Dog treats in bulk — what to actually check before you buy
Buying dog treats in bulk can genuinely save money, especially if you have more than one dog or get through treats fast in training, but a bigger bag is not automatically cheaper per treat than a smaller one. Working out the price per kilogram or per treat, rather than just the headline price on the front, is the only reliable way to tell.
Is buying in bulk actually cheaper?
It often is, but not always, and the only way to know is to compare like for like. Divide the price by the weight or the treat count, then compare that figure across pack sizes rather than trusting that the biggest bag is automatically the best value. Occasionally a mid-sized pack works out cheaper per treat than the largest one.
It is also worth being honest about whether you will get through a large bag before it goes stale or you change what you buy. A bulk pack that sits half-finished for months has not actually saved you anything, whatever the per-kilogram price said on the shelf.
Keeping bulk treats fresh
Once a large bag is opened, treats are exposed to air every time you dip in, and semi-moist or meaty treats in particular can dry out or lose their appeal faster than a small pack would. An airtight container, rather than leaving the bag folded over with a clip, makes a noticeable difference to how long they stay appealing.
Check any use-by or best-before guidance on the pack, particularly for softer, meat-based treats rather than hard biscuits, since these generally have a shorter window once opened. Buying bulk only pays off if the treats are still good by the time you get through them.
Treats are still treats
Having a large stock of treats to hand can make it easy to give more than you mean to, particularly during training or if more than one person in the household is topping up the treat jar. Treats should stay a small part of what your dog eats in a day rather than a habit that quietly grows because there is always more in the cupboard.
If you notice your dog's weight creeping up after switching to buying in bulk, it is worth cutting back on the main meal slightly to balance it out, or splitting treats into smaller pieces so the same bag stretches further without your dog eating more overall.
The cheaper end of the range
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Chicken-Wrapped Milk Stick Dog Treats
Chewy dog treats of soft milk sticks wrapped in real chicken for tasty, protein-rich rewarding.
From£12.99
Dried Catnip & Cat Grass Leaf Treats
A tub of dried catnip and cat grass leaves to sprinkle over toys, scratchers and bedding.
From£8.99
Whiskas 1+ Lamb Adult Dry Cat Food
Complete lamb dry food for adult cats in a practical 1.9KG bag
£12.39
Whiskas 1 Tuna Adult Dry Cat Food
Complete tuna dry food for adult cats, offered in several bag sizes
From£3.19
Whiskas Kitten Chicken Dry Cat Food
Complete chicken dry food for kittens, available in several bag sizes
From£3.19
Whiskas 7+ Senior Cat Complete Dry with Chicken
Complete chicken dry food for senior cats aged 7+ in a 1.9KG bag
£12.39
Catit Nibbly Jerky Chicken & Fish Treats
Soft chicken and fish jerky treats for cats, two named meats high on the list, grain free
£1.89
Catit Creamy Tuna Treats 4 Pk
Lickable 26% tuna purée tubes for cats, 4 x 10g, up to 3 a day in place of main meal
£1.89
Dreamies Meaty Sticks Adult Cat Treats with Scrumptious Salmon
Soft meaty stick treats for adult cats with salmon, individually wrapped, not for kittens
£1.59
Dreamies Creamy Adult Cat & Kitten Treats with Scrumptious Salmon
Creamy lickable salmon treats for cats and kittens, in a 40g pack with taurine
£1.59
Stop Bloody Scratching Treats Chicken Flavour 90 Tablets
Chicken-flavoured tablets from Pets Calm Down, made in the UK, ninety to a pack, given daily as a treat to support skin and coat condition in itchy dogs.
£22.99
Dreamies Shakeups Seafood Celebrations Cat Treats
Complementary Dreamies Shakeups tuna, salmon and shrimp treats, 55G
£2.05
Common questions
- Is it always cheaper to buy dog treats in bulk?
- Not always. Work out the price per kilogram or per treat and compare it across pack sizes, since occasionally a mid-sized pack is better value than the largest one on the shelf. It is worth checking rather than assuming the biggest bag automatically wins.
- How should I store a large bag of dog treats once it is open?
- An airtight container keeps them fresher for longer than leaving the original bag folded over, particularly for softer, meat-based treats which dry out and lose appeal faster than hard biscuits. Check any use-by guidance on the pack as well, since it still applies once opened.
- Will buying treats in bulk mean I give my dog too many?
- It can, simply because there is always more within reach, which makes it easy to top up the treat jar without noticing. Treats should stay a small part of your dog's daily food regardless of how much is in the cupboard, so it is worth keeping an eye on portions rather than the stock level.
- Do bulk packs work out well for multi-dog households?
- Often yes, since getting through a bag faster across more than one dog reduces the risk of treats going stale before you finish them. It is still worth comparing the price per kilogram against smaller packs rather than assuming bulk is automatically the better deal for your household.
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.