A few treats here, a scrap from the table there, a dental stick, a training reward—it all adds up. Many pet owners are surprised to learn that treats and "extras" can account for a quarter or more of their pet's daily calories, undermining weight management and balanced nutrition.
Veterinary and nutrition guidelines commonly recommend that no more than 10% of your pet's daily calories should come from treats, table scraps, and other extras. The other 90% should come from a complete, balanced diet. This 10% rule keeps your pet at a healthy weight while still allowing room for rewards. Here's how to apply it.
What Is the 10% Rule?
The 10% rule means:
- Up to 10% of your pet's total daily calorie intake can come from treats, table scraps, toppers, and other non-complete foods.
- At least 90% of daily calories should come from a nutritionally complete and balanced diet (their main pet food).
So if your dog needs 500 kcal per day, no more than 50 kcal should come from treats and extras; the remaining 450 kcal should come from their regular food.
This isn't just about weight. When treats exceed 10%, your pet may be missing essential nutrients that are provided in balanced food, and they're more likely to gain weight or develop obesity-related health risks.
Why the 10% Rule Matters
1. Treats Add Up Quickly
- A few small biscuits, a piece of cheese, and a dental chew can easily add 100–200+ kcal for a medium dog.
- For a cat who only needs 200–250 kcal per day, a handful of treats can be 20–30% of their intake.
- Owners often don't count treats as "real" food, so they keep feeding full meal portions and the pet gains weight.
2. Treats Are Often High in Calories
Many commercial treats and human foods are calorie-dense (fat and sugar). A small volume can deliver a large number of calories, so it's easy to overshoot the 10% without realizing it.
3. Balanced Food Does the Heavy Lifting
Complete and balanced pet foods are formulated to provide the right mix of protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals. When treats displace too much of that food, the diet becomes unbalanced and calorie control gets harder.
4. Weight and Health
Staying within the 10% rule makes it much easier to hit your pet's daily calorie target and avoid pet obesity. That supports long-term health and reduces the risk of conditions linked to excess weight.
How to Apply the 10% Rule
Step 1: Know Your Pet's Daily Calorie Need (MER)
Calculate your pet's Maintenance Energy Requirement (MER)—the calories they need per day to maintain a healthy weight. Use our pet calorie calculator to get this number.
Example: Your dog's MER = 600 kcal/day.
Step 2: Calculate 10% of That
- 10% of daily calories = maximum calories from treats and extras per day.
Example: 10% of 600 = 60 kcal from treats per day for that dog.
Step 3: Know the Calories in Treats
Check packaging for kcal per treat or per 100 g. For human foods, look up calorie information. Common examples (approximate):
- Small training treat: ~3–5 kcal each
- Medium biscuit: ~20–40 kcal
- Dental chew: ~50–100+ kcal
- Cube of cheese: ~30–50 kcal
- Tablespoon of peanut butter: ~90–100 kcal
Example: If each training treat is 5 kcal, 60 kcal = up to 12 small treats per day for a dog with 600 kcal MER.
Step 4: Reserve 90% of Calories for Main Food
- Daily calories from main food = MER − treat calories (or MER × 0.9 if you use the full 10% for treats).
- Feed that amount from a complete, balanced food, using the calorie statement to convert to cups or cans.
Example: 600 − 60 = 540 kcal from main food; give treats within the 60 kcal limit.
Step 5: Measure and Track (If Needed)
If your pet is overweight or you're doing weight management, measure treats and count calories for a few days. You may discover that "a few" treats are actually 15–20% of intake—then you can cut back to stay within 10%.
Tips for Staying Within 10%
- Use small treats for training: Tiny, low-calorie options let you give more rewards without blowing the budget.
- Use part of the meal as "treats": Reserve a portion of kibble from the daily allowance and use it for training or enrichment (e.g., puzzle feeders). That way rewards don't add extra calories.
- Choose lower-calorie options: Many brands offer "light" or "training" treats with fewer kcal per piece.
- Avoid or limit high-calorie human foods: Cheese, peanut butter, and table scraps add up fast; use sparingly or not at all.
- Count dental chews and long-lasting treats: They count toward the 10%. If you give a 80 kcal chew, that may be most or all of the treat allowance for the day for a small or medium dog.
What Counts as "Treats" for the 10% Rule?
- Commercial dog or cat treats
- Table scraps and human food
- Dental chews and long-lasting chews
- Food toppers that are not part of a complete diet
- Training rewards (other than kibble from the daily allowance)
- Anything that is not a nutritionally complete and balanced pet food
Does not count (stays in the 90%): The main complete and balanced pet food that makes up the bulk of the diet.
When to Be Stricter Than 10%
- Weight loss: Your vet may recommend reducing treat calories further (some guidelines suggest 5% or less) or using only kibble from the daily allowance as rewards.
- Medical diets: Some conditions require very precise nutrition; follow your vet's advice on treats.
- Small pets: Cats and small dogs have low calorie needs, so even a few treats can exceed 10%; use tiny portions or kibble from the meal.
The Bottom Line
The 10% rule keeps treats and extras in check: no more than 10% of daily calories from treats, scraps, and non-complete foods; at least 90% from a complete, balanced diet. That way you can still reward and bond with your pet without undermining their weight or nutrition.
To apply it:
- Get your pet's daily calorie need (MER) from our pet meal planner.
- Limit treats to 10% of that number.
- Feed the remaining 90% as measured portions of their main food, using the calorie statement on the bag or can.
A little math goes a long way—your pet gets to keep their treats, and you get peace of mind that they're still eating right.
