How Many Treats Should My Dog Have a Day? The 10% Rule, Explained
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Pablo would happily tell you the right number of treats is "one more". As the person who makes them, I'm a little stricter. Treats are one of the best parts of a dog's day, for them and for us, but they work best as a complement to good meals, not a replacement. Here's the simple rule I follow, how it works for Pablo and me, and how to make it work for your dog.
The short answer: the 10% rule
Vets generally suggest that treats should make up no more than about 10% of your dog's daily calories. The other 90% should come from their complete and balanced main food. That keeps their diet balanced and their weight steady, and still leaves plenty of room for rewards.
Why it matters
- Balance. Main meals are made to give your dog everything they need. Too many treats can crowd that out.
- Weight. Small extras add up fast, especially for small dogs. A few treats a day can mean a noticeable difference over a year.
- Appetite. A dog full of treats is more likely to turn their nose up at dinner.
How Pablo and I do it
Pablo and I are out walking every day, usually somewhere between 6 and 10 km. He's an 11 kg Jack Russell, busy and curious, and honestly he's not a very food-driven dog. That shapes our routine:
- One proper meal a day, at dinner. That's when he eats his main food.
- Treats after the morning walk. He doesn't have breakfast, so when we get home he has one or two treats, sometimes a few more on a big walking day.
- No treats after 1 pm. If he snacks in the afternoon, he won't eat his dinner, and dinner is the meal that matters.
That's what works for Pablo. Your dog might eat twice a day, love food a lot more, or be far less active, so the timing will look different. The idea is the same, though: treats fit around the main meal, never instead of it. If your dog starts skipping or picking at meals, the treats are usually the first thing to look at.
A rough guide by dog size
Every dog is different, so treat these as a starting point. They're based on a typical adult, desexed dog with normal activity.
| Dog's weight | Approx. daily calories | Treat allowance (10%) |
|---|---|---|
| 5 kg | about 350 kcal | about 35 kcal |
| 10 kg (Pablo is 11 kg) | about 600 kcal | about 60 kcal |
| 20 kg | about 1,000 kcal | about 100 kcal |
| 30 kg | about 1,400 kcal | about 140 kcal |
Very active dogs, like Pablo on his long walking days, usually need more, and less active dogs need less. Puppies, seniors and dogs who need to lose weight can also need quite different amounts. Your dog's food label and your vet can give you a more accurate figure.
What that looks like in practice
You don't need to count every calorie. A few simple habits do most of the work:
- Go small. Dogs care about how often they get a treat far more than how big it is. Break jerky and strips into small pieces and you get many more rewards from the same amount.
- Count everything. Chews, training rewards, dental sticks and that bit of toast from your plate all count towards the 10%.
- Watch the timing. Like Pablo, many dogs eat their dinner better without treats in the hours before it.
- Balance big days. On a heavy training day or a day with a bigger chew, take a little off their dinner.
- Plan the day. Put the day's treats in a small container in the morning. When it's empty, it's empty.
- Watch the waistline. If your dog starts gaining weight, cut back on treats before you change their main food.
Why the kind of treat matters too
The 10% rule is about how much. It's just as worth thinking about what's in that 10%. Many mass-market treats are bulked out with glycerine, sugars, starches and preservatives, so part of the allowance goes on ingredients that aren't really food.
That's why we make ours the way you'd cook at home: human-grade meat and a few whole foods, slow-dried in small batches in our Sydney kitchen, with no additives, preservatives or glues. When the whole 10% is real food, you know exactly what your dog is getting.
- For training: small, soft pieces work best. Try our Beef & Blueberry Bites or Chicken Prime Sticks broken into pieces.
- For a longer chew: our Free-Range Chicken Necks or Chicken Feet keep them busy. Count them as a bigger treat for the day.
- For a lean option: our kangaroo treats are high in protein and very low in fat.
You can browse all of our treats here.
Quick questions
Can I give my dog treats every day?
Yes. Daily treats are fine as long as the total stays within about 10% of their daily food and they're still eating their meals well.
When is the best time to give treats?
Earlier in the day, or as rewards on walks and during training, tends to work best. Try to avoid treats in the few hours before their main meal so they come to dinner hungry.
How many treats for training?
Training can use a lot of rewards, so use tiny pieces, about the size of a pea for small dogs. On big training days, reduce their meal slightly to balance it out.
Do treats replace a meal?
No. Treats like ours are complementary, which means they're made to go alongside a complete and balanced diet, not replace it.
This article is general information from a dog treat maker, not veterinary advice. Every dog's needs are different. If your dog has a health condition, a special diet or needs to lose weight, please ask your vet how many treats and meals are right for them.