The 10 Best Puppy Training Treats for Nutrition—and Motivation

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• Not a substitute for professional veterinary help.

The world is a big and exciting place when you’re a puppy, and there’s a lot to learn. From potty training to household manners and basic obedience, training your puppy is one of the primary responsibilities of a new pet parent. The good news is all you really need for positive reinforcement training is a highly motivating reward (like a tasty treat) and consistent training practices.

The best dog training treats are typically smelly, flavorful, bite-sized snacks. When training puppies, however, you need to consider their size, their nutritional needs, and their sensitive digestion.

Learning what flavors and textures your puppy enjoys—and what recipes their tummy can tolerate—takes time. Fortunately, there are plenty of options to choose from. Besides, it doesn’t hurt to keep several types of puppy treats on hand.

Healthy Training Treats for Puppies: Zuke’s Puppy Naturals Salmon and Chickpea Recipe

Whether you’re teaching your puppy their name or setting the foundation for basic obedience, you’ll need an abundance of healthy, bite-sized treats. Hannah Gilihan, a certified dog trainer at Zoom Room Dog Training, says, “Treats are a wonderful motivator and reward for any sort of desired good behavior.”

Balanced nutrition is essential for growing puppies, and training treats should be a supplement rather than a detriment. Gilihan recommends “using breakfast or dinner as training times so you can feed your puppy their kibble as a treat and use actual treats sparingly.”

This tactic may work best when you first start training. As your puppy learns and grows, however, you may need to upgrade to tastier treats to keep their attention. Zuke’s Mini Naturals are soft and chewy, naturally flavored with salmon and fish oil, and low in calories. Keep a few in your pocket or a treat pouch so they’re always ready for tossing.

With salmon as the main ingredient, these treats provide a healthy blend of muscle-building protein and energy-rich fat. Menhaden fish oil provides supplementary DHA and EPA to support healthy brain and eye development.

Key Takeaways:

• 3.5 calories per treat
• Texture: soft, chewy
• Available in 4.96-ounce bags
• Store in a cool, dry place unopened for up to six months; use within one month after opening

Ingredients: Salmon, Peas, Chickpeas, Potatoes, Vegetable Glycerin, Flaxseed, Flaxseed Meal, Gelatin, Menhaden Fish Oil, Honey, Salt, Calcium Lactate, Vinegar, Citric Acid, Lactic Acid, Natural Flavor, Zinc Proteinate, Sunflower Lecithin, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Rosemary Extract

High-Value Training Treats: Full Moon All-Natural Human-Grade Beef Bites

“When looking for training treats for puppies, just like older dogs,” Gilihan recommends, “you should be looking at the low to high value scale.” Low-value treats are the ones your puppy likes but doesn’t necessarily go wild for. High-value treats have a smell, taste, and texture your puppy can’t resist.

Always keep treats of different values around, and remember that the value scale is different for every puppy. “Your puppy may be incredibly attentive when using a chewy peanut butter treat,” says Gilihan, “but may look the other way when offered a freeze-dried fish treat.”

With their soft, squishy texture and strong meaty aroma, these Full Moon Savory Bites should perk up your puppy’s ears. They’re made with a protein-rich combination of beef, turkey, and chicken while a touch of hickory-smoke flavor ups the ante on aroma. These treats clock in at just two calories each.

Key Takeaways:

• 2 calories per treat
• Texture: soft
• Available in 14-ounce bags
• Store in a cool, dry place unopened for up to six months; use within one month after opening

Ingredients: Beef, Turkey, Chicken, Organic Cane Sugar, Cassava Root, Salt, Ground Celery, Vinegar, Citric Acid (a Natural Preservative), Paprika, Hickory Smoke Flavor, Rosemary Extract

Best Soft Training Treats for Puppies: Wellness Soft Puppy Bites Lamb & Salmon Recipe

Stinky treats are the most likely to get your puppy’s attention, but don’t neglect the importance of texture. “It’s important to consider your puppy’s teeth, which are still coming in,” says Gilihan. She recommends treats with an airy, chewy texture over super hard, tough treats.

Soft and squishy, these Soft Puppy Bites from Wellness are easy for puppies to chew. Their tender texture also makes them simple to break into smaller pieces, if needed.

Formulated with lamb and salmon as the main ingredients, these treats have a unique flavor. They also have some of the smoky flavor seen in the previous pick. What makes these treats particularly beneficial for puppies is the natural DHA from the salmon. Wholesome fruits and veggies like carrots, blueberries, and sweet potatoes also provide essential nutrients.

Key Takeaways:

• About 4 calories per treat
• Texture: soft, chewy
• Available in 3- and 8-ounce bags
• Store in a cool, dry place unopened for up to six months; use within one month after opening

Ingredients: Lamb, Salmon, Chickpeas, Ground Potatoes, Vegetable Glycerin, Guar Gum, Carrots, Cane Molasses, Salt, Natural Smoke Flavor, Blueberries, Garlic Powder, Flaxseed, Phosphoric Acid, Sweet Potatoes, Apples, Sorbic Acid (a preservative), Mixed Tocopherols added to preserve freshness, Rosemary Extract, Green Tea Extract, Spearmint Extract

Hard and Crunchy Puppy Training Treats: Cloud Star Crunchy Tricky Trainers Cheddar Flavor

Though soft treats tend to be stinkier (and therefore more immediately enticing), some puppies love a good crunch. Crunchy dog treats may also be less meaty, so Gilihan recommends them as low- or mid-value puppy training treats. She cautions pet parents to choose a treat appropriately sized for puppies that isn’t too difficult to chew.

These Cloud Star Crunchy Tricky Trainers aren’t so dry that they crumble to pieces, but they’re harder in texture than the previous pick. Flavored with cheddar cheese, they’re also unique in flavor. In fact, these treats don’t contain any meat ingredients—this could be a benefit for puppies with allergies to certain proteins.

At about two and a half calories each, these treats are bite-sized for most puppies. They’re also easy to toss when teaching holds or distance commands. Because they’re drier and less meaty than soft treats, these Crunchy Tricky Trainers may travel more easily as well.

Key Takeaways:

• 2 calories per treat
• Texture: hard, crunchy
• Available in 8-ounce bags
• Store in a cool, dry place unopened for up to six months; use within one month after opening

Ingredients: Dried Cheddar Cheese, Pearled Barley, Oat Flour, Oat Fiber, Canola Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Salt

Best Low-Calorie Puppy Training Treats: Pupford Beef Liver Training Freeze-Dried Treats

While you can certainly use your puppy’s regular food as training rewards if you’re concerned about overfeeding, a nutritious low-calorie treat may offer higher value. Gilihan recommends single-ingredient treats like freeze-dried meat or liver.

Made with nothing more than beef liver, beef heart, and natural antioxidants (as a preservative), these Pupford treats are simple but appealing. At less than one calorie each, they’re ideal for long training sessions and they have just the right amount of crunch. Choose from five flavors including beef, chicken, rabbit, salmon, and sweet potato.

Unlike many freeze-dried dog food products, these treats are not raw—this may make them a safer choice for puppies and dogs with compromised immunity.

For puppies with sensitive stomachs or food allergies, Gilihan suggests “single ingredient protein treats are the best option you can purchase.” With no additives or additional flavors, these Pupford treats should be gentle on your puppy’s stomach.

Key Takeaways:

• Less than 1 calorie per treat
• Texture: crunchy
• Available in 2- and 4-ounce bags
• Store in a cool, dry place unopened for up to one year; use within one month after opening

Ingredients: Freeze Dried Beef Liver, Beef Heart, Mixed Tocopherols (Natural Antioxidant)

Best Puppy Training Treats for Small Dogs: Get Naked Biteables

While healthy puppies of all breeds have similar nutritional needs, there are some things to keep in mind. Small breed puppies achieve their mature size more quickly than large breeds. So balanced nutrition is essential during the first few months.

Small breed dogs also tend to struggle with constipation, while larger breeds often experience loose stools. Including probiotics (beneficial bacteria) and prebiotics (fiber sources that fuel the bacteria) in your small-breed puppy’s diet may support regular digestion and overall health.

These Biteables treats feature chicken as the primary ingredient, with sweet potatoes as a whole-food source of essential nutrients. They’re small and soft enough for puppies and contain about three calories each. Most notably, they are fortified with bovine colostrum, probiotics, and prebiotic tapioca starch to promote healthy digestion.

Key Takeaways:

• 3 calories per treat
• Texture: soft, chewy
• Available in 6-ounce bags
• Store in a cool, dry place unopened for up to six months; use within one month after opening

Ingredients: Chicken, Vegetable Glycerin, Water, Sweet Potatoes, Tapioca Starch, Bovine Colostrum, Natural Chicken Flavors, Citric Acid, Phosphoric Acid, Mixed Tocopherols, Dried Bacillus Coagulans Fermentation Product

Best Puppy Training Treats for Large Breeds: PureBites Mini Trainers Freeze-Dried Raw Chicken

All puppies require a higher concentration of calories per pound of body weight than adult dogs. Especially for large-breed puppies, however, it’s important to control the rate of growth. Rapid growth in large-breed puppies may increase the risk for skeletal problems later in life.

Large-breed puppy foods strike the optimal balance of energy and calcium to ensure healthy growth. When shopping for training treats for large-breed puppies, avoid formulas that might put your puppy’s energy and calcium intake out of balance.

These PureBites freeze-dried treats contain a single ingredient: chicken breast. At about two calories per treat, they won’t throw your dog’s calorie intake out of proportion. They’re smaller than the original PureBites recipe as well—which makes them ideal for puppies—and they have a crunchy texture.

Key Takeaways:

• 2 calories per treat
• Texture: crunchy
• Available in 2.1-ounce bags
• Store in a cool, dry place unopened for up to one year; use within one month after opening

Ingredients: Chicken Breast

Best Long-Lasting Training Reward: N-Bone Puppy Teething Sticks

Dental treats and chews can be beneficial for your puppy’s teeth as they start to grow in. That said, they may not be the most efficient training reward. “You want to provide your puppy with some immediate gratification for performing the behavior you asked,” says Gilihan.

While small, bite-sized treats are ideal for training sessions, Gilihan says “you can absolutely give your puppy a longer-lasting chew later in the day after your training time.” These teething sticks from N-Bone are a puppy-safe choice. They’re also moderate in calories.

Each N-Bone puppy teething stick contains just 14 calories. For bigger breeds, there’s also a large-breed version available. They’re made with an easily digestible blend of rice flour, gelatin, and oat fiber. Chicken and fish oil are the primary sources of flavor in this recipe. The fish oil also provides a natural source of DHA.

Key Takeaways:

• 14 calories per treat
• Texture: chewy
• Available in 3.74-ounce bags
• Store in a cool, dry place unopened for up to six months; use within one month after opening

Ingredients: Rice Flour, Vegetable Glycerin, Gelatin, Water, Natural Chicken Flavor, Oat Fiber, Chicken, Fish Oil (Source Of DHA), Brewers Dried Yeast, Citric Acid (A Preservative)

Best Puppy Treat for Potty Training: Vital Essentials Chicken Hearts Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Treats

Consistency is the key to potty training a new puppy. First, you need to provide your puppy with ample opportunities to do their business outside. Second, you want to affirm them for doing so. That’s where a special treat comes in handy.

Each time your puppy goes in the appropriate place, immediately affirm them with praise and rewards. To get your puppy excited to do their business where you want them to, make it a particularly tasty treat—one they don’t get at any other time. These freeze-dried chicken hearts are a great pick.

Made from American-sourced chicken hearts, these freeze-dried treats contain about 10 calories each. The freeze-dried texture gives them a slightly abrasive texture. This means they may help clean your puppy’s teeth as they chew. Plus, at over 70% protein (measured as dry matter), these treats may give your puppy’s developing muscles a boost.

Key Takeaways:

• 10 calories per treat
• Texture: crunchy
• Available in 3.75-ounce bags
• Store in a cool, dry place unopened for up to one year; use within one month after opening

Ingredients: Chicken Hearts

Best Puppy Treat for Leash Training: Blue Buffalo Blue Bits Savory Salmon

While dry, crunchy treats are good for tossing from a distance, Gilihan suggests a “smelly, flavorful, or incredibly enticing” treat for when you need to hold your puppy’s attention. Whether you’re introducing a leash for the first time or teaching your puppy to heel, they’ll be more inclined to cooperate if you have a high-value treat to offer.

Bring out a bag of these savory salmon-flavored treats along with your puppy’s training leash—it may help them get over any initial fear they experience. When you venture outside together, keep a few of these smelly treats in hand to encourage your puppy to stay by your side. Work on teaching them the “heel” command, while you’re at it!

These Blue Buffalo puppy training treats are bite-sized for smaller mouths. If four calories per treat is too many, the heart shape and tender texture make it a little easier to break them in half. For puppies who don’t enjoy salmon flavor, they also come in beef, chicken, and turkey.

Key Takeaways:

• 4 calories per treat
• Texture: soft, chewy
• Available in 4-ounce bags
• Store in a cool, dry place unopened for up to six months; use within one month after opening

Ingredients: Salmon, Oatmeal, Brown Rice, Cane Sugar, Potatoes, Vegetable Glycerin, Pea Protein, Flaxseed (Source Of Omega 3 & Omega 6 Fatty Acids), Water, Natural Flavor, Salt, Fish Oil (Source Of Dha-Docosahexaenoic Acid), Natural Smoke Flavor, Dried Cultured Milk, Preserved With Lactic Acid And Mixed Tocopherols, Oil Of Rosemary

How We Chose

We selected the puppy training treats featured here based on a combination of our own hands-on testing, comprehensive analysis of customer reviews across a wide variety of retail platforms, and interviews with veterinary experts.

We prioritized treats made with nutritious ingredients, strong flavors, and moderate calorie content—particularly those formulated with the nutritional needs of puppies taken into account. Our picks are also influenced by the experience of living and playing alongside our own much-loved and strongly opinionated pups, who are never stingy with their feedback.

Further Reading

• How To Buy the Right Dog Treats for Your Pup
• The Best Puppy Treats, Period
• Your Complete Guide to Puppy Potty Training
• Crate Training a Puppy? Try Our 7 Simple Tips