Treats and chews
Can I use kibble as training treats?
Last updated 23 September 2026 · How we write and check this
Short answer
Yes, using a dog's own kibble as training treats works well and is one of the most calorie efficient options available, since it removes the need to add anything extra to the day's food total. It works best for calm, familiar exercises at home, though many dogs need something more exciting, like a piece of cooked meat, when training around real distractions.
The calorie advantage of using regular kibble
Setting aside part of a dog's normal daily ration, say 20 to 30 g out of a 200 g total for a medium dog, as training treats means the food eaten during a session is already part of the planned diet rather than an addition to it, which removes the guesswork of tracking extra treat calories separately.
Where kibble falls short as a reward
Many dogs rate their own dry food lower than moist, strongly scented treats, so kibble tends to work well for easy, familiar cues in a low distraction setting like the living room, but loses its pulling power once a dog is trying to focus around other dogs, unfamiliar people, or an exciting outdoor environment.
A practical combination that works for most dogs
Using kibble as the default reward for practicing known behaviors, then switching to a small amount of a higher value treat like cheese or chicken specifically for teaching something new or training in a distracting place, gets the calorie benefit of kibble most of the time while keeping motivation high when it actually matters.
Key takeaways
- Using a dog's own kibble as training treats avoids adding extra calories to the day's total.
- Kibble works well for calm, familiar training but often loses appeal around real distractions.
- Setting aside 20 to 30 g of a normal ration is enough for a solid daily training session.
- Combine kibble for easy cues with higher value treats for harder or more distracting training.