Puppy Training Treats: What to Look For

Consistency and positive reinforcement aren’t the only essential aspects of dog training. It’s also important to choose the right treats, especially when training a puppy. If the treats are too filling, unhealthy, or not appealing for your puppy, it could hurt the training process.

Small, single-ingredient treats are a great way to offer a simple, natural reward to puppies. Even healthy training treats should only be fed in moderation to ensure a balanced diet for your growing pup. So, carefully consider which treats to buy and how to train with them.

Why Quality Matters

Choosing puppy treats should start with finding low-calorie snacks that your puppy loves. Yet, it’s also important to ensure they’re high quality. Simple, high-quality ingredients are often easier on your dog’s tummy than highly processed treats, making it easier to give the treats repeatedly. 

Single-ingredient treats are great because you know exactly what your dog is getting. So, if they have any digestive issues after a training session, it’s easy to locate the cause. If you know your dog has allergies or sensitivities, single-ingredient snacks make it convenient to find a suitable option.

These treats often have strong aromas too, which can encourage your pup to stay focused during training.

What to Look For

There’s no shortage of dog treats on the market, so to help you narrow down your search, look for the following:

• Single-ingredient or minimally processed treats

• Clearly labelled ingredients

• Natural products without unnecessary additives, colours, or preservatives

• Small treats that are easy for your puppy to chew

Feeding Treats the Right Way

How you reward your puppy during training sessions can influence their learning process. Here are some tips for feeding treats correctly.

Offer Small Pieces

Treats should be small and easy to chew so you can quickly reward your dog without having to wait for them to eat the treat. If your training treats aren’t already in small pieces, break the treats up prior to the training session so they're ready to go.

Give Frequent Rewards

As your pup learns cues and manners, you’ll want to give rewards every time they behave correctly to help them understand. Give them a treat immediately after they perform a desired behaviour. 

This is why small portions and low-calorie treats are important. If treats are too big or too unhealthy, it can make it harder to reward your dog consistently.

Consider Daily Food Intake

Treats should make up no more than 10% of your dog’s daily calories. Look at how many calories each treat has and add up the number of treats you’ll use per training session. If the result is too high, find treats with fewer calories or break the treats into even smaller pieces.

Pair with Praise

Every time you give your dog a training treat, pair it with consistent praise, such as “yes” or “good.” This can make it easier for puppies to understand what’s expected, and it will give you a praise word to use whenever you don’t have treats available.

Choosing the Right Training Treat

Not all puppies have the same preferences and dietary needs. When choosing a treat, look for one that entices your puppy. If your puppy isn’t interested in the treat, they won’t be focused during training. Make sure the treats you select are also healthy and easy to break apart. 

You can keep treats in a treat pouch while training for easy access, but store extras in a secure bag or container to keep them fresh.

Find Treats That Support Consistent Training

Don’t let the fun packaging lead your treat decisions. Instead, look closely at the ingredients, consider your dog’s preferences, and make sure the treats are easy to chew. Natural, single-ingredients dog treats are healthy, high-value options that can set your puppy up for success.

Once you’ve found the right treats, don’t forget to break them up if needed and pair them with consistent praise. Training treats are an important part of puppy training, but they must be paired with consistency, patience, and positive reinforcement to help achieve desired behaviours.