According to an American study, 54% of all dogs are overweight. Here you can find out about the 15 best low-calorie dog treats.
I also evaluated all recommendations according to the following 3 criteria:
Typically, treats should never make up more than 10% of daily calories. However, many of the following recommendations are so healthy that they can make up up to 20% of the diet.
Here is an overview of the four best low-calorie dog treats:
- Test winner: Freeze-dried duck with apple from Amazon
- Lots of protein: beef ranchos from Amazon
- Completely natural: Dried pig ears from Amazon
- Grain-free: Gluten-free meat softies from Amazon
Then let’s go through all the alternatives together.
>> Our top recommendations
#1 Freeze-dried meat
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To put it simply, when freeze-drying the meat is subjected to very low temperatures under vacuum (
In addition, the structure and aroma are largely retained. In direct comparison, it is considered the gentlest type of preservation.
This also explains why freeze-dried meat has more vitamins than the air-dried alternative. Home-cooked meat performs worse.
Our recommendation: Freeze-dried duck with apple from Amazon.
These dog treats are not only low in calories, but also contain lots of protein. They are also free of gluten, grains and other additives.
With almost 90% duck and 10% apple, in my opinion there is hardly a snack that can keep up with this version in terms of health.
This also explains the more than 2,000 positive reviews on Amazon. Speaking of which, shipping is free for orders of more than 11 bags (550g).
Nutritional values per 100 g:
CaloriesProteinFat195 kcal75%7%
#2 Unsalted & unsweetened popcorn
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When many people hear “popcorn”, they think of popcorn from the cinema soaked in sugar and fat. What many people don't know is that all you need to pop the corn kernels is heat.
The easiest and best way to do this is in the microwave. To do this, I recommend packing the corn kernels (~50 g) in a glass bowl and using a plate as a lid.
The lid should leave a small gap so that the water vapor can escape. Unfortunately, I can't give you an exact time for this.
Because the time depends on the quantity, the glass and your microwave. A more suitable method is therefore to count the time between popping.
Specifically, this means: If there is a pause of more than 5 seconds between popping, then you are done.
By the way, our dog “Alex” is an absolute fan of these low-calorie treats!
You can find natural corn kernels for popcorn in almost every supermarket. However, make sure they are unsweetened and fat-free.
Don't let the following calorie information fool you. Just 10 g of corn kernels make more than a whole handful of popcorn.
Nutritional values per 100 g:
CaloriesProteinFatCarbohydrates375 kcal11 g4 g73 g
#3 Rice cakes
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Rice cakes are made from so-called “puffed rice”. The rice grains are heated under pressure so that the water they contain evaporates.
You may already be familiar with this principle from popcorn. This also means that rice cakes are made from 100% rice.
Incidentally, rice belongs to the category of pseudocereals. This also explains why rice cakes are completely gluten-free.
If you have the choice between brown rice (whole grain) and white rice, then I recommend always choosing the whole grain version. I usually buy mine at DM.
To use rice waffles as low-calorie dog treats, I recommend breaking a waffle into around 10 pieces.
Caution: Here too, the nutritional information is misleading. An entire commercially available pack of rice cakes usually only contains 80-100 g.
Nutritional values per 100 g:
CaloriesProteinFatCarbohydrates390 kcal1 g3 g81 g
#4 Dried pig ears
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What initially sounds unappetizing to many people is a real highlight for many dogs. Dried pig ears also fall into this category.
Although I don't eat meat myself, I still think pig ears are a great idea. Because instead of ending up in the trash, they give our Alex a 40-minute chewing experience.
Pig ears are also air-dried. They therefore contain no preservatives or additives.
You can often buy dried pig ears from rural butchers for around €1 each. These are now available even cheaper on Amazon.
Our recommendation: Dried Pig Ears from Amazon.
To use the large ears as low-calorie dog treats, you can simply cut them into smaller pieces with kitchen scissors.
By the way, I can't recommend smoking fresh ears yourself. Because it takes what feels like an eternity and smells really bad.
Nutritional values per 100 g:
CaloriesProteinFatCarbohydrates61 kcal6 g4 g0 g
#5 Fresh fruit
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For some dogs, fresh fruit is reward enough. Others chew on it curiously before throwing it on the ground a short time later.
The taste here is highly individual. That's why I'll speak from my own experience below. Our dog Alex loves the following fruit:
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Watermelon
- mango
He often tries other fruit, but after a few seconds he lets it fall out of his mouth in disappointment. He doesn't even try all kinds of citrus fruits.
When choosing, it is important that the fruit represents real motivation. Otherwise it is not a dog treat, but rather on the level of daily food.
However, you should avoid grapes, raisins and other dried fruits. These contain too much sugar and often cause diarrhea.
Nutritional values per 100 g:
Type of fruitCaloriesProteinFatCarbohydratesBananas89 kcal1.1 g0.2 g20 gStrawberries33 kcal0.7 g0.3 g8 gWatermelon30 kcal0.6 g0.2 g8 gMango62 kcal0.6 g0.4 g12.5 g
#6 Cooked meat & fish
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There is currently a lot of debate about whether raw or cooked meat is better for dogs. Because the so-called “biologically species-appropriate raw feeding” (BARF) is in vogue.
Proponents of this diet often refer to wolves, which in nature only eat raw meat. And as we all know, dogs are descended from wolves.
On the other side are those who are worried about bacteria, germs and other pathogens. Because stomach acid kills a lot of things, but not everything.
Unfortunately, the study situation is so far ambiguous. [1, 2]. Personally, I believe that a mixture is best. However, I recommend cooked meat as a treat.
For low-calorie treats, we recommend the following:
- White fish (cod, pollock, pangasius, plaice)
- Skinless chicken breast
- Turkey breast without skin
- Shrimp or chopped shrimp
For our dog Alex, I often go to the fish market and buy a 3 kg pack of mini shrimp. These are not only relatively cheap, but also last us for around 3 months.
Nutritional values per 100 g:
Type of meatCaloriesProteinFatWhite fish72 kcal17 g0.3 gChicken breast165 kcal31 g3.6 gTurkey breast105 kcal24 g1 gShrimps85 kcal20 g0.5 g
#7 Canned corn
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Corn not only contains numerous fiber and B vitamins, but also helps with digestion. It is also rich in zinc, magnesium and iron.
In theory, you could also use fresh or frozen corn for low-calorie dog treats. However, you always have to cook this. Canned corn, on the other hand, is not.
Just make sure that you completely remove the preservative water and rinse the corn well. This is because the water is usually sweetened and contains higher amounts of salt.
The size of a kernel of corn is ideal, especially for smaller dogs. Our dog Alex loves canned corn. However, I usually give him 3-4 treats at a time.
Nutritional values per 100 g:
CaloriesProteinFatCarbohydrates69 kcal2.4 g1.2 g10.5 g
#8 Canned tuna
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Low in calories and an absolute protein bomb – canned tuna. Our dog Alex starts jumping around when I pick up a can.
The only important thing when buying is that you buy tuna in water and not the oiled version. I also recommend emptying out some of the water, as it usually contains a relatively high amount of salt.
Tuna is a daily part of our diet. But I have also used it in an airtight plastic box as a low-calorie treat.
The downside? Your fingers will smell like… Yes, fish.
Nutritional values per 100 g:
CaloriesProteinFat112 kcal25.3 g1.1 g
#9 Dried beef
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Beef is one of the healthiest meats in the world. In dried form, this meat is also an excellent treat for dogs.
However, when purchasing, make sure that you buy a version specifically for dogs. Because dried meat for us humans usually contains a lot of salt, chili and is seasoned too strongly.
Our recommendation: Beef Ranchos from Amazon.
With a meat content of a whopping 95% and numerous minerals, in my opinion it couldn't be healthier. This also explains the numerous reviews on Amazon.
Compared to other dried meat, these strips are also so soft that you can easily divide them into smaller pieces.
They are also available with chicken and lamb. For the amount of protein, these treats are also relatively low in calories.
Nutritional values per 100 g:
CaloriesProteinFat359 kcal41%22%
#10 Harz cheese
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Normal cheese usually has between 18 and 26 grams of fat per 100 g. Cheese is generally a calorie bomb.
However, Harz cheese is an exception here with only 0.5 g of fat. This also explains why many bodybuilders are absolute fans of it.
However, there is one thing to keep in mind: lactose intolerance also occurs in dogs. So if your dog gets flatulence more often after dairy products, then I recommend against cheese.
You can find Harz cheese in every large supermarket. I have also found some of these low-calorie treats in Lidl under “Harzer Rolls”.
Oh, and I almost forgot. It is not for nothing that Harz cheese is colloquially referred to as…