Treats are one of the easiest ways to connect with your dog. They help reinforce training, reward good behavior, build routines, and strengthen the bond you share every day.
But not all rewards are created equally.
Some are designed for quick training sessions. Others support enrichment, chewing, and whole-body wellness. And with so many options lining pet store shelves, it can be difficult to know which rewards truly support your dog’s health and which are simply taking up space in their daily calorie budget.
At Andersen’s Pet Shop, one of the most common questions we hear is: What kind of treats should I actually be using?
The answer depends on your dog, your goals, and how often you’re reaching for rewards throughout the day.
When choosing rewards, it’s important to remember that many of today’s best options are more than snacks. Air-dried and freeze-dried foods can provide meaningful nutrition while still delivering the excitement and motivation dogs need during training.
Here’s how to choose rewards with purpose and make every treat count.
Start With The Purpose Of The Reward
One of the biggest mistakes dog owners make is using the same reward for everything.
A high-value training reward probably shouldn’t be the same thing your dog receives every time they come inside, sit on cue, or simply happen to be nearby.
Instead, think about rewards in categories.
Training Rewards
Training rewards should be:
- Small
- Easy to chew quickly
- High-value enough to hold attention
You want something your dog can eat quickly so the focus stays on the training moment rather than stopping to chew.
Just as importantly, the reward’s value should match the task’s difficulty.
Teaching a puppy to sit in your living room is very different from asking your dog to ignore a squirrel, walk politely past another dog, or come when called at a busy park. In many situations, you’re competing with powerful instincts and environmental distractions. The reward has to be valuable enough to win.
This is where air-dried and freeze-dried foods often shine.
Many Andersen’s customers use air-dried foods from Ziwi or freeze-dried foods from Green Juju and Vital Essentials as training rewards because they combine exceptional palatability with meaningful nutrition. These foods are easy to break into smaller pieces and often provide more motivation than traditional training treats.
For dogs that need extra encouragement, these types of rewards can help keep attention focused when distractions are high.
Think About Ingredient Quality
Dog treats are part of your dog’s overall diet.
In fact, some of the most popular rewards we recommend aren’t technically treats at all. Many freeze-dried and air-dried options are complete and balanced foods that simply happen to work exceptionally well as rewards.
Brands like Ziwi, Vital Essentials, and Green Juju offer nutrient-dense options that provide more than just calories. Using these foods as rewards allows owners to reinforce behavior while still contributing meaningful nutrition to their dog’s daily intake.
That doesn’t mean every reward has to be perfect. But it does mean it’s worth paying attention to what you’re feeding consistently throughout the day.
A few things we typically encourage customers to look for include:
- Clearly named animal proteins
- Limited ingredient panels
- Minimal fillers
- No unnecessary artificial colors
- Transparent sourcing and manufacturing practices
Brands like Open Farm focus heavily on ingredient transparency and responsibly sourced proteins, while Ziwi is known for air-dried meat-based foods and rewards with simple ingredient profiles.
For dogs with sensitivities, limited-ingredient options can sometimes make it easier to narrow down what works best without overwhelming their system with unnecessary extras.
If your dog receives rewards frequently throughout the day, our team can help you account for those calories in their overall feeding plan rather than treating rewards as separate from nutrition.
Training Rewards Should Be Exciting
If your dog ignores rewards outside the house, the problem may not be the training.
It may be the reward.
Higher-distraction environments usually require higher-value rewards. That’s why many trainers rotate rewards rather than relying on the same product every day.
Freeze-dried proteins and air-dried foods are especially useful because they’re lightweight, easy to break apart, and highly motivating for many dogs.
Products from Green Juju, Vital Essentials, Ziwi, Northwest Naturals, and Stella & Chewy’s are commonly used as high-value rewards for recall work, leash training, and more challenging environments.
At the same time, it’s worth being selective about where those calories come from. When possible, choose rewards that contribute something meaningful to your dog’s overall nutrition rather than relying heavily on highly processed, starch-heavy products.
Using different reward values strategically helps keep training engaging while supporting better nutrition.
Daily Rewards Should Support A Healthy Routine
Rewards should be a nourishing component of your dog’s routine.
For many dogs, rewards happen throughout the day. They reinforce training, encourage calm behavior, support enrichment activities, and help strengthen relationships between pets and their families.
One helpful mindset shift is to think of rewards as part of your dog’s daily nutrition rather than simply viewing them as snacks.
That could mean:
- Using rewards in puzzle toys
- Rewarding calm behavior
- Creating short daily training sessions
- Encouraging healthy chewing habits
- Reinforcing routines during walks or grooming
Freeze-dried and minimally processed foods from brands like Northwest Naturals, Green Juju, Vital Essentials, and Grandma Lucy’s can fit naturally into these routines while providing meaningful nutrition.
The goal isn’t perfection. It’s being intentional.
Don’t Overlook Texture And Chew Time
Different reward types serve different purposes.
Soft rewards are often ideal for fast-paced training sessions because they can be eaten quickly without interrupting the flow of learning.
Longer-lasting chews serve a different purpose. They can help satisfy natural chewing instincts, provide enrichment, and keep dogs occupied during downtime.
Many Andersen’s customers keep several categories of rewards on hand, including:
- Freeze-dried training rewards
- Air-dried food rewards
- Bully sticks
- Collagen chews
- Long-lasting enrichment chews
The best choice often depends on your dog’s chewing style, age, and preferences.
Some dogs inhale rewards instantly. Others benefit from slower, longer-lasting options that provide additional mental stimulation.
Having a variety of reward types available makes it easier to meet different needs throughout the day.
If you’re unsure where to start, our team can help you identify options that fit your dog’s individual needs.
Rewards Can Be A Great Tool For Picky Dogs
For picky eaters, nutrient-dense rewards can sometimes help create positive experiences around food and mealtime routines.
Freeze-dried proteins, air-dried meats, and whole-food toppers are commonly used to add variety, increase engagement, and encourage interest in meals.
Many owners find that incorporating small amounts of these foods as rewards, toppers, or enrichment tools helps maintain enthusiasm without sacrificing nutritional quality.
The key is to choose rewards intentionally and view them as part of your dog’s overall nutritional plan rather than as a completely separate category from food.
When meals and rewards share similar ingredient quality and nutritional values, it often becomes easier to maintain consistency throughout the diet.
Rotating Rewards Can Be Helpful
Many dog owners buy one reward and stick with it forever.
There’s nothing wrong with consistency, but rotation can have benefits too.
Rotating proteins, textures, and reward styles can:
- Keep dogs interested
- Prevent training rewards from becoming boring
- Provide more variety
- Help owners discover what works best in different situations
For example:
- Small soft rewards for walks
- Freeze-dried foods for training
- Air-dried foods for high-value motivation
- Bully sticks or collagen chews for enrichment time
Having a few categories instead of one “magic reward” usually works better in the long term.
Ask Questions And Use The Team As A Resource
The treat aisle can feel overwhelming, especially with so many marketing claims competing for attention.
That’s where having knowledgeable people in-store really matters.
At Andersen’s Pet Shop, we spend a lot of time helping customers narrow down options based on:
- Dog size
- Activity level
- Training goals
- Sensitivities
- Texture preferences
- Ingredient priorities
- Budget
Sometimes the best option is freeze-dried food used as a training reward. Sometimes it’s an air-dried food that provides exceptional motivation in distracting environments. Other times it’s a bully stick or collagen chew that supports enrichment and healthy chewing habits.
The important thing is to choose rewards with purpose rather than grabbing whatever happens to be on the shelf.
Because rewards are more than snacks. They’re part of your dog’s daily food intake, and they can play an important role in communication, enrichment, training, nutrition, and the everyday bond you share with your dog.