How many treats can my dog have?
Vets use a simple guide: treats should stay under 10% of your dog's daily calories, so the rest comes from a balanced meal. We estimate the daily calories from your dog's weight and activity (RER = 70 × weight0.75), then hand you the 10% treat budget.
Daily calorie estimate: -
Treat budget (10%): -
For scale: a small dog biscuit is roughly 15-30 kcal, a dental chew about 50-90 kcal, and a baby carrot only about 4 kcal - so budget the treats accordingly. Small, low-calorie rewards go a lot further.
🍖 Treats over 10% of daily calories unbalance a complete diet - the more of the day's calories come from treats, the fewer nutrients your dog gets from proper food. On a big-treat day, cut the meal slightly to keep the total in check.
⚠️ This is a healthy-adult estimate, not a prescription. Puppies, pregnant or nursing dogs, and dogs with medical conditions have different needs. Calorie counts on treat packaging vary, so check the label - and let your vet fine-tune the plan for a dog on a weight-management or therapeutic diet.