Dog training treats are the foundation of successful reward-based training. Whether you’re teaching a puppy their first “sit” or refining recall with an older dog, the right treats can transform training sessions from frustrating to fun. But with countless options on the market, how do you choose treats that genuinely motivate your dog while supporting their health and wellbeing?
At Company of Animals, we’ve spent over 40 years at the forefront of dog behaviour and training. Founded by Dr Roger Mugford, a world-renowned animal psychologist, and now led by Dr Emily Mugford, Director and veterinary surgeon, our expertise is grounded in science and proven results. Our Pet Centre in Chertsey, Surrey serves thousands of dogs each year through behaviour consultations, training classes, and hands-on rehabilitation work. This deep understanding of how dogs learn has shaped everything we create across our trusted brands, including Coachi – our dedicated training range designed to make learning enjoyable and effective.
The Coachi brand represents our latest innovation in training treats, building on decades of expertise. In 1990, Company of Animals introduced the first micro-reward treat to the market, revolutionising reward-based training. Today, the Coachi Natural Training Treats range continues this legacy with enhanced formulations that combine superior palatability with functional health benefits.
Enriching pets’ lives – devoted to the physical and mental wellbeing of companion animals.
What Are Dog Training Treats and Why Do They Matter?
Dog training treats are small, highly palatable rewards used to reinforce desired behaviours during training sessions. Unlike regular treats or meals, training treats serve a specific purpose: they mark the exact moment your dog does something right, creating a clear association between behaviour and reward.
Training treats work because dogs repeat behaviours that lead to positive outcomes. When your puppy sits politely and receives a tasty morsel within seconds, their brain forms a connection. The next time you ask for a sit, they’re more likely to comply because they remember what happened last time. This is positive reinforcement in action, the cornerstone of modern, science-backed training methods.
The effectiveness of training treats depends on several factors: taste, texture, size, and timing. A treat that takes too long to chew disrupts the training flow. One that’s too large adds unnecessary calories. The ideal training treat is small, soft, and instantly rewarding, keeping your dog engaged and eager to learn.
What Makes the Best Dog Training Treats?
Not all treats are created equal. The best dog training treats combine palatability with practicality, making them irresistible to dogs while being easy for handlers to use during fast-paced training sessions.
Natural and Healthy Ingredients
Natural dog training treats contain recognisable ingredients like meat, vegetables, and herbs rather than artificial colours, flavours, or preservatives. Your dog’s body processes whole-food ingredients more easily, and natural treats typically have fewer additives that might trigger sensitivities or digestive upset.
Quality matters when it comes to training frequency. Since you’ll be using treats repeatedly throughout training sessions, choosing natural options means you’re not flooding your dog’s system with unnecessary chemicals. Natural ingredients also tend to smell and taste better to dogs, increasing motivation.
In 1990, Company of Animals introduced the first micro-reward treat to the market, revolutionising reward-based training. Today, the Coachi Natural Training Treats continue this legacy with enhanced formulations. Made in the UK in a pet-specific factory, Company of Animals works with specialist pet nutritionists to develop these treats, which undergo stringent testing before reaching shelves. All ingredients are natural apart from added vitamins and minerals, which are essential for ensuring nutritionally balanced recipes.
Small Size and Soft Texture
Size matters immensely in training. Each training treat should be small enough to be consumed in a single bite, typically no larger than a pea. This allows you to reward frequently without overfeeding or interrupting the training rhythm. A dog that needs to stop and chew loses focus, breaking the connection between behaviour and reward.
Soft treats work better than crunchy biscuits during training sessions. They’re easier to break into smaller pieces if needed, quicker to eat, and gentler on teeth for puppies or senior dogs. The soft texture means dogs can concentrate on learning rather than spending valuable training time crunching through hard treats.
High Palatability
Training treats must be irresistible. The more your dog wants the treat, the harder they’ll work to earn it. Meat-based treats typically rank highest in palatability, though individual preferences vary. Some dogs will perform backflips for chicken, while others prefer beef or lamb.
Palatability isn’t just about taste – it’s about smell too. Dogs experience the world through their noses, so treats with a strong, appealing aroma capture attention instantly. This is particularly useful when training in distracting environments where you need something powerful enough to compete with interesting smells, other dogs, or wildlife.
The Coachi Dog Natural Training Treats are made with protein-rich fish and nutrient-dense sweet potato, infused with turmeric and ginger. These ingredients provide not only irresistible taste but also health benefits like anti-inflammatory support for joints and essential Omega 3 & 6 fatty acids. They’re grain-free and hypoallergenic, making them gentle on sensitive stomachs.
Low Calorie
Training often involves dozens of treats per session. If each treat is calorific, you’ll quickly exceed your dog’s daily food allowance, leading to weight gain. The best training treats are low in calories, allowing frequent rewarding without compromising your dog’s waistline.
At just 2 calories per treat, you can reward generously. For context, small breeds (under 20 lbs) typically need approximately 40-60 calories per pound daily, medium breeds (20-50 lbs) need 30-40 calories per pound, and large breeds (over 50 lbs) need 20-30 calories per pound. Factors like age, activity level, and whether your dog is spayed or neutered affect individual needs, but these low-calorie treats allow frequent rewarding across all sizes. Simply adjust your dog’s main meal slightly on heavy training days to maintain overall calorie balance.
Health-Supporting Ingredients
Modern training treats go beyond basic nutrition. The best treats incorporate functional ingredients that support your dog’s overall wellbeing while they learn.
The Coachi Dog Natural Training Treats are infused with turmeric and ginger, both known for their anti-inflammatory properties. These ingredients promote joint care, mobility, and physical comfort, particularly beneficial for older dogs or active breeds prone to joint stress. The inclusion of Omega 3 & 6 fatty acids from fish protein supports immune system health and skin condition.
For puppies, the Coachi Puppy Natural Training Treats include prebiotics, which help establish and maintain a healthy gut microbiome. This is crucial during the developmental stage when puppies’ digestive systems are still maturing. A healthy gut supports nutrient absorption, immune function, and overall growth.
All Coachi treats are grain-free and hypoallergenic, created and oven-baked in the UK to lock in nutrition and freshness. The semi-moist texture makes them soft and easy to break into smaller pieces – perfect for quick rewards during training sessions.
Why Choose Natural Training Treats for Dogs?
Natural training treats offer several advantages over their artificial counterparts, benefiting both your dog’s immediate performance and long-term health.
Better for Digestive Health
Dogs with sensitive stomachs often struggle with artificial ingredients, colours, and preservatives. Natural treats reduce the risk of digestive upset, making training more comfortable and successful. A dog dealing with stomach discomfort won’t be focused on learning.
Natural ingredients are easier for dogs to process. Their digestive systems have evolved to handle meat, vegetables, and grains, not synthetic additives. By choosing natural treats, you’re working with your dog’s biology rather than against it.
Increased Motivation
Natural treats simply taste better. The meat, herbs, and wholefood ingredients provide authentic flavours that dogs find irresistible. When treats taste this good, motivation soars. Your dog becomes more engaged, learns faster, and retains information better.
Strong motivation is particularly crucial during challenging training scenarios: teaching recall in open spaces, working through distractions, or addressing behavioural issues. Natural, high-value treats give you the motivational edge needed for success in these situations.
No Artificial Nasties
Avoiding artificial colours, flavours, and preservatives means you’re not exposing your dog to potentially harmful chemicals. Some dogs react to artificial ingredients with hyperactivity, itching, or behavioural changes. Natural treats eliminate this risk.
Transparency matters. With natural treats, you know exactly what your dog is eating. The Coachi range lists all ingredients clearly, with natural components forming the core of each recipe. Only essential vitamins and minerals are added to ensure nutritional balance.
How to Use Training Treats Effectively
Having the right treats is only part of the equation. How and when you use them determines training success.
Timing Is Everything
Reward instantly. The window for effective reinforcement is roughly one to two seconds after the desired behaviour. Any longer and your dog may not connect the reward with the behaviour you’re trying to teach. This is why small, soft treats that can be eaten quickly are essential.
Keep treats easily accessible. A Coachi Treat Pouch clips to your belt or pocket, ensuring treats are always within reach. Fumbling in pockets wastes precious seconds and dilutes the training impact.
Vary Your Rewards
Not every correct behaviour needs the same reward. For easy tasks your dog knows well, a small treat suffices. For challenging new behaviours or breakthrough moments, give a “jackpot” – several treats at once or an especially high-value reward.
Mix up your reinforcement schedule once behaviours are established. Variable reinforcement – where you alternate between treats, verbal praise, and jackpot rewards – actually strengthens behaviours more than predictable rewarding. Always acknowledge correct behaviour in some way, but vary what that reward looks like. Your dog stays motivated because they never know if this repetition will bring a treat or enthusiastic praise.
Combine with Other Tools
Training treats work brilliantly alongside other training equipment. A Coachi Training Clicker provides a consistent sound that marks correct behaviour, followed immediately by a treat. This combination accelerates learning.
For recall training, use a Coachi Training Whistle to call your dog from a distance, rewarding generously when they return. The whistle carries further than your voice, making it ideal for outdoor training.
For recall training in open spaces, a Coachi Training Line gives your dog freedom to explore while maintaining a safe connection. Reward generously with treats when they return to you on cue.
Training Treats for Puppies
Puppies have specific nutritional needs and sensitive digestive systems. Training treats for puppies should reflect these requirements while being appropriate for tiny mouths and developing teeth.
Age-Appropriate Ingredients
Puppies can start having training treats from 8 weeks old. The Coachi Puppy Natural Training Treats are specifically formulated for growing puppies with high-quality ingredients including chicken, sweet potato, pea, and cheese. These provide essential nutrients to support healthy growth and development, while prebiotics promote optimal digestive health by supporting a balanced gut.
These treats are grain-free and hypoallergenic, making them ideal for puppies with sensitive stomachs or food allergies. The formulation is designed to be easily digestible, minimising the risk of allergic reactions while providing wholesome rewards.
Smaller Portions
Puppies need frequent rewarding during training – they’re learning everything from scratch. Using appropriately sized treats prevents overfeeding while maintaining motivation. Break larger treats into even smaller pieces if needed.
Calculate your puppy’s daily treat allowance based on their size and main meal portions. Training treat calories should not exceed 10% of their total daily caloric intake. Adjust meal sizes on heavy training days.
Building Positive Associations
Early training shapes your puppy’s attitude towards learning for life. Make every training session enjoyable. Use treats liberally at this stage – you’re building a foundation of positive associations that will serve you both for years.
Focus on puppy essentials including recall, polite greetings without jumping up, gentle play without biting, leaving household items alone, and learning to settle calmly. Use a Coachi Puppy Training Line for safe recall practice, rewarding every return with a treat. The Coachi Toilet Training Bells can be paired with treats to teach your puppy to signal when they need to go outside.
How Many Treats Are Too Many?
Treat quantity matters. Too few and training stalls; too many and you risk weight gain or reduced motivation.
Daily Allowance Guidelines
There’s no fixed number of treats you should feed daily – it depends on your dog’s age, size, breed, activity level, and overall health. The key principle is that treats should complement, not replace, proper nutrition.
Account for training treats by reducing your dog’s main meal slightly. Weigh their regular food and remove a small portion equivalent to the approximate calorie value of treats used that day. This maintains overall calorie balance.
Adjusting Main Meals
On intensive training days, you might use 50 or more treats. With each Coachi treat at 2 calories, that’s 100 additional calories. For example, a 30 lb dog needing approximately 30-40 calories per pound would require 900-1,200 calories daily – making 100 calories from treats about 8-11% of their daily intake. Reduce their main meal by a proportionate amount on heavy training days.
Keep training treats fresh once opened.Reseal packages properly or use a clip to keep treats at their best. They don’t require refrigeration but should be stored at room temperature away from moisture.
Signs You’re Overfeeding
Watch your dog’s weight and body condition. You should be able to feel their ribs easily without pressing, and they should have a visible waist when viewed from above. If your dog is gaining weight, reduce treat frequency or main meal size.
Some dogs become less motivated if treats are too freely available. If your dog starts refusing treats or seems disinterested during training, you may be overfeeding. Create scarcity by reducing between-training treat giving, keeping them special for learning moments.
Combine with the Right Training Tools
Training treats deliver maximum impact when paired with proper equipment designed for positive reinforcement.
Clicker Training for Precision
A Coachi Training Clicker marks the exact moment your dog performs the desired behaviour with a distinct, consistent sound. This marker signal provides split-second precision that verbal cues can’t match. The click tells your dog ‘yes, that exact action!’ and is followed immediately by a treat, creating a clear learning sequence: behaviour → click (marker) → treat.
Clicker training accelerates learning across all behaviours, from basic obedience to complex tricks. The Coachi WhizzClick combines a clicker with a built-in whistle, making it a versatile tool for multi-faceted training.
Training Lines for Distance Work
Recall is one of the most challenging yet essential commands. A Coachi Training Line (available in 5m and 10m lengths) allows your dog freedom to explore while maintaining a physical connection. When they return on cue, reward immediately with treats.
The Coachi Waterproof Training Line is perfect for wet conditions or water-loving dogs. These lines are essential safety equipment when building reliable recall.
Interactive Toys for Play-Based Training
Not every dog is food-motivated. Some dogs value play above treats. The Coachi Tuggi range, including the Tuggi Spider and Tuggi Helix, can serve as rewards for dogs who prefer interactive games.
The Coachi Chase and Treat toy combines food and play, hiding treats inside a crinkly, chase-worthy toy. This engages dogs who need both mental and physical stimulation.
Training Dummies for Retrieval Work
For breeds with strong retrieval instincts, the Coachi Training Dummy and Coachi Training Dumbbell teach proper fetch behaviours. Reward successful retrieves with treats, building the connection between bringing the dummy back and receiving something delicious.
The Coachi Fetch and Reward takes this further by incorporating treat dispensing into the dummy itself, combining two powerful motivators.
Alternative Rewards
Some dogs can’t have many treats due to dietary restrictions, weight management, or simply because they’re not strongly food-motivated. Others may benefit from treats that serve dual purposes during training.
Calming Treats for Anxious Dogs
For dogs who struggle with anxiety or stress, the Coachi Natural Calming Treats offer a unique solution. Made with turkey, sweet potato, and pea, these treats are infused with L-tryptophan, chamomile, and lavender – natural ingredients known for their calming properties.
L-tryptophan is a naturally occurring amino acid that supports relaxation and helps ease stress. Combined with soothing chamomile and lavender, these treats can help anxious dogs feel more comfortable.
Like all Coachi treats, the Calming Treats are grain-free, hypoallergenic, low in calories (just 2 calories each), and free from artificial colours and preservatives. They’re suitable for dogs from 8 weeks old and can be used daily or as a special night-time treat to promote restful sleep.
Toys as Rewards
Interactive toys satisfy dogs who value play over food. The Coachi Tuggi range provides instant play rewards for correct behaviours. A quick tug game after your dog responds to a command can be just as effective as a treat.
These toys work especially well for high-energy dogs who need physical outlets during training. You’re rewarding good behaviour while also burning excess energy.
Verbal Praise and Affection
Never underestimate the power of enthusiastic praise. Your approval matters deeply to your dog. Some dogs work harder for “Good dog!” delivered with genuine excitement than for any treat.
Combine praise with treats in early training. Gradually, as behaviours become established, you can phase out treats and rely more on verbal reinforcement. The behaviour remains strong because the foundation was built properly.
Conclusion
Dog training treats are powerful tools that transform training from a chore into an enjoyable bonding experience. By choosing natural, high-quality treats from trusted brands like Coachi, you’re investing in your dog’s health, happiness, and learning success.
The key to effective treat use lies in understanding timing, quantity, and variety. Pair treats with the right training equipment – clickers, training lines, and interactive toys – to create a comprehensive training approach grounded in positive reinforcement.
Whether you’re teaching a puppy their first commands or refining advanced skills with an adult dog, the right treats make all the difference. Choose natural ingredients, reward generously at first, and gradually reduce treat frequency as behaviours strengthen.
Ready to transform your dog’s training? Explore the complete Coachi training treats range and discover how Company of Animals’ expert-designed training tools complement reward-based methods. For hands-on guidance, visit the Company of Animals Pet Centre in Chertsey, Surrey, where our expert trainers use these exact principles with thousands of dogs each year.
Training your dog shouldn’t be stressful. With the right treats, the right approach, and a commitment to positive reinforcement, every dog can learn – and enjoy the process.
Browse the full range of Coachi training equipment and discover Company of Animals’ complete portfolio of training solutions today.
FAQs About Dog Training Treats
What makes a good dog training treat?
The best training treats are small, soft, highly palatable, low in calories, and made with natural, healthy ingredients. They should be easy to eat quickly without interrupting training flow and motivating enough to keep your dog engaged and eager to learn.
Can I use training treats for puppies?
Yes, puppies can have training treats from 8 weeks old. Choose puppy-specific formulas like Coachi Puppy Natural Training Treats, which are tailored for growing puppies with ingredients including chicken, sweet potato, pea, and cheese. Enhanced with prebiotics, these treats support optimal digestive health and provide essential nutrients for healthy development.
Are natural dog training treats better?
Natural training treats offer several advantages: they’re easier to digest, free from artificial colours and preservatives, and typically more palatable to dogs. Natural ingredients align with your dog’s evolutionary diet, reducing the risk of sensitivities and digestive upset while increasing motivation.
Do training treats cause weight gain?
Training treats can contribute to weight gain if not managed properly. Each Coachi treat contains just 2 calories, allowing frequent rewarding without excessive calorie intake. The key is adjusting your dog’s main meals to account for training treat calories, ensuring overall daily intake remains appropriate.
Can I use different types of treats?
Absolutely. Using a variety of treats keeps training interesting and allows you to match treat value to task difficulty. Reserve highest-value treats (like meat-based options) for challenging behaviours or distracting environments. Use standard treats for easier, well-established commands.
Are Coachi treats grain-free and hypoallergenic?
Yes, all Coachi Natural Training Treats are grain-free and hypoallergenic, making them ideal for dogs with sensitive stomachs or food allergies. They’re free from artificial colours and preservatives, ensuring they’re gentle on your dog’s digestive system while providing wholesome, easily digestible rewards. The formulations are designed to minimise the risk of allergic reactions, supporting dogs with dietary sensitivities.