While treats make our dogs happy, they also come in handy for training. That said, it’s important to find treats that are high value for your dog; you want them to be super motivated for treats that they love and will do anything for.
Since there are so many dog treats to choose from, we developed reviews of the best ones that your dog should love! The buyer’s guide contains more information that can help you with your decision.
A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2024
The 10 Best High-Value Dog Treats
1. Pupford Training Freeze-Dried Dog Treats — Best Overall
Main ingredients:
Freeze-dried beef liver, beef heart, mixed tocopherols
Protein content:
35%
Fat content:
35%
Calories:
1 kcal/treat
The best overall high-value dog treats are Pupford’s Training Freeze-Dried Dog Treats. These only have three ingredients, which are beef liver, beef heart, and natural antioxidants, so it doesn’t get much more natural than that!
They’re also available in chicken, rabbit, salmon, and sweet potato, so there are many options for picky dogs or dogs with allergies. The treats are freeze-dried in order to retain the nutritional benefits and flavor, and each treat is only about 1 calorie. Plus, they are not smelly or crumbly.
The main issue with these treats is the price, as they are relatively expensive. However, they will likely be less costly for small dogs.
Three natural ingredients
Five flavors available
Freeze-dried to maintain nutrients and flavor
Each treat is 1 calorie
Not smelly or crumbly
2. American Journey Grain-Free Oven Baked Biscuit Dog Treats — Best Value
Main ingredients:
Chickpeas, peas, peanut butter
Protein content:
16%
Fat content:
9%
Calories:
13 kcal/biscuit
American Journey’s Grain-Free Oven Baked Biscuit Dog Treats are the best high-value dog treats for the money. There are eight flavors to choose from: peanut butter, apples and cinnamon, chicken, duck, lamb, salmon, turkey, and sausage, egg, and cheese. This should help with picky dogs, as you can experiment with different flavors.
These crunchy and tasty dog biscuits contain natural ingredients, including chickpeas instead of flour, if your dog has a wheat allergy. They also don’t contain any artificial ingredients or animal by-products.
However, they are hard and crunchy, so they can’t be broken down into smaller pieces for training purposes.
Well-priced
Eight flavors
Uses chickpeas instead of flour
Doesn’t contain artificial ingredients
Can’t be broken down into small pieces for training
3. Pawstruck Junior Beef Gullet Bully Sticks Dog Treats — Premium Choice
Main ingredients:
Beef esophagus
Protein content:
45%
Fat content:
8%
Calories:
12 kcal/stick
Pawstruck’s Junior Beef Gullet Bully Sticks Dog Treats is our pick for premium choice because they are the most natural treats that you can get. They are small slim sticks that are 100% beef esophagus. They are also great for joints because they are a natural source of chondroitin and glucosamine.
The treats are made with grass-fed, free-range beef and are slow-cooked to retain nutrition. These chews can keep your dog’s teeth healthy by removing tartar and plaque.
But they are expensive, and these sticks are fairly small, so they will likely last longer for small dog breeds than large ones.
100% beef esophagus
Contains glucosamine and chondroitin for healthy joins
Made from grass-fed, free-range beef
Slow cooked to retain nutrition
Helps remove tartar and plaque
Expensive
Best for small to medium-sized dogs
4. Wellness Soft Puppy Bites Lamb & Salmon Grain-Free Natural Dog Treats — Best for Puppies
Main ingredients:
Lamb, salmon, chickpeas
Protein content:
15%
Fat content:
12%
Calories:
6 kcal/treat
The Wellness Soft Puppy Bites Lamb & Salmon Grain-Free Natural Dog Treats are excellent treats for puppies. They have been formulated for dogs under 1 year of age and are made with all-natural ingredients. They contain pure protein without any added by-products or artificial ingredients.
Artificial colors or flavors aren’t included, and these treats are a natural source of omega 3 and DHA. The issue is that while they are advertised as soft, they actually have more of a chewy texture, which some puppies might have trouble eating.
Formulated for puppies
Made with all-natural ingredients
Pure protein sources without by-products
No artificial colors or flavors
5. Greenies Regular Dental Dog Treats
Main ingredients:
Wheat flour, glycerin, wheat gluten
Protein content:
30%
Fat content:
5.5%
Calories:
91 kcal/treat
You can try Greenies Regular Dental Dog Treats if you’re looking for something that can do double duty. They are more about cleaning your dog’s teeth than providing treats for training, but that definitely makes these high value in a different way.
They are specifically texturized to clean teeth and remove plaque and tartar in addition to freshening breath. These treats have been accepted by the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC), and they taste great, so most dogs will enjoy eating them.
However, they are expensive, and the ingredients aren’t the greatest (wheat flour and glycerin are at the top of the list).
Cleans dog’s teeth and freshens breath
Accepted by the VOHC
Designed for dogs to love eating them
Expensive
Ingredients aren’t all ideal
6. maxbone Restore Dog Food Topper Supplement
Main ingredients:
Whole salmon, zucchini, dried seaweed meal
Protein content:
53%
Fat content:
24%
Calories:
108 kcal/oz
More of a topper than a treat, maxbone’s Restore Dog Food Topper Supplement will add bonus yummy protein to your dog’s regular food. In fact, this topper is tremendously high in protein, so if you’re at all concerned about your dog getting enough protein, this is a great way to do it.
It can also help senior or sick dogs or even picky eaters to ensure that they are eating enough, and it can help transition them to new food.
This treat has anti-inflammatory properties and offers joint support and omega-3 fatty acids. But it is pricey, and the container doesn’t always have a good seal.
High in protein
Good way to add nutrition to your dog’s diet
Can help sick or senior dogs or picky eaters
Can help transition to a new food
Offers anti-inflammatory and joint support
Pricey
Container could be better
7. Spot Farms Chicken Apple Sausage Dog Treats
Main ingredients:
Chicken, apples, honey
Protein content:
16%
Fat content:
12%
Calories:
28 kcal/treat
Spot Farms’ Chicken Apple Sausage Dog Treats are full of all-natural ingredients, and several other flavors are also available (turkey and cranberries, chicken nuggets, beef tenders, etc.).
The treats do not contain any antibiotics or artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives, and all ingredients are sourced from Kentucky and made in the U.S.A.
But these treats are expensive, and they are a bit hard and might be difficult to break into smaller pieces for training. They might also be difficult for dogs with dental issues to chew.
All-natural ingredients
Available in multiple flavors
No antibiotics
No artificial ingredients
Sourced from and made in the U.S.A
Expensive
Might be a bit challenging for dogs with dental issues
8. Rachel Ray Nutrish Burger Bites Dog Treats
Main ingredients:
Beef, dried potatoes, vegetable glycerin
Protein content:
14%
Fat content:
10%
Calories:
19 kcal/treat
Rachel Ray’s Nutrish Burger Bites Dog Treats are made with beef and bison, though there’s also a turkey recipe. They are soft enough to be broken into smaller pieces and easy for dogs of all sizes to eat.
They are made in the U.S.A. without artificial flavors or meat by-products and are well-priced. Unfortunately, there is added sugar, and some dogs have gotten an upset stomach, leading to diarrhea, after eating these treats.
Made with beef and bison
Can be broken into smaller pieces
No artificial flavors or by-products
Made in the U.S.A.
Affordable
Includes added sugar
Some dogs might have diarrhea
9. Pet Botanics Training Reward Dog Treats
Main ingredients:
Pork liver, pea flour, potatoes
Protein content:
12%
Fat content:
7%
Calories:
3 kcal/treat
Pet Botanics Training Reward Dog Treats offers three flavors: bacon, beef, and chicken. These treats were made quite specifically for training dogs, so each is small and bite sized. The treats contain healthy ingredients like beef liver, sweet potatoes, and blueberries, and you get 500 in one bag!
However, while they contain many healthy ingredients, they also have several not-so-great ingredients, such as sugar and molasses. Also, some pickier dogs don’t love these, and they might give other dogs an upset stomach.
Three flavors
Small treats specifically for training
Includes healthy ingredients
500 treats in one bag
Contains sugar and molasses
Some dogs dislike them
Might give some dogs an upset stomach
10. Zuke’s Mini Naturals Training Dog Treats
Main ingredients:
Peanut butter, rice, oats
Protein content:
10%
Fat content:
6%
Calories:
2 kcal/treat
Zuke’s Mini Naturals Training Dog Treats offers seven flavors to choose from: peanut butter and oats, beef, chicken, duck, pork, rabbit, and salmon. The treats are quite small and just 2 calories, so they’re ideal for training. They are made in the U.S.A. and contain all-natural ingredients.
Unfortunately, these treats contain cane sugar, which is the fifth ingredient, so there’s a fair amount of sugar in these. Additionally, they are supposed to be soft but can sometimes be a bit hard, and some dogs might experience stomach upset.
Seven flavors
Small and low in calories, so ideal for training
Made in the U.S.A.
All-natural ingredients
Contains cane sugar
Can be a bit hard
Might cause stomach upset
Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best High-Value Dog Treats
This guide covers points that you might not have considered but can help you make an informed purchase.
Texture
Texture is one of the most important aspects of a high-value dog treat. When training your dog, you want them super motivated, so their treats must be something that they will do anything for.
The best textures tend to be crumbly, moist, or greasy, and you should be able to sink a fingernail into it. You’ll need to keep them in a bag instead of your pocket.
Taste and Smell
How aromatic the treats are is a huge motivator for dogs. Moist and crumbly treats are more likely to have a scent that will catch your dog’s attention.
You’ll also need to figure out what flavors your dog loves most. You don’t want to give peanut butter-flavored treats to your dog if they seem ambivalent about them.
Image Credit: EB Adventure Photography, Shutterstock
Size
You’ll want to aim for treats that are small or can be easily broken into tiny pieces. This will help save money for you and calories for your dog.
Additionally, you should consider the size of the treats when you’re looking at the nutritional information. If a tiny treat has 3 calories and a large treat has 5 calories, they are practically balanced.
Freeze Dried
Freeze-dried treats tend to be favorites among many dogs and dog owners. They don’t have much of an odor, but they are crumbly and tend to be loved by many dogs.
Most freeze-dried treats are one ingredient only, such as meat. But you’re guaranteed a healthy treat with no artificial ingredients.
Image Credit: Vetsutee Laotrakul, Shutterstock
Testing Things Out
Don’t be discouraged if you try a popular and high-rated treat and your dog doesn’t like it. It might be the flavor or the texture. Many of these treats are available in multiple flavors, so you can try out a different flavor or just get a new brand.
Finding more than one treat that your dog loves is also a good idea. After all, you want to keep the treats high value, so switching them around from time to time will help keep your dog motivated.
This list includes a variety of treats that don’t necessarily fit the “high value” mark because a hard, crunchy treat with no aroma might still be a dog’s idea of a fantastic treat. Don’t rule anything out—except for unhealthy treats, of course!
Conclusion
Our favorite dog treats are Pupford’s Training Freeze-Dried Treats. They are 100% all-natural with added antioxidants, and you can choose between five flavors.
American Journey’s Grain-Free Oven Baked Biscuit Dog Treats offers eight flavors to choose from and contains natural ingredients, all for a great price!
Pawstruck’s Junior Beef Gullet Bully Sticks Dog Treats is our premium choice pick because they are 100% beef esophagus and are made with grass-fed, free-range beef.
We hope that these reviews have led you to a treat that your dog will adore so your training sessions become that much easier.
Featured Image Credit: Valerie Nik, Shutterstock
