A treat dispensing system to dispense treats to animals, includes a treat dispenser controlled by a user controller. The treat dispenser includes a housing having an interior and at least one aperture to dispense treats. A treat advancer advances a treat from a storage area to a chute, for example via an actuator, controlled by an advancer controller. The advancer controller is controlled by a treat dispenser controller, which is in turn controlled by the user controller. The user controller may comprise a remote control, cordless telephone, cellular telephone, PDA, network connected desktop or laptop computer. The treat dispenser controller may include a camera and loudspeaker. The user can remotely initiate the advancer to align the treat storage with the chute so that a treat held within the treat storage area is dispensed via the aperture to the external environment.