The Best Corgi Treats
Curious about the best dog training treats for corgis? Here are four recommendations that we think your corgi will love.
Too long? Don't want to read the full review? We love Bocce's Bakery and Icelandic+. To find out why, read on!
Forgive the slightly embellishing title — how can I definitely say what the absolute best dog treats are? However, given that Monty is super treat-motivated, we’ve gone through a lot of different types and brands of dog treats over the past few years. I feel like this gives me at least some authority for classifying corgi treats.
I like to break treats down into two categories: training treats and higher-value treats. The training treats are better for, you guessed it, training. We use these when we want to reinforce tricks (like shaking paws or giving a high five). They’re typically low calorie and quite small, which allows us to give more of them to lengthen our training session. It also helps that I can fit lots of them in my hand!
We use the high-value treats when we want our corgi, Monty, to do something he either doesn’t enjoy doing (like going outside) or when we’re reinforcing a newer concept. For example, Monty likes to react when other dogs shake and their collars jungle. To train him to ignore that, we have to use a high-value, rich treat to entice him to ignore the other dogs. Regular training treats won’t do, because the drive for him to react is so strong and the training treats don’t offer enough of an incentive.
Our favorite go to training treats are from Bocce’s Bakery and Zesty Paws. Bocce’s Bakery makes treats these itsy-bitsy, tiny treats that are only four calories a piece and contain ingredients you would only find in your grandmother’s kitchen, like oats, peanut butter, vanilla, and fruit. They're also heart-shaped, which is a nice touch.
There are several flavors to choose from. Our corgi especially enjoys the “Quack, Quack, Quack,” which contains oats, duck, and blueberries and the “Mud Pie Oh My,” which has oats, peanut butter, and vanilla. I’m sure the other flavors are equally palatable for dogs!
Another training treat that Monty can’t get enough of is the Zesty Paws Training Treats. These treats are great because they contain fish-oil, a supplement that contains omega-3 long-chain fatty-acids. Studies show that supplementing with omega-3s improves the arthritic condition in dogs, making it easier to rise and move joints around. It also has shown to improve the skin and coat health of dogs. Each Zesty Paws treat also has just 1.6 calories, lower than each treat from Bocce’s Bakery.
Both Bocce’s Bakery and Zesty Paws are, in my opinion, pretty affordable for what you’re getting. At the time of writing, Bocce’s duck treats go for $7.50 for 170 grams (4.4¢/g) while Zesty Paws retails for $14 for 340 grams (4.11¢/g). Between all of our training, walks, and puzzles, we might go through ~200-250 grams between both treats per week. Maybe I should measure this out!
For high-value treats, we have two that we really enjoy. The first is available on Amazon, the Icelandic+ Cod or Salmon mini fish chips. We like these because they are small enough to bring on a walk and don’t require ripping. This is a huge plus for high-stress and unpredicable events, like when we walk by a house and a reactive dog darts out. They offer a nice crunch, which Monty seems to enjoy. I think the crunch makes them distinct from the training treats, which are soft and chewy.
Our, or should I say Monty’s, absolute favorite treat is something that we buy locally (though they have an online store), Saint Rocco’s Salmon treats. These seem super rich and Monty goes crazy for them. They’re primarily wild-caught Alaskan salmon, with flour, oil, and spices, so they’re minimally processed. Again, nothing you wouldn’t find in grandma’s kitchen!
They’re thicker treats; we break them up into 1 to 2 cm chucks. They’re not great for bringing on walks, as we either have to rip them up beforehand, or have to rip them just before we give them to him. For that reason, we usually reserve these for inside-use. Specifically, we use these to coax him to the door to go outside and when we make towel puzzles.
Both Icelandic+ and Saint Rocco’s treats, being fish, contain omega-3 fatty acids, which, as we covered earlier, are beneficial for joints, skin, and hair. We keep both of them stocked in the treat jar to switch things up. What can I say? We spoil our corgi!
I’m curious what everyone else feed their corgis for treats. Have you found anything that you, or your corgi, love? Part of my goal is to provide the very best care for Monty, so I’d love your opinion on the best corgi treats. If you haven’t already, consider subscribing to the website and leaving a comment with your thoughts.