How Many Treats Per Day for Dogs? A Guide to Healthy Snacking

There’s something special about that feeling inside when you see your dog light up as you hold up their favorite snack or treat. Treats are one of the many joys of dog ownership. They help us train, bond, and reward our beloved pets while bringing them so much tail-wagging happiness. While we would love to be the owners who spoil our canine companions with lots of treats, it’s important to ask ourselves, “How many treats should a dog have a day?”

This answer will vary based on your dog’s size and unique needs. However, in this guide, we will break it down for you. You’ll learn the golden 90/10 rule, how to calculate your dog’s caloric intake, and various factors that can influence your dog’s daily treat allowance. By the end, you’ll have clear, practical tips on how to give your dog treats responsibly, so that you can keep them healthy and happy while still enjoying those special moments.

The Golden Rule: The 10% Guideline

You might be wondering, “What is the 90/10 rule for dogs?” It’s simple. Your pup’s treats should make up no more than 10% of your dog’s total daily caloric intake. The remaining 90% of calories should come from complete and balanced meals, ensuring your dog’s calorie requirements and nutritional needs are met mainly through their regular food. Anything beyond this will increase the chances of unbalancing the primary diet, and the excess calories also increase the chances of dog obesity and weight gain. Certain excess nutrients may cause flares of certain aliments like pancreatitis, and excess weight causes and worsens joint disease as well as makes diabetes more difficult to manage.

Calories in dog treats often add up faster than owners realize, so always read the label and track them against your dog’s daily calorie needs to keep within the 10% guideline. The best way to do this is the following:

1. Estimate your dog’s daily calorie needs. You can do this either by getting your vet’s advice or you can even visit the Purina Institute MER Calculator for an electronic dog feeding guide that can calculate how many calories your dog needs per day.  
2. Once you know your dog’s daily calorie needs, multiply that number by 10%. This number will tell you how many calories from treats they can have per day. The other 90% should come from their main meals.

For example: A dog that needs 500 calories/day should get no more than 50 calories from treats (500 calories x 0.10 = 50 calories).

As soon as you know how many calories and treats your dog can safely have, you can confidently continue with their training, offering them rewards, and indulging them every now and then.

Factors Influencing Your Dog’s Calorie Requirements & Treat Allowance

When it comes to dog treats and food, there are plenty of factors one must look out for when calculating your dog’s calorie requirements. Breed size, age, and activity levels are just a few examples of what should be considered in these calculations. Knowing things like how many treats per day a small dog should have if you have a small breed or how many treats a day a puppy should have if you have a puppy, will make all the difference in your buddy’s overall health. Every dog is unique, so it’s important to be mindful that their treat budget will vary depending on several factors:

Breed Size

Your dog’s breed and size contributes to a large aspect of how many treats they should get. Smaller breeds, like a Chihuahua, need fewer total calories than larger breeds, and this means they get fewer total calories from treats compared to larger dogs. Regardless of breed or size, it’s important to look at the total calories per treat to make sure you’re feeding the correct number of treats. If you want to give more total treats per day, low-calorie options often help with this. Therefore, it would be best to consider low-calorie options or smaller treats for pooches like these. Whereas a larger breed, such as a German Shepherd, can handle a higher calorie intake and should be able to eat more treats than their smaller counterparts.

Activity Levels

If you have an incredibly active canine, like a working breed or a sporting breed, then you know that they burn a lot of calories daily compared to sedentary hounds. This allows them to be able to consume more calories for their higher energy needs due to their activity level. This higher activity level and higher energy need may allow for a greater number of daily treats. However, it is still important to monitor their weight and ensure they are following the 90/10 rule.

Age

Your dog’s age matters. This is especially true if they are puppies or seniors. Puppies and seniors have very specific requirements when it comes to treats that are more appropriate for them. These features are highlighted below:

Puppies

Puppies not only have specific calorie and nutrient requirements, but they also have size and softness requirements due to their developing teeth and tiny mouths. While most puppies can handle most treats, too many could potentially lead to an upset stomach. It’s also important to ensure that the treats given are tender enough for puppies to chew without concern as well as small enough to fit in their mouth and be swallowed to avoid a potential choking hazard. Finally, it will be a plus if you can find puppy treats with the appropriate nutrients like high protein and DHA to support puppy growth and development, such as Puppy Chow Puppy Training Dog Treats.

Pro Tip: It's a good idea to learn dog first aid in the event a choking hazard does occur.

Seniors

Seniors tend to need fewer calories per day compared to when they were younger. It’s also important that they are given softer treats for their aging teeth. If you’re able to find senior dog treats that aid them in their health, then this will be a great benefit for your elderly buddy. For example, some supplements for older dogs can easily be given as a treat option if it is a snack they enjoy, such as Pro Plan Veterinary Supplements Joint Care Canine Joint Support Supplement. Options like these that are made for aging dogs can make a huge difference to their overall well-being.

Overall Health

If your canine has a specific health concern, then it is crucial to ensure they get treats that are more appropriate for their health condition. For example, an overweight pup will need healthier, low-calorie treat options. An underweight dog will need higher calorie treat options while ensuring that their main dog food is prioritized for nutritional purposes and as their leading source of caloric intake. A dog with pancreatitis, allergies, or diabetes will require specialized treat choices that won’t irritate their conditions further. Dogs with arthritis and other joint health concerns might benefit from joint care supplements. Other health concerns might need other types of treats. Talk with your vet and ask them which would be the most appropriate treats for your dog. 

Treat Type

Quick dog nutrition tip: The treat type gives a clue to its calorie count. For example, a small training bite might only be 5 calories per piece, allowing more room for more treats. While a dental chew can easily exceed 50 calories per piece, even getting all the way up to the 700-calorie range. Therefore, it’s important to read the labels and find a treat option that will work best with your pup and their needs.

Knowing which factors to pay attention to can aid in the journey of discovering the best dog treats for you and your pal. If you have any concerns about your buddy’s health, talk to your vet about the various choices that you can explore for your loved one.

Understanding Treat Calories: Not All Treats Are Equal

The greatest treat options aren’t necessarily the ones with the meatiest flavor or chewiest form. It really comes down to the multiple factors described above and your dog’s personal preferences. Not all treats are created equally, so understanding the many tasty selections out there will assist you in finding your dog the best treats made for them.

High-Caloric Dog Treats

Higher calorie dog treats can give dogs that burn a lot of energy that extra boost they need to keep going or increase the weight on an underweight pup; however, make sure 90% of their calories come from their main meals as these are more nutritionally complete and balanced. It can also be good for a dog’s dental health and chewing behaviors if you focus on getting them dental treats, which tend to be higher in calorie count. Some great high-caloric treat selections are mentioned below:

• Dental chews
• Jerky
• Rawhides
• Roll hides
• Other long-lasting dog treats
• Cheese
• Bread

Low-Calorie Alternatives

For dogs that need lower calorie treats for training, rewards, bonding, and more, there are plenty of options to choose from. Most of which might even be in your fridge:

• Dog-safe Vegetables:
  • Carrots
  • Cucumbers
  • Celery
  • Broccoli 
  • Green beans
  • Bell peppers
  • Etc.
• Dog-safe Fruit (in moderation):
  • Apples, no core
  • Blueberries
  • Bananas
  • Raspberries
  • Mangoes  
  • Etc.
• Small dog treat bites
• Tiny dog chews
• Other low-calorie dog treats

It’s important to check the calories of each food item and whether it is safe for dogs to consume before giving them any. It’s also important to research each dog-safe human food to see which form(s) would be best to give a dog: raw, cooked, boiled, etc. With time, you’ll learn your dog’s favorite treats and which ones work best for their needs.

Meal Adjustments

If you plan to give your pal a bunch of treats (avoid doing often) or accidentally went over their treat allowance, then it is important to adjust their primary meal the next time you feed them. You can do this by reducing the number of calories they eat during mealtime to balance their overall intake. This way you can keep your pal in tip-top shape for a good, long time.

Practical Tips for Responsible Treat Giving

While those puppy dog eyes might beg you for more mouthwatering snacks, it’s important to give them treats in a responsible manner. There are plenty of tips and tricks you can use to achieve exactly this. The following are just a few pieces of advice on how:

• Give your dog treats with a purpose: Focus your efforts on using treats for a specific task, such as training, positive reinforcement, enrichment, dental health, and more. This way treats have a practical purpose in mind.  
• Break them up: By breaking the treats into smaller pieces, you can provide your dog with more rewards for less calories. Your dog will feel like they’re getting plenty of treats while you can rest easy knowing they’re staying within their daily caloric intake.
• Avoid free-feeding treats: We don’t want treats to be out and about where a dog can reach them whenever they want. Not only does this create potential choking hazards, but this could also increase the risk of them eating way over their calorie requirements. It’s better to monitor their treat consumption to ensure they are safe and staying within the appropriate snack allowance.  
• Involve the household: Be sure to coordinate with everyone in the household who gives your dog treats, so everyone knows their daily allowance and how many they’ve already had. That way, your pup can maintain their healthy weight and keep their ideal body condition.
• Supervise them: It’s imperative to supervise your dog when they are snacking on delicious delicacies and treats. This is especially true when it comes to chews and other snacks that can be potential choking hazards. You might want to brush up on some dog first aid in the event this does occur so you can act fast.  
• Consult your vet: Always consult with your veterinarian for guidance on your dog’s specific caloric needs and the types of treats that are safest for them. This is particularly important if your dog has any health concerns, such as pancreatitis, allergies, or diabetes, as they may require specialized treats or low-fat, low-calorie snack options. Your vet can also help you create a balanced feeding plan that supports your dog’s overall nutrition and maintains a healthy weight.

Treats are an important part of your bond with your dog, but moderation is key. By following our practical tips, the 90/10 rule, keeping an eye on your dog’s calorie requirements, and choosing healthy dog treats, you’ll support their long-term health while still enjoying those special snack moments.

The next time you ask yourself, “How many treats per day for a dog?”, remember: a balanced approach keeps tails wagging and waistlines trim.

For more expert tips on dog nutrition and treats, explore our other dog feeding guide articles.