Small and soft#
Tiny, soft pieces are eaten quickly, which keeps a training session flowing without long pauses for chewing. Aim for treats around the size of a pea for most dogs.
Soft treats also work well for puppies and older dogs with weaker teeth, who might struggle with harder biscuits during a training session.
Clean ingredients#
Choose treats without added sugar, artificial colours or palm oil, and ideally with a short, recognisable ingredient list. Single-ingredient treats, such as plain dried meat, are a good default for dogs with sensitivities.
Rotating two or three treat types can also help keep your dog motivated, since novelty often boosts enthusiasm during longer training sessions.
Count them#
Take treat calories off the daily meal on heavy training days, so overall food intake stays balanced. This matters more than people expect, since frequent small treats add up quickly.
For puppies especially, keep treats to a small proportion of the day's food so their main meals still provide balanced nutrition.