Which treats for dog training? How to choose training treats

A good training treat is small, soft or easy to break and has a strong smell. Your dog should eat it in one or two bites and be ready for the next repetition straight away. The simpler the ingredients, the easier it is to keep track of what your dog eats, especially when it gets dozens of rewards in one session.

Below you'll find how to choose the size, texture and flavour, how many treats a dog can have in a day and what to pick for a dog with a sensitive stomach.

Which treats should you choose for dog training?

You choose a training treat by four features: size, texture, smell and ingredients. They decide whether the reward helps the exercise or interrupts it.

How big should a training treat be?

A training treat should be small enough for the dog to eat it straight away, without long chewing. A small dog needs a smaller piece than a large shepherd, so you usually split the same treat differently for each dog.

Size also affects how much the dog eats over a whole session. With dozens of repetitions, even a small difference in piece size adds up.

Soft or hard treats for training?

Soft or crumbly treats that the dog eats in a second work better for training. Dogs take a long time over hard chews, so save those for after training.

You'll find the full range in our treats and natural chews collection.

Which treats motivate a dog most?

Treats with an intense smell work best: liver, tripe and fish. Mild chicken or turkey work well for many repetitions in a quiet place, and it's worth keeping stronger flavours for harder moments, such as recall or training somewhere new.

If you carry two kinds of treats, you can reward an exceptionally good performance with something better than usual.

Give liver in moderation. It's very rich in vitamin A, so it should complement the diet rather than form its basis.

How many treats a day can a dog have?

All treats, including those used in training, should provide less than 10% of the dog's daily energy. That's the limit given by the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) in its guide for owners. The other 90% should come from complete food.

In practice, this means three things:

• on days with long training, reduce the food portion so the treats don't come on top of it in full;
• split treats into small pieces, then one bag lasts many sessions;
• at home, for simple exercises, you can reward with food counted out from the daily portion.

Which training treats for a dog with an allergy or a sensitive stomach?

For a dog with an allergy or a sensitive stomach, choose a single-meat treat, ideally a different meat from the one in its everyday food. With a single protein source it's easier to check what your dog tolerates, and you know straight away what to stop if something doesn't agree with them.

If your dog's food is chicken-based, go for a different meat, for example duck, rabbit or venison. If your dog has a diagnosed allergy, agree the diet with your vet.

Looking for a treat with a meat your dog hasn't had yet? We'll help you choose one.

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Treat or toy: which reward for training?

A treat works well where you reward often and at a precise moment, for example when teaching positions or heelwork. A toy gives the dog more excitement, which is why many handlers use it to reward fast, dynamic exercises. Training usually uses both rewards, depending on the exercise and on what the dog most likes working for.

If your dog works more willingly for a toy, take a look at our balls and bite tugs. With a Top Matic magnetic ball the reward is always to hand, without reaching into your pocket.

How to store training treats?

Keep treats in a dry place and close the pack straight after training. Meat dried without preservatives loses its freshness faster, so use it within a few weeks of opening.

Keep an eye on your dog while it eats treats and make sure it has access to fresh water.

Choose a flavour for your dog in our treats collection.

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