The Best Dog Training Treats

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Regardless of whether you’re integrating a new puppy into the family or trying to teach your old dog new tricks (yes, despite what they say, you absolutely can!), you need to think about implementing a solid rewards system. Training treats work by providing your eager four-legged friend with an exciting incentive to do what you want them to do. It’s basic human — er, canine — nature to want to complete a task in exchange for a reward, and dogs tend to be especially food-motivated, so training treats often work like a charm.

Choosing the Right Dog Training Treats

What are the best dog training treats for excited animals learning their manners? In truth, when you’re just starting out, you’re going to be giving out a lot of rewards. For this reason, you need to make sure the treats you’re selecting tick a few key boxes. This will help ensure that your furry family member doesn’t gain weight — and that you don’t go broke — in the process. Look for treats that have the following characteristics:

• Nutritious — Using nutritious dog treats is a sensible way to ensure that your dog is getting the vitamins, minerals, and micronutrients required to live a long, healthy life. Look for treats that support joint health and provide ample energy with ingredients such as glucosamine and collagen.

• Fast-Eating — In training scenarios, you don’t have time to let your pet wander off and eat a time-consuming bone or biscuit. The best training treats are generally small and easy for your pet to eat up quickly out of your hands. This way, they can get back to learning right away. Often, small, chewy treats are best for this because dogs can eat them quickly without making a mess.

• Low-Calorie — It’s not realistic to measure your pet’s calorie intake like you might your own, but it’s still important to be conscious of it. The American Kennel Club (AKC) recommends using vegetables — such as carrots or cucumber slices — to motivate your dog while also keeping calories low. You can reward them at the end of the day with a healthy dog chew or a couple of small treats. 

• Delicious — Sure, a baby carrot or a cucumber sounds great and everything, but not all dogs are going to find fresh veggies motivating. Taste matters, too. If you’ve got a dog who isn’t interested in veggies, choose a lower-calorie beef- or chicken-flavored treat to keep things healthy. Either way, remember to switch things up from time to time and swap out treats as needed to keep your pet interested in the reward.

• Affordable — After weeks and months of training your pet to be perfectly well-behaved — and maybe tossing a couple of fun tricks in there, too — you might find that the treat costs are racking up. Buy in bulk and shop online to ensure that you get the best quality of treats at the lowest possible prices.

• Convenient — You’re going to be handling your pet’s training treats regularly, so they need to be easy to handle and clean enough that they don’t leave residue on your hands. You’ll also want to consider choosing a treat that’s easy to tear or break into small pieces because you’ll undoubtedly be using a lot of them throughout the day.

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Integrating Chews

At PawLove, we specialize in providing your dog with the very best healthy chews for that once-a-day reward. While some tasty chews are small enough to serve as training treats, they may not be the most convenient for this purpose and, therefore, should be used as a big reward at the end of a lengthy training session when your pet works extra hard. We always recommend bully sticks and beef gullies as excellent introductory chews for eager puppies. 

Be Patient When Training

Let’s face it: Most dogs don’t nail good behavior on day one, and that’s OK. Training is a process, and it should be one that’s enjoyable for you and your pet. As long as you take the time to choose a training treat worthy of all their hard work, and it helps keep them healthy at the same time, you can feel great about your strategy and expect your pet to earn their reward every time!