Treats are one of the great joys of having a dog, and one of the easiest ways to throw off a dog’s diet without meaning to. Companion animal nutritionist Dr. Mary Cope, PhD, lays out how to treat well without overdoing it.
Whole Dog Journal executive editor Kate O’Connor talked it through with Dr. Cope, from portions to picks to the foods worth avoiding.
How many treats is too many?
Dr. Cope starts with the rule nutritionists and vets lean on: treats should make up no more than 10% of a dog’s daily calories, with the other 90% coming from a complete and balanced diet. Go past that and you risk unbalancing the diet, diluting important nutrients, and contributing to weight gain.
What to look for in a treat
Match the treat to your dog’s size (a small dog needs genuinely tiny treats), and look for whole or high-quality ingredients, moderate-to-low calories so you can give more, and something easy to digest. If you’re buying rather than making them, choose a reputable manufacturer.
When a treat should be complete and balanced
It depends on how many you give. Dr. Cope trains her dogs heavily, so she reaches for a nutritionally complete and balanced freeze-dried treat that won’t throw off their day (and doesn’t leave greasy pockets). For the occasional reward on a walk, she’s less concerned about complete and balanced, and she’s a fan of using plain kibble as treats, especially for puppies, as a bonding tool.
Human foods that make good treats
Plenty of whole foods work for both dogs and people: carrots, green beans, peas, blueberries, apple slices, and plain boiled, unseasoned chicken, which she likes for being low in fat. For an easy, low-calorie pocket treat, she points to plain Cheerios.
What to avoid
Dr. Cope’s keep-away list includes chocolate and cocoa, xylitol (also labeled birch sugar, and found in some sugar-free products, gum, and toothpaste), grapes and raisins, onions and garlic in real amounts, macadamia nuts, and alcohol. She also steers owners away from very high-fat foods like bacon, which can trigger pancreatitis, and from high-sugar treats as a regular thing.
A smarter way to spoil your dog
Her biggest point: owners overestimate how big a treat needs to be and underestimate the calories. A small dog’s whole treat allowance might be 20 calories, and one bakery-style cookie can blow past it. Most dogs would rather get five tiny treats than one big one, so break treats small and keep low-calorie options on hand.
The takeaway
Treats are part of the fun, but the best gift you can give a dog is a long, healthy life. Watch the full interview above, and tailor the specifics to your own dog with your veterinarian.
