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- Not a substitute for professional veterinary help.
Dog treats come in a wide variety of textures and flavors, each with their own unique set of benefits. When it comes to dogs with dental issues, soft dog treats are often the best way to go. Soft treats are also ideal for training sessions, teething puppies, and for those times when you need to hide your dog’s medication in something yummy to get them to swallow it.
Soft treats are typically faster and easier for your dog to eat than crunchy treats, and they can have a stronger smell, which can help keep your dog’s attention during training. However, they may not be ideal for all dogs—especially if they’re high in sugar, which could be problematic for dogs with diabetes or blood glucose issues.
In general, it’s best to read the label carefully and cross-reference the ingredient list of the soft dog treats you are considering with the advice of your veterinarian. Below, we’ve included the nutritional analysis for each treat, so you can determine how it will fit into your dog’s diet. Note: All nutritional analysis is converted to a dry-matter basis so you can compare between food types with different moisture contents.
Best High-Value Treat: PureBites Beef Liver
Stinky, soft, and delicious, these PureBites beef liver treats make a good high-value treat. High-value treats are the ones your dog is really excited about—and thus really willing to work for.
These particular treats are made from 100% raw, freeze-dried, US-sourced beef liver and are only 5 calories per treat. Plus, you get roughly 425 small treats per 16-ounce bag, making them ideal to use as a training treat.
Key Nutrients:
- 5 kcal/treat
- Protein: 65.21%
- Fat: 12.37%
- Crude Fiber: 1%
Best for Dental Issues: Get Naked Biteables Senior Health Soft Treats
If your dog has missing teeth or other dental issues, consider these Biteables treats. These soft treats are packed with nutritious ingredients (like chicken, New Zealand green-lipped mussel, and chondroitin) to support brain, heart, and joint health in aging pets. Plus, since they’re sized especially small, they have less than 3 calories per treat and require little to no chewing.
Key Nutrients:
- 2.9 kcal/treat
- Protein: 19.04%
- Fat: 27.20%
- Crude Fiber: 3%
Best Low-Calorie: Zuke’s Natural Training Treats Mini Naturals Recipe
At only 2 calories per treat, these soft chews are a good size for training your pup, and you won’t feel bad giving your dog multiple treats per training session. With seven different varieties—including salmon, rabbit, pork, duck, chicken, beef, and peanut butter—you can find a flavor for every pet.
Key Nutrients:
- 2 kcal/treat
- Protein: 13.59%
- Fat: 19.81%
- Crude Fiber: 2%
Best Breakable: Wellness Natural Pet Food Soft Wellbites Natural Grain-Free Treats
These Soft WellBites from Wellness Natural Pet Foods have a soft, easily tearable texture, so you can feed them as-is or break them into smaller pieces for training purposes. Made with real meat and whole fruits and veggies (including sweet potato, blueberry, and flaxseed), these treats are also free from corn, soy, and artificial colors and flavors. They’re also grain free for pups with allergies.
Key Nutrients:
- 12.1 kcal/treat
- Protein: 18.26%
- Fat: 35.48%
- Crude Fiber: 2%
Best for Teething Puppies: N-Bone Puppy Teething Treats, Chicken
For a soft chew stick that won’t damage a puppy’s developing teeth, these chicken-flavored teething sticks from N-Bone are a fantastic option. Intended for young puppies over 5 pounds, these sticks are made of completely digestible ingredients with no plastic or rubber included. The sticks’ gummy, flexible texture also provides the perfect chewing outlet for a puppy coping with teething pain and soreness.
Key Nutrients:
- 14 kcal/stick
- Protein: 28.79%
- Fat: 5.83%
- Crude Fiber: 1.5%
Best for Large Dogs: Shameless Pets Soft-Baked Dog Treats, Pumpkin Nut Partay
While many soft treats are intentionally tiny, these Shameless Pets soft-baked treats have a larger size, making them perfect for bigger dogs. They contain wholesome ingredients like pumpkin, peanut butter, and potatoes and have 11% fiber for optimal digestion. Keep in mind that because of their bigger size, they’re also higher in calories. But they can also be torn in half for a smaller treat.
Key Nutrients:
- 20 kcal/treat
- Protein: 18.36%
- Fat: 22.29%
- Crude Fiber: 11%
Best for Skin & Coat Health: Bocce’s Bakery Dailies Good Hair Dog Treats
Not only do these Bocce’s Bakery Good Hair treats have a soft, chewy texture and an appealing salmon flavor, but the ingredients list, which includes salmon, oats, and flaxseed, is rich in omega-3 fatty acids that can help boost a dog’s coat and skin health. At 11 calories per treat, they’re a great size for medium and large dogs but can also be broken into smaller pieces for small or senior pets.
Key Nutrients:
- 11 kcal/treat
- Protein: 12.94%
- Fat: 28.81%
- Crude Fiber: 2%
Best for Fresh Breath: Bocce’s Bakery Dailies Brushy Bites Apple + Mint Recipe Dog Treats
For dogs who could benefit from fresher breath, these Bocce’s Bakery Brushy Bites are a good option in a soft treat form. Unlike hard dental treats, these won’t help remove plaque or tartar from a dog’s mouth, but they do promise to help curb bad breath, thanks to ingredients like apples, mint, and coconut. They also don’t contain any wheat, by-products, or fillers.
Key Nutrients:
- 11 kcal/treat
- Protein: 14.87%
- Fat: 4%
- Crude Fiber: 2%
Best for Pills: Greenies Pill Pockets Canine Real Peanut Butter Flavor Dog Treats
Giving dogs medication is a lot easier with these soft treats from Greenies. Just insert the pill in the center of the treat and pinch the opening to close it. Most dogs will scarf it down with little hesitation. Also available in a tablet size, these treats are made with chicken and peanut butter and have a soft, moldable texture that requires little chewing.
Key Nutrients:
- 10 kcal/treat
- Protein: 16.08%
- Fat: 27.03%
- Crude Fiber: 1%
How We Chose
The products featured here were selected based on a combination of our own hands-on testing and a comprehensive look at customer reviews across a wide variety of retail platforms. We prioritized quality ingredients and nutrition. We’re also guided by the experience of living and playing alongside our own much-loved and strongly opinionated pets, who are never stingy with their feedback.
