7 Best Low Calorie Training Treats for Puppies That Won't Cause Weight Gain
You're doing everything right with puppy training—the sits, the stays, the potty breaks—but suddenly your little fluffball is looking more like a round potato. The culprit? All those treats adding up behind the scenes. This episode breaks down exactly how to pick training treats that let you reward your puppy dozens of times a day without accidentally creating a chunky pup. Whether you're deep into housebreaking or teaching your first commands, you'll learn what makes a treat truly low calorie and which specific products actually deliver.
Key Takeaways
- Training treats should have 3 calories or less per piece. During a single training session, you might give your puppy 50 to 100 treats. If each one has too many calories, it's like sneaking your puppy a bunch of extra meals every day without realizing it.
- Size matters more than you think. Treats should be about the size of a pea so your puppy can swallow them fast and get back to learning. Big treats slow everything down and add unnecessary calories, kind of like trying to teach someone while they're eating a full sandwich.
- Soft beats crunchy for training sessions. A treat your puppy can gulp in two seconds keeps their attention on you. Crunchy treats take too long to chew, and by the time they finish, they've forgotten what they did right.
- Simple ingredients protect your puppy's sensitive stomach. Look for real foods like chicken, salmon, or sweet potato in the first few ingredients. Skip anything with weird chemical names or bright artificial colors—puppies don't care what color their snack is.
- Match the treat to your training situation. Super soft treats turn to mush in hot weather pockets. Some need refrigeration. Think about where you'll actually be training before buying a giant bag that doesn't fit your real life.
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Zuke's Mini Naturals Dog Training Treats
Wellness Soft Puppy Bites Natural Dog Treats
Blue Buffalo Blue Bits Soft-Moist Training Dog Treats
Charlee Bear Original Crunch Dog Treats
Pupford Freeze-Dried Training Treats
Old Mother Hubbard Classic Crunchy Natural Dog Treats
Stewart Pro-Treat Freeze Dried Dog Treats
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