Quick Answer

For most training sessions, choose small, soft, low-calorie treats you can feed in rapid succession without breaking focus or overfeeding. Keep total treats under about 10% of your dog's daily calories, and save crunchy oven-baked biscuits for calm rewards rather than fast-paced repetitions.

Match Texture to the Pace of Your Training

Texture decides how fast you can reward. Soft, chewy bites can be torn or fed whole in under a second, which keeps a training loop tight. Crunchy biscuits take longer to chew, so they suit end-of-session rewards, settle exercises, or a calm moment after a walk. If your dog is easily distracted, a treat that requires extended chewing can break momentum; if your dog gulps soft treats without noticing, a crunchy option can feel more satisfying as a jackpot reward.

Size and Calorie Math That Keeps Training Sustainable

Treats should be small enough to repeat dozens of times per session without filling your dog up. A useful rule: cut or break treats to pea-sized pieces for small dogs and dime-sized for larger dogs. Then subtract those calories from the daily meal rather than adding them on top. Because calorie information is not printed on every treat label, you may need to estimate from the ingredient list and feeding guidance, or choose treats marketed as low-calorie when portion control is the priority.

Read the First Ingredients, Not the Front of the Bag

The ingredient panel tells you what is actually doing the work. A named protein or a single recognizable base as the first ingredient is a practical signal that the treat is built around real food rather than fillers. Look for added superfoods like pumpkin or sweet potato, which appear in several Open Farm recipes, and check whether grains are labeled non-GMO if that matters to you. Probiotics are another label detail worth noticing because they support gut health during periods of frequent rewarding. Avoid treats where sugar, artificial colors, or vague "meat meal" terms lead the list.

Treats vs. Kibble as Rewards

You do not have to use dedicated treats for every repetition. Many trainers mix in a few pieces of the dog's regular kibble for easy behaviors and reserve higher-value treats for distractions or new skills. If you use kibble, weigh it out of the daily meal so you are not double-feeding. Keep one or two distinctly different treats on hand so you can dial value up or down depending on how hard your dog is working.

Decision Rules for Picking a Training Treat

  • Rule 1: Soft beats crunchy for repetition: If you are rewarding the same behavior more than five times in a row, choose a soft, tearable treat. Crunchy biscuits slow the loop and can break focus. Use soft treats for teaching, crunchy treats for proofing and rewards.
  • Rule 2: One treat should be one bite: If your dog chews for more than a few seconds, the treat is too big for training. Break or cut it down before the session starts. Pre-portion treats before you begin so you never pause to prep mid-session.
  • Rule 3: Treats come out of the daily calorie budget: Aim to keep treats at or under about 10% of daily calories. If you are unsure of the calorie count, reduce the main meal slightly on heavy training days. Weigh or measure the day's food and subtract treat calories rather than adding them.
  • Rule 4: Match value to difficulty: Use ordinary kibble or a low-value treat for easy behaviors and save a distinct, higher-value treat for new skills, distractions, or recalls. Keep two value tiers in your pouch and switch as the environment gets harder.

Product Facts That Matter for Training

  • Better Biscuits Peanut Butter & Banana Treats: Made with peanut butter and banana plus superfoods like pumpkin and sweet potato, gently oven-baked for a crunchy texture, packed with probiotics, and made with non-GMO grains, fruit, and vegetables. A crunchy, probiotic-containing biscuit works well as a higher-value reward at the end of a session or as a calm settle treat rather than a rapid-fire training bite.
  • Better Biscuits Turkey & Oatmeal Treats: Turkey and oatmeal recipe with humanely-raised turkey as the first ingredient, combined with pumpkin and sweet potato, gently oven-baked, packed with probiotics, and infused with bone broth. A named protein first plus bone broth makes this a savory, satisfying option for dogs who lose interest in sweeter treats during longer training blocks.
  • Be Good Bites Insect & Wholesome Grain Treats: Bite-sized, soft and chewy treats made with insect-based protein and non-GMO fruits like pumpkin and blueberries, with 30% upcycled ingredients and about 180 treats per bag. The small, soft format is the most practical fit for fast repetition, and the high treat count per bag keeps a training pouch stocked for frequent sessions.

Who These Training Treats Fit

Best for

  • Owners running frequent, fast-paced training sessions who need small soft bites
  • Dogs who need a savory, protein-first reward to stay engaged
  • Households that want a crunchy biscuit as a calm end-of-session reward

Not for

  • Dogs on a veterinarian-prescribed elimination diet without confirming ingredients with their vet
  • Owners who want a single treat to cover every training scenario without adjusting size or value