Best treats for a German Shepherd
German Shepherds are a large, working breed with a strong drive to earn a reward, which is exactly why they take so well to treats used in training. The best treats for the breed hold up to a proper bite, don't add up to too many calories across a long session, and give a working brain something to do as well as something to eat. Size and chew strength matter here more than flavour.
Built for a big dog's appetite and drive
German Shepherds are a large breed with the jaw strength and appetite to match, and a treat sized for a much smaller dog can disappear in one bite without holding their attention at all. Something with a bit more substance to it, sized properly for a large breed, lasts longer and gives your dog more to actually chew on.
The breed's food motivation is well known, and it's a genuine advantage for training — a German Shepherd will work hard for a small reward. That also means treats get through quickly in a training session, so lower-calorie options that can be broken smaller and given in higher numbers work better here than treats meant to be a once-a-day extra.
Chews for a strong, steady jaw
A German Shepherd's bite is considerably stronger than a small or medium breed's, and a chew genuinely needs to be built for that rather than just big enough to look the part. Natural chews aimed specifically at larger dogs, rather than anything marketed loosely as suitable for all sizes, are the safer starting point.
Dental chews are worth keeping in the routine too. A working breed with a large mouth puts real use into carrying, tugging and chewing day to day, and a dental chew alongside regular brushing helps keep on top of that in a way a soft treat alone doesn't.
Keeping treats in line with a working diet
German Shepherds can put on weight once their working life slows down in later years, and treats are usually the easiest place to trim calories without changing the whole diet. Lower-calorie training treats let you keep the reward without it adding up, and richer or bigger chews are better kept for occasional use rather than a daily habit.
Whatever you choose, treats of any kind work best as part of your dog's daily food allowance rather than as something extra on top of a full meal — the same rule that applies to any breed applies here, just at a bigger scale.
What we stock for this breed
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Chicken-Wrapped Milk Stick Dog Treats
Chewy dog treats of soft milk sticks wrapped in real chicken for tasty, protein-rich rewarding.
From£12.99
Dried Catnip & Cat Grass Leaf Treats
A tub of dried catnip and cat grass leaves to sprinkle over toys, scratchers and bedding.
From£8.99
Whiskas 1+ Lamb Adult Dry Cat Food
Complete lamb dry food for adult cats in a practical 1.9KG bag
£12.39
Whiskas 1 Tuna Adult Dry Cat Food
Complete tuna dry food for adult cats, offered in several bag sizes
From£3.19
Whiskas Kitten Chicken Dry Cat Food
Complete chicken dry food for kittens, available in several bag sizes
From£3.19
Whiskas 7+ Senior Cat Complete Dry with Chicken
Complete chicken dry food for senior cats aged 7+ in a 1.9KG bag
£12.39
Catit Nibbly Jerky Chicken & Fish Treats
Soft chicken and fish jerky treats for cats, two named meats high on the list, grain free
£1.89
Catit Creamy Tuna Treats 4 Pk
Lickable 26% tuna purée tubes for cats, 4 x 10g, up to 3 a day in place of main meal
£1.89
Dreamies Meaty Sticks Adult Cat Treats with Scrumptious Salmon
Soft meaty stick treats for adult cats with salmon, individually wrapped, not for kittens
£1.59
Dreamies Creamy Adult Cat & Kitten Treats with Scrumptious Salmon
Creamy lickable salmon treats for cats and kittens, in a 40g pack with taurine
£1.59
Stop Bloody Scratching Treats Chicken Flavour 90 Tablets
Chicken-flavoured tablets from Pets Calm Down, made in the UK, ninety to a pack, given daily as a treat to support skin and coat condition in itchy dogs.
£22.99
Dreamies Shakeups Seafood Celebrations Cat Treats
Complementary Dreamies Shakeups tuna, salmon and shrimp treats, 55G
£2.05
Common questions
- What treats are best for training a German Shepherd puppy?
- Small, soft training treats that can be broken into pieces work best for a puppy, since you'll likely be rewarding often during early training. Look for something low in calories per piece so frequent rewards don't add up to too much on top of their regular puppy food.
- Are German Shepherds prone to putting on weight from treats?
- Like most large breeds, German Shepherds can gain weight more easily once they're less active than they were as working or younger dogs. Treats are usually the simplest place to cut calories if your dog is carrying extra weight, since they're easy to swap for a lower-calorie option.
- What size chew is right for a German Shepherd?
- Look for chews described as suitable for large or giant breeds rather than anything marketed generically for all dogs. A chew sized for a small breed is a poor match for a German Shepherd's jaw strength and more likely to be swallowed in pieces too large to be comfortable.
- Can I give a German Shepherd dental chews every day?
- Many dental chews are designed to be given daily alongside regular brushing, but check the packaging for how it fits into your dog's daily calories, particularly for a dog who is already overweight or less active than a working dog would be.
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Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.