Last updated: June 5, 2026 · 9-minute read
What Are the Best Training Treats for Dogs? The Short Answer
The best training treats for dogs are tiny (1–2 kcal each), soft, smelly, and single-ingredient — small enough to eat in one gulp and high-value enough to hold attention. Freeze-dried liver, chicken, or beef tops most trainers' lists, and at Bully Sticks Central we lean on single-ingredient, fully digestible meaty chews broken into pea-sized pieces so dogs stay motivated without blowing past the 10% daily calorie rule.
Key takeaways
- Aim for 1–2 kcal per training treat so a 30-treat session stays under the 10% daily calorie cap.
- Soft and smelly beats crunchy and bland — dogs respond fastest to high-aroma, single-protein rewards.
- Use a 3-tier value system: low-value kibble for easy cues, mid-value for proofing, high-value for new or hard behaviors.
- Single-ingredient treats (liver, beef, chicken) avoid the sugar, glycerin, and artificial flavors that derail focus.
- Break larger BSC chews into thumbnail-sized pieces — one bully stick can fuel a week of training sessions.
How many treats can my dog have during a training session?
Follow the 10% rule: treats should make up no more than 10% of your dog's daily caloric intake. A 50-lb adult dog eating roughly 1,000 kcal a day has a 100-kcal treat budget. If each training treat is 2 kcal, that's 50 reps. Drop to 1 kcal training bites and you double that to 100 reps in a single session without overfeeding.
What treat sizes and calorie counts work for training?
Use this guide to keep training sessions calorie-safe across dog sizes:
| Dog weight | Daily calories | 10% treat budget | Treats per session (at 2 kcal each) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 lbs | ~275 kcal | 27 kcal | ~13 treats |
| 25 lbs | ~575 kcal | 57 kcal | ~28 treats |
| 50 lbs | ~1,000 kcal | 100 kcal | ~50 treats |
| 75 lbs | ~1,375 kcal | 137 kcal | ~68 treats |
| 100 lbs | ~1,700 kcal | 170 kcal | ~85 treats |
What does the low-, mid-, and high-value treat tier system look like?
Trainers reserve the smelliest rewards for the hardest behaviors. Match the treat to the task:
| Value tier | Use for | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Low | Known cues at home, easy reps | Kibble, plain dry biscuits |
| Medium | Proofing cues, mild distractions | Soft training bites, baked liver bits |
| High | New behaviors, high distraction, recall | Freeze-dried liver, small bits of bully stick, cheese, hot dog |
Which BSC chews work as training rewards when broken into small pieces?
Most of our chews are sized for chewing sessions, but several break down beautifully into single-ingredient training bites. Every chew below is single-ingredient, fully digestible, no rawhide, and ethically sourced from grass-fed American and Argentinean farms with a 100% high-quality guarantee:
- 6-Inch Standard Bully Sticks — snip into 1/4-inch nubs for high-value rewards during recall practice.
- Regular Beef Tendons — air-dried and brittle enough to crack into pea-sized pieces.
- Cow Ears for Dogs — tear off thumbnail flakes for medium-value rewards.
- Beef Trachea Tubes — light, crunchy, and easy to break into bite-sized rings.
Browse the full lineup in our natural dog treats and chews collection.
What about soft homemade training treats?
Homemade bites are the cheapest way to get hundreds of high-value rewards. The recipe below uses chicken liver — one of the most reliably high-aroma proteins — and yields around 200 pea-sized training treats.
Homemade Chicken Liver Training Bites Recipe
Yields: ~200 pea-sized treats · Prep: 10 minutes · Cook: 25 minutes · Total: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 lb fresh chicken livers
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup oat flour (or blended rolled oats)
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened plain pumpkin puree (optional, for binding)
- Preheat the oven. Heat to 350°F (175°C) and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Puree the livers. Add chicken livers, egg, and pumpkin to a food processor and blend until completely smooth — about 30 seconds.
- Mix in the oat flour. Pulse in the oat flour a few tablespoons at a time until you have a smooth, pourable batter slightly thicker than pancake mix.
- Spread thin. Pour the batter onto the parchment and spread into a thin, even layer about 1/4 inch thick using a spatula.
- Bake. Bake for 22–25 minutes until the top is firm and edges pull away from the parchment.
- Cut and cool. While still warm, slice into pea-sized squares with a pizza cutter. Cool completely, then store in the fridge for 1 week or freeze in portions for up to 3 months.
Related reading
- Are Organic Dog Treats Worth It? Ingredients, Benefits & Brands
- Best Dental Treats for Dogs with Sensitive Stomachs
Frequently Asked Questions
How small should training treats be?
For most dogs, training treats should be pea-sized — about 1/4 inch — or smaller. Tiny treats let you reward fast and often without overfeeding, and they keep the dog's focus on you rather than on chewing.
Are bully sticks too high in calories for training?
A whole bully stick is too much for one session (around 80–100 kcal for a 6-inch piece), but broken into 1/4-inch nubs each piece is roughly 2–3 kcal — perfect for high-value rewards. Snip them ahead of time with kitchen shears.
Can I use kibble as training treats?
Yes, for known behaviors in low-distraction environments. For new cues, distractions, or recall, use higher-value rewards like freeze-dried liver or BSC single-ingredient chews to outcompete the environment.
How often should I switch treats during training?
Mix it up every few sessions or whenever you see motivation drop. Dogs habituate to a single flavor fast — rotating between two or three high-value options keeps the reward novel and the engagement high.
Are training treats safe for puppies?
Yes, as long as they're small, single-ingredient, and free of xylitol, onion, garlic, and grapes. Stick to soft textures for puppies under 16 weeks and avoid any treat their teeth can't easily break.
What's the difference between soft and crunchy training treats?
Soft treats disappear in one chew, which keeps training reps fast. Crunchy treats take longer to eat and can break the flow of a session — save them for calmer enrichment moments rather than active training.
Can I use human food as training treats?
Plain cooked chicken, small bits of cheese, hot dog slivers, and unsalted boiled liver are all dog-safe and high-value. Avoid anything with salt, garlic, onion, sugar, or artificial sweeteners — xylitol in particular is fatal to dogs.
How do I store homemade training treats?
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to a week, or freeze in single-session portions for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before use.
About the author
Preston Smith is the co-founder of Bully Sticks Central. He started BSC because he couldn't find single-ingredient, fully digestible chews he trusted to give his own dogs — no rawhide, no chemicals, no mystery ingredients. He writes about dog nutrition, safe chews, and the practical side of feeding dogs well. Read more about Preston →
This post was last updated at June 6, 2026 21:30
