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Healthier Snacks: Top Dog Training Treats

Written by Destin Benoit
Last updated: Oct 24, 2024, 02:17 AM
Affiliate disclosure (read)
best training treats for dogs in 2024
View all contents
  • The Best Dog Training Treats Buying Guide
    • 1 The Right Size of Treat
    • 2 Grain-Free Dog Treats
    • 3 Dental Dog Treats
    • 4 Best Way to Figure Out What Your Dog Likes
  • People Also Asked
  • Contributors

Our Top Picks for the Dog Training Treats of 2024

  • Pupford Freeze-Dried Training Treats: Best Overall (shop now)
    Read more about this ↓
  • Crazy Dog Train-Me: Runner Up (shop now)
    Read more about this ↓
  • Pet Botanics Training Reward: Honorable Mention (shop now)
    Read more about this ↓
  • Full Moon Organic Human Grade Training Treats: Also Consider (shop now)
    Read more about this ↓
  • Blue Buffalo Wilderness Trail Treats: Also Consider (shop now)
    Read more about this ↓

Pupford Freeze-Dried Training Treats

Best Overall
Pupford Freeze-Dried Training Treats
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Pupford has power-packed this dog treat with low calories and high immunity. These frozen and dried chicken treats are a high-quality product as they are rich in natural ingredients. The company makes sure that the product is made from pure chicken mixed with a little tocopherol. Tocopherol is an antioxidant that helps in maintaining the shape and holding together the treats. Furthermore, it also prevents the crumbling of treats that are at the bottom of the bag. The rich ingredients of dog treats are made in the USA. While the product we are exploring features dried beef liver, you can also get other flavors like sweet potato, salmon, and rabbit. The bag contains a total of 450 treats, but unfortunately, the size of each treat is extremely small, so if you have a large dog, you may need to give 3-4 treats per training. Thus, it can prove to be costly.

Pros
  • No soy, wheat, sugar, or fillers
  • Completely natural ingredients
  • Less than one calorie per treat (perfect for long-term training sessions)
Cons
  • The size of each treat is small, so one bag can be insufficient for a large breed.

Crazy Dog Train-Me

Runner Up
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If your dog needs a long training session, or in other words, if your dog needs more treats, then you can opt for these mini treats by Crazy dog. Each treat has around 1.5 calories, and although it is relatively higher than the previous option, it is still one of the best options in the market. These treats are rich in protein because they are made from beef which is low in fats and high in proteins. Furthermore, the treats contain zero filler, but as they are extremely small, adding any extra filler can ruin the taste. The best part is that the product is free from corn as well. Each bite of these treats also contains vitamins, so it is a great option for those pet owners looking for healthy alternatives to regular treats.

Pros
  • It is available in many delicious flavors
  • No artificial flavors or fillers
  • Each treat contains 1.5 calories only
Cons
  • May result in constipation

Pet Botanics Training Reward

Honorable Mention
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Another best dog training treat is available at Pet Botanics. Although the size of the treats is too small, it may be a perfect choice for pups that cannot eat a lot. If you are looking forward to buying these treats for a large dog, you may want to reconsider and explore other options because they will need these treats in a larger quantity than usual. If you look on the bright side, you can give plenty of small treats to your dog in one training session without having to worry about unhealthy weight gain. The ingredients used for the treats are rich in nutrients. The major component of the product is pork liver which is highly strong and filled with protein so that it can be a source of healthy energy for your pooch. Furthermore, similar to the products as mentioned earlier, this one is also free from additional fillers like corn and soy that can be harmful to your furry friend. The amounts of calories are higher than those in previous treats but compared to most of the products in the market; it is perfect for your dog.

Pros
  • Rich in protein
  • Free from fillers
  • Three calories per treat
  • It contains healthy vegetables
Cons
  • It might be too small for large dogs

Full Moon Organic Human Grade Training Treats

Also Consider
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Here is another solid option for your pup, as these are natural chews made from organic chicken. Furthermore, it does not contain artificial flavors, fillers, or colors, so your pooch can enjoy it safely. Each treat contains less than three calories each, so it will prevent your dog from gaining unhealthy weight. Fewer calories are also an indication that you can use them for a longer training session. The major disadvantage of using these treats is that the second major ingredient in the treats is organic cane syrup that is harmful to most dogs. Thus, before purchasing this product, consider your pooch’s allergies and diseases.

Pros
  • No soy, grain, wheat, or corn
  • 2.5 calories per treat
  • Rich in omega fatty acids and flaxseeds
  • All-natural ingredients
Cons
  • The second major ingredient is organic corn syrup

Blue Buffalo Wilderness Trail Treats

Also Consider
image
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Dogs are a relative of wolves, and the whole concept of blue buffalo treats lies on this concept. Similar to other blue’s treats, these are also free from artificial colors and flavors. Furthermore, they are free from grain, so you can safely let your pooch enjoy these chews without having to worry about them gaining extra weight. These crunch treats are rich in proteins and nutrients from sweet potato, chicken, and salmon. The product also contains flax seeds which is a high source of omega three and healthy fats. Hence, it keeps your dog in shape and keeps cognitive health at its peak.

Pros
  • All-natural ingredients
  • Rich in protein and nutrients
  • No artificial flavors and colors
Cons
  • Grain-free is not suitable for all types of dogs

The Best Dog Training Treats Buying Guide

When shopping for the best dog training treats, you will come across various versions and types, so making your pick carefully is highly important. Especially when it comes to your pooch, you need to be extra careful considering their allergies, likes and dislikes. You need to focus on other smaller details, such as the size of the training treat and ingredients. If you are shopping for treats for the first time, you may be unaware of the details, so we have this detailed buying guide to assist you.

The Right Size of Treat

TikTok videos where a pup is struggling with a large bone may be fun to watch, but you need to be careful of the treat’s size when it comes to training treats. The size of the training treat should be according to the size of your pooch. If you have an incredibly small puppy, you need to give him mini treats that will not be hard for him to eat and easy for him to digest. Similarly, if you have a large dog, you should have equivalent-sized treats that will be enough to satisfy his cravings. However, you need to keep an eye on your dog when he is chewing the treats and make sure that they don’t break in a way that results in a choking hazard. You can break down big biscuits to balance the calories for a small pooch.

Grain-Free Dog Treats

Grain-free treats are becoming a trend these days, but NBC News reported that the FDA started an investigation in 2018 to examine the situation. The investigation revolved around the connection between dilated cardiomyopathy (a heart condition) and grain-free diets. The conclusion drawn from the study stated that a grain-free diet is important for your dog, but if the grain is removed, other ingredients like fat, glycemic carbohydrates may be added that can lead to other issues. Thus, the question of whether dog training treats should contain grain or should they be grain-free remains debatable, and it is best to consult your pet’s vet on the topic.

Dental Dog Treats

No doubt puppy kisses are great, but the breath of your pooch can be annoying. Although regular brushing is the most reliable and common way to keep your dog’s teeth and gum fit and free of plaque, dental treats can help resolve the bad breath issues. These dental dog treats are also an excellent way to remove plaque and a great way for home oral health care for your pooch.

Best Way to Figure Out What Your Dog Likes

Often pet owners hear the words “low value” and “high value” dog treats. Some people confuse it for the price of the treats, but these terms refer to the value your dog gives to the food reward. In other terms, it is a scale to measure which treats your dog likes and which he resents. You may also come across some products labeled as the favorite of all dogs, but some pooches can always have an exception, so you need to make sure to get the training treats that your dog likes.

High-value dog treats

High-value treats are usually freeze-dried, or they are incredibly moist with an extra smell. Thus, it is something that your dog does not get except for in training sessions. These include tiny pieces of peanut butter, tripe, chicken, and liverwurst. If you are buying the peanut butter flavor, then make sure that it is free from xylitol. Some pet owners keep such high-value treats for your dog’s A+++ behavior.

The best time to use high-value treats

Introducing a new behavior or character to your pooch

You can use these in environments where your dog can get distracted easily, like group dog training sessions.

These treats are also useful when your dog shows a high-quality and quick response.

The use of high-value treats is common during proactive exposure training and socialization training for puppies.

You can use these when you need to deal with your dog’s fear, leash reactivity, anxiety, or aggression.

Medium value dog treats

Next, we have the medium value dog treats that are usually dry and are semi-moist, so they are generally a combination of ingredients that your dog is missing in the routine. These treats are famous and most used for dog’s training sessions as they can be given more often. You can also make it a part of your everyday routine, unlike the high-value treats.

The best time to use medium value treats

These treats are really helpful to maintain an already learned behavior of your pooch.

You can make use of these treats in mildly distracting situations.

These treats can also be a part of your regular day-to-day routine.

These are commonly used for daily enrichment activities.

Low-value dog treats

The least calorie dog treats are labeled as low-value dog treats, and these are the best dog training treats. These are usually a combination of crunchy and dry ingredients. Most dog owners make use of these dog treats in their daily routines.

The best time to use low-value treats

You can use these treats to indicate that your dog has performed the given task but with low-level performance and needs to improve.

It can also be used positively throughout the day to encourage the nice behavior of the dog.

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