Choosing the right dog treats for training can make a huge difference to your dog’s motivation and learning. Our favourite training treats are small, tasty, easy to eat, and exciting enough to keep your dog’s attention, whether you’re teaching basic obedience, practising recall, or working on advanced skills.
As dog owners in South Africa, we’ve tested plenty of treats over the years. Some are perfect for everyday rewards, while others are reserved for high-value training sessions. Here are our favourite dog treats for training, including healthy fresh foods and some excellent South African brands.
1. Vets2Pets Human-Grade Beef Droëwors Treats
When we need an extra-special reward, Vets2Pets Human-Grade Beef Droëwors Treats are one of our top choices. Made from premium human-grade beef and gently air-dried, these treats are packed with protein and naturally contain essential amino acids, iron, and B vitamins. They have a rich, meaty aroma that makes them an excellent high-value reward for recall training, obedience work, or introducing new behaviours.
We cut the droëwors strips into small pieces, making them perfect for longer training sessions without overfeeding. Because they’re made without fillers or unnecessary additives, they’re an excellent option for dog owners looking for healthy, wholesome South African dog treats that dogs genuinely love.
Shop: Vets2Pets Human-Grade Beef Droëwors Treats
2. The Lekker Barkery Lamb Liver Training Bites
If you’re looking for ready-made training treats, The Lekker Barkery Lamb Liver Training Bites are an excellent South African option.
Made from a single ingredient – dehydrated lamb liver – these treats contain no salt, fillers, preservatives, or artificial additives. They are hand-cut into small, bite-sized pieces, making them ideal for rewarding your dog quickly during training without interrupting the flow of the session.
Because liver has such a rich aroma and flavour, these treats are considered high-value rewards and work particularly well for recall training, obedience, agility, or teaching new behaviours. They’re also naturally high in protein and provide essential vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins, iron, and vitamin A. As with all liver treats, they should be fed in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
The value pack is especially convenient if you train regularly, offering plenty of ready-to-use treats without the need to cut them into smaller pieces yourself.
Shop: The Lekker Barkery Lamb Liver Training Bites
3. Wild Being Plant-Based Marrow Bones
If you’re looking for a unique South African dog treat, Wild Being Plant-Based Marrow Bones are well worth trying. These functional treats are made with 100% plant-based ingredients and contain beneficial additions such as organic rosehip, flaxseed oil, and a delicious organic peanut butter centre.
The range includes three tasty flavours:
- Bacon Flavour
- Burger Flavour
- BBQ Chicken Flavour
Although these marrow bones are larger than typical training treats, they can easily be broken into smaller pieces for rewarding good behaviour during longer training sessions. They’re also an excellent high-value reward when your dog deserves something extra special.
Shop: Absolute Pets, Petshop Science, Takealot
4. Karoo Wild Dog Treats
Karoo Wild Dog Treats have become one of our favourite South African training treats. Made with antelope meat as the number one ingredient, they offer a rich, meaty aroma that quickly grabs your dog’s attention.
The range comes in three herb-infused flavours:
- Oregano
- Rosemary
- Thyme
You’ll also find three convenient sizes:
- Training Bits
- Trail Bites
- Sticks
Our personal favourite is the Rosemary Sticks. Luca, my German Shorthaired Pointer, absolutely loves the smell, and the sticks are easy to cut into tiny pieces that are perfect for training. They are ideal for obedience sessions where you need lots of rewards without feeding large treats.
Shop: Absolute Pets, Petshop Science, and other online pet shops
5. Homemade Liver Bread
Homemade liver bread is one of the highest-value dog treats you can make for training. Its rich flavour and strong aroma make it irresistible to most dogs, making it ideal for overcoming distractions and rewarding new behaviours.
Liver is naturally rich in protein, iron, vitamin A, and B vitamins, while the soft-baked texture makes liver bread easy to chew. This means your dog spends less time chewing and more time focusing on training.
It’s especially useful for puppies, senior dogs, and dogs working through advanced obedience exercises where you want maximum motivation.
Tips for Using Training Treats
No matter which treats you choose, remember that portion size matters. Small, pea-sized treats let your dog enjoy multiple rewards without consuming too many calories. Keep training sessions short, fun, and rewarding, and reduce your dog’s regular meals slightly if they’re receiving plenty of treats throughout the day.
Read more: How Many Treats Should You Give Your Dog?
It’s also worth keeping a variety of treats on hand. Lower-value rewards like apple or carrot pieces work well for familiar behaviours, while higher-value treats such as liver bread or Karoo Wild are perfect for practising recall, loose lead walking, or training around distractions.
Final Thoughts
Every dog has different preferences, so don’t be afraid to try a variety of treats until you discover what motivates yours the most. Rotating between options such as Vets2Pets Human-Grade Beef Droëwors Treats, The Lekker Barkery Lamb Liver Training Bites, Wild Being Plant-Based Marrow Bones, and Karoo Wild Dog Treats keeps training rewarding while ensuring you always have the right treat for every situation.
Luca certainly has his favourites, and having a mix of healthy snacks like apple slices and high-value rewards has made our training sessions far more enjoyable and successful.
Whether you’re teaching a puppy their first sit or polishing advanced obedience, the right training treat can make learning faster, more rewarding, and a lot more fun for both you and your dog.