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A natural part of owning a Basset Hound is feeding them treats from time to time. Perhaps you are in the process of training them, maybe you just want to reward them for good behavior from time to time.
Problem is, it is difficult to know what treats are best, particularly for this breed.
There are countless brands of treats. So many different options and types too.
Before you know it, you can actually end up quite confused about what you should buy.
I’ve been there. Something that should be easy can soon get a little overwhelming.
So, I decided to research the market and all of the many options to refine the list to just three.
All of which have met strict criteria, meeting the fundamental requirement; they are best suited to the Basset Hound breed.
But before we delve into the pros and cons of each option, if you are short of time, here are the top three picks:
Best Treats For Basset Hounds
Fruitables Skinny Mini Dog Treats
- IRRESISTABLE TASTE - Mmmm, Apple Bacon ! This mouthwatering recipe is like home-baked goodies in a three-calorie bite
- DELICIOUSLY HEALTHY DOG TREATS - Made with superfoods, our oven-baked dog biscuits are both healthy AND delicious. No compromises here
- ONLY 3 CALORIES PER TREAT - Skinny in Calories. Our treats are made with the health-conscious pet parent in mind, with reduced calories so you can keep treating your pet guilt free
- SMELL THE FRUITABLES DIFFERENCE - Our dog treats smell great. Seriously, open a bag and smell the difference! You’ll be tempted to try one yourself
- MINI SIZE IS GREAT FOR TRAINING - Mini in size, Skinny Minis are perfect to use for bite-sized training rewards!
What I Like About Fruitables Dog Treats
- Available in seven different flavors (which you can find which your dog likes the most while also mixing it up and keeping them interesting and enticing for your Basset Hound).
- Available in both smaller and larger bags.
- Packaging is secure and of high quality; keeping the treats inside well preserved.
- A great balance between flavor, smell, texture, and size.
- Soft and easy to cut/break up if required.
- Ideal for picky eaters and those with sensitive stomachs
What I Dont Like About Fruitables Dog Treats
- Low protein compared to other dog treats on the market.
Charlee Bear Grain Free Crunch Natural Treats
- Grain free treats crafted with real turkey, sweet potato and cranberries
- Made in the USA
- Made without wheat, corn, soy or artificial preservatives
- These treats are Pocket Perfect, and ideal for treating or training!
What I Like About Charlee Bear Dog Treats
- Very enticing for dogs; who are very motivated by these trears despite them being low calorie.
- Easy to cut into smaller pieces, if required.
- Designed for pockets; they will not crumble, stain or leave any smells.
What I Dont Like About Charlee Bear Dog Treats
- Only available in one bag size.
- Not suitable for Basset Hounds with egg allergies.
Cloud Star Tricky Trainers Dog Treats
- RECOMMENDED BY PROFESSIONAL TRAINERS Professional trainers use and recommend Tricky Trainers for dog training & behavior aids.
- 2 CALORIES PER TREAT Ideal for small, medium, and large breeds, these tiny, low calorie treats won’t fill them up or cause weight gain. Perfect for long training sessions with 450 treats per bag!
- HIGHLY PALATABLE & MOTIVATING These high protein, crunchy training treats are made with real chicken liver that tastes and smells amazing, keeping your dog’s attention for successful training.
- FLAVORFUL TRAINING TREAT FOR DOGS OF ALL AGES Made with healthy ingredients, these canine training treats contain no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives, and no wheat, corn, dairy, or soy.
- HIGH VALUE REWARD Dogs of all life stages and all breeds develop good habits and behavior faster when rewarded with tasty treats they love.
What I Like About Cloud Star Dog Treats
- Around 450 treats per bag; making them cost-effective. They tend to last a long time if used appropriately.
- Ideal for both puppy and adult Basset Hounds
- Salmon and Liver flavors provide additional nutrition due to the high level of vitamins found naturallyt in these foods.
- Perfect small size and are not prone to breaking/crumbling.
- Just eight ingredients go into this treat.
What I Dont Like About Cloud Star Dog Treats
- Crunchy texture may not be ideal for dogs with dental issues.
- As a popular choice, these treats often go out of stock!
What Makes A Good Treat For Basset Hounds
A good treat for a Basset Hound is one that is highly rewarding, yet is highly nutritious and minimizes calorie intake.
Let us now explore these a little.
The three dog treat products referenced in this guide meet the criteria referenced below and score well against each one.
Low Calorie
Basset Hounds are a breed that is prone to being overweight, even obese.
And it doesn’t take a lot of additional food to get there.
The sad and unfortunate thing is, excess weight and obesity are lead causes of health issues, including elbow and hip dysplasia.
Now, one such approach to prevent weight gain is to increase exercise.
But the better approach is to not allow your Basset Hound to gain too much weight in the first place.
Low-calorie treats (less than 10 calories per treat) are ideal here.
Some treats on the market, are often around 50-100 calories per treat!
Of course, these should be avoided and instead, you should only offer low-calorie options.
Highly Nutritious
Just because something is low-calorie does not make it good, either.
You want the treats you offer to your dog to be high quality – made from excellent ingredients with minimal additives and fillers.
The best treats for Basset Hounds are ones that provide additional nutrition; vitamins and minerals that can help supplement the diet.
The cheaper treats to avoid often contain wheat, corn, soy, artificial colors, and flavors.
High Desirability
A treat is only effective if your Basset Hound actually wants it.
So, it should have a fantastic taste and an alluring smell.
Your Basset Hound should be keen and excited to be rewarded with one, and eager to satisfy your needs (such as following a command) in order to do so.
Safe
Lastly, your Basset Hound should be able to safely consume their treats.
They should be of a small enough size, and of a texture that is not too challenging to chew through/digest and break down.
Your dog needs to be able to swallow each piece, without the risk of it (or a segment) getting lodged in their throats, or not breaking down once in their stomachs.
When Should You Give Your Basset Hound A Treat?
The most effective times to give your Basset Hound a treat are during training or as a reward to encourage good behavior.
In other words, treats should serve a purpose in the diet of your Basset Hound.
They should be used infrequently and strategically.
They should only be used in the right context, and not just because you want your dog to consume something else or because you know they will enjoy it.
In doing so, you should notice a better behaved dog, and one that takes to training and socialization much better.
Below, are some of the most ideal times to offer a treat to your Basset Hound:
- Your Basset Hound has responded well when meeting a new dog,
- Your Basset Hound behaves well around other people, such s young children.
- Your Basset Hound has not done something they have before, and which you want to stop them doing (e.g. not got up on the sofa).
- Your Basset Hound has listend and followed one of your commands,
- You are training your Basset Hound a new trick, that they have managed to pull off.
Now, one quick thing to consider here is being mindful of when you actually feed the treat.
It needs to be soon enough after the desirable action and you need to ensure you do not feed treats after something undesirable.
For example, if you want your Basset Hound to be calm and composed, be sure that they are not too excited when you feed a treat.
How Many Treats To Feed Your Basset Hound
Generally speaking, Basset Hounds should be fed treats little and infrequently. That being said, how many treats you can offer does depend on the age of your dog, their level of activity, the rest of the diet, and the type of treat you are offering.
It will come down to personal context here, in all honesty.
You do need to consider the age and weight of your Basset Hound here, alongside how much exercise you are providing them and the calorie content of each treat.
That being said, if you stick to low-calorie treat options, you should be able to offer them more liberally (which is ideal).
At the same time, what matters most is calorie intake over time.
You may find that at certain times you need to offer your Basset Hounds more treats.
Such as when they are a young pup and are going through a lot of training/socialization.
In time, they will not need to be rewarded as much, and their treats will naturally taper down (along with their calorie intake).
Nonetheless, most dogs treat manufacturers will include a serving suggestion that you can loosely follow.
Other than that it is going to come down to your own instinct.
But so long as you only offer treats at suggested times, and so long as you opt for low-calorie treats, to begin with, you should find you feed a suitable amount.
Finally
Treats can be an effective and ideal means of rewarding good behavior in your Basset Hounds.
Not only that, they are a great aid for ensuring such behavior remains.
That being said, as you will have hopefully observed from this guide, there are certainly better options when it comes to treats.
And there are certainly ways to use them, and times you should not.
Ultimately, treats should combine nutrition with desirability.
From your perspective, you also want them to be cost-effective, last, a long time, remain fresh, and be easy to carry/break up and use.
All these factors have gone into choosing the recommendations I have presented you with here today.
This is exactly why you should purchase one of them.
And if you were to visit any one of the product pages on Amazon, you will soon see why.
There are countless positive reviews and experiences of each product.
All ideal and suitable for Basset Hounds of any age.
So get over there ⬇️
I am an experienced pet owner with decades of experience owning a number of different pets, from traditional pets like dogs and cats, to the more exotic like reptiles and rodents. I currently own a Cockapoo (pictured) called Bailey. I am also the main writer and chief editor here at Pet Educate; a site dedicated to sharing evidence-based insights and guidance, based on my vast pet ownership knowledge, experience, and extensive research.