Dog treats for overweight dogs
The treats worth choosing for a dog carrying extra weight are the ones built to be genuinely low-calorie — not just smaller versions of an ordinary treat — plus anything that makes a treat last longer, like a puzzle feeder or a slow-release chew, so the reward feels bigger to the dog than the calorie count actually is.
What actually changes in a low-calorie treat
A genuinely low-calorie treat usually gets there through fat content rather than size alone — fat carries more than twice the calories of protein or carbohydrate gram for gram, so a treat with a lower fat percentage can be a similar size to an ordinary treat and still cost the dog noticeably less. Single-ingredient air-dried or freeze-dried treats, made from lean meat or fish with nothing added, are often naturally lower in fat than a baked biscuit-style treat built around flour and fat to hold its shape.
Vegetable-based treats, or treats that use a lean protein like white fish or chicken breast rather than a fattier cut, tend to sit lower on the calorie scale too. None of this means every 'diet' or 'light' treat on a shelf is automatically better — it is worth checking what actually changed in the recipe rather than trusting the word on the front of the bag.
Making treats last longer, not just smaller
A treat that takes longer to get through does more for a dog on a weight-management plan than one that disappears in a single bite, because a lot of the satisfaction a dog gets from treat time is about the activity of working for it rather than the calories themselves. A puzzle feeder or a treat-dispensing toy turns a handful of low-calorie treats into several minutes of mental work, rather than a few seconds of eating.
Snuffle mats and slow feeders work the same way with a dog's normal kibble ration, letting you use part of a measured meal as treats scattered through the day rather than adding extra calories on top of what the dog already eats. This is often the single most effective change for a dog whose treat habit has crept up over time — using food the dog is already getting, differently, rather than adding more.
Reading the label, not just the claim
Terms like 'light' and 'low fat' on pet treats are not regulated as tightly as complete food labelling, so it is worth comparing the actual figures rather than trusting the claim alone. Where a treat states a fat percentage, compare it against a standard treat of the same type — a genuinely lower-calorie option should show a meaningfully lower number, not just a marginal difference dressed up in packaging.
Ingredient lists are worth a look too. A treat with added sugars, syrups or a long list of fillers ahead of the main protein is unlikely to be doing a weight-management dog any favours, whatever claim sits on the front of the bag.
How treats fit into a weight plan
However low-calorie a treat is, it still adds up if a dog is having a lot of them through the day, and treats of any kind should stay a small part of what a dog eats overall rather than a meaningful chunk of it. If your dog is on a specific weight-loss plan, it is worth accounting for treats within that plan rather than treating them as separate from the main food.
If you are not sure how much your dog should weigh or how quickly it should be losing weight, that is a conversation worth having with your vet — they can set a target and a rate of loss that suits your individual dog, rather than guessing from a generic chart.
What we stock
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Pedigree Schmackos Dog Treats Meat Variety
Meat-variety dog treat sticks, 20 per pack, under 30 kcal each, banded by dog weight
£2.75
Pedigree DentaStix Daily Large Dog Dental Treats
Daily Pedigree DentaStix dental chews portioned for large dogs
£2.29
Pedigree Rodeo Dog Treats with Chicken
Pedigree Rodeo chicken twists with weekly limits for dogs over the stated weight
£2.75
Pedigree Schmackos Dog Treats with Fish
Pedigree Schmackos fish-flavour strips with daily dog-size allowances
£2.75
Forthglade Grain Free Soft Bites Fresh Breath Treats 90g
Chicken soft dog treats with parsley and peppermint oil for fresh breath
£2.45
Forthglade Soft Bite Grain Free Joints & Bones Treats
Grain-free salmon dog treats with salmon oil, glucosamine and chondroitin
£2.45
Forthglade Soft Bite Grain Free Good Gut Health Treats
Grain-free chicken dog treats with ginger, chicory root and MOS
£2.45
Forthglade Functional Soft Bite Treats - Plant Based Banana & Honey
Plant-based banana and honey soft dog treats for training rewards
£2.45
Chicken-Wrapped Milk Stick Dog Treats
Chewy dog treats of soft milk sticks wrapped in real chicken or duck for tasty, protein-rich rewarding.
From£12.99
Bakers Bites Chicken Dog Treats
130G BAKERS Bites Chicken Dog Treats: complementary dog food or treat with composition and analysis made clear
£1.99
Bakers Sizzlers Bacon Dog Treats
315G BAKERS Sizzlers Bacon Dog Treats: complementary dog food or treat with composition and analysis made clear
£4.00
Advent & Treats Set
A dog advent calendar, Christmas chicken twisters and a highland cow plush to open on the day.
£14.49
Common questions
- What treats are best for a dog on a diet?
- Single-ingredient air-dried or freeze-dried treats made from lean meat or fish, and vegetable-based treats, tend to be lower in fat and calories than baked biscuit-style treats of a similar size. Checking the actual fat content rather than trusting a 'light' label is the more reliable approach.
- Are dental chews okay for an overweight dog?
- Many dental chews carry a reasonable number of calories for their size, so it is worth checking the packet rather than assuming a chew doesn't count as a treat. If your dog needs dental support as well as weight management, look for a lower-calorie option and factor it into what else the dog eats that day.
- How can I make treat time last longer without adding more food?
- Puzzle feeders, treat-dispensing toys and snuffle mats turn the same handful of treats, or even part of your dog's normal meal, into several minutes of activity instead of a few seconds of eating. This gives the dog more satisfaction from the same amount of food, which is useful when managing weight.
- Should I stop giving my dog treats altogether while it loses weight?
- Not necessarily — treats can still be part of a weight-loss plan as long as they are accounted for in the dog's overall daily food. Choosing lower-calorie treats and making them last longer is usually more sustainable than cutting them out completely, and your vet can help you work out how they fit into a specific plan.
Related
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.