Short answer: Follow the 10% rule — treats of all kinds should make up no more than 10% of your dog's daily calories. For a typical 50 lb dog eating about 1,150 calories a day, that is roughly 115 calories of treats. Count everything: training bites, chews, toppers, and table scraps all come out of the same 10%.
The 10% rule, by dog size
Daily calorie needs vary with age, activity, and whether a dog is spayed or neutered, but these are reasonable averages for a typical adult dog:
- 10 lb (small) — about 350 calories/day → treats up to ~35 calories
- 25 lb (medium-small) — about 700 calories/day → treats up to ~70 calories
- 50 lb (medium-large) — about 1,150 calories/day → treats up to ~115 calories
- 75 lb (large) — about 1,550 calories/day → treats up to ~155 calories
On heavy treat days — a long training session, a big chew — simply trim the next meal slightly to balance the day.
Training treats: count rewards, not size
Dogs experience each piece as one reward, whether it is a whole biscuit or a pea-sized crumb. For training, break treats into the smallest pieces that still get attention: you can deliver 30 rewards for the calorie cost of 5 whole treats. Soft or freeze-dried treats that tear or crumble cleanly make this easy — and keep sessions fun instead of filling.
Chews add up faster than you think
Chews and jerky are calorie-dense: a long chewing session can quietly equal a quarter of a small dog's day. If your dog gets a chew, that is the day's treat budget mostly spent — skip the extras, and supervise while they chew. Dental chews count too; "functional" does not mean free.
What about cats?
The same 10% rule applies. A typical 10 lb indoor cat eats roughly 250–300 calories a day, so treats should stay under about 25–30 calories — a few small pieces, broken up, once or twice a day.
FAQ
Can treats alone make a dog overweight? — Yes. An extra 100 calories a day is trivial to a person but can be 10–30% of a small or medium dog's entire budget — the equivalent of a person adding a daily milkshake. Weight creeps on through treats more often than through meals.
My dog begs constantly. What helps? — Keep treats on a schedule, use part of their regular meal as training rewards, and trade some treat moments for play or a walk. Begging is a habit loop; smaller, scheduled rewards break it within a couple of weeks.
Are freeze-dried treats lower in calories? — Freeze-drying removes water, not calories — per ounce they are similar to the fresh ingredient. Their advantage is portion control: pieces are light, break easily, and a little goes a long way.
Puppies and seniors? — Puppies in training may use a larger share of small, frequent rewards — just keep the 10% ceiling and use tiny pieces. Seniors usually need fewer total calories, so their treat budget shrinks; nutrient-dense treats earn their place.
Our approach
Biteology treats are made to be portioned: our freeze-dried pieces break into training-sized bits, and our jerky strips tear by hand — so you control the reward, not the biscuit. Every bag lists a feeding guide; the 10% rule does the rest.
This article is general information for pet parents, not veterinary advice. If your pet needs a weight plan, your veterinarian can set an exact daily calorie target.
