Best Dog Treats UK: Training and Puppy Picks

The best dog treats in the UK are small enough for repeat rewards, easy to digest and exciting enough for the job. For training and puppies, that usually means soft treats your dog can eat quickly. Pet shop shelves are packed with biscuits, meat strips, dental chews and tiny bone-shaped rewards, so this guide compares the useful options rather than every fashionable snack.

For training, I keep coming back to small, soft treats with a decent smell. Puppies need the same basic qualities, but portion size and a settled stomach matter even more. A rich treat that causes an upset tummy is a rotten bargain, however much your puppy loved it at the time.

This UK guide focuses on treats that work for training and puppies, rather than dental sticks or long-lasting chews. Prices are rough UK figures from July 2026 and will move. Check the label, start with a small bag and let your dog vote.

Reward based methods are supported by the PDSA and the Royal Kennel Club. In practice, rewards also make training more enjoyable for both ends of the lead.

Best dog treats UK: quick comparison

For most dogs, Forthglade Training Treats are the best everyday soft option, Barker and Barker Little Trainers suit tiny puppy rewards, JR Pure Training Treats suit harder recall, and plain cooked chicken works as a high-value jackpot. Kibble still earns its place for easy practice at home.

British-made dog treats worth trying

If you want treats made in Britain, Barker & Barker is our first pick for tiny repeat rewards. The company manufactures and packs its treats in its own Dorset factory, and the small pieces suit frequent training reps. Barker & Barker is a paid Flyball Hub sponsor, so the placement above is clearly labelled. We still judge the treats by the job they need to do: they should be small, tidy and easy to feed without stopping the session.

Other British-made options cover different jobs. The Innocent Hound makes air-dried treats in Yorkshire using British meats and sustainably sourced fish, which may suit dogs who need a more substantial reward. Green & Wilds makes small training treats that are baked in the UK. Check the current product label, ingredients and feeding advice before buying, especially for puppies or dogs with allergies.

For a provenance-led list of manufacturers, locations and product-level caveats, see our guide to British-made dog treats.

What makes a good dog treat for training

A training treat is different from a bedtime biscuit. You may feed dozens of pieces in a short session, so each one needs to be tiny. Pea sized is enough for many dogs, and smaller puppies need even less.

Soft texture helps. Your dog can swallow a soft morsel and get straight back to work. A crunchy biscuit can leave them chewing while you stand there holding the lead and forgetting what you meant to practise next.

Smell matters too. I do not need every treat to clear a room, but outdoor training asks more of a reward than sitting in the kitchen. Other dogs, wet grass and whatever died behind the hedge all compete with you.

The final test is rather less glamorous: what happens in your pocket? I avoid treats that melt into grease, shatter into dust or fuse into one sticky brick. A treat pouch should not need archaeology halfway through puppy class.

best puppy treats for early training

Puppies learn all day. Looking at you is worth paying for. So is settling on a mat, letting you touch a paw or choosing not to bite a trouser leg.

That means volume can creep up fast. Use part of your puppy's normal food for easy wins at home if they enjoy it. Save smellier puppy treats for new places, recall and moments when the world is especially distracting.

Choose a product that the maker labels as suitable for your puppy's age. Some treats are sold for dogs over a set age, while others are made for puppies from eight weeks. Read the pack you actually buy because recipes and age guidance can change.

Start with one new treat at a time. Feed a few small pieces, then see how your puppy's stomach responds. If they have allergies, repeated digestive trouble or a veterinary diet, ask your vet before filling the cupboard with new rewards.

the tiny option from Barker and Barker

Barker and Barker Little Trainers are properly small. That makes them handy for name response, clicker work and the endless tiny repetitions that fill a puppy's first few months.

A 250g pouch is often about £11 to £13 in the UK. They cost more per gram than a supermarket biscuit, but you are not tearing every piece into six while an impatient puppy climbs your leg.

They are tidy and easy to carry. The trade-off is reward value. Some dogs adore them; others regard them as acceptable office catering. I would use them for easy work and keep something smellier for hard recalls.

soft training treats from Forthglade

Forthglade Training Treats have a soft texture that is easy to break into smaller pieces. A 90g bag commonly costs around £2.45 to £3.50.

These are a sensible middle ground. They smell interesting without making your hands unbearable, and they are quick to eat. Forthglade lists its chicken and liver training bites for dogs aged two months and over, but check the pack in case the recipe changes.

The pieces can crumble in a packed kit bag. I tip a handful into a little tub rather than carrying the full packet under a water bottle. It is a boring fix, but it works.

pure meat treats from JR Pet Products

JR Pet Products Pure Training Treats suit dogs that get more interested when real meat appears. Depending on the protein and pack size, expect roughly £4 to £7.

Many recipes use one named meat source, which makes label checking simpler for owners avoiding a particular protein. Simple does not automatically mean suitable for every sensitive dog, though. Your own dog's history matters more than the front of the packet.

I like these for recall and new environments. The smell travels, and that can buy you half a second of attention when a puppy has just discovered pigeons.

cooked chicken

Plain cooked chicken is still one of the best dog treats for difficult training. Cut it into tiny pieces and keep it chilled before use. It is soft, quick to eat and more exciting than most dry biscuits.

The drawbacks are practical. Chicken can go off, it makes fabric pouches unpleasant and it is no fun when forgotten in a coat pocket. Use a washable silicone pouch or a small sealed tub.

Do not add onion, garlic, rich sauces or seasoning. Plain meat is the point. If chicken does not suit your dog, choose another reward rather than trying to persuade their stomach.

your puppy's normal food

Kibble is underrated. It is cheap, already part of the daily diet and perfect for easy practice around the house. Measure some out at the start of the day so you know how much has gone through training.

It will not beat every distraction. That is fine. Reward value should rise with the difficulty of the job. Breakfast can pay for a simple sit in the kitchen; chicken may pay for turning away from another dog.

best dog treats for recall

Recall deserves better wages than an easy sit. Your dog is leaving a smell, a game or another dog to come back to you. Pay according to the choice they made.

For early indoor recalls, soft commercial treats are enough. In the garden, try Forthglade or JR pieces. In a busy park on a long line, I would carry chicken, a little cheese or another reward I already know my dog loves.

Do not make every recall mean that the lead goes on and the fun ends. Call your dog, reward well and release them again when it is safe. Our dog recall training guide explains how to build that pattern without teaching your dog to dodge you.

A jackpot does not need to be one huge chunk. Feed several tiny pieces one after another. The dog gets a longer reward event, while you avoid handing over half a sausage in one gulp.

treats for flyball groundwork

Food can be very useful around flyball even when your dog runs back for a tug. I use treats for calm waiting, start line focus, body awareness and the first quiet pieces of box work.

Fast work needs fast food. A small soft piece lets the dog reset straight away. Large chews break the rhythm and can leave scraps on the training surface, which is not ideal when several excited dogs are sharing the space.

Some high drive dogs barely notice food beside a lane. Do not keep waving chicken under their nose if a tug is what they want. Our flyball tug toy guide covers toy rewards, and the flyball gear guide explains what a beginner needs for club training.

Puppies should not be doing full flyball runs or repetitive jumping. They can still learn useful foundations such as engagement, recall and calm handling. Read when a puppy can start flyball before turning enthusiasm into too much physical work too soon.

how to read a dog treat label

Ignore the pastoral picture on the front for a minute. Turn the packet over and look at what you are feeding.

Check whether the product is described as a complementary food or a complete food. Most treats are complementary, which means they sit alongside the main diet rather than replacing it. Follow the maker's feeding guidance and adjust meals to account for training rewards.

Look for a clear ingredient list and named animal proteins if that matters for your dog. "Chicken" tells you more than a vague animal derivative description. A long ingredient list is not automatically bad, but it makes detective work harder if your dog reacts to something.

Calories per treat are useful when the brand supplies them. Tiny treats are easier to budget than large chews, especially for puppies and small dogs. If no calorie figure appears, keep portions small and factor the treats into the day's food.

Watch the dog as well as the label. Loose stools, itching, vomiting or repeated discomfort are reasons to stop feeding the product and speak to your vet. A good packet cannot overrule the dog in front of you.

treats I would skip for puppy training

Large hard biscuits are poor training tools. They take too long to eat, and breaking them creates sharp crumbs and pocket dust. Keep them as an occasional snack if your dog enjoys them.

Very rich meat or cheese can be useful in tiny amounts, but I would not fill a puppy pouch with it on day one. Rich rewards are easy to overfeed, particularly when every family member is secretly paying the puppy for the same sit.

Dental sticks and long lasting chews have their place, but not during quick repetitions. They end the session. Use them for settling or supervised chewing, following the pack guidance.

I also avoid giant value bags until the dog has tested a smaller pack. Nothing makes a treat less economical than discovering your puppy will not eat it. Dogs are remarkably comfortable with wasting our money.

the treat pouch setup I use

For dry treats, a fabric pouch with a wide opening is fine. For chicken or soft meat, I prefer a washable silicone treat pouch. It rinses clean and does not hold yesterday's smell quite as stubbornly.

Carry two reward levels when you can. Keep everyday pieces in the main pouch and jackpots in a small pot. You can then reward a basic check-in without accidentally spending the chicken reserved for recall.

Take only what you need. On a warm day, fresh food should not sit in a pocket for hours. Throw away leftovers that have been carried around, warmed up and handled repeatedly.

how many puppy treats are too many

There is no useful one-number answer because dogs vary in size, diet and health. The packet feeding guide is a starting point, not a challenge.

Make every piece smaller than you first think. A puppy cares about getting paid more often, not whether each payment looks generous to a human. Several crumbs can support several good choices.

Measure daily food, set aside training portions and keep an eye on body condition. The Royal Kennel Club's obesity advice explains why unnoticed extras matter.

If a puppy gains weight too quickly, has a health condition or needs a special diet, get individual advice from your vet. Internet treat lists cannot see your dog.

Which are the best dog treats in the UK?

For most UK dogs, I would start with Forthglade Training Treats as a soft everyday reward. Barker and Barker Little Trainers are tidier for puppy repetitions, while JR Pure Training Treats or plain cooked chicken offer more value for difficult recall. Use kibble for easy work if your dog enjoys it.

Kibble still belongs in the pouch. Use it for easy wins and save the expensive, smelly stuff for choices that deserve better pay. That simple split keeps training useful without turning every five-minute session into a second dinner.

The best dog treats depend on the dog and the job in front of them. Buy one small pack. Test it at home first, then take it somewhere a little harder. Your dog will give you a more honest review than the packet ever could.

If food is not getting the response you need, try play. Some dogs would trade every biscuit in the shop for ten seconds with a tug, especially once flyball enters the picture.

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