Treats are one of the most powerful tools in dog training, but only if you use the right ones in the right way. The best training treats are small, healthy and irresistible, letting you reward often without overfeeding. At Innovet, we are big believers in treats that work as hard as your training does, so here is how to choose and use them well.
What makes a great training treat
A good training treat is small, soft enough to eat quickly so you can keep the session moving, and high-value enough that your dog really wants it. Just as important, it should be made from clean, recognisable ingredients, because training means a lot of treats and quality adds up.
Why size and frequency matter
Effective training involves many repetitions and many rewards, so treats need to be tiny. Breaking treats into small pieces lets you reward generously while keeping within the sensible guideline of treats making up no more than around 10% of daily intake. Our guide to how many treats per day explains the maths.
Healthy over hype
Avoid treats loaded with sugar, salt or artificial additives, since these undo the good work of careful feeding. Human-grade, simply made treats are the better choice, and our guide to ingredients to avoid in dog treats shows what to watch for.
Matching treats to the task
Use everyday treats for easy wins and save your highest-value rewards for hard skills or distracting environments. Varying the reward keeps your dog engaged and motivated.
Innovet treats for training
Healthy Reward Bites are made for everyday rewarding, while BoostBites+ offers a protein-rich, high-value option that breaks easily into training-sized pieces. Both are human-grade and Australian-made, and you can see how they fit our wider range in the healthy pet treats guide.
Treating responsibly
On big training days, trim your dog's main meals a little to account for the extra treats, keep fresh water available, and remember that treats complement rather than replace a balanced diet.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best training treats for dogs?
Small, soft, healthy and high-value treats made from clean ingredients, broken into tiny pieces for frequent rewarding.
How many training treats can my dog have?
Keep treats to around 10% of daily intake. Using tiny pieces lets you reward often within that limit.
Can puppies have training treats?
Yes, in suitable small amounts with age-appropriate treats. Check anything new with your vet if unsure.
Any healthy training treat ideas?
Quality, human-grade treats broken small work well. Avoid sugary or artificial options and anything containing xylitol.
Great training runs on great treats. Keep them small, healthy and motivating, account for them in the daily diet, and your dog will be all the keener to learn.
Rewards that make training easy
Healthy Reward Bites are clean, human-grade and made in Australia for everyday training.
Shop Healthy Reward Bites →Human-grade · Australian-made
