Dog Treats for Senior Dogs

Soft, small and easy to crush is what an older dog's treat needs to be, and texture counts for more than any age wording on the bag. The label tells you the age the maker had in mind; the treat itself tells you whether your dog can finish it.

Texture first

Press a treat with your thumbnail before you buy the bag. If it leaves a dent, tears, or crumbles under pressure, it is within reach of most mouths. If it does not move at all, it is a hard treat, and some older dogs will mouth one for a while and then drop it on the rug. That is information about the treat, not a trouble to chase.

If a dog that used to crunch through anything begins leaving hard treats behind, switch to softer ones first. Should the change come with other signs, or a dog that stops eating altogether, ask a licensed professional who cares for your dog, because a bag cannot answer that.

Three textures cover most of the ground. Soft chews that bend. Freeze dried pieces that crush between two fingers. Moist strips that tear. All three can be broken down to whatever size the dog is comfortable with, which a rock hard biscuit cannot.

Test again after a few weeks. Texture changes in the bag: a soft treat left open turns stiff, and a crisp one that takes up damp air turns tough in a different way. Press one from the bag each time you open it rather than trusting the first one you tried.

Smaller pieces and softer forms

Cut the piece down even when the texture is right. A small, soft piece takes little effort, and a dog that works at a mouthful for a long time may simply give up on the bag. Kitchen shears cut a jerky strip into rice sized bits faster than a knife and leave no mess on the board.

The comparison in soft vs crunchy dog treats sets the two textures against each other, and soft dog treats collects what this site carries in that form. The range sorted for age is senior dog treats, where the makers' own descriptions sit on each product page.

Size the piece to the effort, not only to the dog. An older dog of any weight chews more slowly, so aim for a piece that can be swallowed after a couple of bites. Feed it from the flat of your palm rather than dropping it, so the dog does not have to chase it across the floor.

Soaking a freeze dried treat

A freeze dried treat is crisp, which can be too much for some dogs, and it is easy to soften. Put a cube in a saucer, add about a teaspoon of warm water, wait a minute or two, and press it with a spoon. The cube turns from crisp to a soft, damp piece that mashes with a fork. Add a little more water if the middle is still dry.

Sniff and Shift freeze dries Cheddar Cheese Bites in small batches in Malvern, with the cheese from New York, and the bites crush between two fingers even without water. Soaked, they mash easily enough to press into a spoonful of a dog's regular food.

Soak only what the dog will eat in one sitting, and throw away the rest. Wash your hands and the saucer afterward, as the raw feeding notice on this site asks for any treat or chew.

Plain water is enough for soaking, and warm water works faster than cool. If you use anything else, read its label first. Mash a soaked cube into a spoonful of the dog's usual food, or hand it over as a soft piece from the palm.

Fewer, better treats

According to VCA Hospitals, treats belong in a small share of the day's calories, and an older dog that moves less has less room for them. The way to make that work is to hand out fewer treats and make each one count: a small piece, given slowly, with a dog's name and a pat.

Buy smaller bags. Soft treats dry out and stale before a slow eater gets through them, and a freeze dried bag lets in moisture once it is opened. A small bag that is finished in a few weeks beats a large one that ends up in the trash. That is the trade off: more bags for less waste.

Store the opened bag sealed, and keep an eye on the best by date printed on the label.

Handing treats out slowly is a small habit. One piece given with the dog's name and a pat makes more of an occasion than five tossed in a row. Keep the treats in a jar by the door the dog uses and give them at the same moments each day, so the routine does some of the work.

Common questions

What is the best texture of treat for an older dog?

Soft enough to dent under a thumbnail, or crisp enough to crush between two fingers. Hard biscuits are the ones older dogs tend to leave behind. Cut whatever you buy down to a small piece.

How do I soften a freeze dried treat?

Put it in a saucer with about a teaspoon of warm water for a minute or two. Press it, and add a little more water if the middle is still dry. Feed it the same day and throw away what is left.

Should I buy treats in smaller bags for an older dog?

Yes, if the dog eats slowly or only a few pieces a day. Soft treats dry out and an opened freeze dried bag takes on moisture. A small bag is finished before either happens.

My older dog stopped eating hard treats. What now?

Offer softer or smaller ones first. If your dog goes off food altogether or the change comes with other signs, ask a licensed professional who cares for your dog.