Best Puppy Treats for Rewarding Good Boys and Girls: Top 10 Picks


cute puffy dog best puppy treats

*This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

cute puffy dog best puppy treats

Featured Image via Pixabay

If you have recently added a puppy to your family, you may wonder what the best puppy treats are. If this sounds like you, you’re in the right place.

We’ve compiled a list of the ten best puppy treats, including a detailed description of each. Stick around until the end where we name one of them the best of the best puppy treats.

Product

Image 

Rating

Check Price

Stewart Freeze Dried Liver Treats

[amazon fields=”B00SX4V7NE” value=”thumb” image_size=”large”]

[amazon fields=”B00SX4V7NE” value=”button”]

Blue Buffalo Wilderness Trail Treats

[amazon fields=”B00TGJBZO6″ value=”thumb” image_size=”large”]

[amazon fields=”B00SX4V7NE” value=”button”]

Zuke’s Mini Naturals

[amazon fields=”B000H0ZJHW” value=”thumb” image_size=”large”]

[amazon fields=”B000H0ZJHW” value=”button”]

Natural Balance Mini Rewards

[amazon fields=”B00KTCVL2U” value=”thumb” image_size=”large”]

[amazon fields=”B00KTCVL2U” value=”button”]

Wellness Puppy Bites

[amazon fields=”B073WDKSCM” value=”thumb” image_size=”large”]

[amazon fields=”B073WDKSCM” value=”button”]

Rocco & Roxie Gourmet Jerky

[amazon fields=”B00H2ZS5VM” value=”thumb” image_size=”large”]

[amazon fields=”B00H2ZS5VM” value=”button”]

Old Mother Hubbard Crunchy Classic Puppy Biscuits

[amazon fields=”B00063464W” value=”thumb” image_size=”large”]

[amazon fields=”B00063464W” value=”button”]

Fruitables Skinny Minis

[amazon fields=”B00RO9USAM” value=”thumb” image_size=”large”]

[amazon fields=”B00RO9USAM” value=”button”]

Blue Buffalo Puppy Mini Bars

[amazon fields=”B071RRXQKQ” value=”thumb” image_size=”large”]

[amazon fields=”B071RRXQKQ” value=”button”]

Pet Botanics Training Reward

[amazon fields=”B007VGE2X2″ value=”thumb” image_size=”large”]

[amazon fields=”B007VGE2X2″ value=”button”]

How We Reviewed

To compile our list of the best puppy treats, we considered factors including ingredients, health benefits, taste (from a puppy’s perspective), and price. For each entry on our list, we’ll give you a detailed description of the product, pricing information, and a link to purchase for convenience.

sitting white puppy

Image via Pixabay

Overall Price Range

Puppy treats come in packages of many sizes. For simplicity, we calculated the approximate price of each one per 12 ounces of treats. The best puppy treats can be as low as about $3 per 12 ounces and as high as $22 per 12 ounces. 

Differences in price are mostly because of the quality of ingredients, but the brand name is also a factor. Dry or crunchy treats will also be less expensive than their chewy or soft counterparts.

Top 10 Best Puppy Treats 

Stewart Freeze Dried Liver Treats 

Stewart Freeze Dried Treats best puppy treats

Image via Amazon

[amazon box=”B00SX4V7NE”]

Description

First on our list of the best puppy treats is Stewart Freeze Dried Liver Treats, and it’s no wonder they made it on our top-ten list. You can feel good about giving these treats to your precious pup as they use a single ingredient with nothing added: pure beef liver. 

Not only are these treats made by a company that’s been pleasing puppy palates for over 44 years, but they are also sourced and produced in the Midwest of the US. All ingredients are USDA-certified and human-grade.These treats are especially good for dogs with food sensitivities or allergies, as they are free of everything but a single protein. The resealable tub these treats are packaged in ensures freshness until the very last treat.

While the beef liver seems to be wildly popular, you can also get turkey liver, duck liver, lamb liver, and chicken liver.

Quality

Check Price

Rating

$$

Blue Buffalo Wilderness Trail Treats

Blue Buffalo Wilderness best puppy treats

Image via Amazon

[amazon box=”B00TGJBZO6″]

Description

Next on our list of the best puppy treats comes from Blue Buffalo Wilderness; a well-known name to pet owners. These semi-moist treats come in salmon, chicken, and duck flavors and are made in the USA with real meat.

Puppies with sensitive tummies will appreciate the absence of grains, poultry by-products, corn, soy, and artificial preservatives, colors, and flavors.

Quality

Check Price

Rating

$$

Zuke’s Mini Naturals

Zuke's Natural Training Dog Treats best puppy treats

Image via Amazon

[amazon box=”B000H0ZJHW”]

Description

These treats from Zuke’s are one of the best puppy treats for training due to their small size and the fact that each treat contains three calories or less.

Choose from recipes including Chicken, Duck, Peanut Butter and Oats, Pork, Rabbit, and Salmon. The first ingredient for each recipe is the same as the flavor. All recipes include wholefood cherries and savory herbs.

Quality

Check Price

Rating

$$

Natural Balance Mini Rewards

Natural Balance Mini Rewards Dog Treats best puppy treats

Image via Amazon

[amazon box=”B00KTCVL2U”]

Description

Natural Balance is one of the best puppy treats for giving pet-owners peace of mind. Natural Balance does nine safety tests on every batch of food and treats to ensure freshness and quality.

The testing is performed by qualified microbiologists and chemists, and the testing results are published on their website.

These treats are another great option for training, coming in a tiny size and containing less than 5 calories per treat. Flavors come in chicken, duck, and lamb, and the protein is the first ingredient in each recipe.

These treats are free of corn and wheat and do not use artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. You can give your puppy these treats up through their senior years as they are suitable for all stages of life as well as for all breeds.

Quality

Check Price

Rating

$

Wellness Puppy Bites

Wellness Puppy Bites Natural Grain Free Puppy best puppy treats

Image via Amazon

[amazon box=”B073WDKSCM”]

Description

Wellness Puppy Bites are yet another miniature treat ideal for training your puppy. Grain-free and made from all-natural ingredients, these treats come in soft or crunchy texture; you can choose from Lamb & Salmon or Crunchy Chicken & Carrots.

These treats made our list of the best puppy treats because they provide a natural source of DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid).

DHA is a natural omega-3 fatty acid that is important to the development of your puppy’s brain and nervous system. Wellness Puppy Bites are free of meat by-products, corn, wheat, dairy, artificial colors, and artificial flavors.

Quality

Check Price

Rating

$$

Rocco & Roxie Gourmet Jerky

Rocco & Roxie Gourmet Jerky Dog Treats

Image via Amazon

[amazon box=”B00H2ZS5VM”]

Description

These treats from Rocco & Roxie come in the form of 6-inch beef, chicken, or turkey jerky sticks that can be broken into smaller pieces for training. Your puppy will love these jerky sticks that are lovingly smoked for 10 hours, resulting in a taste and texture dogs go crazy for.

These treats are free of artificial flavoring and colors and do not contain fillers commonly used in dog food and treats such as corn, soy, and gluten. Rocco & Roxie are so confident that your pooch will love their jerky sticks that they will refund your money if your dog doesn’t go crazy for them.

Quality

Check Price

Rating

$$

Old Mother Hubbard Crunchy Classic Puppy Biscuits

Old Mother Hubbard Crunchy Classic Natural Dog Treats

Image via Amazon

[amazon box=”B00063464W”]

Description

These crunchy biscuits made specifically for puppies may be the best puppy treat for budget-minded pet owners, as they come at an extremely affordable price.

These puppy-specific biscuits come in a chicken flavor and contain added vitamins and minerals important to the growth and development of puppies.

Use these biscuits as traditional treats or as a training tool. Old Mother Hubbard has been pleasing dogs old and young for over 90 years, and their products are made in North America. Old Mother Hubbard boasts only natural ingredients with no artificial preservatives.

Quality

Check Price

Rating

$

Fruitables Skinny Minis

Fruitables Skinny Minis 12 Ounce Apple

Image via Amazon

[amazon box=”B00RO9USAM”]

Description

Fruitables offers another one of the best puppy treats for training with their small size and low-calorie count.

Made with healthy ingredients including real bacon, sweet potatoes, and apple, the chewy skinny minis will provide your pup with antioxidants, vitamins, and dietary fiber. These treats are baked in a certified organic facility and made in the USA.

Quality

Check Price

Rating

$$

Blue Buffalo Puppy Mini Bars

Blue Buffalo Puppy Mini Bars

Image via Amazon

[amazon box=”B071RRXQKQ”]

Description

Blue Buffalo has a second entry in our list of the ten best puppy treats in the form of their Banana & Yogurt Mini Bars.

Made specifically for puppies, these treats are a good source of DHA, essential to your pup’s cognitive development, as well as Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids to promote healthy skin and coat. These treats contain banana, yogurt, carrots, oatmeal, flaxseed, and barley.

Quality

Check Price

Rating

$$

Pet Botanics Training Reward

Pet Botanics Training Reward

Image via Amazon

[amazon box=”B007VGE2X2″]

Description

The last on our list of the best puppy treats are training treats from Pet Botanics. These treats are small and low-calorie, so you can use them often in training without having to worry about your pup’s health.

Choose from salmon, bacon, beef, chicken, or duck and bacon. Regardless of your flavor choice, the first ingredient will always be meat or poultry, and you can count on the treats to be chock-full of vitamins and minerals.

Quality

Check Price

Rating

$

Best Puppy Treats FAQs

Before we move on to our list of the best puppy treats, we’ll take a moment to answer some frequently asked questions on the subject. The answers to these questions will help guide you on your quest to find the best treats.

sitting cute golden puppy

Image via Pixabay

1. How Long Does the Puppy Phase Last?

Dogs are considered puppies for the first year of their life. So if your pooch is under twelve months, puppy treats are appropriate to purchase. Some treats featured on our list are appropriate for dogs of all ages, including puppies.

2. What Do I Look for When Choosing Puppy Treats?

The best puppy treats will use all-natural and healthy ingredients. For puppies, it is ideal for treats to be small and low in calories.

This allows you to administer the treats several times a day for training purposes without worrying that you’re overdoing it. It is also important to find treats that your puppy loves; otherwise, they won’t be much of a motivator in training.

3. What Ingredients Should I Look for?

First, we’ll tell you what ingredients you don’t want: choose a formula free from artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives.

You also want to avoid common fillers such as grains, meat and poultry by-products, corn, and soy. The first ingredient listed should be the protein, and, ideally, there won’t be a long list of ingredients to follow. The shorter the list of ingredients, the better. 

Treats that are a source of DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) are also desirable for puppies, as DHA is important to your puppy’s brain and nervous system development.

4. Where Can I Buy Puppy Treats?

You can buy puppy treats in many places including pet supply stores, grocery stores, and big-box stores. Puppy treats can also be purchased from online retailers, such as Amazon.com.

The Verdict

So now that we have gone over our list of the best puppy treats, which one is the best of the best? We give that title to Wellness Puppy bites. They come in a softy or crunchy texture to suit your puppy’s preference and are available in Lamb & Salmon or Crunchy Chicken & Carrots.

More importantly, they are made from all-natural ingredients and provide a natural source of DHA, which is essential to your puppy’s development.

Free of meat by-products, corn, wheat, dairy, and artificial colors and flavors, these treats come in the perfect size for training your puppy. The cherry on top is that they come at a mid-range price.

brown puppy

Image via Pixabay

Honorable Mention

We want to give Rocco & Roxie Gourmet Jerky an honorable mention for providing healthy treats dogs can’t get enough of.

If your dog doesn’t go nuts over their jerky, they’ll refund your money; but it is unlikely your puppy will seem dispassionate about jerky that has been smoked for 10 hours! 

Budget-Friendly

If you’re on a tight budget, Old Mother Hubbard’s Puppy Biscuits will provide your fur-baby with a wholesome and tasty treat at a very affordable price.

You can also feel confident knowing your puppy treats were made by a company that’s been in the dog-treat game for nearly 100 years.

Regardless of our suggestions, the most important critics of the best puppy treats are four-legged and covered in fur. Finding a treat your puppy loves will make it useful in training, because the more your pup likes the treats, the more of a motivator those treats will be.

The best puppy treats will not only be obsession-worthy to your puppy but also made from healthy, natural ingredients.

Recent Posts