Treats are training fuel and love language โ but they are also the most common hidden source of weight gain. The rule we live by: treats stay under 10% of daily calories.
Why 10%?
Commercial treats are energy-dense and often nutritionally incomplete. Beyond 10% of daily calories, they start to unbalance the diet your pet’s main food was designed to deliver. A 20-piece treat day can quietly equal a second dinner.
Reward behaviour, not begging
- Time it to the action. Reward sitting calmly, coming when called, or loose-leash walking โ within 2 seconds, so the link is clear.
- Ignore the stare. A treat given at the dinner table teaches exactly the wrong lesson: begging works.
- Shrink the size, not the praise. Pea-sized pieces work as well as fist-sized ones โ your enthusiasm does the heavy lifting.
Count treats into the daily budget
If training days get treat-heavy, slightly reduce the main meals to stay inside the total calorie budget. Choose functional treats or break larger ones into smaller pieces.
Good behaviour earns rewards. Begging earns a smile โ and nothing else.
