How to Choose Dog Treats Based on Your Dog's Age
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A dog's needs shift as the odometer climbs. What's a good fit for a bouncy puppy isn't ideal for a gray-muzzled senior. Here's how to match the treat to the life stage.
Puppies: Small, Soft, Gentle
Growing pups need small, soft, easy-to-process treats for teething mouths and sensitive stomachs. Single-ingredient freeze-dried meats like our beef liver crumble into tiny training bites, and you can rehydrate them for an extra-soft option.
Adults: Balance and Variety
Adult dogs do well with a rotation of quality proteins to keep things interesting, think sardines one week, salmon the next, while keeping treats to about 10% of daily calories.
Seniors: Softer and Lower-Calorie
Older dogs may have missing molars and slower metabolisms, so lean toward softer, lower-calorie options (rehydrated freeze-dried treats work great). The team at PetMD notes that senior nutrition often benefits from targeted support, ask your vet about hips and knees or fiber needs.
The Takeaway
Matching treats to life stage supports your dog's wellbeing and enjoyment over time. Freeze-dried treats are flexible across ages, break them small, rehydrate them soft, or serve them crunchy. Start with our Sample Pack.
Sources: PetMD, Senior Dog Nutrition; American Kennel Club, Feeding by Age.
