Stewart Freeze Dried Dog Treats, 100% Beef Liver, 14 oz Tub

Why it's worth it

Stewart's tub is one ingredient: freeze-dried beef liver, nothing added. It's what you save for the moments that matter — a first off-leash recall, a dog frozen at the vet's door — and it's potent enough that dogs come in from another room when the lid comes off.

Open the tub once and you understand the appeal. The smell fills the room immediately, and it isn't subtle or pleasant to you. To your dog it's a flare going up. Owners describe dogs appearing from other floors of the house, and picky dogs that have refused everything else eating this without hesitation. That reliability is why it stays in so many professional trainers' bags.

Use it as your top tier, not your everyday treat. One ingredient and a heavy aroma is exactly what you want for a hard moment, and exactly what causes habituation if you spend it on every sit. Keep the soft treats for volume work, then bring the liver out when the environment gets difficult. The contrast is most of where the power comes from.

From our review of 12 dog training treats, by James Bennett, Associate Editor

What we like

• +Open the tub once and you understand the appeal
• +Use it as your top tier, not your everyday treat
• +A tub holds a few hundred pieces, and the screw-top lid contains the smell better than any pouch

What to know

• –The smell goes everywhere: your hands, your sleeve, the car
• –Piece size is inconsistent
• –It's rich. Liver on an empty stomach can loosen a dog's digestion, so introduce it gradually rather than running your first…