Overview

If you have ever tried to train a dog with a treat the size of a golf ball, you already know why Zuke's Mini Naturals exist. At just 3 calories per treat, these tiny chicken morsels solve the fundamental tension in positive reinforcement training: you need to reward frequently, but you do not want your dog gaining a pound per session. Real chicken sits at the top of the ingredient list, and the formula skips corn, wheat, and soy entirely. The soft texture means your dog can inhale one in a second and refocus on you, rather than spending 30 seconds crunching through a biscuit while you lose the training moment.

That said, "soft" is a double-edged sword. Zuke's will crumble in a warm pocket, and you will find chicken-scented dust in your jacket lining. The chickpea and tapioca starch binders keep the formula together reasonably well, but these are not treats that survive a summer hike in your cargo shorts. For structured training sessions where you have a treat pouch, though, nothing in this price range works better.

Features Deep-Dive

Calorie Efficiency for High-Repetition Training

Three calories per treat sounds like marketing fluff until you do the math. A typical training session might involve 30 to 50 rewards. With a standard biscuit at 25-40 calories each, you are adding 750 to 2,000 calories on top of your dog's regular meals. With Zuke's, that same session adds 90 to 150 calories, which is roughly equivalent to a tablespoon of kibble. This matters enormously for small breeds where caloric surplus shows up fast, and it matters for any dog in a structured training program where daily treat counts add up over weeks and months. You can actually use these as your primary reward currency without needing to adjust meal portions.

Ingredient Quality and What Is Actually Inside

Real chicken is the first ingredient, which means it outweighs everything else in the formula by volume before cooking. The supporting cast includes cherries, turmeric, and rosemary, ingredients that sound premium but are present in small amounts. The functional core of the treat is chickpea flour and tapioca starch, which provide structure and chewiness. No artificial colors or flavors appear on the label. The absence of corn, wheat, and soy is meaningful for dogs with common grain sensitivities, though this is not a limited-ingredient diet treat. If your dog has a diagnosed protein allergy, the chicken base may still be problematic regardless of what else is or is not in the formula.

Size and Texture for Training Flow

Each treat is roughly the size of a blueberry, which is intentional. Trainers want something small enough that a dog can consume it without breaking eye contact for more than a second. The semi-moist texture means no loud crunching that could startle a noise-sensitive dog and no crumbs flying across your training space. You can also tear them in half for puppies or micro dogs, giving you even more rewards per bag. The downside is real, though. Keep these in a sealed container or treat pouch. Left in a pants pocket, they compress into a sticky paste. Left in an open bag, they dry out within a few days and lose the soft appeal that makes them effective.

Pricing Analysis

At $15.79 for a 16-ounce bag, Zuke's Mini Naturals land squarely in the mid-range for training treats. The per-treat cost is remarkably low because you get hundreds of individual treats per bag, somewhere in the neighborhood of 350 to 400 pieces depending on how generous the factory was with sizing. Compare that to a premium freeze-dried treat at $20 for 4 ounces and the value picture becomes clear. You are paying roughly a penny per calorie of reward. For daily trainers going through a bag every two to three weeks, the annual cost lands around $275 to $400, which is reasonable for a treat you use as a primary training tool. Budget biscuits cost less per ounce but deliver far more calories per reward, so the per-session value comparison actually favors Zuke's for anyone doing repetitive training work.

Who Is This For?

• Active trainers running daily sessions who need a treat they can dispense 50 times in a row without worrying about caloric overload. The 3-calorie count means you can train aggressively without adjusting meal portions.

• Small breed owners where every extra calorie matters. A 10-pound Chihuahua has very little margin before treats start contributing to weight gain, and Zuke's keep you firmly within safe territory.

• Puppy owners starting obedience work who need a soft treat that a young dog with developing teeth can handle quickly. The small size and tender texture are appropriate for puppies 8 weeks and older.

• Owners managing a dog's weight during training-intensive periods like behavior modification programs, where treat volume is necessarily high and calorie control is critical.

Who Should NOT Use This

• If you need a long-lasting chew or a dental treat, Zuke's are the wrong tool. They are consumed in under a second and provide zero dental benefit. Look at Greenies or a durable chew if your goal is occupying your dog's mouth for more than a moment.

• If your dog has a chicken protein allergy, the real chicken base makes these a non-starter regardless of the clean supporting ingredients. Consider a novel protein treat like venison or duck-based alternatives.

• If you need treats that survive rough conditions, the soft texture does not hold up in heat, humidity, or the bottom of a bag. Oven-baked biscuits like Old Mother Hubbard will withstand outdoor adventures far better.

Bottom Line

Zuke's Mini Naturals are the best training-specific treat in this comparison, delivering the lowest calorie count per reward with genuinely good ingredients. The crumble factor is a real annoyance, but if you keep them in a proper treat pouch, nothing else lets you reward this frequently without dietary consequences.

FAQ

How many treats are in a 16-ounce bag?

Zuke's does not print an exact count because treat sizes vary slightly, but owners consistently report getting between 350 and 400 individual treats per bag. At 3 calories each, the entire bag contains roughly 1,050 to 1,200 calories of treat reward spread across those pieces.

Can I use these for puppies?

Yes. The small size and soft texture make them appropriate for puppies once they are eating solid food, typically around 8 weeks. Many trainers prefer Zuke's for puppy classes specifically because young dogs can swallow them quickly without choking risk. The chicken protein and DHA-free formula mean they are not specifically formulated for puppy development the way Wellness Puppy Bites are, but they are safe and effective as training rewards.

Do they need to be refrigerated after opening?

No, but they do need to be stored in a sealed container or resealable bag. The soft texture means they dry out quickly when exposed to air, losing the chewy appeal that makes them effective. In humid climates, they can also develop mold if left unsealed for extended periods. Most trainers transfer them to a treat pouch for sessions and keep the main bag clipped shut between uses.

Are Zuke's good for dogs with sensitive stomachs?

The formula avoids common irritants like corn, wheat, and soy, which helps. However, chickpea flour and tapioca starch can cause digestive issues in some dogs, particularly those not accustomed to legume-based ingredients. If your dog has a history of gastrointestinal sensitivity, introduce Zuke's gradually over several days rather than jumping straight into a 50-treat training session.