Zuke's Mini Naturals Review: 2-Calorie Treats for Dachshund Training?

You know that sound. The crinkle of a treat bag. My dachshund Oscar can hear it from three rooms away — and I actually timed his reaction once. Three seconds flat. From dead asleep on the couch to frantic little paws skidding across the kitchen tile. That’s the power of the right training treat for a food-motivated dachshund.

But here’s the problem with most training treats: they’re tiny calorie bombs. A single 5-calorie biscuit doesn’t sound like much. But when you’re running a 15-minute training session and Oscar needs 20+ rewards to stay engaged… that’s 100+ calories before dinner. For a dachshund who packed on 2 pounds after neutering — that’s roughly 10% of his ideal body weight in treats alone. Keeping your dachshund at a healthy weight is one of the best things you can do for their spine — I covered why in the Dachshund Back Health Guide.

So when I grabbed a bag of Zuke’s Mini Naturals in Peanut Butter flavor, I was hoping those 2-calorie-per-treat claims were legit. Here’s what happened when Oscar got his paws on them.

The 3-Second Smell Test

Honestly, I wasn’t sure Oscar would even care. And he’s turned his nose up at plenty of treats — including Open Farm’s training bites, which he completely ignored. But the moment I tore open the Zuke’s bag, his head snapped up mid-nap. Within three seconds he was doing that little dachshund tippy-tap dance by my feet. Peanut Butter flavor is a clear winner with this picky eater.

15 Minutes of Training, Only 40 Calories

So I ran a standard session: sit, down, stay, heel, and leave-it. Total time — 15 minutes. Total treats used — about 20. That’s just 40 calories compared to the 100–200 I’d burn through with regular biscuits. Training sessions feel less stressful when I’m not worried about wrecking Oscar’s dinner appetite.

And the focus improvement was genuinely noticeable. Oscar held a continuous heel position for 45 seconds straight. With our usual treats, he breaks focus around 20 seconds before circling back for food. The tiny size means he swallows and instantly looks back at me for the next one — no chewing break, no distraction. Pairing these treats with a properly fitted harness made heel training even smoother — the Dachshund Harness & Leash Guide covers which ones work best for their long backs.

And the soft-chew texture plays a role too. These don’t need hard crunching, which matters for a dachshund’s narrow jaw and small teeth. I could even snap them in half for ultra-low-cal micro-rewards during leave-it drills.

Zuke’s vs Bil-Jac: Quick Comparison

The One Catch

Now, Oscar has a sensitive stomach — and the chicken concentrate plus soy protein isolate in Zuke’s gave him mild loose stool on day two. Nothing alarming, but worth flagging if your dachshund has digestive sensitivities. Though individual dogs may react differently. For those pups, Bil-Jac’s simpler chicken liver formula could be a gentler choice.

How Many Per Day?

For a mini dachshund, I’d cap it at 10 treats daily. Standard dachshund: up to 15. That keeps the calorie contribution manageable alongside their regular meals. And the resealable bag keeps the rest fresh between training sessions — a practical detail that matters when you’re rationing 2-calorie treats over several days. Grab a bag of Zuke’s Mini Naturals on Amazon (affiliate link) and if you set up Subscribe & Save, you’ll save roughly 15% off the $8–12 bag price — worth it if these become your go-to training staple at roughly $0.02 per treat.

Bottom Line

If your dachshund needs a training treat that won’t fill them up or pad their waistline, Zuke’s Mini Naturals are one of the most well-reviewed low-calorie options I’ve found. Oscar’s a fan, the 2-calorie design genuinely works for portion control, and the soft texture fits small mouths well.

Just watch the portions if your dog has a sensitive gut — and keep Bil-Jac (affiliate link) in mind as an alternative if tummy troubles show up.