In my house, "Treat Time" is a highly orchestrated, two-part theatrical event.

Act One stars Billy. The moment he hears a crinkle in the kitchen, he morphs into an Olympic gymnast, pulling out every trick in the book at light speed. Sit, down, spin, paw. He is a blur of motion trying to secure the bag as fast as possible.

Act Two features Lizzie. Lizzie does not do gymnastics. She remains firmly planted on the couch, waiting patiently for her treat to be delivered via room service. She’s in no rush; she knows I’ll eventually bring it to her.

We typically hand out one or two treats a day, but watching them eat (or devour) their snacks always brings up the same question we hear constantly at the store: Am I giving them too much? Or am I being stingy?

If you’ve ever wondered how many treats your dog should actually get in a day, here is the breakdown.

The Golden Standard: The 10% Rule

When it comes to treating, veterinary nutritionists rely on the 10% Rule.

Simply put, treats should make up no more than 10% of your dog’s total daily caloric intake. The other 90% needs to come from their complete and balanced meals to ensure they are getting the right vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.

If you feed your dog too many treats, one of two things happens:

  1. They gain weight: If you add treats on top of their regular meals, those extra calories turn into extra pounds.
  2. They miss out on nutrition: If you reduce their dinner to make room for a ton of treats, they might be missing out on vital nutrients their body needs to thrive.

It’s Not About the Number, It’s About the Calories

Saying "I give my dog two treats a day" can mean wildly different things.

If those two treats are massive, dense peanut butter biscuits, you might be feeding your dog the caloric equivalent of a cheeseburger. If those two treats are tiny pieces of freeze-dried beef liver, you are barely making a dent in their daily calories.

Instead of counting the number of treats, look at the back of the bag.

  • Training Treats: These should be tiny (the size of a pea) and low-calorie (1 to 3 calories per treat). You can give a dozen of these during a training session without ruining their diet.
  • Biscuits & Cookies: These are usually 20 to 50 calories each. These should be a once-a-day special reward.
  • High-Value Chews: Things like bully sticks or marrow bones can pack a ton of calories. These should be factored into their daily meal allowance or given less frequently.

Picking the Right Treat for the Job

Not all treats serve the same purpose. At Pets Etc., we categorize them by the "job" they do:

  1. The "Trick" Treat (High-Value & Fast) For dogs like Billy who are actively learning (or just showing off), you want something highly pungent but tiny. Freeze-dried raw treats, like Vital Essentials minnows or Stella & Chewy's meal mixers, are perfect. They can be eaten in one bite, keeping the dog focused on the next command rather than chewing.
  2. The "Chill Out" Treat (Long-Lasting Chews) For dogs like Lizzie who just want to relax on the couch, a long-lasting chew is ideal. Natural chews like bully sticks, collagen sticks, or raw bones are fantastic for mental enrichment. The act of chewing releases endorphins, calming the dog down while simultaneously scraping plaque off their teeth.
  3. The "Functional" Treat If you are going to give a treat, why not make it work for you? We love treats that double as supplements. You can find treats packed with glucosamine for aging joints, or treats with limited, single-source ingredients (like pure sweet potato or dehydrated lung) for dogs with sensitive stomachs.

The Verdict

One or two treats a day is a perfectly healthy baseline for most dogs, provided those treats are appropriately sized! Just remember to keep an eye on the calories and adjust their dinner bowl if they’ve had a particularly treat-heavy day.

Ready to upgrade your treat jar? Stop by the Treat Bar at Pets Etc. in Plainfield. Whether you need tiny training bites for a hyperactive pup or a savory, long-lasting chew for a couch potato, we have the largest selection of healthy, high-quality treats in the area.