How Many Dog Treats Per Day? (And Why Most Owners Give Too Many)
Share
The general guideline is that treats should make up no more than 10% of your dog's daily caloric intake. That's the number most vets cite, and it's a good rule of thumb. But in practice, most owners give more than that — not out of negligence, but out of love.
Why the amount matters
Treats are usually calorie-dense relative to their size. A single commercial biscuit can represent 30–50 calories, which for a small dog might be 10% of their daily intake in one bite. Consistently overfeeding treats can contribute to weight gain without you ever changing their main meals.
How to calculate a reasonable treat budget
Look up your dog's recommended daily caloric intake (typically listed on their food packaging, or calculable by your vet). Take 10% of that number — that's your daily treat calorie budget.
Example: A 30-pound moderately active dog might need around 900 calories per day. 10% = 90 calories for treats. A small oat-based biscuit runs roughly 10–15 calories, so 6–8 treats per day is reasonable.
Training treats vs. snack treats
Training treats are typically very small — pea-sized or smaller — because you're often giving many repetitions in a session. Our baked biscuits are a better fit for a post-training reward or a regular snack than for high-repetition training sessions, unless you break them into small pieces. See our beginner's guide to baking treats at home for tips on making appropriately sized treats.
The homemade advantage
When you make your own treats, you control the size. Scratch Treats biscuits are cut to a pup-sized default with the included cutter, but you can use smaller cutters for smaller dogs or training purposes. You also know exactly what's in them — see our full ingredient list — which makes it easier to account for treats in your dog's overall diet.
