How to Choose the Best Dog Training Treats – Farm To Pet

For the most effective dog training in distracting environments, choose high-value treats like Farm To Pet treat chips that come in a variety of flavors, like beef, chicken, fish, and turkey. Dogs can’t resist the good smell and delicious taste of these human-grade, single-ingredient treats. Pet parents can feel good knowing that they’re giving their dog a treat that is healthy, and with their single ingredients, select treats that are safe for dogs with food allergies. Plus, they’re easy to break apart into smaller pieces for training at home or in class, or if their dog needs to count calories, or is a tinier breed or mix. Better yet, these treats don’t crumble or make a mess. Dog moms and dog dads appreciate treats that can go wherever they take their dog, whether it’s a training class, soccer game, or walk in the park.

The student looked at me with panic in her eyes. “I forgot treats!” she said. 

It was the first dog training class of Obedience 1, where a group of rascally rovers would learn to be polite pups. In my Welcome Letter that I sent before class, I listed essential school supplies. For positive reinforcement training, treats are important to remember, second only to the dog. But not just any treats. I emphasized that they needed to be high value and easy to use. I offered suggestions, like Farm To Pet. Some of the students would soon learn why. 

The training room was full of dogs of every size, from Mama the tiny Chihuahua mix to Sammy the Goldendoodle, all demonstrating different levels of excitement and energy. Ollie the Australian Cattle Dog barked repeatedly, straining at the end of the leash, eager for a job to do. Hershey the Shih Tzu scanned the room with wide eyes, wondering why she couldn’t go visit everybody. One medium mixed breed named Bishop politely laid down on her mat. Or perhaps she was frozen, overwhelmed by all the people and other dogs, plus being in a new place full of fascinating smells and the sounds of dogs barking and people talking. 

Observing the other end of the leash, I saw the dogs’ people trying various strategies to get their pup’s attention. Some students called their dog’s name multiple times or lightly tugged on the leash. Others held out treats or shook the treat bag, calling out in a sing-songy voice, “I have treeeats!” Gator the Yorkipoo’s mom and her friend both sat down on the floor to invite him to come closer. He decided it was more interesting to watch his neighbor, a young black and white Border Collie mix named Rocky who was rolling onto his back for a belly rub.

As we started class and practiced sit, down, and go to place, some students were frustrated that their dog would not respond to their usual cues, or pay attention to them at all. When I come by to observe each individual dog and share training tips, I often hear the common refrain, “But he can do it at home!” 

The first day is always the hardest, which is why I ask students to bring high-value treats to compete with the tough distractions of a new environment, new people, and other dogs. 

“Hey everybody,” I said, “Sammy’s mom forgot treats. Do you mind if I come around and grab a couple treats from all of you?” Of course, everyone said yes or nodded their head in agreement. They began counting out some treats to share. 

Over the many years that I have been teaching, I secretly like when this situation happens because I get to be nosy and see what treats they brought to class. I’ll never forget the first time I saw someone brought Cheerios cereal. No wonder their dog wasn’t interested! And it wasn’t the last time I witnessed dry, cracker-like, tasteless food being used as the dog’s “treat.” 

In most cases, a well-intentioned owner had good reasons to bring cereal or crackers. They were trying to keep their dog from gaining weight eating high calorie treats, or getting an upset stomach from gobbling up rich, ultraprocessed treats. Some dog moms and dads found the choice of treats to be overwhelming. How did they know what the healthiest dog training treats that their dog would still find appealing? They could spend ridiculous amounts of time and money trying a variety of treats and still struggle to find a treat their dog loved in every context. 

Other students went to the opposite extreme, bringing pieces of steak or pork chop from last night’s dinner. The value was definitely high, but try putting some juicy roast beef in your pocket or treat training pouch. Even enclosed in a plastic baggie, it made a mess, and simply wasn’t practical. The time spent cooking the meat and slicing it into chunks for class every week – and for training on days between classes – was not exactly convenient, sustainable, or affordable over the long term. 

Inevitably, in every group class, someone would ask me why their dog even needed treats. “Shouldn’t my dog just listen to me?” said one dog dad. The implication was, I love my dog, and take care of their every need. Is it too much to ask for them to pay attention to me when I ask? Without a bribe? (We’ll discuss the difference between a bribe and a reward in a future article, and why people often use treats incorrectly!) 

My answer is always posed as a question. “When you go to work, do you think you need a paycheck?” No surprise, they always say yes. 

Once I collected treat samples from all the students, I inspected the smorgasbord in my open hand. There were the usual suspects, those dry, cracker-like bits that no doubt tasted awful, and crumbled easily, making a mess and distracting the dog as they cleaned the floor with their tongue. The large pieces of jerky were difficult to tear apart into smaller bites that we need for training. Too big a piece and it takes forever for the dog to chew and swallow. A few heart-shaped, soft treats looked appealing to human eyes, but even I smelled the preservative in them. I could only imagine how that insulted a dog’s superior senses. I want a treat for my own dogs that tempts me to eat it. In fact, the first time I opened a bag of Farm To Pet chicken chips, they smelled so good that my husband picked one out and ate it! 

My treatless student gratefully accepted her classmates’ contributions. Her dog, Sammy, raised his nose, air scenting to find the source of food clutched in her hand. The novelty of these new treats would hold his interest for one class, but it was the perfect moment to talk about treats that would be valued well into the future, by both the dog and pet parent. Farm To Pet beef, chicken, fish or turkey chips provide a variety of flavors and are perfect for training. They’re easy to break apart into small pieces, and deliver to your dog quickly, for multiple repetitions. They don’t crumble on the floor, or make a mess in your pocket. If your dog did something extra special, you can give an entire chip as a jackpot reward. As single-ingredient, human-grade treats, dog moms and dads can feel good that they’re giving their dog healthy rewards for training and let’s admit it, sometimes just for being cute, or keeping us company, and being the best dog ever.