Dog training runs on rewards, and rewards run on food. A busy training day can easily involve sixty or a hundred bits of food, and the sum of them is not small. If each is a standard biscuit, the day’s allowance is gone in the first session. If each is a tiny crumb, the dog may find the reward unrewarding, and the handler fusses over the size. The way through is a budget: decide the total energy, decide the number of rewards, and size each reward to fit. This guide gives the arithmetic, a table for different numbers of rewards, the alternative of using the dog’s own meal, a log and a worked example. It builds on how many treats a dog can have and training treats without weight gain. The Dog Treat Calculator gives the daily allowance.
The allowance
Treats are commonly kept to about 10% of the day’s energy, a practice guideline, and your vet may set a lower figure. For a neutered 20 kg adult, daily energy is 1.6 × 70 × 20^0.75 = 1,059 kcal, so the allowance is 106 kcal. A dog on a weight-loss plan may have a smaller one.
energy per reward = daily treat allowance ÷ number of rewards grams per reward = energy per reward ÷ kcal per gram of the reward
A table for different numbers of rewards
With a 106 kcal allowance and a treat at 3,500 kcal/kg (3.5 kcal/g):
| Rewards in the day | kcal each | Grams each | Pieces per 5 g biscuit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 10.6 | 3.0 | 1.7 |
| 20 | 5.3 | 1.5 | 3.3 |
| 30 | 3.5 | 1.0 | 5 |
| 60 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 10 |
| 100 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 16.5 |
A 5 g biscuit cut into ten pieces gives 60 rewards. A hundred rewards would need pieces of 0.3 g each, the size of a grain of rice, or a lower-calorie treat. The numbers show when a plan is too ambitious.
Lower-calorie rewards
A treat with fewer calories lets you give more of them. Compare options for 60 rewards.
| Reward | kcal per gram | Grams for 106 kcal | Per reward (60) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Training treat | 3.5 | 30.3 | 0.5 g |
| Dog kibble from the meal | 3.6 | 29.4 | 0.49 g |
| Lower-calorie treat (example) | 2.0 | 53.0 | 0.88 g |
| Very low-calorie treat (example) | 1.0 | 106 | 1.8 g |
The very low-calorie option allows rewards three and a half times the size of the biscuit for the same energy. Check the label for kcal per kg and convert; see treat calories per treat. A low-calorie treat is not free, and it still counts, but it stretches the budget.
Using the meal as the reward
Kibble is food, and it works as a reward for many dogs, particularly in low-distraction sessions. Using part of the meal keeps the total fixed.
| kcal | Grams of 3.6 kcal/g food | |
|---|---|---|
| Daily need | 1,059 | 294 |
| Meal kept in the bowl | 953 | 265 |
| Allowance for treats | 106 | 29.4 |
| Training session using meal food | 100 | 27.8 |
If you use 27.8 g of the day’s food for training, there is no extra to subtract. If you give a treat at the same time, subtract it from the meal. Dogs vary in how they value kibble against treats, and a mixture, with a better treat for hard exercises, is common.
Subtract what you give
Whatever the rewards total, take it out of the day’s meals. If a session used 60 rewards at 1.8 kcal (108 kcal), the meals are reduced by 108 kcal, 30 g of food at 3.6 kcal/g. This is easy to forget on a busy training day, and the effect of forgetting is a 10% surplus.
| Step | Working | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Rewards given | 60 × 1.8 | 108 kcal |
| Allowance | 106 kcal | |
| Over by | 108 − 106 | 2 kcal (negligible) |
| Meals for the day | 1,059 − 108 | 951 kcal, 264 g |
A session log
| Date | Session | Rewards | Size (g) | kcal each | kcal total | Meal reduced by (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morning | 20 | 0.5 | 1.75 | 35 | 9.7 | |
| Midday | 20 | 0.5 | 1.75 | 35 | 9.7 | |
| Evening | 20 | 0.5 | 1.75 | 35 | 9.7 |
The log lets everyone who trains the dog see the day’s total. If two people train on the same day, add their figures. A card on the fridge with “60 rewards of 0.5 g per day” is an easy rule.
Weigh a sample
Rewards are cut by eye, and by eye they drift. Once a week, weigh ten pieces. If they weigh 7 g (0.7 g each), the day’s 60 rewards cost 147 kcal at 3.5 kcal/g, 39% over. Cutting them slightly smaller or using fewer brings it back. The few seconds it takes keeps the budget real.
When the dog is on a plan
A dog losing weight has a smaller allowance, and your vet may suggest zero treats, or treats taken from the meal. Follow the plan. The sums are the same: a 5% allowance of 1,059 kcal is 53 kcal, which gives 60 rewards of 0.9 kcal (0.25 g of a 3,500 kcal/kg treat) or 30 rewards of 1.8 kcal. See calories for dog weight loss.
A worked example
Tam trains a 20 kg dog for three sessions a day. She wants 25 rewards per session. The allowance is 106 kcal. Her treats are 3,200 kcal/kg, and she has some kibble at 3.6 kcal/g.
| Step | Working | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Rewards a day | 25 × 3 | 75 |
| kcal per reward | 106 ÷ 75 | 1.41 |
| Grams of treat per reward | 1.41 ÷ 3.2 | 0.44 g |
| Mix: 30 rewards of treat | 30 × 0.44 × 3.2 | 42 kcal |
| Mix: 45 rewards of kibble | 45 × 0.40 × 3.6 | 65 kcal |
| Total | 42 + 65 | 107 kcal |
| Meal reduction | 107 ÷ 3.6 | 30 g |
Tam gives the high-value treat for hard exercises and kibble for easy ones, and takes 30 g out of the dog’s bowl. She weighs ten pieces each week to check the size.
Three reward values in one plan
Dogs value rewards differently, and most trainers use more than one level. A plan that splits the 106 kcal across three levels:
| Level | Reward | kcal each | Number | kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low | Kibble piece, 0.4 g at 3.6 kcal/g | 1.4 | 40 | 56 |
| Medium | Training treat, 0.5 g at 3.5 kcal/g | 1.75 | 20 | 35 |
| High | Special treat, 1 g at 3.5 kcal/g | 3.5 | 4 | 14 |
| Total | 64 | 105 |
Sixty-four rewards for 105 kcal, with a few high-value rewards for the hardest moments. The numbers fit the allowance because most rewards are tiny. If the day has more sessions, count them in. If the dog is on a weight plan, reduce the counts in proportion.
When the allowance is gone
If the day’s budget is used up, stop the treats, not the training. Switch to rewards that cost nothing in calories: praise, play, a toy, a walk or access to something the dog wants. Many dogs work well for these, and the habit is useful on days when the food allowance is small. Keep a short list of non-food rewards your dog likes and use them for easy exercises, so that the food rewards are kept for the moments that need them.
Hand-feeding the meal
Some trainers use the whole day’s meal as rewards in short sessions, which makes every bite count and removes the question of treats. The arithmetic is the same: weigh the day’s food, keep part for training and part for the bowl. Ask your trainer which approach suits your dog.
Common mistakes
- Giving full-size treats in a training session.
- Forgetting to reduce the meal.
- Cutting pieces by eye and drifting.
- Counting the session but not the rest of the day.
- Ignoring treats from other people.
- Using the wrong kcal per kg.
- Not adjusting for a weight-loss plan.
Quick summary
- Energy per reward = daily treat allowance ÷ number of rewards; 106 ÷ 60 = 1.8 kcal.
- That is about 0.5 g of a 3,500 kcal/kg treat or 0.49 g of kibble.
- A lower-calorie reward, or part of the meal, stretches the budget.
- Subtract the total from the day’s meals.
- Weigh a sample of ten pieces every week.
- Use the Dog Treat Calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How many treats can I use in a training session?
Divide the day's treat allowance by the number of rewards you plan. With 106 kcal and 60 rewards each reward is 1.8 kcal.
How big should a training treat be?
Small enough to fit the budget: about 0.5 g for 60 rewards at 3,500 kcal/kg. Weigh a few pieces to check.
Can I use kibble as a reward?
Yes, part of the day's meal can be the reward. Take it out of the meal so the total stays right.
What if training is intensive?
Use more of the meal as reward, or smaller pieces, and keep the total within the daily energy.
Do treats count if they are low-calorie?
Every food counts, but a low-calorie treat lets you give more rewards for the same energy.
How do I keep a record?
Note the number and size of rewards in a log, and add up the kcal.
Sources
- Treat allowance of about 10% of daily energy: common practice guideline, not an NRC requirement
- NRC (2006) Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats, National Academies Press: RER = 70 × kg^0.75; neutered adult factor 1.6
- AAHA (2014) Weight Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats (treats and extras counted in the daily energy)
Related calculators
- Dog Treat Calorie CalculatorCheck how many treats your dog can have a day without unbalancing its diet — the 10% rule.
- Pet Treat Energy ConverterTurn kcal per 100 g and the weight of one treat into the calories in each treat.
- Dog Calorie CalculatorSee how many calories your dog needs a day: its resting energy requirement (RER) and daily maintenance energy (MER) for its life stage.
Keep reading
- Training Treats Without Weight GainHow to use treats in dog training without weight gain: count them within the 10% allowance, use part of the daily food and adjust meals on training days.
- Treat Calories per Treat from kcal per kgTurn a treat label's kcal per kg into calories per treat: kcal/kg × grams ÷ 1,000, a 1 to 10 g table, and how many fit a 10% allowance for a dog and a cat.
- How Many Treats Can a Dog Have a Day?How many treats a dog can have a day: the 10% rule, a chart of treat counts by weight and treat size, counting chews and training rewards and what to cut at meals.
- A Daily Treat Budget for Cats in CaloriesHow many treats fit a cat's day: 10% of 198 kcal is 19.8 kcal for a 4 kg inactive cat. Tables for 3 to 6 kg, kibble as treats, a week's plan and a household pot.