Best Dog Training Treats for Puppies & Adult Dogs (2026)
Quick Comparison: Our Top 5 Picks
| Treat | Best For | Price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 Zuke's Mini Naturals | Overall best | $14 | ★★★★★ |
| 🥈 Blue Buffalo Bits | Runner-up | $13 | ★★★★★ |
| 🥉 Wellness Soft Puppy Bites | Puppies | $4.50 | ★★★★★ |
| Pet Botanics Training Rewards | Budget | $5 | ★★★★★ |
| Crazy Dog Train-Me Bacon | Picky eaters | $9.50 | ★★★★★ |
Table of Contents
- How We Picked
- Best Overall: Zuke's Mini Naturals Chicken
- Runner-Up: Blue Buffalo Bits Chicken
- Best for Puppies: Wellness Soft Puppy Bites
- Best Budget: Pet Botanics Training Rewards
- Best for Picky Eaters: Crazy Dog Train-Me Bacon
- Buying Guide: What Makes a Great Training Treat
- FAQ
- Final Recommendation
How We Picked
We didn't run a training study with a pack of test dogs. This guide compares popular training treats using what the brands publish — calories per treat, size, texture, ingredients — along with AKC guidance on treats and recurring themes in long-term owner reviews. Here's what we weighed:
- ▸ Calories per treat: Training means dozens of rewards, so a couple of calories each matters a lot.
- ▸ Size and texture: Small and soft, so your dog swallows fast and looks back at you for the next cue.
- ▸ Ingredients: Real meat near the top, no artificial colors or preservatives.
- ▸ Smell: Strong-smelling treats work better as high-value rewards for distracted or picky dogs.
- ▸ Value: Cost per treat, not per bag.
Every dog is different. Introduce any new treat slowly, and ask your vet if your dog has allergies or a sensitive stomach.
Zuke's Mini Naturals Chicken Recipe
Training treats tend to fail in predictable ways: they go stale, leave your pockets greasy, or take so long to chew that your dog loses focus. Zuke's Mini Naturals are built to avoid all three, which is why they've been a go-to training treat for years.
They're small and soft, so most dogs swallow one in a second and look back at you for the next cue — exactly what you want. Zuke's lists them at about 2 calories per treat, so even a long session won't wreck your dog's diet. They're made with real chicken plus ingredients like cherries, with no corn, wheat or soy, and they're made in the USA.
They hold their shape in a treat pouch, and the resealable bag helps keep them soft — seal it well, because soft treats dry out. If you're only going to buy one training treat, this is it.
Key Specs
- Calories: About 2 per treat
- Made with: Real chicken
- Size: Small (about pea-sized)
- Bag size: 16 oz
- Made in: USA
Pros
- About 2 calories each
- Soft texture means instant eating, zero downtime
- Real chicken first ingredient, no junk fillers
- No corn, wheat or soy; made in the USA
Cons
- Can dry out if bag isn't sealed properly
- Pricier per ounce than bulk options
Blue Buffalo Blue Bits Chicken Recipe
Blue Buffalo Bits are a very close second. They're soft, moist, bite-sized treats with real chicken as the first ingredient — small enough for rapid-fire training and strong-smelling enough to get a dog's attention.
Because they're so soft, they're a good fit for older dogs with dental issues and for puppies. They're enhanced with DHA, get omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids from flaxseed, and use brown rice and oatmeal rather than corn, wheat or soy. Blue Buffalo also leaves out chicken by-product meals and artificial preservatives.
The trade-off of any soft, moist treat is that it can feel a little greasy in a pouch and stick together in warm weather, so keep the bag sealed. Zuke's gets the top spot mainly for its lower calories and cleaner handling.
Key Specs
- Calories: Check the bag
- First ingredient: Chicken
- Size: Small, soft bites
- Bag size: 19 oz
- Extras: DHA, omega-3 & 6
Pros
- Extra-soft texture — ideal for seniors and puppies
- Real chicken first ingredient
- Contains DHA and omega fatty acids
- Bigger bag size, solid value for the price
Cons
- Soft-moist texture can feel greasy in a pouch
- Treats can stick together in warm weather
Wellness Soft Puppy Bites Lamb & Salmon
Puppy training is its own thing. You need treats that are softer than adult treats (because puppy teeth and jaws are still developing), small enough that a 10-pound fluffball can handle them, and gentle enough on sensitive puppy stomachs that you won't be cleaning up the carpet later. Wellness designed these for exactly that.
They're soft, bite-sized and grain-free, made with lamb and salmon; the salmon adds DHA, which supports brain development in puppies. Wellness lists them at about 6 calories per treat — more than the adult picks here — so break them into smaller pieces for small puppies and long sessions.
They cost more per ounce than our other picks and come in smaller bags. But puppyhood doesn't last forever, and these treats are designed for that window. Once your pup is older, you can switch to Zuke's or Blue Bits.
Key Specs
- Calories: About 6 per treat
- Recipe: Lamb & salmon
- Size: Bite-sized, very soft
- Bag size: 3 oz or 8 oz
- Grain-free: Yes
Pros
- Made for puppies, with added vitamins
- Ultra-soft — easy on developing teeth and jaws
- Contains DHA for brain development
- No corn, wheat or soy
Cons
- About 6 calories each — break them up
- Higher price per ounce than adult treats
Pet Botanics Training Rewards Chicken
Let's do some math. A 20-oz bag of Pet Botanics Training Rewards holds roughly 500 treats, so the cost per treat is tiny. If you're doing daily training sessions — which you should be — this bag lasts weeks. For people with multiple dogs, new puppy owners burning through treats during housetraining, or anyone who just doesn't want to spend $14 on a bag of tiny snacks, this is your answer.
Are they as premium as Zuke's? Not quite. Despite the "chicken" name, they're pork-liver based (with chicken too), so read the label if your dog is sensitive to pork. They're small, soft and about 3 calories each, with no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives, and they're made in the USA — they check the most important boxes for training treats.
If your dog is food-motivated, Pet Botanics is a great deal. If you're working with a picky or low-drive dog, a stronger-smelling treat like the Crazy Dog bacon may work better.
Key Specs
- Calories: About 3 per treat
- Base: Pork liver (plus chicken)
- Size: Small, soft
- Bag size: 20 oz (~500 treats)
- Made in: USA
Pros
- Very low cost per treat
- Low calorie, small size, soft texture
- Massive 500-treat bag lasts weeks
- No artificial flavors, colors or preservatives
Cons
- Ingredient quality a step below premium picks
- Pork-liver based despite the chicken name
Crazy Dog Train-Me! Bacon Flavor
Some dogs are just... difficult. You know the type. They sniff the treat, give you a look that says "really?", and go back to ignoring you. If that's your dog, Crazy Dog Train-Me in bacon flavor is specifically designed to break through that wall of indifference. Crazy Dog builds them on a pork liver base with bacon flavor — the kind of strong smell that gets a distracted dog's attention.
That makes them a good "high-value" reward: save them for difficult commands, new behaviors or distracting places, and use an everyday treat the rest of the time.
They're tiny — Crazy Dog lists them at about 1.5 calories each, with roughly 500 treats in a 10-ounce bag — and they're made without corn, soy or artificial flavors. They're soft but a little crumbly, so expect some residue in your pouch.
Key Specs
- Calories: About 1.5 per treat
- Base: Pork liver (plus chicken)
- Size: Small, slightly crumbly
- Bag size: 10 oz (~500 treats)
- Made without: Corn, soy, artificial flavors
Pros
- Strong bacon flavor for picky dogs
- Only about 1.5 calories per treat
- Low calorie — works for extended training sessions
- Great as a "high-value" reward for tough commands
Cons
- Slightly crumbly — leaves residue in treat pouch
- Ingredient list not as clean as Zuke's
Best Training Treats for Puppies
Puppy training means lots of tiny rewards, so look for treats that are soft (easy on new teeth), small or easy to break, and made with puppies in mind. Our picks:
- Wellness Soft Puppy Bites: grain-free lamb and salmon bites with DHA. Wellness lists them at about 6 calories each, so break them into smaller pieces for small puppies.
- Zuke's Puppy Naturals: soft treats made with DHA and EPA, at about 3 calories each. See them on Amazon →
- Tiny adult treats: very low-calorie adult treats like Zuke's Mini Naturals (about 2 calories) or Crazy Dog Mini Train-Me! (about 1.5) work for puppies too — check the bag's age guidance first.
How many? The AKC's rule of thumb is that treats should make up no more than 10% of a dog's daily calories, and that includes training rewards. On heavy training days, trim your puppy's meals a little, or use part of their regular kibble as rewards.
Introduce one new treat at a time and watch for an upset stomach. If your puppy has diarrhea or seems unwell, stop the treat and call your vet.
Buying Guide: What Makes a Great Training Treat
1. Size: Smaller Is Always Better
A common mistake is using regular treats for training. A Milk-Bone might be a fine snack, but it takes 15 seconds to chew and completely destroys your training rhythm. Training treats should be pea-sized or smaller. Your dog should taste it, swallow, and immediately look back at you for the next cue. Zuke's and Pet Botanics nail this.
2. Soft Beats Crunchy Every Time
Crunchy treats have their place — but not in training. Soft treats are eaten faster, they're easier to break into smaller pieces, and they work for dogs of all ages including puppies with baby teeth and seniors with dental issues. Every treat on our list is soft or semi-soft.
3. Check the Calorie Count
In a single training session, you might give your dog 30–50 treats. If each one is 15 calories, that's 450–750 extra calories. That's an entire extra meal for a small dog. Stick with treats under 5 calories each, and you can train freely without causing weight gain. Just trim their dinner portion a little on heavy training days.
4. Smell Matters More Than Taste
Dogs experience food primarily through smell, not taste. They have about 300 million olfactory receptors compared to our six million. A treat that smells strongly will motivate your dog far more than a bland-smelling one, even if the bland one technically tastes fine. That's why strong-smelling treats like the bacon Train-Me are a good choice for picky dogs.
5. Read the Ingredient List (Yes, Really)
You're going to feed your dog a lot of these treats over months of training. You want real meat as the first ingredient, not "meat by-products" or "chicken meal." Avoid artificial colors (your dog doesn't care what color the treat is), artificial preservatives like BHA/BHT, and propylene glycol. It doesn't need to be organic artisanal hand-crafted nonsense — just real food.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many training treats can I give my dog per day?
A good rule of thumb is that treats should make up no more than 10% of your dog's daily caloric intake. For a 30-lb dog eating about 800 calories a day, that's roughly 80 calories in treats. Zuke's Mini Naturals are about 2 calories each, so 25 of them add up to only about 50 calories. Just reduce their regular meal portions slightly on heavy training days.
What size should training treats be?
Small — pea-sized is ideal. You want your dog to taste the reward and immediately refocus on training, not spend 30 seconds chewing. That's why we favor treats like Zuke's Mini Naturals and Pet Botanics that are already small enough to use whole. Larger treats like biscuits need to be broken up, which is messy and inconsistent.
Can I use training treats for puppies?
Yes, but choose treats formulated for puppies or with simple, gentle ingredients. Wellness Soft Puppy Bites on our list are made for puppies, with DHA from salmon. For adult treats used with puppies, break them into even smaller pieces and watch for any digestive upset during the first few days.
Are grain-free training treats better?
Not necessarily. Unless your dog has a diagnosed grain allergy (which is actually quite rare — most food allergies in dogs are to proteins, not grains), there's no proven benefit to grain-free treats. In fact, the FDA has investigated a potential link between grain-free diets and heart disease in dogs. We recommend choosing treats based on ingredient quality and your dog's specific needs rather than following grain-free marketing.
What are the best training treats for puppies?
Soft, small, low-calorie treats made for puppies. Wellness Soft Puppy Bites (with DHA) and Zuke's Puppy Naturals (DHA and EPA, about 3 calories each) are both good choices. Break treats into pea-sized pieces for small puppies, and keep all treats under about 10% of your puppy's daily calories.
Our Final Recommendation
For most dog owners, Zuke's Mini Naturals is the training treat to buy. The ingredient list is simple, and at about 2 calories each, you can train as long as you want without guilt.
If your dog is a puppy under 6 months, start with Wellness Soft Puppy Bites — they're formulated specifically for that developmental stage. On a tight budget, Pet Botanics Training Rewards gives you about 500 treats in a bag for very little money.
And if your dog is the type who looks at treats and yawns? Pull out the Crazy Dog Train-Me Bacon. A strong-smelling, high-value treat is often what it takes to get a bored dog's attention.