Treats and chews
Can too many treats make my dog overweight?
Last updated 23 September 2026 · How we write and check this
Short answer
Yes, treats are a common and often overlooked cause of gradual weight gain, since owners tend to track meals closely but not the small extras handed out between them. A dog getting an extra 50 kcal a day beyond what it burns can gain roughly 2.5 kg over a year, because that surplus never gets subtracted from anywhere else. The fix is usually not cutting treats out entirely, but counting them as part of the day's total food.
How the surplus builds up unnoticed
A single 10 kcal training treat seems trivial, but five of them a day for a 6 kg dog eating a 350 kcal ration adds up to 14 percent of total intake, well past the usual 10 percent guideline. Multiply that by 365 days and the dog has taken in roughly 18,000 extra kcal over a year, enough to explain a noticeable shift on the scale even though nothing about mealtimes changed.
Checking whether it has already happened
Running a hand along the ribs is the simplest home check: you should feel them easily under a thin layer of fat, similar to running fingers across the back of your own hand. If you have to press firmly to find ribs, or there is no visible waist when looking down at the dog from above, treats and portions likely need reviewing together rather than just cutting the main meal.
Practical ways to fix it without losing the routine
Swapping some treats for a portion of the dog's own kibble, using smaller pieces broken from a larger treat, or replacing a few daily handouts with a few minutes of extra play can cut calories while keeping the habit and the bonding moment intact. Reducing the main meal by the same number of calories the treats add is the most direct fix if the treats themselves are non negotiable.
Key takeaways
- An extra 50 kcal a day beyond a dog's needs can add up to about 2.5 kg of weight gain over a year.
- Five small 10 kcal treats can push a 6 kg dog's treat intake to 14 percent of daily calories, above the usual guideline.
- Check for easily felt ribs and a visible waist to spot weight gain early.
- Swapping some treats for kibble portions or play keeps the routine without the extra calories.