Looking for something cheaper than Guru?
Guru is a small-batch treat and chew brand, and it sits at the higher end of what dog treats cost. Here's how to find something that suits a tighter budget without cutting corners on quality, particularly if you're feeding more than one dog or training heavily most days.
What Guru is, and why it costs what it does
Guru makes dog treats and chew toys built around simple, clearly labelled ingredients and smaller production runs rather than mass-market volume, which is generally why the range sits toward the premium end of the treat aisle rather than the budget end. That is a genuine positioning choice, not a reflection of every other treat being lower quality.
If Guru's price point does not suit your budget, particularly if you have more than one dog or go through treats quickly during training, there are plenty of ways to keep treat time going without spending at that level.
Finding a more affordable treat that still does the job
For everyday training treats, a value multi-pack works just as well as a premium single treat for most purposes — the goal in training is a small, quick, repeatable reward, not a special-occasion snack, so a simple biscuit or soft training treat bought in bulk often works out considerably cheaper per session.
For chews and longer-lasting treats, natural options such as tripe sticks or basic dental chews tend to cost less per item than a small-batch chew while still giving a dog something worthwhile to work through, and buying a larger pack rather than single items usually lowers the cost per treat further.
What to check regardless of price
Whatever budget you are working to, check the ingredients list for anything your dog is known to react to, and match the treat size to your dog — a chew sized for a large breed is a choking risk handed to a small dog, whatever it costs.
Calories add up in treats more than most owners expect, particularly during focused training sessions, so keeping an eye on portion and frequency matters more to your dog's overall health than which brand is on the packet.
From this brand
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Guru Pet Company Guru Squeaking Rope
Guru squeaking rope dog toys in two distinct tug-and-sound designs
From£9.49
Guru Distracto Pod Bone
Medium Guru suction treat pod for paste-based distraction on hard surfaces
£5.19
Guru Pet Company Guru Fry Guy Nancy
MED Guru Fry Guy Nancy dog toy for supervised interactive play
From£6.75
Guru Dog X Cube
Medium Guru Dog-X-Cube spinning puzzle toy that moves treats through multiple levels
£12.89
Guru Rock 'N' Treat
A medium rocking slow-feeder toy with a protected weighted base and over-one-cup capacity
£10.29
Guru Fig8 Tennis Snuffle Rope
Large figure-eight Guru snuffle rope with tennis fabric, treat hiding and squeakers
£12.49
Common questions
- Is Guru a premium dog treat brand?
- Yes, Guru generally sits toward the higher end of the treat market, built around smaller production runs and simple, clearly labelled ingredients rather than mass-market pricing. That positioning is why it typically costs more than a standard supermarket treat.
- What's a cheaper alternative for everyday training treats?
- A value multi-pack of simple biscuits or soft training treats usually works out considerably cheaper per session than a premium single treat, and does the job just as well for the small, frequent rewards training relies on.
- Are cheaper dog treats lower quality?
- Not necessarily. Price often reflects production scale, packaging and branding as much as ingredient quality, so it is worth checking the ingredients list on any treat, budget or premium, rather than assuming price alone tells you how good it is.
- How can I make treats last longer without overspending?
- Break larger treats into smaller pieces for training rather than using a whole treat per reward, buy in larger multi-packs where the per-treat cost is lower, and reserve pricier treats for occasions where a bigger reward genuinely makes sense.
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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.