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Are you looking for the best treats for your border collie? Perhaps as a training aid, maybe you just want to be able to reward them for good behavior.
Either way, you’ve landed in the right spot. I will be sharing with you my top picks, and why today.
Short of time? Here are the 3 best treats:
Confused by all the different brands, treat types, and options?
I know how you feel.
I’ve been there.
In fact, it can be quite overwhelming.
So today, I’d like to introduce to you only the top options; those that have been hand-selected following extensive research and having met very particular and struct criteria.
Now in the interest of time, I’ll present them to you below.
But if you want to get an idea of why they are featured here and why you should get them, be sure to keep reading.
I delve into the pros and cons of each.
But first.
What are the treats to buy…
Best Dog Treats For Border Collies
Newman’s Own Beef Jerky Treats
- Made with grass-fed whole muscle beef
- Delicious meaty flavor dogs love
- High in protein and naturally preserved with no artificial colors or flavor enhancers
- Free of grains, corn, wheat and soy
- Resealable 14 oz. pouch helps maintain freshness
What I Like About Newman’s Own Treats
- Jerky is soft and chewy, making it easy for a dog to eat and digest,
- Smell fresh and can entice a dog from a distance,
- Made from high quality ingredients – made from grass-fed beef,
- Great for dogs with allergies and sensitivities,
- All company profits go to charity,
- Cost-effective and you can save money on the larger bags.
What I Don’t Like About Newman’s Own Treats
- Rumours the product is getting discontinued which may mean finding a replacement product in the future.
Cloud Star Tricky Trainers Chewy Training Treats
- RECOMMENDED BY PROFESSIONAL TRAINERS Professional trainers use and recommend Tricky Trainers for dog training & behavior aids.
- 3 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 360 treats per bag!
- HIGHLY PALATABLE & MOTIVATING These high protein, chewy training treats are made with real salmon that tastes and smells amazing, keeping your dog’s attention for successful training.
- SOFT & CHEWY TEXTURE DOGS LOVE These deliciously soft and chewy training treats won’t dry out, crumble, or leave greasy residue on your hands - the tools you need to develop good habits and behavior!
- FLAVORFUL TRAINING TREAT FOR DOGS OF ALL AGES Made with healthy ingredients, these canine training treats contain no artificial flavors or colors, and no wheat or corn.
What I Like About Cloud Star Treats
- Strong smelling making them incredibly enticing to a border collie puppy or older dog,
- Smooth and dry on the outside, yet moist and chewy on the inside; making them highly appetizing for dogs,
- Various flavors, all of which dogs appear to enjoy.
- Do not crumble when you break them,
- Ideal for dogs with sensitive stomachs.
What I Don’t Like About Cloud Star Treats
- May require breaking before feeding to your border collie depending on their age,
- Slightly more expensive than other treat products on the market,
Charlee Bear Grain Free Crunch Natural Treats
- Grain free treats crafted with real chicken, pumpkin and apples
- 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 Natural Treats
- Three different flavors, all of which are unique and offer something different to most common treats,
- Suitable for all breeds and breed sizes,
- Bags typically last a long time.
What I Don’t Like About Charlee Bear Natural Treats
- Prices can vary depending on when and where you buy them,
- Not available in all geographical locations, such as the UK.
What To Consider When Buying Dog Treats For Your Border Collie
Before you go out and purchase any old brand of treats for your border collie, it is crucial that you buy the right ones.
Below, I outline some of the criteria you should look for in a dog treat to ensure it is a good product for your border collie.
Note: the products referenced here today all comply with, and meet the factors discussed below.
Ingredients And Nutritional Content
Just because they are treats, does not mean that they can, or should be unhealthy.
Quite the contrary, in fact.
And with a lot of competition on the market, you can seek out only the very best.
It’s paramount that you offer the highest quality nutrition for your border collie, that you can realistically afford.
Getting good quality treats is a great way to do this.
The best treats are made from natural and honest ingredients. They are sourced and prepared properly too.
You should not be investing in treats that contain any harmful additives, hard-to-digest ingredients, or anything else that could harm or impact your dog.
Size & Shape
Some treats can be dangerous; causing choking, blockages, and other unfortunate and problematic health issues.
Getting treats that are the right size and shape will ensure your border collie can safely break them down, and will not be put off altogether.
At the same time, treats should be sufficiently soft to enable a border collie of all ages to fit them in their mouths, chew through them, and not cause any dental issues along the way.
Smell & Flavor
Treats need to be highly desirable for your dog.
The only way this will happen is if they smell strong, and taste great.
You want your border collie to be incredibly eager for the next treat!
How Many Treats To Feed Your Border Collie
Treats should be fed sparingly to your border collie, and in line with their age, activity levels, and in correspondence with the context and circumstance.
Treats should not just be given as and when you feel like it.
Or because a dog will eat them.
Instead, treats should be used sparingly.
Or in other words, you should use treats only when you need them.
Now, with an active dog like a border collie, you can generally get away with feeding them more treats than your average breed.
Nevertheless, the majority of their nutrition should be coming from their nutritionally balanced dry kibble.
A few treats here and there, particularly around training, are advised.
Of course, it depends on the treat (some lower-calorie options could be fed more).
At the same time, a young and active border collie puppy going through training will be able to consume more than a well-behaved yet lethargic older dog.
When To Give Your Border Collie Treats
Border collies should be fed treats sparingly, in response to good behavior or having followed a particular command.
For the most part, you don’t want to rely to heavily on treats.
At least, long-term.
There may be times and contexts when you need to offer more, such as during training.
Nevertheless, it is important that you only give your border collie treats purposefully.
Not just because you feel like it, or you know your dog will enjoy one or two.
The best time to feed them is to acknowledge and reward your dog.
Be mindful and careful not to do so if they are underserved. Or if they have done something you don’t want them to routinely do.
For instance, if you don’t want your dog to jump up on the sofa, don’t offer them a treat after they have done so.
Finally
Border collies are a loyal and responsive breed.
And that makes them easy to train, at least for the most part.
And with the right treats to hand, you can make the process considerably easier.
That being said, there are definitely good and bad treats on the market.
Hopefully, you can now see that, and you know how to differentiate the good from the bad.
But just as a quick reminder, here are the things you are looking for:
- High quality and nutrient dense, made from natural ingredients and free from fillers and cheap additives.
- Enticing and desirable for your collie,
- Cost-effective and preserve well,
- Of the right size and texture, easy to consume and digest.
I could go on.
But you get the point.
Ultimately, the three products listed here today meet this criteria and more.
And if you head over to Amazon, you’ll soon see why they are such great products.
They have wonderful customer reviews, many of which are fellow border collie owners.
So get over there. See for yourself:
And if you are not sure which one to get, in all honesty, there is very little between them.
If you want me to make the decision easier for you, though, then go with Newman’s:
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.