My Favorite Dog Training Treats

“Which treats do you use because my dog loves them!” This is easily my most-asked question as a dog trainer and dog photographer. Lucky for you, I’ve got a list right here of my go-to treats.

What are the best dog treats?

First things first: it’s important to understand what your dog’s needs are when it comes to finding the right combination of treats. The best treats for your dog (full guide coming soon!) will vary depending on flavor and texture preferences, training goals, and allergies. Make sure to do your homework to figure out what your dog likes most.

My favorite dog training treats

Without further ado, let’s get into it! My favorite training treats tick all the boxes to fit into my treat bag: variety. Each of the treats below makes its way into the treat rotation for Oskar in order to keep things fresh. Along with understanding your dog’s preferences, make sure to use a mix of textures, flavors, sizes, and values.

1. Wag Training Treats (Amazon’s brand)

• Flavors: Chicken, Peanut Butter & Banana
• Texture: Soft
• Value: Medium
• Oskar’s rating: 7/10 
• Notes: Pound for pound, these are the most cost-effective treats on this list. They’re soft and a little bit chewy and they’re small but not too small, making them perfect for training.

2. NUTRO Crunchy Dog Treats

• Flavors: Peanut Butter, Apple, Banana, Mixed Berries
• Texture: Crunchy
• Value: Medium
• Oskar’s rating: 6/10
• Notes: A staple as the base in our treat pouch. Nothing more to say!

3. Charlee Bear Crunch

• Flavors: Chicken, Pumpkin & Apple
• Texture: Crunchy
• Value: Low
• Oskar’s rating: 5/10
• Notes: Another staple - these are super crunchy and I quite enjoy listening to Oskar chomp away. They’re very lightweight so they’re hard to toss to him, but they do float which makes them perfect for rewarding while in the ocean!

4. Lil Champs Soft & Moist Dog Treats

• Flavors: Pork
• Texture: Soft
• Value: Medium
• Oskar’s rating: 8/10
• Notes: A top choice for Oskar. The pork is nice and smelly but the treats are on the drier side of chewy so they don’t leave your hands as slimy.

5. Blue Buffalo Wilderness Trail Treats Wild Bits

• Flavors: Chicken, Salmon
• Texture: Chewy
• Value: Medium
• Oskar’s rating: 7/10
• Notes: We have these every day and switch back and forth between the chicken and salmon flavors. Oskar is a really big fan. While they are chewy, they are the chewiest treats on this list which he seems to enjoy.

6. BIXBI Pocket Trainers

• Flavors: Bacon, Chicken, Peanut Butter, Salmon
• Texture: Chewy
• Value: Medium
• Oskar’s rating: 7/10 
• Notes: These treats are fantastic for dogs with allergies. BIXBI’s ingredients are often siloed based on the main ingredient, so you don’t need to worry about chicken being included in the bacon or salmon flavors.

7. Zuke’s Mini Naturals Soft And Chewy Dog Treats

• Flavors: Beef
• Texture: Chewy
• Value: Low
• Oskar’s rating: 5/10 
• Notes: I go back and forth on Zuke’s based on Oskar’s interaction. Sometimes he really loves them, and other times I think he swallows them without tasting them, making them a little lower value.

8. Pet Botanics Training Rewards Treats

• Flavors: Bacon, Beef, Chicken
• Texture: Chewy
• Value: Medium
• Oskar’s rating: 6/10
• Notes: These really tick all the boxes: they’re smelly, chewy, tasty, and small!

9. Milk-Bone MaroSnacks Dog Treats

• Flavors: Beef
• Texture: Crunchy
• Value: High
• Oskar’s rating: 8/10
• Notes: “Markies,” as they’re called in our house, are a nice surprise for Oskar. I only pack a few of these in the pouch and save them for really awesome behaviors he spontaneously offers (like checking in with me instead of chasing a bunny!).

10. Cloud Star Tricky Trainers Treats

• Flavors: Salmon, Liver, Cheddar
• Texture: Crunchy
• Value: Low
• Oskar’s rating: 5/10
• Notes: These are a little tricky to handle, but you can pack so many into the pouch and they’re low-calorie. Even though they small, they seem to be tasty, according to Oskar’s response.

11. Wellness Soft Puppy Bites

• Flavors: Lamb & Salmon
• Texture: Chewy
• Value: Medium
• Oskar’s rating: 7/10 
• Notes: These come in decently sized squares. I typically tear them into pieces to make them a little bit easier for smaller dogs. With Oskar, I like to keep some full-sized to add more variety.

12. Stewart Freeze Dried Dog Treats

• Flavors: Salmon
• Texture: Soft
• Value: High
• Oskar’s rating: 8/10
• Notes: Oskar is a big fan of fish and absolutely loves these. They’re easier to handle than full-fish treats and come in smaller sizes right from the container so I seldom need to break them apart.

13. PLATO Air-Dried Fish Dog Treat

• Flavors: Baltic Herring
• Texture: Chewy
• Value: High
• Oskar’s rating: 100/10 (not a typo!)
• Notes: Other than an entire pizza, this is Oskar’s ultimate treat. I use these when we’re working on new behaviors in challenging situations. For example, he used to find washed-up fish on the beach and roll/play with it (yes, it’s as gross as you’re imagining, hence the training). I used these full-fish treats to promote an alternative behavior. Tip: when you add these in, put them in a separate baggy and only pull them out when you need the extra high-value reward.

14. Kibble

• Flavors: Purina Pro Plan
• Texture: Crunchy
• Value: Low
• Oskar’s rating: 4/10
• Notes: I like to add in some kibble (and then reduce the amount in Oskar’s meals) to keep the calories a bit lower. While he loves his kibble, it’s a super familiar food that he gets all the time, so the value is inherently lower than the rest.

I use a blend of all of the above, depending on my client’s dog’s needs, for all my training and photography sessions as well as my walks with Oskar. To make things easy in the morning I keep all of the treats in airtight glass containers on my counter. Depending on what I have in rotation, I start by filling my washable Stasher bag with the bulkier treats first and then fill it up in descending size order. I use a small portion of each one, and I give the bag a quick shake to mix it all together.

And remember: it’s imperative to ensure you’re feeding a well-balanced vet-approved diet for your dog. When using treats of any caloric value, make sure you’re not under- or over-feeding as you supplement with meals. For more information, start with chatting with your vet.

I’m eager to hear what you think of this list or, better yet, what your dog thinks! ​​