Sometimes, when your companion is giving you those puppy dog eyes, it can be hard to resist giving them a treat. However, it’s important that you don’t give in to your adorable pooch every time. You might be wondering how many treats per day for a dog is a sensible amount – luckily for you, we have the answers you need!
A dog’s diet is one of the most crucial things that keeps them feeling happy and healthy. Every dog deserves a delicious treat now and then, and they don’t have to be as unhealthy as you might think.
Here at Green Pantry, we are committed to providing your perfect pooch with the best diet possible. Our mouthwatering natural dog treats are made from delicious and nutritious ingredients, so every mouthful feels like a taste-tingling indulgence whilst you know they are packed full of beneficial factors!
So, just how many treats per day for a dog is the correct amount?
How Many Treats Per Day Can I Feed My Dog?
As well as knowing how much food you should be feeding your dog, it is also important that you have an understanding of how many treats they should be having per day.
Just like humans, having too many unhealthy treats per day can lead to weight gain, resulting in additional and severe health issues. Giving your dog too many snacks can be damaging and means that they can put on unhealthy weight that they do not need.
The solution is easy once you realise that it’s all about moderation. In fact, the key thing to remember is in the name! ‘Treat’ means something that should be offered on occasion and usually as a reward for good behaviour.
Based on this, most vets and experts recommend that 10% of a dog’s daily calorie intake can come from treats. The 10% rule is to prevent overfeeding your dog, ensuring that you are never feeding treats worth more than 10% of your dog’s daily calorie count.
However, not all dogs look or weigh the same, so there might be some confusion as to how many calories your dog needs to eat per day. Most dog foods, such as our Lamb with Cranberry & Turmeric, should have the number of calories included on our website which you can then use to work out how many treats they should be fed each day.
Let’s have a look below to see how that breaks down by dog size.
How Many Treats Per Day For a Puppy?
Treats are often used among puppies to help with training, and, when it comes to pups, the 10% rule still applies based on their daily calorie intake. For example, if your puppy weighs 4kg, then you will be looking at an intake of around 400 calories per day, 40 of which can come from treats.
Remember, that doesn’t mean 40 individual treats, it means 40 calories worth of treats! Introducing treats to your puppy marks an exciting developmental stage, but, like many other things in a pup’s life, it demands caution and patience.
Begin gradually and ease your puppy into the world of treats. Treats shouldn’t be a dietary staple, so refrain from overindulging them – no matter how persuasive their pleading eyes might be!
How Many Treats Per Day For a Large Dog?
For larger or senior dogs, the number of treats they are allowed per day may naturally seem more than smaller dogs. Bigger pooches have a larger recommended intake depending on their size and activity, but we would still only recommend feeding them 3-4 treats per day as a reward.
It is extremely important to not overfeed your dogs with treats, so be wary as this can easily be done.
Are Too Many Treats Bad For Dogs?
Although a few treats a day are harmless, too many dog treats per day can lead to severe consequences on their health, such as stomach issues and messy stools in the short term, and extreme weight gain and obesity in the long term.
Signs that you are feeding your pup too many dog treats could include:
- They become demanding
- They won’t obey without a treat
- They are putting on weight
As well as paying attention to moderation, it is also important that you don’t feed your dog too many unhealthy treats. Our White Fish with Parsley & Sweet Potato Air-Dried Treat offers the perfect balance, providing ultimate nutrition while being irresistibly tasty! Plus, all of our recipes are made up of 100% natural ingredients – something your pooch won’t be able to refuse.
When Should You Treat Your Dog?
Dog treats offer our trusty companions a tasty snack in between meal times, but are often also used for things like training. Treats allow you to reward your dog for good behaviour – you might have heard of Pavlov’s dog experiment, which demonstrated the concept of classical conditioning. In fact, this concept is still widely used among dog owners today!
We advise treating your dog when:
- You want to reward good behaviour
- You feel your dog deserves a snack in between meals
- You are training a new pup
Try not to give in to begging – we know how adorable your pooch can look, but setting boundaries and not rewarding them just because they look cute is a good start! Giving your dog a treat when they are pawing or barking at you will just teach your dog that those actions mean an instant reward and they will continue to do so if not stopped.
At Green Pantry, our natural dog treats are not only mouthwateringly tasty, but are also packed full of healthy benefits that look out for your dog’s health and well-being. For a 100% natural dog treat try out our Pork With Sage & Sweet Potato or Duck & Venison With Sweet Potato flavours.
Treat Your Pooch To Green Pantry!
Hopefully, you now have a better understanding of just how many treats per day for a dog is a sensible amount. Remember, the age and size of your dog can make a difference to this number, but once you know, you can go ahead and treat your pooch – within reason!
