pure protein, providing wholesomeness and nutrition to your pup. They have proved to be beneficial in the development of strong muscles and healthy eyes.
These snacks are freeze-dried to preserve their flavors and nutrients. They are breakable, lightweight, and packed in a resealable tub. Even with a single ingredient, these rewards taste good and satisfy your pup’s palate. Each piece has four calories.
Choose from four flavors – Beef Liver, Chicken Liver, Wild Salmon, and Chicken Breast. They are rich in minerals, like iron, zinc, and copper, promoting your pup’s health.
You can buy this product from Amazon, Chewy, and Walmart.
10. Fruitables Skinny Mini Dog Treats – Best Natural
- Product Ratings: 4.6/5
- Price: $6.00 (5-oz bag)
- Key Ingredients: Flaxseed, Honey, Sunflower Oil, Vinegar, Chickpeas, Peas, Pork Stock, Cinnamon, and Mixed Tocopherols.
Packed with healthy fruits and veggies, plus an adequate amount of protein, these rewards from Fruitables are paw-perfectly healthy and flavorful. Formulated with calorie-smart nutrition, each bite has only three calories.
Free from grains and gluten, these tummy-friendly snacks are easily digestible as they are full of natural fiber. You can find multiple flavors – Pumpkin & Berry, Apple Bacon, Grilled Bison, Pumpkin Spice, Pumpkin & Mango, Watermelon, and Rotisserie Chicken.
Relish your pup with these healthy bites guilt-free every time it behaves well or follows commands, as there is no presence of wheat, soy, corn, and artificial elements.
You can buy this product from Amazon, Chewy, and Walmart.
How We Chose the Best Training Treats for Dogs?
Our goal in this article was to familiarize you with premium treats that you can feed your pup guilt-free during training sessions. Before adding the above products to our list, we tested the products on the following parameters:
- Ratings: All the above products have 4.5/5 or above ratings on renowned eCommerce sites, such as Amazon, Chewy, and Walmart.
- Customer Reviews: We have considered customer reviews, and the above products have good ones.
- Features: We made sure that the products on our list are free from harmful ingredients to pups. They are available in multiple flavors, free from artificial fillers.
- Brand: The brand matters! We have listed products from renowned USA-based brands.
Train Your Pup With Healthy Treats!
Rewarding treats to your canine companion during training sessions encourage it to follow your commands and learn new activities. However, health also matters. With this in mind, we have listed the top premium, healthy, and nutritious dog training treats. Check the ingredients before buying, as your pet might be allergic to specific food elements.
Happy Pet Parenting!
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