How Many Dog Treats Should You Feed Your Pet in a Day?

Dogs, like any other pet, like to be rewarded with food and given proper attention whenever their fur parents can. It’s one of the ways you can show your affection to your beloved pet and keep them healthy and happy. While treats are completely safe to give to your pets, when is it considered too much? We reveal the ideal amount of treats you should give your dogs and why you shouldn’t go crazy in giving them all the goodies they want.

Knowing the 10% Rule

Whenever you go to your local veterinarian or your dog grooming salon, you’ve probably heard of the 10% rule regarding giving treats to dogs. According to most experts, treats should make up no more than about 10% of your dog’s daily calorie intake. This just means that you need to be judicious in how you dole out treats to your pup. However, is there an exact way to measure how much is 10%?

It’s All About the Calories

Instead of just making a general assumption about how many treats you should give your dog, let’s try to calculate that 10%. To do that, you need to look at the calories of the treats and the required calories that your dog needs. You need to consider your dog’s size and weight in order to get their required daily caloric requirement. For reference, an average 40-pound dog needs about 740 calories per day. Obviously, the bigger your pet is, the more calories they need every day to stay healthy and lively. 

Once you have your dog’s weight and daily caloric requirement, you can look at just how many calories there are in a single serving of dog treats.

Counting Calories for Your Pet

At this stage, you may need to do a little bit of research and math. First, you need to see how many calories your dog can get from a single piece or serving of dog treats. This is usually indicated in the packaging and should be easy enough to get. Going with the example above, you need to get the 10 percent of 740, which is the required amount of calories for your dog in a single day. That will net you 74 calories, which means you can only give your beloved pet the equivalent of 74 calories aside from the calories they get from their regular meals.

Redbarn Bully Stick 12" Dog Treat

Which Treat is Best for My Pet?

Now that you know how to calculate the calories your dog needs in a day and how much of that total number should come from dog treats, you need to look for the most appropriate treat to give your pet.

Let’s say you like to spend some time playing with your pet and teaching them tricks. You need some low-calorie treats that you can give them multiple times a day. Some pet parents would resort to giving their pets cheese, but a single cube of it already contains too many calories.

Alternatively, you may look at healthier options like sliced cucumbers containing only eight calories or maybe a medium-sized carrot that can provide around 25 calories per piece. These are better alternatives as they’re healthier, and you can keep giving them to your fur babies throughout the day until they reach the calorie limit you’ve set for them.

Conclusion

It’s easy to pamper and spoil your pets with all the treats you can give them. But as a responsible parent, you also need to look out for your pooch’s health and nutritional needs. This short guide should come in handy for helping you give your pets the best nutrition possible while also keeping them happy and well-loved with the treats you give them.

EarthWise Pet Marysville is your local neighborhood pet nutrition center and wellness spa. Our pet supply store and dog grooming station have everything your pet needs to be happy and healthy. Bring your fur babies to our center and let them have the care and pampering they deserve!