Treats & Supplements

Training Treats: Reward Your Dog Without Overfeeding

Training treats are essential for effective dog training.

1 min readReviewed: Sep 25, 2025

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Training Rewards

Golden Rule

Training treats should not exceed 10% of their daily caloric intake.

Tips

  • Use small treats
  • You can use a portion of their daily kibble
  • Natural treats (dried meat) are better
  • Avoid human foods

Key Considerations

  • Many pet owners don't consider the calories in treats
  • For overweight dogs, reducing treats is often the first step

References

  1. 1.Cline MG, Burns KM, Coe JB, et al. — 2021 AAHA Nutrition and Weight Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats. Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association 57(4):153–178, 2021. https://doi.org/10.5326/JAAHA-MS-7232 (accessed: 2026-09-10)
  2. 2.Laflamme DP — Development and validation of a body condition score system for dogs. Canine Practice 22(4):10–15, 1997. (accessed: 2026-09-10)
  3. 3.German AJ — The growing problem of obesity in dogs and cats. The Journal of Nutrition 136(7):1940S–1946S, 2006. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/136.7.1940S (accessed: 2026-09-10)

This is general information and does not replace a veterinary diagnosis.

Reka Fazekas-Birizdo

This guide was compiled based on the expert input of Reka Fazekas-Birizdo canine nutritionist.

Certified Canine Nutritionist

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