Best Dog Treats for Training UK 2026: Top Picks Compared

The best dog treats for training UK dogs respond to are small, soft, and smelly. Forthglade Soft Bites are the best overall pick. Wagg Training Treats are unbeatable under £3. Lily's Kitchen Mini Jerky is the premium choice. Below, we compare all six top brands with prices, pros and cons, plus tips on sizing and timing.

I've lost count of how many bags of training treats I've bought over the years. Some were brilliant. Most were rubbish. A few went straight in the bin because my dog spat them out mid-training, which is about as useful as a chocolate teapot when you're trying to build drive. Finding the best dog training treats UK handlers actually rely on took me longer than I'd like to admit.

If you're training a high-energy dog, especially for something like competitive sports, the trick is matching treat value to task difficulty — and knowing when to use something cheap versus something unmissable.flyball or agility, the treats you use matter. Not because of nutrition or ingredients (though those count), but because of speed. Your dog needs to eat the thing in under two seconds and be ready for the next rep. If they're still chewing when you need them moving, your training rhythm dies. I've watched so many people struggle with this, and I did too for ages. The Royal Kennel Club recommends using high value dog treats for rewarding desired behaviours quickly, and that's basically what this whole guide boils down to.

Here's what I've learned the hard way about choosing training treats for dogs that actually work.

Quick Picks: Best Dog Treats for Training UK

Here are the top picks at a glance. Each one is reviewed in full below with prices, pros and cons.

Best Overall: Forthglade Soft Bites — £3.50-£4 per 90g. Tiny, soft, and strong-smelling; ideal for rapid-fire training.
Best Budget: Wagg Training Treats — £2-£3 per 200g. Cheap and cheerful for bulk sessions, though ingredient list is long.
Best for Puppies: Lily's Kitchen Mini Jerky — £3.70-£4 per 70g. Excellent ingredients and powerful smell for recall work.
Best for Recall: JR Pure Meat Sticks — £4-£5 per 50g. 100% single-source protein; tear into pieces as needed.
Best Natural: T.Forrest Pure Lamb Bites — £3 per 150g. Hypoallergenic with decent size and price.
Best DIY: Cheese or hot dog pieces — under £2 per session. Nuclear-level motivation when nothing else works.

What Makes the Best Dog Training Treats UK

Three things. That's it. Not ten. Not "it depends." Three.

Small. Tiny, actually. Something your dog can swallow whole without breaking stride. If you have to break a treat into pieces before training, it's too big. I cannot be bothered faffing about snapping treats in half at the start line. The best training treats are already bite-sized.

Soft. Hard biscuits take too long to eat. Your dog chews, pauses, swallows, then looks at you. That pause kills momentum, and once it's gone you're basically starting over. Soft dog treats UK handlers prefer tend to be swallowed fast, and they also smell stronger, which matters more than you'd think.

Smelly. This is the secret weapon. A treat that reeks (to a dog) is worth ten that look boring. When you're competing with the smell of the park, other dogs, and whatever fox poo is nearby, you need something that cuts through all of that. I once watched a handler try to recall their dog with a dry biscuit while a dead pigeon lay three metres away. It did not go well.

The best training treats nail all three. The worst miss at least one.

Best Dog Treats for Training UK: Reviews and Comparison

Close-up of soft dog treats in handler's hand

These are the ones that have actually worked for me and other handlers I train with. They're ranked by value, texture, and how quickly a dog will eat them in the heat of a session.

Quick Comparison of UK Training Treat Brands

Forthglade Soft Bites — £3.50-£4 per 90g | Best for everyday training | Pros: tiny, soft, strong smell | Cons: expensive and can crumble in warm weather
Lily's Kitchen Mini Jerky — £3.70-£4 per 70g | Best for high-value recall rewards | Pros: excellent ingredients, powerful smell | Cons: pricey and slightly chewy, so slower to eat
JR Pet Products Pure Meat Sticks — £4-£5 per 50g | Best for dogs with allergies | Pros: 100% single-source protein, very high value | Cons: requires prep time (tear into pieces), stiff in cold weather
T.Forrest Pure Lamb Bites — £3 per 150g | Best for sensitive stomachs | Pros: hypoallergenic, good size, decent price | Cons: drier texture and weaker smell, so less effective outdoors
Wagg Training Treats — £2-£3 per 200g | Best for bulk training on a budget | Pros: cheap, small, soft enough | Cons: long ingredient list, some picky dogs refuse them, dry out quickly once opened
DIY options (cheese, hot dogs, chicken, liver cake) — under £2 per session | Best for maximum motivation | Pros: nuclear-level value, cheap, easy to prep | Cons: messy, need refrigeration, can ruin pockets

That breakdown gives you every option from premium natural treats to budget bulk bags. Match the treat to the job: cheap and cheerful for easy drills, high-value meat or cheese for recalls in distracting environments.

1. Forthglade Soft Bites

Forthglade Soft Bites are probably the most popular training treat among the flyball crowd, and for good reason. They're soft, tiny, and stinky in exactly the right way.

What works: The texture is perfect. You can just grab a handful and feed them one at a time without any prep. They come in little resealable bags that fit in a treat pouch easily. The dogs go absolutely mad for them.

What doesn't: They're not cheap. Around £3.50-£4 per bag, and a bag doesn't last long when you're doing intensive training sessions. They can also crumble a bit in warm weather, leaving your treat pouch looking like the bottom of a crisp bag.

Price: Around £3.50-£4 per 90g bag

Best for: Everyday training and high-reward exercises

2. Lily's Kitchen Mini Jerky

Lily's Kitchen Mini Jerky is the posh option. Real meat with proper ingredients. Dogs love them, and I'll be honest, I've been tempted to try one myself (I haven't).

What works: The smell is ridiculous. You open the bag and every dog within ten metres is suddenly paying attention. They're slightly chewier than Forthglade, which some dogs prefer. Good ingredient list if you care about that sort of thing.

What doesn't: They're expensive at around £3.70-£4 a bag. The chew factor means they take a second or two longer to eat, which isn't ideal for rapid-fire training. I use these for recall rewards rather than building ball drive.

Price: Around £3.70-£4 per 70g bag

Best for: High-value recall rewards, not rapid repetition

3. JR Pet Products Pure Meat Sticks

JR Pure Meat Sticks are 100% single-source protein. Just meat, nothing else. They come as sticks that you tear into pieces yourself.

What works: Dogs that are sensitive to additives or fillers do brilliantly on these. The lamb and the pheasant versions are the ones most people I know go for. You can control the size easily by tearing bigger or smaller pieces. Very high value for most dogs.

What doesn't: You have to tear them up before training, which takes prep time. I'm lazy about this and always end up doing it at the last second standing in the car park. They can be quite stiff straight out the pack, especially in cold weather. Not something you can feed straight from the bag.

Price: Around £4-£5 per 50g stick

Best for: Dogs with allergies, or as a premium recall reward

4. T.Forrest Pure Lamb Bites

T.Forrest Pure Lamb Bites are a good middle ground. Hypoallergenic with reasonable pricing, and most dogs like them.

What works: They're a good size for training without any prep. The lamb flavour is popular with picky dogs. They're one of the better options if your dog has a sensitive stomach or food allergies.

What doesn't: They're a bit drier than Forthglade, so some dogs aren't as fussed. The smell factor is lower, which means they don't compete as well against outdoor distractions. Fine for indoor training, less ideal at the park.

Price: Around £3 per 150g bag

Best for: Dogs with food sensitivities who still need a decent training treat

5. Wagg Training Treats

If you're on a tight budget, Wagg Training Treats are the go-to. Cheap, cheerful, and they do the job.

What works: The price. You can get a massive bag for about £2-£3, which is a fraction of what the posh treats cost. They're small and soft enough for training. Most dogs will take them happily enough.

What doesn't: The ingredient list reads like a chemistry experiment. They're not going to win any health awards. Some picky dogs turn their noses up at them. They also tend to dry out and go hard once the bag is open for a while, so I'd maybe decant them into something airtight.

Price: Around £2-£3 per 200g bag

Best for: Bulk training on a budget, or as everyday treats for less fussy dogs

6. DIY training treats (the secret weapon)

Here's the thing most pro trainers won't tell you on social media: a lot of them use cheese and hot dogs.

Cheese. Mild cheddar, cut into tiny cubes. Irresistible to most dogs. Strong smell, right texture, and cheap. It does get slimy in your pocket though, and I've ruined more than one pair of trousers this way.

Hot dog pieces. Regular hot dogs, microwaved for a minute to dry them out slightly, then chopped into tiny bits. These are nuclear-level high value. If your dog won't recall for hot dog pieces, you've got bigger problems than treat choice.

Cooked chicken. Leftover roast chicken, shredded into small pieces. High value, relatively cheap if you're already cooking chicken, and most dogs go ballistic for it.

Liver cake. Bake liver in the oven, blend it, add egg and flour, bake again. Sounds grim but dogs lose their minds for it. Cheap and you can freeze it in batches. My kitchen stinks for a day afterwards but it's worth it.

When it comes to the best dog training treats UK has to offer, DIY options are seriously underrated. I keep a mix of commercial treats and DIY options in my training bag. The commercial stuff for regular rewards, the cheese and hot dog for when I really need the dog to choose me over whatever they're currently obsessed with. Which, knowing my dog, is usually a pile of fox poo.

When to Use High Value Dog Treats for Training UK

This is where a lot of people go wrong. They use the same treats for everything, then wonder why their dog ignores them in the park. The PDSA has good advice on matching reward value to the situation, and it basically comes down to this.

Use high-value treats when the stakes are high: recall training with distractions, teaching new behaviours the dog finds hard, competitive training where you need maximum motivation, or proofing behaviours in challenging environments.

For stuff your dog already knows, use lower-value treats. Known behaviours in low-distraction settings, everyday sessions, or when you're running low on the good stuff and don't want to run out mid-session.

The trick is to match the reward to the difficulty. If your dog is doing something easy, a Wagg treat is fine. If you're asking them to come back when there's a squirrel, you need the hot dog.

Best Budget Dog Treats UK Under £3 for Training

Training a dog is expensive enough without spending a fortune on treats. Here are the cheapest options that still work:

Dog running towards handler during training

Wagg Training Treats at around £2 for 200g. The budget king.
Pets at Home Own Brand treats. Similar price point to Wagg, slightly different texture. Worth trying if your dog doesn't rate Wagg.
DIY cheese cubes. A block of mild cheddar costs about £2 and makes hundreds of training treats.
DIY hot dog pieces. A pack of cheap hot dogs is under £1 and lasts ages when cut small.

None of these will win organic ingredient awards, but they'll get the job done.

What Professional Handlers Use: Dog Treats for Training UK

I asked around my club and a few others. Here's what actual competitors are feeding:

Most people use a mix. Forthglade for regular training, something high-value like cheese or hot dog for recalls and box work. Some handlers bring several different treats to each session so they can match the value to whatever they're working on, which I think is a bit over the top but fair play if you've got the organisational skills for it.

One thing everyone agreed on: the treat has to be fast to eat. In flyball, your dog has just done a full run in under five seconds. You've got maybe two seconds of their attention before they're off looking for the next ball. If your treat takes longer than that to eat, the moment's gone.

A few handlers mentioned they use tug toys instead of food rewards for actual run training, keeping treats for groundwork and skills sessions. That's a solid approach, especially for dogs with high toy drive.

Final Thoughts on the Best Training Treats for Dogs UK

Training treats are a tool, not a lifestyle. You're not feeding your dog's entire diet through treats, so don't overthink the nutrition side. Training treats for dogs come in all shapes and sizes, but the principle stays the same. Pick something your dog loves, something that's fast to eat, and adjust the value up or down based on what you're asking them to do.

And if your dog isn't food-motivated? That's normal for some dogs. Not every dog works for food. Some need a toy. Others need praise. A few just need you to act like an idiot until they come over to see what's going on. Find what your dog values and use that. The treat is just the vehicle.

Related: If you're just starting out with dog sports and high-energy dogs, check out our guide on getting started.

Best Dog Treats for Training: What to Look For in 2026

Choosing the best dog treats for training comes down to one question: can your dog eat it fast enough to stay in the flow? In this section I will walk you through exactly what to look for when buying treats specifically for training sessions, whether you are working on basic obedience, recall in the park, or high-speed flyball drills. I have updated these picks for 2026 with current UK prices and real availability.

The three rules for training treats

Small: pea-sized or smaller so your dog swallows in one go and resets instantly.
Soft: hard biscuits slow everything down. Soft treats keep momentum.
Smelly: a strong aroma cuts through park distractions and holds your dog's focus.

Treats that fail one of these rules still work for casual reward, but they are not the best dog treats for training. When you are drilling repetitions and need your dog locked in, only the ones that tick all three will do.

Top 3 best dog treats for training in the UK

These are the three I reach for first, depending on the training goal.

Forthglade Soft Bites (£3.50–£4 per 90g). Best all-rounder. Soft, tiny, and strong-smelling. Swallowed in one bite. The go-to choice for flyball sessions and rapid-fire rep work. Only downside is the price and occasional crumbling in warm weather.

Lily's Kitchen Mini Jerky (£3.70–£4 per 70g). Best for high-value recall. The smell is outrageous and the ingredient list is clean. Slightly chewier, so it takes a second longer to eat. I save these for when I really need my dog's attention in a distracting environment.

Wagg Training Treats (£2–£3 per 200g). Best for bulk training on a budget. Soft enough, small enough, and cheap enough that you do not feel guilty feeding fifty in a session. Some picky dogs refuse them, and the ingredient list is longer than the premium options.

Between these three, you can cover almost every training scenario without spending a fortune. For nuclear-level motivation, supplement with cheese cubes or hot dog pieces. More on that below.

How much to spend on training treats

A typical one-hour training session uses between fifty and one hundred treats if each one is small. At that rate, a £3.50 bag of Forthglade lasts about four sessions. A £2 bag of Wagg lasts eight or nine. For most handlers, mixing a premium treat for difficult moments with a budget option for easy drills is the sweet spot. That brings the weekly cost down to about £5–£7 for regular training.

Store-bought vs homemade training treats

Store-bought treats win on convenience. Homemade wins on value and ingredient control. I use store-bought for club sessions because it is faster. At home, I make liver cake in batches and freeze it. A tray of liver cake costs about £3 in ingredients and lasts two weeks. If you have time, homemade is unbeatable. If you do not, stick to the commercial options above. They are still the best dog treats for training in terms of reliability and shelf life.

Treat Size Guide for Dog Training

Size matters more than most people think. A treat that is too big slows your dog down and fills them up fast. One that is too small might not feel rewarding enough. Here is what works in practice.

How big should training treats be?

For most dogs, a training treat should be pea-sized or smaller. In flyball and agility, where speed is everything, I cut treats to about the size of my fingernail clipping. The dog should be able to swallow it in one motion without chewing.

Size by breed and training type

Small breeds and puppies: grain-of-rice size. Tiny mouths need tiny pieces.
Medium breeds: pea-sized. This is the default for most labradors, collies, and spaniels.
Large breeds: blueberry-sized at most. Bigger dogs still do better with smaller treats because they can eat more reps before getting full.
High-speed sports like flyball: fingernail-sized. Swallow and reset in under two seconds.
Scentwork or tracking: slightly larger pieces are fine because the dog is working slower and the treat acts as a bigger reward.

If you find yourself breaking treats in half at the start line, they are too big. Buy smaller ones or cut them before you leave the house.

How many treats per session

A typical twenty-minute training session might involve fifty to eighty rewards, depending on what you are practising. That sounds like a lot, but if each treat is tiny it only adds up to a small handful. For easy foundation skills, use lower-value treats and more of them. For proofing recalls or distractions, use fewer but higher-value pieces.

Reward Timing Tips That Actually Work

Giving the treat at the wrong moment is almost as bad as giving the wrong treat. Timing tells your dog exactly which behaviour earned the reward.

Deliver within one second

Your dog has about one second to connect the behaviour with the reward. After that, they are guessing. In fast sports like flyball, this window feels even shorter. If you are fumbling in your treat pouch while your dog is already looking at the next dog, you have missed it. Keep treats in an open pouch or your pocket, not a zippered bag you need two hands to open.

Use a marker word or clicker

No one can deliver a treat in under a second every time. A marker word, like 'yes' or a clicker sound, bridges the gap. The marker means 'that exact thing you just did is what I am rewarding.' Click or say the word the instant the behaviour happens, then deliver the treat as fast as you can. Most handlers I know use 'yes' because their hands are already full.

Reward position matters

Where you deliver the treat shapes what your dog learns. Reward at your side to reinforce heelwork. Reward in front of you to reinforce recalls. Reward on the ground near a box to reinforce box turns in flyball. If you throw the treat randomly, your dog learns that the reward might come from anywhere, which makes focused training harder.

Switch from continuous to variable reinforcement

When your dog is learning something new, reward every single correct rep. This is continuous reinforcement and it builds the behaviour fast. Once the dog reliably knows the skill, switch to variable reinforcement: reward roughly every second or third rep, then randomly. Dogs trained on variable reinforcement keep working harder and longer because they do not know which rep will pay out. This is why slot machines are addictive, and it is why proofed behaviours hold up under pressure at competitions.

Jackpot for breakthroughs

When your dog nails something difficult for the first time, give them a jackpot: several treats in quick succession, or a bigger piece of something amazing like cheese or hot dog. This makes the moment memorable and increases the chance they will repeat the behaviour willingly next time. I still remember the first time my dog held a steady start-line stay for five seconds: she got an entire cube of cheese and looked at me like I had gone mad.

Training-Specific Treat Recommendations

Not every treat suits every job. Here is how to match the treat to the task, based on what actually happens at our training sessions.

Puppy foundation and socialisation

Use tiny, soft treats that puppies can swallow easily. Forthglade Soft Bites broken into quarters work well. Avoid anything with artificial colouring or strong preservatives. Puppies have sensitive stomachs and you do not want diarrhoea derailing housetraining. Keep sessions short, around five minutes, and reward every small success.

Obedience and manners training

For sit, stay, and loose-lead walking, use mid-value treats your dog likes but does not go absolutely wild for. Wagg Training Treats or similar budget options are fine here because the environment is usually low-distraction. Reward position is key: treat at your side for heelwork, treat on the floor between the paws for stays.

Recall training outdoors

This is where you need the nuclear stuff. Cheese, hot dog, liver cake, or JR Pure Meat Sticks chopped small. The distraction level is high, so the treat has to be worth coming back for. Always reward at your feet when they return, never reach out or grab them, which can make dogs reluctant to come close.

Flyball and agility box work

Speed is everything. Use the smallest, swallow-in-one-go treats you have. Forthglade Soft Bites are the default at most clubs. Reward immediately after the box turn or after a clean run, not back at the handler area. The closer the reward is to the behaviour, the clearer the association. Some handlers use tug toys as the reward for full runs, which builds drive and avoids overfeeding on training days.

Scentwork and tracking

Scentwork dogs are not in a rush. You can use slightly larger, chewier treats because the reward moment is slower anyway. The key is that the treat is kept out of sight until the find is indicated, so it stays novel. Lily's Kitchen Mini Jerky or even a small piece of sausage works here because the dog has time to enjoy it.

Crate and comfort training

For crate training or teaching a dog to settle, smearable treats like peanut butter on a lick mat work better than bite-sized pieces. The licking action calms the dog down and keeps them occupied. Just make sure the peanut butter is xylitol-free. Kongs stuffed with wet food and frozen are also excellent for building positive associations with the crate.

Frequently Asked Questions About Dog Treats for Training UK

What are the best dog training treats UK?

The best UK training treats are small, soft, and smelly enough to hold a dog's attention. Forthglade Soft Bites are the most popular among flyball handlers for everyday use. Lily's Kitchen Mini Jerky is the premium pick. Wagg Training Treats are the best budget choice under £3.

Are soft or hard treats better for dog training?

Soft treats are almost always better for training. They can be swallowed quickly, keeping momentum high. Hard biscuits force dogs to pause and chew, which breaks the rhythm of rapid-fire drills.

Can I use cheese as a training treat?

Yes, and many professional trainers do. Mild cheddar cut into tiny cubes is irresistible to most dogs. Just be aware it gets slimy in your pocket and is high in fat, so use it sparingly.

How many training treats can I give my dog per day?

There is no single number, but treats should not make up more than 10 percent of daily calories. For a typical training session, aim for 20 to 40 small pieces, depending on the dog's size and how many sessions you run. Reduce meal portions on heavy training days to keep weight stable.

What treats do professional dog trainers use in the UK?

Most UK pros use a mix. Forthglade for general obedience, JR Pure Meat Sticks for sensitive dogs, and DIY cheese or hot dog pieces for high-distraction environments or proofing new behaviours.

Are cheap dog treats bad for training?

Not necessarily. Cheap treats like Wagg work fine for easy, low-distraction tasks. The problem is ingredient quality and palatability: some dogs refuse them, and others get an upset stomach. Use cheap treats for easy drills, not for recalls next to a squirrel.

What are the best puppy treats for training?

Puppies need softer, smaller treats because their jaws and stomachs are still developing. Forthglade Soft Bites are gentle enough if broken into tiny pieces. Avoid hard biscuits and anything with a strong artificial smell that might irritate a young digestive system.

Why does timing matter so much when giving dog treats?

Dogs live in the moment. If you deliver the treat three seconds after the behaviour, they might think they are being rewarded for something else entirely. A marker word or clicker buys you a small buffer, but the general rule is: the faster the reward, the faster the learning. This is why flyball handlers obsess over treat size and pouch position. In a sport measured in hundredths of a second, treat delivery has to be instant.

Looking for general treat recommendations? Read our guide to the best dog treats UK for everyday, dental, natural, and long-lasting options.

Related: best dog treats UK — our full guide covering dental chews, long-lasting chews, puppy treats and everyday options.