Dog Training Treats

I’m a professional dog trainer. Here’s what I recommend for treats.

Treats are my magic wand.

With them I can install new behaviors and stop old ones. I can reward something as basic as toileting outdoors, or as complex as heeling. They’re practically my stock-in-trade.

But there are so many treat options available! Which ones work best?

Texture: Soft

Softer treats are usually more appealing to dogs than crunchy treats. They’re also faster (and cleaner) to eat, and easier to cut down to size.

Size/Shape: Strips

Almost everything I buy has to be cut smaller so the dogs don’t get too many calories.

Larger pieces (like jerky) are faster to cut than a bunch of small, but not small enough, treats. However, be careful searching for ‘dog jerky treats’ because you might wind up with something very difficult to cut.

If I’m not buying strips, ideally, the pieces are small enough out of the bag that I don’t have to cut them down.