Some treats consist of up to 50% fat and are therefore absolute calorie bombs. Here you will learn about the 16 best low-fat dog treats.
A healthy dog diet should contain between 10-15% fat. Most commercially available dry food is also in this range.
In wet food and treats, however, a fat content of up to 60% is common. In addition, fat, at 930 kcal per 100 g, contains around twice as many calories as carbohydrates and protein, each at 410 kcal per 100 g.
The problem? Both too little and too much fat can cause health problems for dogs. The heart in particular suffers from this.
Here is an overview of the four best low-fat dog treats:
- Test winner: Duck and apple snacks from Amazon
- Lots of protein: Chicken Bitties from Amazon
- Completely natural: Kangaroo Chewies from Amazon
- Grain-free: salmon softies from Amazon
Treats should make up a maximum of 10% of calories in your daily diet.
Failure to comply with this rule also explains why, according to studies, a whopping 54% of all dogs are overweight. [1]
>> Our top recommendations
#1 Freeze-dried meat
In contrast to air drying, freeze drying does not require any additives. Instead, the meat is shock-frozen under vacuum at below -40°C.
The great thing about it? Not only can the shelf life be massively increased, but the meat also retains most of its flavor and structure.
Compared to other types of preservation such as air drying, pickling and smoking, it therefore contains the most vital substances.
Our recommendation: Duck Apple Snacks from Amazon.
While a normal duck breast usually consists of around 20% fat, this freeze-dried version only has around half that fat.
In addition, these low-fat treats with a protein content of 75% are also absolute protein bombs. By the way, they only contain 3 ingredients.
Why we think they're so great:
- Consists of 88% duck breast
- Gluten and grain free
- Without sugar and preservatives
In our opinion, it couldn't be healthier. This is also confirmed by the around 2,500 positive reviews on Amazon. From the 11th pack onwards, shipping is free.
FatProteinMoisture7%75%12%
#2 Natural popcorn
Regular popcorn from the cinema or store-bought popcorn is poison for dogs. Because it contains too much salt, sugar and unhealthy fats. The natural version, on the other hand, is ideal.
The easiest way to prepare it is in the microwave. All you need to do is put 2 tablespoons (20 g) of corn kernels in a glass bowl and seal with a plate.
If the time between pops increases and exceeds 5 seconds, then they are usually done. Depending on the microwave, this is the case after 3-5 minutes.
There are hardly any treats that are lower in fat. By the way, our dog “Alex” is an absolute fan of popcorn. It usually waits in front of the microwave while it is being prepared.
Natural corn kernels are available in every major supermarket. Just 20 g makes a heaping bowl of muesli. Here are the corresponding nutritional values:
CaloriesFatProteinCarbohydrates75 kcal0.8 g2.2 g14.6 g
#3 Chewies
“Chewies” are treats that have a particularly soft consistency. They are therefore also suitable for puppies and older dogs.
For most manufacturers, the soft consistency is achieved using artificial additives. However, the following Chewies also achieve the same thing completely naturally.
Our recommendation: Kangaroo Chewies from Amazon.
These low-fat treats are bursting with vital substances. This also explains why they have been the bestseller on Amazon for 2 years and enjoy more than 2,000 reviews.
Why we think they're so great:
- 100% natural ingredients
- > 50% pure kangaroo meat
- Sugar-free & grain-free
These treats are also allergy-friendly. In addition, shipping is free for the XXL pack.
FatProteinMoisture5%11%23%
#4 Baked vegetable sticks
Most dogs are very picky when it comes to raw vegetables. For example, our Alex only eats raw red cabbage and carrots. But he's not really happy about it.
My previous Labradors, on the other hand, only ate mushrooms and spinach leaves raw and in small quantities. However, they ate almost everything baked.
For low-fat treats, we usually cut the following vegetables into sticks:
- Carrots
- potatoes
- pumpkin
- sweet potatoes
Trying is more important than studying. The only important thing is that your dog finds the vegetables so tasty that they are a reward. Otherwise the treat will serve its purpose.
To prepare, simply place the vegetable sticks on a baking tray, either raw or with a little olive oil. Potatoes need around 30 minutes at 200°C, the rest is ready after around 20 minutes.
However, you should avoid onions, asparagus, garlic and avocados. Because some of its ingredients are toxic to dogs. Here are the nutritional values for the version without oil:
type of vegetable [100 g]CaloriesFatProteinCarbohydratesCarrot sticks41 kcal0.2 g0.9 g10 gPotato sticks77 kcal0.1 g2 g17 gPumpkin strips28 kcal0 g0.8 g5.2 gSweet potato sticks86 kcal0.1 g1.6 g20 g
#5 Canned kidney beans
Kidney beans contain numerous essential vitamins and minerals. They are also rich in protein and contain comparatively little fat.
Due to their size and soft consistency, they are also great as a treat for puppies. However, you should throw away the preservative water.
When it comes to legumes, it's the quantity that makes the poison. Because too many of them can also lead to diarrhea and flatulence. Here are the nutritional values per 100 g:
CaloriesFatProteinCarbohydrates111 kcal1 g8.4 g12.6 g
#6 Dried pig ears
Although the name may sound disgusting at first, dried pig ears are very popular among dogs. They are also 100% natural and very low in fat.
I don't eat meat myself. And yet I think it's a great idea to use such «meat scraps» as dog treats instead of throwing them in the trash.
You can often find vacuum-packed dried pig ears at rural butchers for around one euro each. On Amazon, however, they are available even cheaper.
Our recommendation: Dried Pig Ears from Amazon.
To use as a treat, I recommend cutting the ears into small bites with kitchen scissors. A single ear then produces around 25-30 treats.
Fresh pig ears are often given away by butchers. But drying them yourself takes a long time and stinks enormously. Here are the nutritional values per 100 g:
CaloriesFatProteinCarbohydrates61 kcal4 g6 g0 g
#7 Harz cheese
On average, cheese contains around 30g of fat per 100g. It is therefore anything but low in fat and, in larger quantities, can quickly lead to obesity.
Harz cheese is an absolute exception here with only 0.5 g of fat per 100 g. This also explains why this stinky cheese is often recommended for diets.
As is well known, taste can be debated. Personally, I'm not a fan of it, but our dog Alex loves this low-fat cheese as a treat.
You can now buy Harz cheese in every larger supermarket. However, I recommend an airtight box when traveling because of the smell. Here are the nutritional values per 100 g:
CaloriesFatProteinCarbohydrates113 kcal0.5 g27 g0 g
#8 Fresh fruit
Many dogs are very picky about fruit. So far, all of my dogs have had at least two types of fruit that they liked.
Since taste is very individual, I speak from experience here. Our dog Alex loves bananas, watermelon, mangoes and sometimes strawberries as treats.
My previous two Labradors also liked bananas and mangoes. They lick everything else and sometimes put it in their mouths, but then leave it on the floor.
Dogs generally steer clear of acidic and citrus fruits. You should also avoid grapes and dried fruits, as too much sugar often leads to diarrhea.
Important: In order to use fresh fruit as a low-fat treat, your dog has to like it so much that it really motivates you.
Type of fruit [100 g]CaloriesFatProteinCarbohydratesBananas89 kcal0.2 g1.1 g20 gMango62 kcal0.4 g0.6 g12.5 gStrawberries33 kcal0.3 g0.7 g8 gWatermelon30 kcal0.2 g0.6 g8 g
#9 Air-dried meat
The great thing about air drying is the fact that all you need is salt and time. You can therefore buy dried meat completely free of additives.
The problem? The version for humans is usually far too salty and too strongly seasoned for dogs. Additionally, regular dried meat is too tough to devour as a treat.
But there are also suitable variants for dogs.
Our recommendation: Chicken Bitties from Amazon.
To make these low-fat treats, the dried meat is chopped, mixed with soft vegetables and then pressed into bite-sized snacks.
Why we think they're so great:
- Without grains and sugar
- 80% meat content
- Free of additives
This also explains why this pack of 12 is so popular on Amazon and enjoys almost a full 5 stars.
FatProteinMoisture10%36.5%25%
#10 Canned tuna
Canned tuna is rather impractical for on the go. It contains a lot of protein and only a little fat. At least if you use tuna in water.
Oiled tuna is unsuitable for dogs. Because there is often a relatively high amount of salt in the preservation water. So you should throw that away.
Its soft consistency makes it also suitable for puppies. Our dog “Alex” loves tuna as a treat. As soon as he touches the can he jumps for joy.
However, I wouldn't recommend it for your daily diet. Tuna contains relatively many heavy metals compared to other types of fish. Here are the nutritional values per 100 g:
CaloriesFatProteinCarbohydrates112 kcal1.1 g25.3 g0 g
#11 Meat Softies
“Softies” are categorized as dog snacks that have a particularly soft consistency. In many cases this is achieved through unhealthy additives.
Nowadays you can also find treats that achieve this in a completely natural way through a high moisture content.
Our recommendation: Salmon softies from Amazon.
In addition to salmon, this pack of 4 also contains other low-fat meats such as ostrich, rabbit and goose. Due to their small size, they also last a very long time.
Why we think they're so great:
- Sugar-free and grain-free
- Contains only meat and minerals
- 100% Natural
Despite their novelty, these treats are already among the bestsellers on Amazon with around 600 positive reviews.
FatProteinWater content8%48%25%
#12 Rice cakes
Rice cakes consist solely of puffed rice, which is…