The best training treat is small, fast to eat, and exciting enough that your dog will work for it. Most of the day-to-day picks below are the sensible kind: tiny, soft, and low in calories, so you can hand out dozens in a session without overfeeding. But there is also a place for a high-value motivator, the rich treat your dog will do almost anything for, used in small torn pieces for tough distractions. This guide covers both. Below are six options, including five purpose-built training treats and the two grab-anywhere strips I break up for my own dog when I need her full attention, plus a plain guide to choosing.
What Makes a Good Training Treat
Three things matter most. Size: a training treat should be pea-sized or smaller, so your dog can eat it in a second and get straight back to the lesson. Calories: because you give so many in a session, low-calorie treats let you train longer without packing on weight, which is why most picks here are light. Value: the treat has to be more interesting than whatever is distracting your dog, so soft, smelly, meaty treats beat dry biscuits for focus. The trick is matching the treat to the moment, an everyday low-calorie treat for routine repetitions, and a high-value one for the hard stuff. A good treat pouch keeps them handy either way.
Quick Verdict
For most dogs, Zuke’s Mini Naturals is the best all-around training treat: tiny, soft, and low-calorie. Small dogs do best with the extra-small Bil-Jac, allergy-prone dogs with the single-ingredient Redbarn Protein Puffs, and tough distractions with the intensely smelly Stewart freeze-dried liver. The Cloud Star Tricky Trainers are the best value. And when I need my dog’s absolute full attention, the high-value treats I reach for are Pup-Peroni and Beggin’, broken into small bits.
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Zuke’s Mini Naturals: Best Overall
Check Price on AmazonZuke’s Mini Naturals are the default training treat for good reason. They are pea-sized and soft, so a dog swallows one instantly and stays in the game, and they are low enough in calories that you can run a long session without guilt. The real-meat first ingredient makes them appealing without being so rich that they upset a stomach, which is the balance most training calls for.
They are not the single most exciting treat on this list for a badly distracted dog, but for everyday repetitions and steady progress, nothing covers more ground. If you buy one training treat, buy these.
Who it is for: almost everyone, for everyday training in small, frequent rewards. Who should skip it: owners who need maximum smell to cut through heavy distraction.
Bil-Jac Small Breed: Best for Small Dogs
Check Price on AmazonSmall dogs need genuinely small treats, and the Bil-Jac Small Breed treats are made for exactly that. They are extra-small and soft-moist, so a toy or small breed can take dozens across a session without filling up or straining tiny jaws. The soft texture is easy to break even smaller if you want to stretch a bag further.
For a large dog these would be almost too small to bother with, but that is the point: matched to a little dog, they keep the calorie load sensible while still being a treat worth working for. They pair well with the leash and focus work in our guide to training with a whistle.
Who it is for: owners of toy and small breeds who want appropriately tiny treats. Who should skip it: large-dog owners who want more substantial rewards.
Stewart Freeze-Dried Liver: Best for High Distraction
Check Price on AmazonWhen a dog is too distracted to care about ordinary treats, the Stewart Pro-Treat freeze-dried liver is the one that cuts through. Freeze-dried liver is intensely smelly to a dog, single-ingredient, and breaks easily into small pieces, so you get high value without a long ingredient list. It is the treat to keep in reserve for the park, the vet, or anywhere your dog’s attention wanders.
It is messier and a touch pricier per use than a soft training treat, and the crumbs get everywhere, but for sheer attention-grabbing power among natural treats, it earns its spot.
Who it is for: owners working through heavy distraction who want a single-ingredient high-value treat. Who should skip it: anyone who wants a tidy, no-crumbs option.
Redbarn Naturals Protein Puffs: Best Single-Ingredient
Check Price on AmazonFor dogs with food sensitivities, the Redbarn Naturals Protein Puffs keep the ingredient list short and the treats light. They are airy, breakable, and built around a simple protein, which makes them a safer bet for allergy-prone dogs that react to the fillers in some soft treats. The light texture also means they are easy on the calorie count during long sessions.
They are less dense and smelly than liver, so for a wildly distracted dog you may want something stronger, but for everyday training with a sensitive stomach in mind, they are a clean choice.
Who it is for: allergy-prone or sensitive dogs that need simple ingredients. Who should skip it: owners chasing maximum smell for tough distractions.
Cloud Star Tricky Trainers: Best Value
Check Price on AmazonThe Cloud Star Tricky Trainers give you a lot of small, soft, low-calorie treats for the money, which is exactly what high-volume training needs. They come in flavors most dogs like, stay soft so they are quick to eat, and the generous bag means you are not rationing rewards during a long lesson. For owners training daily, the value adds up.
They are not the most premium ingredient list here, but as an affordable everyday training treat that ticks the size and softness boxes, they are hard to beat on price.
Who it is for: daily trainers who want plenty of small soft treats without overspending. Who should skip it: owners focused on the cleanest possible ingredients.
Pup-Peroni and Beggin’: The High-Value Strips I Break Up
Check Price on AmazonThe treats my dog will do almost anything for are Pup-Peroni and Beggin’, the soft strips. I want to be straight about what they are: these are rich, palatable snack treats, not low-calorie training treats like the picks above. That richness is exactly why they work as a motivator. When I need her full attention, these are what get it, and being able to break each strip into small bits is what makes them practical for training, since one strip turns into a handful of tiny rewards.
She genuinely loves them, and honestly they have helped my training quite a bit. The way I use them is simple: I tear them into small pieces and keep the portions modest, a routine she has had since I got her, because they are richer than an everyday training treat. For long, high-volume sessions I reach for something smaller and lower in calories, and I keep treats counted against her daily food so the extras do not add up. But for high-value moments, a tough distraction, a new command, the times I really need her focus, a torn bit of Pup-Peroni or Beggin’ is what she works hardest for, and that is why they have a place in my routine.
If you want this kind of high-value reward in a lighter form, the freeze-dried liver above does a similar job with one ingredient. And for everyday, high-volume training, pair these special-occasion treats with the smaller low-calorie treats that are kinder to the daily calorie count.
Quick Comparison
| Product | Price | Size and format | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zuke’s Mini Naturals | ~$10 | Pea-sized, soft | Best overall |
| Bil-Jac Small Breed | ~$8 | Extra-small, soft | Small dogs |
| Stewart Freeze-Dried Liver | ~$11 | Breakable, freeze-dried | High distraction |
| Redbarn Protein Puffs | ~$12 | Breakable, freeze-dried | Single-ingredient |
| Cloud Star Tricky Trainers | ~$7 | Small, soft | Best value |
| Pup-Peroni and Beggin’ | Snack | Strips you break up | High-value motivator |
How to Use Training Treats Well
The right treat is only half of it; how you use it decides the results.
Keep the pieces tiny
A training treat should be small enough to eat in one quick bite. Break larger treats and strips into pea-sized bits so your dog gets the reward and the repetition without filling up. Smaller pieces also stretch a bag much further across many sessions.
Watch the daily calories
Treats add up fast during training. A common guideline is to keep treats to a small share of daily intake and to subtract training calories from meals, especially with richer treats. Leaning on low-calorie options for high-volume work keeps the numbers in check.
Match the value to the difficulty
Use ordinary treats for easy, familiar tasks, and save the high-value ones for hard distractions or brand-new commands. Rotating treats also keeps a dog from getting bored, so a mix of everyday and special-occasion rewards works better than a single treat for everything.
Time the reward
Deliver the treat the instant your dog does the right thing, so the reward clearly connects to the behavior. A treat pouch on your hip makes that speed possible, since fumbling for a reward blurs the lesson.
Our Verdict
For everyday training, Zuke’s Mini Naturals is the easiest treat to recommend, with the Cloud Star Tricky Trainers close behind on value and the Bil-Jac the right call for small dogs. Keep the Stewart freeze-dried liver in reserve for heavy distraction, and the Redbarn Protein Puffs for sensitive stomachs. As for the high-value motivator I actually use, a torn bit of Pup-Peroni or Beggin’ gets my dog’s full attention when nothing else will, used in small pieces and in moderation. The best approach is usually a pairing: a small low-calorie treat for the reps, and a high-value one for the moments that count.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best treat for training a dog?
For most dogs, a small, soft, low-calorie treat like Zuke’s Mini Naturals is the best all-around choice, because you can give many in a session without overfeeding. For tough distractions, a high-value treat such as freeze-dried liver works better. Many trainers use both: an everyday treat for reps and a high-value one for hard moments.
How small should training treats be?
Pea-sized or smaller is ideal, so your dog can eat each one in a second and stay focused. If a treat is larger, break it into small pieces. Tiny treats also keep the calorie load down across a long session, which matters because training involves a lot of rewards.
Can I use regular treats like Pup-Peroni for training?
Yes, in moderation. Rich snack treats like Pup-Peroni or Beggin’ are highly motivating and break up well into small bits, which makes them good high-value rewards for hard distractions. Because they are richer than purpose-built training treats, keep the pieces small, use them for special moments rather than every rep, and count them against daily calories.
How many treats can I give during a training session?
It depends on the treat’s size and calories, but the practical answer is to use very small pieces and subtract training treats from your dog’s daily food. Low-calorie treats let you give more rewards safely, while richer treats should be used more sparingly to avoid overfeeding.
Are soft or crunchy treats better for training?
Soft treats are generally better for training because a dog can eat them quickly and get back to the lesson, and they are easy to break into small pieces. Crunchy treats take longer to chew and crumble, which interrupts the flow, so most trainers prefer soft, quick-to-eat rewards.
What training treats are best for small dogs?
Small dogs do best with extra-small, soft treats like the Bil-Jac Small Breed treats, which match their size and keep calories low. You can also break standard training treats into smaller pieces. The key is keeping each reward tiny so a little dog can take many without filling up.
Can puppies have training treats?
Yes, soft, small, age-appropriate treats work well for puppies, who learn quickly with gentle reward-based training. Keep pieces tiny and choose treats suited to a puppy’s developing stomach, and check with your veterinarian about appropriate treats and amounts for your puppy’s age and size.
How do I keep training treats from overfeeding my dog?
Use the smallest pieces that still motivate, favor low-calorie treats for high-volume work, and subtract treat calories from meals on heavy training days. Saving richer treats for special moments rather than every repetition also keeps the daily total in check while still giving your dog a reward worth working for.
Related Reading
Keep building your training kit with our guides to the best dog treat pouches, the best low-calorie dog treats, and the best training collars.
More Dog Feeding Guides
Recommended Reading
See also our guides to freeze dried dog treats, and freeze dried vs dehydrated dog treats.
Start with the full guide to choosing the right dog food.
