The Right Way to Feed Dog Treats

1 Treats Are a Double-Edged Sword

What makes a dog fat? Besides excess kibble and lack of exercise, the most common reason is treats—their excess nutrition quietly fattens your dog.

The AAFCO defines dog treats clearly: their purpose is not to meet daily nutritional needs, but to encourage the dog and reinforce training awareness.

But in practice, dogs love high-fat, sugary things just like people, so many popular treats add large amounts of fat and sugar. In other words, popular treats are a double-edged sword: they make the dog obey you, but they also make it fatter.

2 How Many and What Types

There is no standard answer; a dog’s age, health, and breed all affect it, but the internationally accepted rule is that treat calories should not exceed 10% of total daily calories.

You may worry about calculating daily calories, but most treats should simply be given only 1–2 times a day, and staying under that is safe.

Beyond frequency, know the types. High-nutrition treats (meat, cheese, liver) — limit to about 1 time daily. Nutrition treats (the common small biscuits) may look less calorie-dense than high-nutrition ones but are actually high in calories—check the package analysis table before buying; limit to about 2 times daily.

3 When to Give Treats

Treats can be given at any time, but research shows the best time is between meals, so the calories are released better.

If your dog eats three meals, give treats in the afternoon; like people, avoid giving them at night.