Are biscuits better for a dog's teeth than soft treats?

A hard biscuit does give a little more scraping action against plaque than a soft, chewy treat, but it is not a substitute for proper dental care. Our dental-care range has products designed specifically for that job if teeth are the main concern.

How many biscuits can I give my dog a day?

There is no single number, since biscuits vary in size and calorie content, but treats generally should stay a small share of a dog's daily food. Check the calorie guidance on the pack and factor treats into the day's total rather than treating them as extra.

Can puppies have ordinary dog biscuits?

Many biscuits are suitable from a certain age stated on the pack, but a puppy's teeth and stomach are more sensitive than an adult dog's, so check the age guidance before offering one and introduce anything new gradually.

Dog biscuits

Biscuits are the everyday end of the treat aisle — hard, low-moisture and generally cheaper per treat than soft or meaty options, which makes them well suited to frequent, small rewards rather than an occasional big treat. They keep well in an open jar too, which is not something you can say for most soft or meaty treats.

What sets a biscuit apart from other treats

Biscuits like Pointer Milky Bones and Pedigree Biscrok Gravy Bones are baked hard rather than soft, which gives a dog something to properly bite into and helps a little with scraping plaque compared with a soft chew swallowed almost whole.

Because they are dry and keep well, biscuits are a practical choice for a treat jar kept out for daily use, rather than something that needs the fridge or has to be used up quickly once opened.

Fitting biscuits around a proper diet

Biscuits are usually calorie-dense for their size, so a handful through the day adds up more than it looks like it should — worth bearing in mind if your dog is watching its weight, where our dog-food-for-overweight-dogs page goes into more detail.

For training or frequent rewarding, breaking a biscuit like Pedigree Markies Original into smaller pieces stretches one biscuit into several rewards, which is kinder on both the calorie count and the bag.

Storing and choosing a pack size

A resealable bag or tin keeps biscuits crisp for longer than a bag left folded over in a cupboard, and buying a bigger bag makes sense for a dog getting several a day rather than an occasional treat.

Watch for damp storage in particular — a biscuit gone soft is less satisfying to bite into and can turn mouldy faster than it looks like it should, so a dry cupboard or an airtight tin is worth the small extra effort.

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Common questions

Are biscuits better for a dog's teeth than soft treats?: A hard biscuit does give a little more scraping action against plaque than a soft, chewy treat, but it is not a substitute for proper dental care. Our dental-care range has products designed specifically for that job if teeth are the main concern.
How many biscuits can I give my dog a day?: There is no single number, since biscuits vary in size and calorie content, but treats generally should stay a small share of a dog's daily food. Check the calorie guidance on the pack and factor treats into the day's total rather than treating them as extra.
Can puppies have ordinary dog biscuits?: Many biscuits are suitable from a certain age stated on the pack, but a puppy's teeth and stomach are more sensitive than an adult dog's, so check the age guidance before offering one and introduce anything new gradually.

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.