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Introduction
Last week, I was halfway through our puppy training session, and I realized the treats I’d brought were way too big, so I had to stop every two minutes to break them into tiny pieces, while my 12-week-old golden retriever puppy, Milo, was off chasing a squirrel in the park. For weeks, this had been our routine. I needed small, high-value treats for training, that were low calorie, so I could give him a bunch of them during a session without overfeeding him, and something that was healthy enough for my growing puppy. Which is why I decided to do this unfiltered Blue Buffalo Blue Bits puppy review, after testing these chicken-flavored training treats to see if they could finally fix our snack-related training chaos. (Yes, that little gremlin would ignore every other treat I’d tried before, he’s that picky when it comes to training rewards.)
I was so sick of it. I’d tried all kinds of training treats before. Some of them were way too big, so I had to break them into tiny pieces, which was messy, and I’d end up with crumbs all over my pockets. Some of them were too hard, so Milo couldn’t chew them fast enough, and training would slow down, he’d get distracted. Some of them were full of weird ingredients, artificial colors and preservatives, that I didn’t want to feed my puppy, especially since he’s so young. And some of them were so high calorie, I could only give him like 5 of them before he was full, and then he didn’t care about training anymore. I was this close to just giving up, until my puppy trainer told me to try Blue Buffalo Blue Bits. She said they were perfect for puppies, so I figured I’d give them a shot. I was skeptical, obviously, but I had nothing left to lose.
Blue Buffalo Blue Bits puppy review: What Are These Tiny Training Treats, Anyway?
These are the Blue Buffalo Blue Bits Training Treats, the puppy version, chicken recipe, that 19oz bag of tiny, soft training treats that are made specifically for positive reinforcement training. They’re made with real chicken as the first ingredient, right? No weird by-products, no junk, just real chicken, so they taste good enough that your puppy will pay attention to you during training, even when there are a million other distractions.
They’re soft, bite-sized morsels, perfect for training. They’re tiny, so you can give him a bunch of them during a training session, without overfeeding him, without him getting full. And they have DHA in them, to help support cognitive development, which is perfect for puppies, since their brains are growing so fast right now. That’s why they’re such a good puppy treat, they’re not just a reward, they have something that helps them learn, too.
The best part? They have wholesome ingredients, no junk. They don’t have any chicken by-product meals, they’re free from corn, wheat, and soy, so they’re good for puppies with sensitive stomachs, which is great, because a lot of puppies have sensitive stomachs when they’re little. They’re free from artificial preservatives, like Propylene Glycol, and they don’t have artificial colors, like Red Dye 40, so I don’t have to worry about feeding him weird stuff. They’re all natural, healthy treats, so I feel good about feeding them to him. I know exactly what’s in them, no mystery ingredients.
My Puppy’s Verdict: Will She Sit for It?
Wait, no, it’s my boy Milo, but same energy. I opened the bag, and the first thing I noticed? It smelled like human chicken jerky. Like, the kind you buy at the gas station for road trips. I almost took a bite myself, it smelled that good. (I swear, I’ve had human snacks that smelled worse than these treats, don’t judge me, I was hungry after training.) And then, when I held one up to Milo? He went crazy. He sat, he laid down, he rolled over, he shook, all before I even asked him to. He was so excited to get one.
I used them for our training class that week, and it was a game changer. Normally, he’d get distracted by the other puppies, or the toys, or the person walking their dog past the window, but this time? He was staring at me, waiting for a treat. I could give him one after every command, sit, stay, come, leave it, and he was paying attention the whole time. The treats were so small, I could give him like 30 of them during the class, and he didn’t get full, he didn’t gain any weight, which was perfect.
But wait, I noticed something after the first day. I left the bag open, right? I was in a hurry to get to class, I didn’t seal it tight. And the next day? The treats were hard. Like, hard little rocks. I tried to give one to Milo, and he couldn’t chew it. (I swear, the bag says they’re soft, but if you don’t seal it tight, they turn into little pebbles overnight. I had to throw a handful of them away the first time, because I forgot to close the bag properly.) After that, I made sure to seal the bag super tight every single time, and they stayed soft, no problem. It was just that one mistake, but it was annoying, I didn’t expect them to dry out that fast.
I used them for two weeks, for our training sessions, for our walks, for when I needed him to do something, like stop chewing on the couch. I noticed that he would do anything for one of these treats. He’d stop chewing on my shoe, he’d come when I called him, he’d sit, he’d stay, all for one tiny little treat. It seemed like they worked way better than any other training treats I’d tried before.
What I Like and What I Don’t Like
Nothing is perfect, right? I’m not here to sugarcoat anything, so let’s break it down:
What I Liked
- They’re high value, so my puppy pays attention. He’ll do anything for one of these treats, even during training class, when there are a million other distractions. It made training so much easier, no more chasing him around the park.
- They’re tiny and low calorie. I can give him a bunch of them during a training session, without overfeeding him, without him getting full. Perfect for positive reinforcement training, where you need a lot of small rewards to reinforce good behavior.
- They have good, healthy ingredients. No corn, no wheat, no soy, no artificial preservatives or colors, no by-products. They have DHA for his brain development, so they’re healthy for him, not just empty junk food.
- They’re soft, so he can chew them fast. No waiting for him to chew a hard treat, training goes fast, no pauses, which is perfect for keeping his attention during a session.
What I Don’t Like
- They dry out super fast if you don’t seal the bag. If you leave the bag open, even for a day, they turn into hard little rocks that he can’t chew. You have to seal it super tight every time, which is a little annoying, especially if you’re in a hurry.
- They’re a little bit pricey, compared to the cheap training treats. The 19oz bag is not too bad, but it’s more expensive than the generic ones, but it’s worth it for the quality, I guess.
Are These Treats Worth It?
If you have a puppy, and you’re doing positive reinforcement training, this is 100% worth it. They’re perfect for puppy training, they have the DHA to help with their development, they’re small, they’re high value, so your puppy will pay attention, even when there are distractions. They’re also great if you have a picky puppy that doesn’t care about regular treats, these are high enough value that they’ll work, no matter how picky they are.
But if your dog is allergic to chicken? This isn’t for you, obviously, because the main ingredient is real chicken. And if you don’t do a lot of training, and you just need regular treats for your dog? You don’t need these, they’re made specifically for training, for people who need a lot of small rewards. They’re perfect for people who are doing a lot of positive training with their puppy, though.
If you want to give it a try, you can check it out here: [buy link: Blue Buffalo Blue Bits Puppy](affiliate link)
Common Questions
Do these have any artificial ingredients?
No, they’re free from artificial preservatives, colors, corn, wheat, and soy, all natural wholesome ingredients.
Are they small enough for puppy training?
Yes, they’re tiny bite-sized morsels, perfect for lots of small rewards, no need to break them up.
Can adult dogs eat these too?
Yep, they work great for adult dogs too, the small size is perfect for training any age of dog.
Final Thoughts
I went into this whole thing thinking this was just another overpriced dog treat that wouldn’t work. I’d wasted so much money on other training treats that my puppy didn’t care about, so I was skeptical. But after using them for two weeks, I was shocked. They didn’t fix all of our training issues, but they made training so much easier, my puppy pays attention, he does what I ask, and I feel good about feeding him healthy ingredients. It’s such a small thing, but it made such a big difference for our training sessions.
Have you struggled to find good training treats for your puppy? Do you have a picky pup that ignores regular treats during training? Have you tried these treats before? Let me know in the comments.
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A Quick Disclaimer
I’m not a vet or professional trainer. Just my personal experience. Every dog is different, so what worked for my puppy might not work for yours. This is just my own experience testing the product, and it shouldn’t replace professional veterinary advice if you have concerns about your dog’s diet.