If you are welcoming a new puppy to your home, you will need the best treats for puppies. Treats are something pet owners use on a daily basis. Treats can often encourage good behavior and captivate your dog’s curiosity. If used properly, treats can also help a dog work out its frustration, excessive energy, and overcome fear while developing good habits.
If you walk into any pet store, you will find an overwhelming amount of dog treats. There are several types of dog treats and they can vary depending on their purpose. If you want to find some we recommend, see our puppy supply list.
The Best Treats for Puppies
1. Treats for Training
Treats are most commonly used during training. You can incorporate many different types of techniques and methods of training like vocal praise and clicker training, but using treat-based training with these are a great way to let your puppies know they are executing and accomplishing the correct behavior.
2. Treats for Bonding
We love bonding with our dogs, and we often do this by giving them the best treats for puppies. Not every treat needs to be a reward for a specific action, sometimes we just like to spoil them and show our love and affection.
3. Slower Eating Treats
If you are at work and your pup is left home alone, knowing that your furniture will not be destroyed can give some peace of mind. This is where slower eating treats come in handy. You can also use these treats when you have to do your daily chores and you need a treat that can occupy your pup’s time. Slower eating treats are great for relaxation.
4. Treats for Cleaning Teeth
Brushing your dog’s teeth can be a difficult routine to maintain. The best treats for puppies include treats that are designed for this purpose. Just like humans, a dog’s dental hygiene is important if you want to avoid bad breath and dental problems.
5. Treats as Supplements
You can use treats as a way to provide your dog with a specific dietary supplement when treating a condition or if your dog is a picky eater. Treats may be the best way to keep your dog healthy.
The Difference Between a High-value Treat and an Everyday Treat
The best treats for puppies can also be divided into high-value and low-value. So what is the difference between high-value and low-value training treats? Understanding this will help you a lot when it comes to training your pup.
High-value treats are treats that your dog doesn’t get regularly, but absolutely loves, and will do anything to get them. These treats are exciting each and every time. On the other hand, low-value treats are treats that your dog is used to and gets every day for his normal routine. And while your dog will still work for them, he won’t show the same motivation and interest.
You should use a high-value treat when introducing a new behavior, in highly distracting environments like the park or any crowded place, when rewarding your pup for a quick response to a cue, or when it’s aggressive, anxious, or scared.
Examples of high-value and low-value treats:
- High value: sausages or chicken meat, freeze-dried meat, dehydrated meat.
- Low-value: dried dog food, chunks of fruit and vegetable, dog biscuits.
You can even perform a quick experiment, simply put a piece of meat in one hand, and a dog biscuit in the other, and see which one your puppy chooses. In most cases, the pup always goes for the high-value treats first.
Some high-value treats might be a low value treats for some dogs, and vice versa, so you need to decide from the start what kind of treats you are going to present to your pup and identify what your dog considers a low or high value treats so you can reward them appropriately.
Conclusion
Whether you are looking for training treats or regular tasty snacks just to show your puppy how much you adore it, don’t be afraid to test out different brands and flavors to find out the best treats for puppies and which ones your dog will love the most. It’s also a good idea to change it up now and then and surprise your pup with exciting new treats. Soft treats, crunchy treats, homemade treats, it’s best to let your puppy be your guide.
To find out more tips and tricks for your puppy, have a read of our blog posts.