Can I just give my large dog more small-breed treats instead?

You can, but a small treat tends to disappear in one bite for a large dog, giving little of the occupying or rewarding benefit a properly sized treat offers. A larger, tougher treat generally suits a big dog better.

Do large dogs need more treats than small dogs?

Not necessarily more in number — treats should still be a small share of a large dog's higher overall calorie needs, not scaled up in the same proportion. It's easy to overdo treats with a big dog without realising.

Are dental chews worth it for a large dog?

Generally yes, as long as the chew is properly sized for the dog — an undersized dental chew for a large breed is often finished too quickly to do much for their teeth, so choosing the right size matters.

How do I know if a chew is safe for my large, powerful chewer?

Supervise a new chew the first few times to see how quickly your dog works through it, and choose chews designed to wear down rather than shatter into hard pieces. A vet can advise if you're ever concerned about a specific dog's chewing habits.

Treats for large dogs

A treat built for a large dog differs from one made for a small breed in more than just size — it needs a bigger, tougher piece that won't be swallowed in a single gulp, and it often needs to be lower in calories per gram if it's given often, since large dogs can otherwise take in more calories from treats than an owner intends.

Why size and texture actually matter

A treat scaled for a small dog can disappear in one bite for a large breed, which defeats much of the point of a treat meant to occupy or reward a dog for more than a second. Larger, chunkier treats and chews give a big dog something to actually work at rather than gulp.

Texture matters for safety too — a treat that's too small or that breaks into hard shards can be a choking risk for a dog with a large mouth and strong bite force. Chews designed with larger dogs in mind account for this, generally being both bigger and structured to wear down rather than shatter.

Calories add up faster in a bigger dog's treat habit

It's a common misconception that a large dog can simply have more treats because they're bigger — while a large dog's total calorie needs are higher, treats are still meant to be a small percentage of the daily total, and it's easy for a well-meaning owner to overdo it with a big dog that clearly enjoys its food.

Choosing treats and chews that are naturally lower in fat, or breaking a larger treat into smaller pieces across the day rather than giving several whole treats, keeps portion control realistic without cutting out treats altogether.

Dental chews for large dogs

A dental chew sized for a large dog needs enough substance to actually engage their back teeth for a reasonable length of time, rather than being gone in seconds. Undersized dental chews for a big dog do very little for dental health simply because there isn't time for the mechanical action to work.

As with any chew, supervision matters — a large, powerful chewer can sometimes break off pieces faster than expected, so it's worth watching a new chew the first few times before leaving a dog with it unsupervised.

Natural chews as an alternative to processed treats

Single-ingredient natural chews — plain dried meat, fish or similar — scaled to a large dog's size give a long-lasting option without the additives found in some processed treats, and their size naturally suits a bigger dog's chewing session better than a small biscuit would.

As with any chew, checking that a specific product is genuinely appropriate for your dog's size and chewing strength matters more than the marketing on the front of the pack — what works well for a moderate chewer may not hold up to a particularly determined large dog.

Pedigree DentaStix Light daily dental chews for medium and large dogs

£2.35

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Common questions

Can I just give my large dog more small-breed treats instead?: You can, but a small treat tends to disappear in one bite for a large dog, giving little of the occupying or rewarding benefit a properly sized treat offers. A larger, tougher treat generally suits a big dog better.
Do large dogs need more treats than small dogs?: Not necessarily more in number — treats should still be a small share of a large dog's higher overall calorie needs, not scaled up in the same proportion. It's easy to overdo treats with a big dog without realising.
Are dental chews worth it for a large dog?: Generally yes, as long as the chew is properly sized for the dog — an undersized dental chew for a large breed is often finished too quickly to do much for their teeth, so choosing the right size matters.
How do I know if a chew is safe for my large, powerful chewer?: Supervise a new chew the first few times to see how quickly your dog works through it, and choose chews designed to wear down rather than shatter into hard pieces. A vet can advise if you're ever concerned about a specific dog's chewing habits.

Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.