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We like to reward our dogs at all stages of life, but giving treats to a puppy is one of the most useful tools you can have for training them, socializing, and earning trust.
Puppies learn fast, and one of the best incentives for them to do what we’re trying to teach them is a tasty treat. From eight weeks old, you can start to introduce your puppy to soft treats, but they should only be puppy-sized to help with digestion, easy-chewing for puppy teeth, and avoiding any choking hazards. Most puppy treats on the market are labeled as such to help you identify them.
Try to choose single-ingredient, low-calorie treats to avoid giving your puppy unhealthy additives or too many calories, because trust us, you’ll be dishing out treats a lot to try and teach them how to sit, crate-train, and not wee on the carpet!
You could also try doggy (unsweetened) peanut butter, a small piece of soft fruit, such as pumpkin or apple, or small pieces of plain, lean chicken.
If you’d rather buy them something from the store, here are our recommendations:
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Raised Right - Meat Bites Lamb Liver
These single ingredient treats contain no preservatives or filer ingredients.
Raised Right - Meat Bites Lamb Liver -
Pawstruck - Natural Jerky Treats
These single ingredient treats contain a natural source of chondroitin to support joint health and contain no artificial flavors or preservatives.
Pawstruck - Natural Jerky Treats -
Caledon Farms - Mini Trainers Beef Liver Freeze-Dried
This brand uses high-quality, pure natural beef as a single ingredient in these treats and they have no additives, preservatives or colors.
Caledon Farms - Mini Trainers Beef Liver Freeze-Dried -
The Honest Kitchen - Gourmet Barbecue Chicken Liver & Cheddar Chips
A protein-rich, human-grade treat with chicken as the top two ingredients and cheese added for flavor.
The Honest Kitchen - Gourmet Barbecue Chicken Liver & Cheddar Chips -
The Pets Table - Chicken Grain-Free Air Dried Dog Treats
Gently air-dried and minimally processed to retain nutrients and with no artificial flavors or preservatives.
The Pets Table - Chicken Grain-Free Air Dried Dog Treats
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Wellness CORE - Tiny Trainers Tender Treats Lamb & Apples
These small treats are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, promoting healthy skin and coat for your small pup, and each treat contains only 3 calories.
Wellness CORE - Tiny Trainers Tender Treats Lamb & Apples -
True Acre Foods - Grain Free Mini Training Rewards Duck Recipe
A small dog's mini-training reward, made with duck as the 1st ingredient, and no artificial additives. Only 2 calories per treat.
True Acre Foods - Grain Free Mini Training Rewards Duck Recipe -
Crump’s Naturals - Mini Trainers Beef Treats
These bite-sized, all-natural treats are perfect for training small dogs, and contain no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.
Crump’s Naturals - Mini Trainers Beef Treats
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Whimzees by Wellness - Puppy Natural Dental Treats
These puppy snacks are excellent for supporting your puppy's dental health, containing calcium and also powdered cellulose to polish their teeth. All ingredients are natural.
Whimzees by Wellness - Puppy Natural Dental Treats -
The Honest Kitchen - Ocean Chews Crispy Cod Fish Skins
These snacks will keep your puppy busy chewing while promoting healthy skin and a shiny coat thanks to the single ingredient of 100% cod skin.
The Honest Kitchen - Ocean Chews Crispy Cod Fish Skins -
Open Farm - Oven Baked Treats, Better Biscuits with Peanut Butter & Banana
A gently oven-baked crunchy snack made with non-GMO ingredients, packed with superfoods, and enriched with probiotics to support puppies' gut health.
Open Farm - Oven Baked Treats, Better Biscuits with Peanut Butter & Banana
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Dr. Marty - Red’s Rewards
These treats are healthy snacks containing a rich source of protein and antioxidants. They are made with single-ingredient pork and freeze-dried to preserve all nutrients.
Dr. Marty - Red’s Rewards -
Ollie - Beef & Sweet Potato Jerky Strips
Ollie jerky strips are made with fresh, high-quality whole food and are 100% human-grade. (Please note: These treats are only available with a food subscription)
Ollie - Beef & Sweet Potato Jerky Strips -
Redbarn - Air Dried Chicken Training Treats
These treats are all-natural with no artificial additives and provide high protein for your pup. They are gently air-dried to retain their nutritional value.
Redbarn - Air Dried Chicken Training Treats
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JustFoodForDogs - Just Venison
The simplicity of these treats makes them an ideal natural choice for your dog. They are made with venison, a lean protein, rich in nutrients, and 100% human grade.
JustFoodForDogs - Just Venison -
Badlands Ranch - Superfood Bites 100% Wild Salmon Treats
These treats are made from only one nutritious ingredient: premium freeze-dried raw wild salmon, which is rich in vitamins, minerals, and nutrients to support your puppies overall health. Additionally, these natural treats are low in calories.
Badlands Ranch - Superfood Bites 100% Wild Salmon Treats -
The Honest Kitchen - Chicken & Salmon Meaty Littles
These treats are natural and nutritious, made with non-GMO ingredients, providing healthy protein to support your pup's muscle growth, and contain only two calories per treat.
The Honest Kitchen - Chicken & Salmon Meaty Littles
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Get Naked - Biteables Functional Dog Soft Treats
These treats have a soft and chewy texture, ideal for rewarding your pup. They are fortified with colostrum and probiotics to support your puppy's growth.
Get Naked - Biteables Functional Dog Soft Treats -
PetPlate - Chicken, Apple, Sausage Bites
Soft treats made with organic, single-source protein and nutrient-rich apples - the perfect healthy bite for your pup.
PetPlate - Chicken, Apple, Sausage Bites -
Open Farm - Be Good Bites Wild-Caught Salmon Treats
Wild-caught salmon as the first ingredient, combined with non-GMO fruits and grains, is the perfect soft & chewy treat for your pup.
Open Farm - Be Good Bites Wild-Caught Salmon Treats
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Best Puppy Treats
Best Puppy Treats for Small Breeds
Best Puppy Snacks
Best Healthy Puppy Treats
Best Natural Puppy Treats
Best Soft Puppy Treats
Frequently Asked Questions
When can I start giving my puppy treats?
You can start giving your puppy treats from around eight weeks (which should be when you took them home, if everything was done by the book), but they should be soft and puppy-sized. You can progress this to biscuits and larger, soft chews at around three to four months.
When can I start giving my puppy bigger treats?
From around eight months to 12 months you can safely give your puppy larger treats, even adult-sized treats, as long as they are suitable and do not contain any controversial ingredients. You can see our regular treat recommendations here.
How do you introduce new treats to a puppy?
The short answer is – gradually. To avoid giving your puppy an upset stomach, you should introduce new treats or flavors to them slowly over a period of around five days.Â
Final word
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