This post may contain affiliate links, or we may earn money from the companies mentioned in this post. For more information on this, please visit our legal page.
A lot of companies swear by their products, stating they are destined to drive your puppy crazy. These companies like to charge a ridiculous amount of money for a bag of tiny morsels and call them “training treats.”
Unfortunately for them, and lucky for you, there are plenty of foods that are cost-effective that you can use for reward-based training. You may even have high value puppy treats in your own cupboard (or fridge) right now!
Let’s divide these possible treats into three categories: easy, dried, and cheap.
Easy, Fresh High Value Puppy Treats
These are the ones you can probably already find in your home. Test your puppy’s taste buds and offer any dog-safe foods you can find in your cupboard or fridge.
Check out our article on ‘Foods To Avoid Giving Your Puppy At All Costs’ to help you keep away from certain foods that can be harmful to your puppy.
Also, remember to these high value treats into small pieces:
- Pork chop
- Steak
- Sausage
- Hard cheese
- Boiled eggs
- Hamburger
- Chicken
- Many different types of fresh fruit!
Dried High Value Puppy Treats
Treats that are freeze-dried will not only last a long time but can be purchased in bulk.
Most stores now have a bulk food section. If they carry dried fruits, like peach or mango, grab some for yourself and test them on your puppy!
Other options can include the following:
- Fish
- Banana chips
- Beef jerky
- Blueberries
- Duck
- Sweet potato
- Strawberry
Some pet owners even opt to buy a dehydrator and make their own treats. It’s incredibly simple and will save you a lot of money in the long run. If you’re not willing to fork out the cash for a dehydrator, use your oven on its lowest setting to make your own dried treats!
Note: Do not feed your puppy grapes or raisins; these are toxic to dogs!
Cheaper High Value Puppy Treat Alternatives
Let’s be honest, puppy training has a tendency to cost a fortune, because of the sheer quantity you have to buy! But, with puppies, you can usually mix it up, and they’ll eat just about anything! You can even try using your puppy’s own kibble as a high value treat!
So, here is a list of cheaper choices:
- frozen peas
- Carrots
- Cheerios
- Hot dogs
- Bacon bits
- Apples
- Cooked rice (note: this is a bit of a hard one to use unless it’s in a toy etc.)
There are all kinds of safe treats you can use as rewards if you look hard enough; even leftovers make great treats!
It’s important to note here that just like humans, everything should be fed in moderation! Also, be sure to cut everything up in really small pieces to stretch out the rewards too.
It’s easy to accidentally overfeed a puppy, so check out our article on the ‘Signs You’re Overfeeding Your Puppy’ to watch out for your pup becoming overweight.
Also, don’t forget to check out our ‘3 Homemade Puppy Treat Recipes‘!