Treats are where a lot of small-dog owners accidentally undo all their good work at mealtimes. A good treat isn't just a reward — it's still going into that same tiny stomach we talked about last time, so it's worth choosing well.
Why Treat Quality Matters More for Small Dogs
A 5kg dog eating a handful of low-quality, filler-heavy treats over the course of a day can easily be getting 10-15% of their daily calories from something with almost no nutritional value. That's a meaningful chunk of their tiny daily intake going nowhere useful.
Natural, single-ingredient treats flip that around — every bite is doing something for the dog, not just filling space.
What to Look For
- Single-ingredient where possible — a treat that's just one meat, air-dried or freeze-dried, with nothing added
- No artificial preservatives, colours or flavourings — these add zero nutritional value and are exactly the kind of "empty" calories that ruin appetite
- Appropriate size — a treat sized for a Labrador is a full meal's worth of a Chihuahua's daily allowance
Our Go-To Options for Small Dogs
Our Natural Treats range is built around exactly this — single-protein, minimally processed options that work as training rewards or everyday treats without overloading a small dog's daily intake.
For training specifically, our JR Coins are sized right for small and toy breeds — small enough to use dozens of times in a session without derailing dinner. The JR Sticks range works well as a slower, longer-lasting treat for downtime rather than rapid-fire training rewards.
If you're newer to natural feeding and want to try a few proteins before committing, the Treat Box for Small & Medium Dogs is a good low-risk way to see what your dog actually prefers.
The Simple Rule
Treat your dog's treats like part of their diet, not separate from it. If the treats are genuinely good, you don't need to feel guilty about using them — and your dog is far more likely to still be interested in dinner.
Got a fussy small dog? Tell us their breed, weight, and current food in the comments — we're picking a few to break down in an upcoming video.