Before I break down what my absolute favorite dog training treats are, let’s FIRST let’s talk about what makes a good treat for training.
The three qualities I think makes a good training treat are:
- They are relatively quick to consume for your learner.
This is because if your treats are TOO big or TOO hard and crunchy, you won’t be able to get training done as quickly, since you’ll have to wait for your dog to CHEW that treat.
This is why I hate milk bones because they seriously take FOREVER.
Nobody wants to ask their pup for a down, give them a treat, and then wait 5 minutes for them to finish their treat before you move onto the next treat.
Okay, maybe 5 minutes is an exaggeration…but you get the point.
- The second quality I look for is that they’re easy to deliver to my dog’s mouth.
To elaborate further, if you have crumbly treats, all the crumbs falling to the ground will distract your dog form training, and will turn into them sniffing the ground. If you have treats that are all different sizes, then you’ll probably drop them everywhere.
- Last but not least, one of the most important qualities is that your dog likes them.
This is where you’ll have to get to know your dog and their preferences.
If your dog LOVES seafood, then the salmon treats might be the best for them. But if your dog hates seafood, then seafood wouldn’t be the best type to choose.
Ok, so now onto my favorite treats for dog training as of right now, May 2021.
- Happy Howie Treats – these come in one big sausage but I LOVE these because you can cube into how small or big you want them to be. They are not crumbly and the dogs I’ve trained all seem to LOVE them.
- Zuke’s – I love that they come in a variety of flavors, but they are all relatively the same size, and most dogs I train seem to be obsessed with these.
- Bark Pouch – I love these for anxiety or reactivity cases because I can allow them to lick the bark pouch while their trigger is around.
- Ziwi Peak – This one is TECHNICALLY a dog food, but it can be used as a treat because many dogs consider this a very high-value treat. I LOVE Ziwi peak because SINCE it’s dog food, it is made of a complete and balanced diet. Meaning, if you do a LOT of training, you can simply decrease your dog’s meal without comprising nutrients. This won’t be as big of a deal for say a Labrador Retriever, but for a small Shih Tzu, or miniature poodle, they can’t have that many calories without gaining weight. What’s great is if you end up doing a lot of training, Ziwi can replace their regular meal times.
Does your pup have a favorite treat I didn’t mention? If so, share in the comments below.
If you want to learn more about how to use positive reinforcement training to teach your pup to be well-behaved WHILE improving your bond, be sure to check out my free webinar “5 Biggest Training Mistakes & how to avoid them so you can live a more peaceful life with your pup.”
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