Short answer: the best treats for small dogs are single-ingredient, 100% natural chews cut down to a size a little jaw can actually handle—think thin or “pencil” bully sticks, soft beef trachea, and small low-calorie training bites. Skip rawhide, artificial fillers, and anything so big it becomes a choking risk. I'm Preston Smith, co-founder of Bully Sticks Central, and below is how we think about picking treats for the little guys.
Why small dogs need different treats
Small breeds aren't just scaled-down big dogs. They have tinier jaws and teeth, faster metabolisms, and much smaller calorie budgets, so a treat that's a reasonable snack for a Labrador can be a whole day's calories for a Chihuahua. The American Kennel Club notes that treats should make up no more than about 10% of a dog's daily calories, and that ceiling comes fast on a 6–12 pound dog. That's why size, texture, and ingredient quality matter even more with small breeds. (AKC on treats and calories)
What to look for in a small dog treat
Right size and texture. Pick treats you can break into pea-sized pieces, or chews thin enough for small teeth to work on. Thinner is safer—a treat should never be so large or hard that it becomes a choking hazard. Always supervise chewing and pick the size to match the dog.
A short, real ingredient list. Our whole philosophy at BSC is single-ingredient chews: 100% real meat, fully digestible, no rawhide, no additives. If you can't pronounce the ingredients, your small dog probably doesn't need them. VCA Animal Hospitals recommends choosing treats with simple, recognizable ingredients and accounting for them in the daily diet. (VCA on treating your dog right)
Low calorie for training. If you're doing a lot of reps, you want small, low-calorie bites so you can reward often without overfeeding.
Our top picks for small dogs
Thin bully sticks. A bully stick in a thin or “skinny” cut gives a small dog a satisfying, long-lasting chew that's 100% natural, single-ingredient beef and fully digestible—unlike rawhide, which doesn't break down well. They're great for the chewing instinct without a giant hunk of chew.
Soft beef trachea. Trachea is softer than a bully stick, which makes it a friendlier chew for little teeth, and it's naturally a source of glucosamine and chondroitin. If you're wondering whether it's safe, we wrote a whole piece on it: is trachea a safe dog treat?
Small training bites. For obedience work, use tiny, single-ingredient meat treats you can hand out by the dozen. The AKC and most trainers favor small, low-calorie rewards for positive-reinforcement training so the treats never derail the diet. (AKC training)
What we'd avoid
Rawhide (hard to digest and a choking risk), anything with artificial colors, flavors, or fillers, and treats too large or hard for a small mouth. Everything we make is single-ingredient, 100% real meat, ethically sourced from grass-fed American and Argentinean farms, and 100% high-quality guaranteed—so you always know exactly what your dog is eating.
Frequently asked questions
Are bully sticks safe for small dogs?
Yes—choose a thin cut sized to your dog, supervise chewing, and take the last inch away so it can't be swallowed whole. Bully sticks are single-ingredient beef and fully digestible.
How many treats can a small dog have per day?
Keep treats to roughly 10% or less of daily calories. On a small dog that's not many, so lean toward small, low-calorie bites and break chews into pieces.
What treats are best for training a small dog?
Tiny, soft, single-ingredient meat treats you can give often without overfeeding. Small size keeps the reward rate high and the calories low.
Want help matching chews to your dog's size? Reach out anytime—that's what we're here for.
This post was last updated at August 15, 2026 05:05
