This is a specific conversation about Dog training treats — high value, small size — ask about yours and get one honest answer for your exact situation.
inparticular.ai
Training treats work best when they're small (pea-sized), high in protein, and smelly enough to beat whatever else is going on around your dog — they should vanish in one bite so focus stays on you, not chewing. The most important thing is that they feel like a reward, not just a kibble clone. So — what size is your dog, what are you working on, and are there any dietary restrictions I should know about?
She's a 5-year-old Cocker Spaniel. Vet said she's put on a bit of weight and we should switch to low-calorie treats. We're doing recall and loose lead training — she's easily distracted outdoors.
inparticular.ai
Good that you caught it early — Cockers are genuinely prone to weight creep, especially around this age. Low-calorie doesn't have to mean low value though, which is the trap people fall into. A lot of 'diet' treats are dry and bland, and a distracted Spaniel outdoors will just ignore them. What's she currently eating day to day — kibble, wet food, raw? And does she have any known food sensitivities or allergies?
She's on dry kibble, James Wellbeloved. No known allergies, she seems fine with most things. She's just greedy and easily led astray by smells on walks.
inparticular.ai
Classic Spaniel. The James Wellbeloved is a solid, low-excitement food — which actually works in your favour here, because the bar for 'exciting treat' isn't that high. You just need something noticeably smellier and softer than her kibble, in a tiny portion. My recommendation is Lily's Kitchen Soft & Crumbly Training Treats. They're around 3 kcal per treat, properly small, and made with real meat so they have genuine smell appeal. Soft texture means they disappear instantly — no chewing, no distraction delay — and the calorie count is low enough that you can use 20–30 in a session without guilt. They come in chicken or venison; either works, but the venison tends to get stronger reactions from dogs who've only ever had standard chicken-based food.
That sounds good. How many treats is too many in a day if we're training regularly?
inparticular.ai
At roughly 3 kcal each, 30 treats is under 100 kcal — that's manageable for a Cocker as long as you account for it. A practical rule: treats should make up no more than 10% of daily calories. For a mildly overweight Spaniel on a reduced intake, that might be around 150–180 kcal for treats total, so you've got room. Just trim her main meal slightly on heavy training days rather than adding treats on top of her usual portion. Her vet will likely approve that approach — it keeps total intake controlled without making training sessions feel like you're rationing her.
Perfect, really helpful. I'll try the venison ones.
inparticular.ai
Good call. Keep them in a treat pouch on your walks so she associates the smell with training mode — Spaniels are nose-led and that conditioning helps. If she seems to lose interest after a few weeks, swap to the chicken version temporarily; rotating flavours keeps the value high. Good luck with the recall — that's the one worth nailing early with this breed.
