Low-calorie training treats for English Bulldogs

For training, the treats that actually work are small (pea-sized), smelly, high in protein, and gone in one bite — the dog stays focused, not chewing. They also need to be noticeably better than their regular food, otherwise there's no incentive. With a brachycephalic breed like a Bulldog, weight management matters from the start — extra kilos put serious strain on their already-compromised airways. So what size is your Bulldog, what are you training them on right now, and are there any dietary restrictions I should know about?

Good that you're thinking about this now — Bulldogs can gain weight fast and it genuinely does make the breathing worse. At 9kg at 5 months she's on the heavier side for her age, so your vet is right to flag it. For foundation training you'll be using a lot of repetitions, which means treat volume adds up quickly even if each one is tiny. What does she eat day-to-day — dry kibble, wet food, raw? I want to make sure whatever I suggest is meaningfully different from her normal diet so she actually works for it.

That's useful — kibble-fed dogs often need something with a stronger smell and a different texture to stay engaged, and walking off mid-session usually means the reward isn't exciting enough rather than a focus problem. My recommendation is Lily's Kitchen Wobbly Chicken Bites. They're small soft pieces you can easily break down to pea-size, they're made with 60% chicken so the smell is strong enough to keep a Bulldog's attention, and they're around 2-3 calories per piece — low enough that you can do a full 10-minute training session without meaningfully affecting her daily intake. They're also grain-free and have no nasty fillers, which keeps the ingredient list clean while she's still developing. Tear them into thirds for each repetition and you're looking at under 1 calorie per reward. That's the balance you need: high value to the dog, low cost to her waistline.

Yes, and it's a good habit to build now. On heavy training days, pull back roughly 10% of her kibble at the next meal to account for what she's had in treats. It doesn't need to be precise — you're not running a spreadsheet — but keeping the overall daily calorie picture roughly consistent is what matters. As she gets older and training sessions get longer, that adjustment becomes more important. The other thing worth knowing: for recall specifically, Bulldogs respond really well to tiny pieces of cooked chicken or cheese if you ever need to upgrade the value for a harder ask. Save those for the trickiest behaviours and keep the Lily's Kitchen for everyday repetition work.