Treats for puppies: what to start with, and when

Puppies can start on treats from about 12 weeks, once they're settled onto their puppy food — soft, single-protein cuts, broken into pieces the size of a pea. Hard chews wait until the adult teeth are in, at roughly six to seven months. In between, one new thing at a time, and not much of it. The first treat is a test as much as a reward: one small piece, nothing else new.

What kind of treat suits a puppy?

Soft enough to break with your fingers, and one ingredient. A cut that snaps into crumbs gives you twenty tiny rewards without a meal's worth of food. Chicken breast tenderloins are the usual first pick: lean, plain, and they tear into slivers. The chicken range is where most puppies start. Kangaroo jerky is the lean option for a puppy that doesn't get on with chicken. One named cut matters more for a puppy than any other dog: you're introducing a world of foods, and you want to know what each one was.

How much can a puppy have?

Less than you think. Treats stay under about 10% of the day's food, and a puppy's day is small, so a tenth of it is a handful of rewards. Puppy food is balanced for growth, and every mouthful of treat that replaces it is balance the puppy didn't get. On a big training day, use some of the puppy's own kibble.

When can a puppy have a chew?

Once the adult teeth are through, and even then start soft. Teething puppies chew everything, and it's tempting to hand over something tough. Hold off: very hard chews are a well-known cause of broken teeth; a rubber toy does the teething job. When the time comes, a tendon is the softer end; bone-in cuts come later, for a dog that chews rather than gulps. Goat horn is an adult-dog chew.

Chew safely. Size it so it can't be swallowed whole, supervise, and take it away once it's small. Very hard chews can crack teeth — not for puppies, seniors or dogs with dental issues. Fresh water always. A treat, not a meal.

The first months are full of changes: vaccinations, worming, a switch of food. Space treats away from those days, and if your vet has the puppy on a particular food, ask first.

Every dog is different. For an ongoing issue, your vet is the first call — this is general information, not veterinary advice.

Keep reading: Best treats for senior dogs: a feeding guide for the older dog · How to introduce a new treat to your dog without the upset

Sources

• National Research Council (2006). Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats. National Academies Press. nap.nationalacademies.org
• American Veterinary Dental College. Chew toys and dental fractures. avdc.org

Pudel · Reviewed September 2026 · Single-protein, naturally dried dog treats, made in Australia. General information, not veterinary advice.