The 7 Best Low-Calorie Dog Treats for Weight Management and Training (2024)

Updated on 09/25/23

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A dog treat needs to be as nutritious as it is exciting for your canine pal. Wellness’ line of CORE treats is packed with healthy ingredients and vitamins that your dog can’t wait to chomp on. They are grain-free (though are made at a factory that produces grain) and made with real beef, for a snack that is high in protein, iron, calcium, zinc, and vitamin A. Also, there’s no corn, wheat, soy, or added fillers.

Each bag contains approximately 89 treats that have about five calories each. The chewy treats are great for puppies in training or adult dogs.

_{Flavors: Chicken & lamb, beef, beef & venison | Calories Per Treat: 5 | Crude Protein: 20-28 percent | Quantity: Four ounce bag}

If you are training, you want treats to be small and chewy so your dog doesn’t eat too much as you use treats to encourage new behaviors. Pet Botanics Training Rewards Minis are small chews that are only one and a half calories each. They are 12 percent crude protein, mostly from pork liver. They also incorporate a load of antioxidants from a proprietary blend of fruit and herbals, with chamomile, rosemary, green tea, and peppermint. There’s no corn or soy.

Pet Botanics treats are available in multiple flavors, including chicken, salmon, and bacon.

_{Calories Per Treat: 3 | Crude Protein: 12 percent | Flavors: Chicken, salmon, bacon, beef | Quantity: 4-ounce, 10-ounce, and 1.5-pound bags}

Fruitables offers a dog treat unlike any other, that smells closer to a fresh-baked muffin than a bison burger. These oven-baked treats are packed with superfoods like blueberries, sweet potatoes, and peas, which give your dog a tasty morsel without the added calories. It’s also free of soy, corn, wheat, or artificial colors.

Available in multiple flavors, including bison and apple bacon, the treats have only three calories each. But they are still nutritious, packing in eight percent crude protein, seven percent crude fat, and four percent crude fiber. These treats may not be perfect for any dog, especially those that would prefer a meaty smell.

_{Calories Per Treat: 3 calories | Crude Protein: 8 percent | Flavors: Apple bacon, grilled bison, pumpkin spice, pumpkin & berry, pumpkin & mango, rotisserie chicken, watermelon, pumpkin & mango, pumpkin & berry. | Crude Protein: 8 percent Quantity: 5 or 12 ounces}

While six calories per treat is a lot for this list, it’s easy to subdivide these in half, or further. Wellness The Rewarding Life treats are large, square, and flexible enough that you have to bend them back and forth to break them into smaller pieces—the ease that they break into even pieces is a feature that makes them useful for calorie control or training.

The Rewarding Life treats contain lamb and salmon protein, and a dose of omega-3 fatty acids too. They’re grain free too.

_{Calories Per Treat: 6 | Crude Protein: 15-16 percent | Flavors: Chicken and lamb; beef and turkey; lamb and salmon; chicken and venison; turkey and duck Quantity: 6-ounce bag}

Freeze-dried treats maintain a lot more nutrients than their baked counterparts while keeping calories low. Pupford’s freeze-dried treats come in a wide range of flavors, including fruits like blueberry or banana, plus rabbit, poultry, and fish. Each chew is less than one calorie and high in protein.

Made in the United States, Pupford Freeze-Dried Dog Training Treats are great for just sharing a snack or for training. Each bag has around 475 treats that are made with no filler ingredients or preservatives.

_{Calories Per Treat: less than 1 | Crude Protein: 35 percent | Flavors: Beef, chicken, blueberry, shrimp, banana Quantity: 2-, 4-, or 6-ounce}

Your dog needs to have their teeth cleaned fairly regularly and getting a toothbrush into their mouths can sometimes prove quite difficult. That’s why dental chewing treats, which target plaque and tartar on their gums, is a great way to give their teeth some attention.

Whimzees Dental Treats are available in three different sizes, with different recommendations for small, medium, and large dog breeds. Each variety pack comes with three variable shapes, which encourage long chewing and maximum time cleaning your dog’s teeth. One of the treats looks like a squat little alligator.

These treats are made from vegetable ingredients including potato starch, cellulose, dried yeast, alfalfa and paprika extract.

_{Calories Per Treat: 44 calories | Crude Protein: 1 percent | Quantity: 14 (large breed), 28 (medium breed), or 56 (small breed) treats in three shapes}

One of the more famous low-calorie treats, no dog will be able to resist a Charlee Bear. Your dog will love the treats in multiple different flavors, like egg and cheese. They are also made with wheat flour and don’t have any preservatives or artificial colors. Though they are small, they are packed with nutrients, having 18 to 20 percent crude protein, a minimum of eight percent crude fat, and a maximum of five percent crude fiber.

Made in the USA, these treats are also perfect for training. Their small size allows them to be kept in your pocket for on-the-go commands or stored in places your dog won’t be able to smell.

_{Calories Per Treat: Less than 3 | Crude Protein: 18-20 percent | Flavors: Cheese, cheese & egg, chicken liver, chicken soup, turkey liver & cranberries| Quantity: 6 or 16 ounces}

Final Verdict

Our best overall choice is Wellness CORE Jerky Treats, which offers a delicious treat that isn’t high in calories. Packed with protein without artificial flavors, it’s going to be your dog’s favorite treat. But if you are looking for something a little simpler, Charlee Bear Original Dog Treats are a cupboard staple.

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FAQ

• How many treats can I give my dog?

  “Treats shouldn’t make up more than 10% of your dog’s daily calorie intake,” veterinarian at the VCA Animal Hospital Emily Stefan told The Spruce Pets. “This means for a 10-pound dog, no more than 20 calories. For a 50-pound dog: 75 calories.”

• Are calming treats for dogs safe?

  “Most calming treats contain nutraceuticals like L- theanine or ginger which are safe for pets in recommended amounts,” Stefan said. “Talk to your vet before giving your pet treats that contain melatonin or CBD oil.”

• Can dogs eat cat treats?

  “Cat treats are safe for dogs to eat, but they are often much more calorie dense and can often have a lot more salt, which is not easy on most dogs' digestive systems,” Stefan said.

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