What Is the 90/10 Rule for Dogs?
Why It Matters
Treats are great for training, bonding, and making your dog's day. But they're not nutritionally complete. If treats start making up 20-30% of your dog's calories, they're essentially diluting the balanced nutrition your dog needs. Over time this can lead to weight gain, nutritional imbalances, and health issues.
For a 30-pound dog eating about 800 calories per day, the 10% treat allowance is around 80 calories. That's roughly 3-4 small commercial dog treats, a tablespoon of peanut butter, or a few pieces of chicken.
How to Handle Birthday Treats
Here's the thing: one day of going over the 10% treat limit isn't going to hurt your dog. Birthdays are special. If your dog has a slice of dog-safe birthday cake and a few extra treats at their party, that's totally fine.
The 90/10 rule is about the overall pattern, not any single day. If you know your dog is going to get extra treats at their party, you can slightly reduce their regular meal portion that day to balance it out. Or just let them enjoy the day and go back to normal tomorrow. Either approach works.
Quick Reference
Small dogs (under 20 lbs): About 40-60 treat calories per day.
Medium dogs (20-50 lbs): About 60-100 treat calories per day.
Large dogs (50+ lbs): About 100-150 treat calories per day.
On birthday party day, don't stress about the numbers. Celebrate, enjoy it, and get back to normal the next day.
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