Treats Without Guilt: The 10% Rule and Smarter Snacks
The 10% rule
Vets suggest treats make up no more than a tenth of daily calories, with the main food scaled down to match. For a small dog, one cheese cube can be the caloric equivalent of a human eating several donuts — size treats to the pet.
Smart swaps
Vegetables many dogs love: carrot sticks, green beans, cucumber, plain pumpkin. For training, use tiny pea-sized morsels — dogs value frequency over size — or portion out part of their daily kibble as the reward budget.
Cat treat truths
Cats respond to treats too (yes, they're trainable): freeze-dried single-protein treats, a lick of plain cooked chicken, or their own kibble tossed to chase. Skip milk — most adult cats are lactose intolerant despite the cartoons.
The dangerous 'treats'
No cooked bones, no fatty scraps (pancreatitis), no grapes/raisins, onions, chocolate or anything xylitol-sweetened. And beware rawhide gulpers — long-lasting chews should match the chewer, with supervision.
Something with their name on it
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