Training uses
Baby octopus as a training reward, by our scorecard
Updated
Octopus for dog training lands in the middle of our scorecard: the freeze-dried baby octopus earns 3 of 5 as a reward and 4 of 5 for crunch. The pieces are small but uneven, and the listing calls the smell strong, so break the larger ones, close the pouch, and count the bits as treats.
Where does octopus land on our training scorecard?
Squarely in the middle. The octopus page gives the baby octopus 3 of 5 as a training reward and 4 of 5 for crunch. Both numbers are the store's own scoring, not an outside rating, and neither is a promise about your dog.
The 3 does not set octopus apart from our other single bags. The frog legs, scallops, mussels, shrimp and quail eggs are all scored 3 of 5 for training as well, so the number cannot pick a winner among them. What the scorecard does not do is tell you what a dog prefers, how fast it works or how long a session should run. It is a description of the bag from our side of the counter.
What does a strong seafood smell mean in a treat pouch?
Our listing describes a strong smell, the kind seafood has. That is all we know about it, so we will not dress it up. We do not claim the smell does anything for a dog. It is a fact about the bag, nothing more.
Practically, it means the pouch you carry has a smell, and so does whatever sits beside it. Close the pouch between rewards, keep it apart from things you would rather not have smell like seafood, and reseal the original bag after each use, as the listing asks. A treat pouch with a decent seal earns its keep with this one.
How do uneven pieces change a session?
Per the listing, the pieces are small, and each octopus differs in size and texture from the last. Put those together and a handful will hold a mix: some pieces ready to hand over, some larger ones to split. The break-up guide covers how to split a piece, so we leave the technique there.
For a session, a short routine covers it:
- Sort a few pieces before you start, small ones in one pocket and larger ones in another.
- Break a larger piece before it comes out of the pouch.
- Hand over bits one at a time, and stay close while your dog eats.
- Keep fresh water within reach, as the listing asks.
The listing leaves whole or broken up to the size of your dog, and it asks you to supervise while feeding. Both are the listing's words, and neither names a size.
How do you take octopus bits to a class?
The listing makes the case for carrying it: the octopus is light, it is shelf stable, and it needs no refrigeration. Nothing in a training class has to be kept cold for it. Bring the bag or a small pouch of broken bits.
Two small habits keep it tidy. Keep the bag closed when you are not reaching in, and put it back in a cool, dry place when you get home, which is how the listing says to store it. We suggest emptying an opened bag inside 30 days, and we give no separate figure for a refilled pouch.
How does a session fit the day's treat share?
A session's bits are treats, and they come out of the treat share. VCA, Dog Treats (opened 2026-10-16) sets the treat share for a dog at about 10 percent of daily calories and advises adding one new food at a time. Think of the share as a fuel gauge you have to watch while the session runs.
There is no per piece figure on the label, so we give no bit count. The listing calls the octopus a treat or meal topper that is not a complete diet, so it sits beside regular meals. For a dog on a veterinarian's plan, ask before octopus goes in the training bag.
Questions
Does the scorecard say whether the octopus is raw?
No, the scorecard stops at its two marks: 3 of 5 as a reward, 4 of 5 for crunch. The answer comes from us instead: the octopus is freeze-dried raw, so wash your hands after a session. For anything else, read the listing.
Can a cat be trained with octopus?
The listing gives a cat serving only: one piece whole, or crumbled over food. It has no training line for cats. If you use it with a cat, keep the pieces small and ask your vet how much fits. VCA's treat figure covers dogs only.
Should I wash my hands after a session?
The octopus listing has no washing line. Washing up after handling seafood is still sensible, so we would wash anyway. We cite no outside page here, because the FDA guidance we use covers the raw bags and we do not call the octopus raw.
Can a puppy train with octopus?
The listing names adult dogs, every size, and it is silent on puppies. A puppy's treat plan is a question for your veterinarian, who can say what belongs in the training bag and what does not.
Is Captain's Catch a training option?
Its listing says small pieces work as training rewards. That medley mixes five ingredients, octopus included, so unlike the octopus bag it is not single ingredient. Check that listing for the rest, then judge the pieces in your hand.
Which of our other bags score the same for training?
All of them. Frog legs, scallops, mussels, shrimp and quail eggs all carry the same 3 of 5 training mark as the octopus. Each page lists its own crunch score, so the training score alone will not sort the shelf. More guides are on the guides hub.