Treats and chews
Should treats count toward my dog's daily calories?
Last updated 23 September 2026 · How we write and check this
Short answer
Yes, every treat and chew a dog eats counts toward its daily calorie total the same way kibble or wet food does. A common mistake is calculating a dog's meal portion from feeding guidelines on the food bag, then adding treats on top without adjusting anything, which quietly pushes total intake 15 to 30 percent above what the dog actually needs. Treating treats as part of the same budget, not a separate category, keeps weight steady.
Why the food bag's guideline alone is not enough
Feeding charts on kibble bags assume that the stated amount is the dog's entire calorie intake for the day, with no allowance built in for treats, chews, or table scraps. A 25 kg dog fed the recommended 350 g of kibble, plus a 100 g rawhide chew and a handful of biscuits, can easily be eating 20 percent more than the chart intended.
A simple way to build treats into the plan
Working out roughly how many kcal your dog needs per day, then subtracting the treats and chews you plan to give before calculating the meal portion, keeps the totals honest. If a dog gets a 40 kcal chew most evenings, that amount can be deducted from the day's kibble allowance rather than left as an unaccounted extra.
Where this matters most
It matters most for small dogs, where a single treat can represent a larger share of total daily intake than owners expect. A 4 kg toy breed's full daily calorie need might be only 200 to 250 kcal, so a 25 kcal treat is already 10 percent of the day's food on its own, before the main meals are even served.
Key takeaways
- Feeding chart amounts on food bags assume no treats are added on top.
- A 25 kg dog getting extra chews and treats daily can end up eating 20 percent more than intended.
- Subtract planned treats from the day's calorie budget before working out meal portions.
- Small dogs feel the calorie impact of treats proportionally more than large dogs do.