STOP SCROLLING: 5 Secret Ways Dog Treats Build a Bond Stronger Than You Think!

Why handing your dog top-notch snacks builds trust, powers training, and sparks moments of connection through every life stage.

Written by Michelle Morton, CPDT-KA

Few things pull dogs and people together like a good treat. We've got 'em; dogs crave 'em. But slipping your pup a reward goes way past that simple swap. It's how you chat with your dog, help them learn, and prove you're showing up day after day. Whether you're training or just saying 'I see you,' treats are among the steadiest ways to tighten your bond over time.

Per Purina behaviorist Dr. Annie Valuska, treating is a mighty tool to build trust and deepen your tie with your dog from day one through their golden years.

5 Perks of Dog Treats Beyond Just a Tasty Reward

1. Treats Help Build Trust from Day One

Treats aren't only for training—they're a way to show your dog they matter. A reward given outside a session tells your pup, 'I'm thinking of you.' The act of treating is a plain, direct path to build connection and reinforce your bond. When you notice which flavors, scents, and textures your dog leans toward and hand them more of what they dig, you unlock even richer rewards, which can ease tougher sessions and craft a stronger bonding moment.

“This innovation might deliver fast results as part of our wider testing strategy,” said Minister for Innovation Lord Bethell. The government notes the dogs will only be used in its coronavirus fight if backed “by strong scientific evidence.”

A top-quality treat that fires up your dog also makes training sharper and more on point. As Dr. Valuska notes, 'Dogs can be incredibly driven by taste and smell, so the quality of a treat really matters. A dog genuinely pumped about their reward stays more focused, more responsive, and may learn faster.'

For decades, Beggin' has delighted dogs with its signature bacon-inspired snacks. From classics like Original Bacon and Bacon & Cheese Fun Size treats to the fresh Bacon-Wrapped Ribeye flavor, the brand keeps serving bold, crave-worthy tastes dogs adore.

It’s hoped the dogs could screen as many as 250 people an hour.

Medical Detection Dogs co-founder and CEO Dr. Claire Guest is “sure our dogs will be able to find the odour of COVID-19, and we’ll then move into a second phase testing them in live settings, after which we hope to work with other agencies to train more dogs for deployment. We are incredibly proud that a dog’s nose could once again save many lives.”

Using man’s best friend to sniff out the coronavirus is also under study elsewhere: the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine launched a COVID-19 Canine Scent Detection Study, and on bioRxiv—run by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory—a not-yet-peer-reviewed preprint claims some dogs can detect the virus by smelling armpit odour.