10 Best Puppy Training Treats UK 2022 | Lily's Kitchen, Wagg and More

For those after a quick look, here is our Top 5:

1. Lily's Kitchen - Dog Puppy Chicken and Salmon Nibbles for £20.00
   
2. Barker & Barker - Little Liver Dog Training Treats for £12.99
   
3. Wagg - Puppy & Junior Meaty Bites for £6.93
   
4. Pet Munchies - 100% Natural Dog Treats for £1.55
   
5. Pooch & Mutt - Calm & Relaxed Mini-Bone Dog Treats for £15.99
   

1. Look After Your Puppy's Weight With Treats Under 10% Fat
   
2. Do Not Feed Your Puppy Treats That Will Exceed 10% of Daily Calorie Intake
   
3. Opt for a Variation of High-Value Rewards and Basic Kibble
   
4. Pay Attention to Size and Age Recommendations
   
5. Look For Treats Free From Allergens if Your Puppy Has a Sensitive Stomach
   

Many dog treats are high in fat, and while these are fine as an occasional reward, they aren't suitable for use during training. These high-fat nibbles are best reserved for specific times when you're extra proud of your pup, or when you feel that they deserve something a little special.

When looking for treats for training you want to make sure that the fat content is low as you may be feeding them to your dog multiple times a day. In general, the lower the better, but as a rule of thumb, training treats should be below 10% fat.

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When it comes to training, especially in the first few weeks of getting your puppy home, treats are the key to success! Positive reinforcement goes a long way in making your dog behave the way you want them to.

 
That said, as with fat content, a high-calorie intake will most likely result in an overweight puppy.  As a general guideline, treats should count towards a maximum of 10% of your puppies daily calories, with the total amount dependable on your dog's size. 

For example, if your puppy should be eating 350 calories a day, 35 of that can be with treats. If you're giving your dog 10 treats a day, that means they need to contain a maximum of 3.5 calories each. Remember, you can break treats up into smaller amounts, so be sure to check the calorie count of the bag!

While puppies tend not to discriminate too much when it comes to food, you should try to combine high and low value rewards to help keep things interesting, and keep your puppy guessing! When deciding which ones to incorporate into your training regime, it's important to prioritise whole foods, such as grains, meats and vegetables.

Treats with potent smells and flavours such as liver, fish or whole meat are perfect for high-value rewards. These types of treats are jam-packed full of flavour and are primarily used to introduce new techniques and tricks, or during challenging situations and tasks.

On the other hand, basic kibbles that contain more plant-based ingredients such as vegetables and grains are ideal for low-value rewards. These aren't too potent and are less flavourful, but still enjoyable enough to use as a reward for good behaviour. Use low-value treats for reinforcing training techniques or as a reward for doing something that he already knows.

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The final thing you'll need to check is the age restrictions of the treats you buy. If your puppy is older than 16 weeks, they should be able to handle most foods and treats, but if they're younger than that, you will need to be a little more careful.

Puppies under 16 weeks have very sensitive baby teeth and might not be able to handle hard treats straight away. So it is best to use soft treats, which are better for them while their teeth are still growing. Older puppies, on the other hand, should be fine with crunching harder options.

As for how big they should be, training treats for small dogs should only be about the size of a grain of rice, whereas medium dogs can handle those up to the size of a pea. That said, you will rarely find treats of this size, so you will usually need to rip or cut them up into smaller pieces.

You'll need to be extra careful while shopping for treats if your dog has any allergies or intolerances. If you’ve just got them home, then you might not be aware of any just yet, so keep a watchful eye until you’ve tested everything out.

The most common intolerances and allergies in dogs arise from proteins, especially those from dairy products, meat or eggs, milk, soy or gluten (from wheat). You will need to be extra careful of young puppies who are especially prone to sensitivities, as they have only just been weaned off their mother’s milk and still have very delicate tummies.

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This ranking has been compiled by the writing team at mybest UK via careful evaluation of the points made in the buying guide and thorough research of each product and comparing multiple verified customer reviews across the EC sites used.

In the initial stages, only give commands once the action has been performed, gently positioning your dog if needed. Eventually, your dog will begin to perform tricks just by hearing the command alone. Once your puppy has learned what each word means, you can then begin to extend their wait period between performing the command and receiving the reward. This will reinforce their learning and obedience even further. 

Some dogs don't do well with commands alone, so it can sometimes be helpful to associate specific hand gestures with the trick you'd like them to perform. For example, a swirl of the index finger might communicate 'rollover'. 

Most of all, remember to have fun and be patient! Training sessions won't always go your way, but the most important thing is that you are building trust and confidence with your pet. As long as you stay consistent and give them time, your dog will be sitting pretty in no time!

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Written and researched by Roxy Pratley