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Whether it’s to reward good behaviour, positively reinforce training, or simply offer a snack, dog treats play a crucial role in strengthening the bond between us and our canine companions. However, it’s too easy to overindulge our pets, I mean, who can resist their cute little faces? But really, how many treats can a dog have a day?
To find the right answer we’ll explore the factors that determine the number of treats your dog can have and the potential consequences of overindulgence. Plus, we’ll share tips for getting the most out of your dog’s treat allowance, ensuring your furry friend stays happy and healthy. Let’s dive in!
How Many Treats Can a Dog Have a Day?
Ideally, treats should make up no more than 10% of a dog’s daily calories. So, for a dog that requires 500 calories a day, up to 50 calories could come from treats. The 10% rule strikes a balance between rewarding your dog and ensuring they receive the correct nutrients from their regular meals.
The 10% rule is a common guideline used to determine the appropriate amount of treats a dog can have a day. Just like humans, dogs need a balanced diet to maintain a healthy weight and their overall well-being. Treats should be seen as supplementary to their regular meals, not as a replacement.
The number of treats your dog can have in a day is closely tied to their daily calorie requirements. Understanding your dog’s specific caloric needs allows you to allocate an appropriate amount of their calories to treats and rewards. However, factors such as age, size, activity level, and metabolism play a significant role in this calculation. While some dog breeds have higher energy requirements, others may be more sedentary and need fewer calories.
How To Calculate Calories For Dogs
To work out how many calories your dog needs a day and what their 10% treat allowance is will require a little math (sorry).
A good place to start is to check the feeding guide on the pack of their main dog food. This will indicate how much you should feed your dog per day based on their weight. As an example, for a small dog (1-10kg) on a diet of Pooch & Mutt, Health & Digestion, it suggests feeding between 80-135g per day. For the average 6.5kg dog this works out to be 114g per day.
Next, find the metabolisable energy value on the pack of dog food (calories per kg). This Pooch & Mutt food label states there is 3500 kcal per 1kg of food. So, for our 6.5kg dog being fed 114g of food per day, the calorie calculation would look like this:
- 3500 (kcal) / 1000 (grams) = 3.5 kcal per gram of food
- 3.5 (kcal) x 114 (their food per day in grams) = 399 kcal per day
- 399 x 0.1 = 39.9 kcal (10% of 399 kcal)
This means for a 6.5kg dog, 10% of their daily calories and treats limit is 39.9 kcal per day. However, it’s key to note that the 39.9 kcal for treats is not on top of the daily calorie allowance, it’s part of their daily 399 kcal. Therefore, their main meals would need to be adjusted to accommodate for treats.
If math isn’t your favourite subject, fear not, you can use a canine calorie calculator to do the work for you. I like Vet’s Kitchen calorie calculator as it takes activity level and body condition into consideration.
Remember, each dog is unique, and these calorie calculations are a guide. Factors such as age, activity level, and health conditions can impact your dog’s daily caloric needs, however, these base calculations can be a good place to start.
Consulting your veterinarian is the best way to establish a suitable daily caloric intake for your dog. They can assess your dog’s health and individual lifestyle and recommend a specific number of calories to maintain a healthy weight.
Can You Give a Dog Too Many Treats?
As much as we love to pamper our dogs with tasty treats, overindulgence can have a negative impact on their health and well-being. Consistently giving your dog too many treats, especially those high in calories, can lead to various health issues and impact their overall quality of life.
Offering treats in excessive amounts can cause serious digestive issues. Sudden changes or overindulgence in treats can lead to diarrhoea, vomiting, or gastrointestinal discomfort. Furthermore, consistently feeding treats in excess can quickly lead to weight gain. Obesity in dogs is a serious health concern that can lead to a range of health problems, including joint issues, heart disease, and diabetes, requiring life-long treatment and medication.
It’s not just the amount of treats you feed, but the type of treats you offer. Allowing your dog to consistently consume treats that are high in fat can lead to weight gain, digestive issues, and even pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas). While it is more common in dogs that are consistently fed fatty foods, pancreatitis can also be triggered by just one high-fat meal. Pancreatitis can be very painful, causing decreased appetite, abdominal pain, fever, vomiting, lethargy, diarrhea, and in some cases death.
To avoid these potential health issues, it’s crucial to be mindful of the number and quality of treats you offer your dog and stick to the 10% rule. Be sure to prioritise their regular, balanced diet over treats. Remember, treats should complement their nutritional needs, not replace them.
How Many Treats Can a Puppy Have a Day?
Like adult dogs, treats should make up no more than 10% of your puppy’s daily calories. However, due to their delicate digestive systems and specific nutritional needs, not all treats are suitable for them. Choose treats specifically designed for puppies as they support their life stage.
As puppies are in a critical stage of growth and development, their diet should focus on providing essential nutrients for healthy bone, muscle, and organ development. Treats should not compromise their balanced puppy food and should only be a small part of their overall diet. However, puppies can benefit from treats during training sessions, providing positive reinforcement and helping to shape desired behaviors.
While it can be tempting to share human food with your puppy, it’s crucial to resist this urge as many human foods are not suitable for young pups. Additionally, when introducing new foods or treats, observe your puppy for any negative reactions, such as itching, redness, or gastrointestinal issues. If any reactions occur, discontinue the treat and seek advice from your vet.
How Often Should I Give My Dog Treats?
The frequency of treat-giving is about striking a balance. Once you have worked out how many treats your dog can have, you can easily schedule treats at different points throughout the day. Consider giving treats after a successful training session, as a reward after a long walk, or during playtime to reinforce good behaviours.
Be mindful that some dogs can easily become accustomed to having treats at certain times of the day and grow to expect it. Try to mix up the times that you offer treats to avoid expectations. Also, it’s best to avoid giving treats right before or after mealtimes as it can decrease some dogs’ interest in their main food, this is especially important for picky eaters.
Ultimately, how often you give treats throughout the day is down to your own routine and individual preference, but the key is to ensure you don’t exceed your dog’s treat allowance and calorie requirements. Remember that the focus should be on positive reinforcement and strengthening your bond with your furry friend. By maintaining a balanced approach and being mindful of your dog’s individual needs, you can create a rewarding treat routine without compromising their health.
The 10% Rule & Training: Making The Most Of Treats
Training is an essential aspect of a dog’s life, and treats are a popular and effective tool for positive reinforcement during training sessions. However, some of you may be wondering how you’ll navigate a training session with such a small amount of treats, especially if your dog is on the small side. After all, 10% of a 250-kcal diet isn’t very much.
Fear not, we have some top tips about treat usage during training, here’s what you need to know:
- Treat Size: This may seem obvious, but training treats should be small, and easy for your dog to consume quickly. Break treats in half or cut them into smaller pieces, this helps stretch out your dog’s treat allowance making them last longer in training sessions.
- Low-Calorie Treats: Another way of making your dog’s daily treat allowance go further is to choose lower-calorie training treats. I really like Denzels dog treats as they are small, easily broken in half, and each treat is less than 3kcal each (by my calculations). Alternatively, small pieces of dog-safe fruits and veggies, such as carrots, cucumbers, and watermelon make great low-calorie treat choices for training sessions.
- The Power of Praise: While most people associate food as the only reward for training your dog, don’t overlook the power of praise. When a dog receives praise for following a command or exhibiting good behaviour, they associate the action with a positive experience, encouraging them to repeat the behaviour.
- Toys & Playtime: For some dogs toys and playtime easily trumps food rewards. Having a special toy that is specifically reserved for training sessions can provide just as much positive reinforcement as a food reward.
Whatever food or toys you use during a training session, it should be considered a special reward, reserved exclusively for training purposes. This exclusivity increases its value and makes it a more effective motivator. Try using a combination of rewards, such as offering praise and food rewards, this helps to prevent over-treating and allows you to gradually decrease treats during training sessions.
Final Thoughts
Although we love to spoil our loyal canine companions, giving too many treats too often can lead to weight gain and other potential health issues. Offering treats in moderation is key to ensuring your pup stays healthy. By understanding your dog’s individual caloric needs and implementing the 10% rule, you can strike a balance between rewarding them with a delicious snack and maintaining a healthy weight.
Treat choice also requires consideration. High-calorie treats can quickly use up your dog’s calorie allowance for treats. Incorporating healthy, low-calorie treats ensures that your dog can enjoy a variety of delicious rewards without the risk of excessive calorie intake. Dog-safe fruits or veggies, like small pieces of carrots, apples, and blueberries can provide a nutritious treat while keeping your dog’s calorie counts in check.
Ultimately, treat time is an opportunity to strengthen the bond between you and your furry friend. Understanding your dog’s needs, consulting with your veterinarian, and making informed choices will help you create a treat routine that supports their health and happiness.
Why not try making your own homemade dog treats? Our easy Peanut Butter Dog Treat Recipe is quick, healthy, and only requires 4 ingredients! Best of all, these treats are easily broken into smaller pieces making them perfect for training sessions.
Happy snacking friends!