Before you go into the list below with my recommended brands for training treats, consider using something you already have – your dog’s daily kibble. Check out this article, where I explain why using regular dog food is a good idea.
As a dog trainer, I’ve experimented with many brands of treats and training rewards, always searching for options that are convenient to use on the go, small-bite-sized, irresistibly tasty (even when training outside), and healthy for dogs.
I usually choose natural training treats that are not overly processed and ideally consist of one ingredient or a limited amount of healthy ingredients. I avoid some popular commercial treats with unnecessary fillers and excessive carbs. Or just too large to be used for training – like biscuits or larger pieces. We use lots of rewards during one session, and our goal is to use a lot of rewards that are pea-sized.
While some recommend using string cheese or hot dogs for training, I rarely do. They’re not the healthiest choice, and there are far better alternatives that both you and your dog will love. (They can come in handy to practice some “difficult” skills like recall from a wildlife chase, but for most daily training, they are not necessary).
Below is my current list of go-to training treats, all of which have been tested and approved—even by the pickiest dogs! (If you dog is extremely picky and the list below won’t work for them, check my article on “highest value dog training treats“)
Red Barn (redbarn.com)
High-quality, wholesome, air-dried treats and chews made in the US. Most of the treats consist of a single ingredient and are offered at a very reasonable price (sign up for their newsletter; they offer promote sale prices). It is a family-owned business. If you ever see me training my dog, 80% chance it’s Red Barn beef training bits or rolled food. Training bits are good sized, but if you have a smaller dog, you can easily break /crumble them into even more smaller pieces.
My favorite training treats: Beef training treats and Rolled Food (needs to be cut with a wet knife into cubes)
Vital Essentials (vitalessentialsraw.com)
High quality butcher cut protein freeze dried into small bits, that can be used for training (and broken down into smaller pieces when needed). They have great options of unusual flavors: rabbit, minnows, beef tripe etc. Fishy treats like minnows great for enrichment, for training outside (if you drop treats in a grass) or when you play “search” game with your dog. Things like rabbit or tripe are irresistible for many dogs!
My favorite training treats are: Rabbit bites, Dried minnows, Beef tripe etc.
Stewart (stewartpet.com)
Single-ingredient air-dried treats. I like their liver options, many dogs can’t resist a liver treat! For dogs who are picky, I prefer salmon. It’s smelly and it can be used in situations when you toss treats on the floor and need to make sure your dog notices it. Salmon (as well as liver) is also good for smaller dogs since it can be broken into tiny pieces. They are easily accessible, since they are sold in many pet stores.
My favorite training treats: Dried Chicken, Salmon
Pure Bites (purebites.com)
This brand offers single-ingredient freeze-dried treats of human-grade quality with a great variety of interesting flavors. It’s great for picky dogs and great for general enrichment, so your dog can try different flavors! They also have squeezable option – great for training dogs in muzzles or training smaller dogs. They are easily accessible, since they are sold in many pet stores.
My favorites training treats are: Mini Duck Liver, Mini Lamb, Ocean Fish, Pure Bites Squeezable bottle.
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