Guide
Sizing freeze-dried salmon for a small dog's mouth
Updated
Salmon treats for small dogs work best snapped down before you hand them over. Our pieces start medium sized, and they break into small quick rewards with your fingers. Snap a piece, snap it again, and keep the crumbs for a topper. The product page lists the pouch for adult dogs of all sizes.
Are freeze-dried salmon pieces too big for a small dog?
Some will be, straight out of the pouch. The pieces are medium sized, which is more than a toy breed needs for one reward. The good news is that nothing stops you from making them smaller.
Freeze-dried salmon is light and dry, and it breaks cleanly. You are not cutting anything or reaching for a tool. A pinch does it.
Our sampler listing describes the salmon as the softest of its three bags, and says it flakes apart so it breaks down well for small mouths. That is the listing's description. The store's own crunch rating for the salmon is 3 of 5, which is a rating from us and not a measurement.
How do you break salmon treats for a small mouth?
The same method works for every size of piece. Do it before you start a session, so the treats are ready when your dog is.
- Take one piece out of the pouch and hold it over a bowl.
- Snap it in half.
- Snap each half again, until the pieces are about the size your dog takes in one bite.
- Keep the crumbs that fall in the bowl. Do not throw them out.
- Reseal the pouch before you start the session.
Wash your hands when you are done, since the salmon is freeze-dried raw. The bag says: "Provide fresh water and supervise while feeding."
If your dog is a gulper, go smaller than you think you need. You can always hand over two bits.
How much salmon is right for a small dog?
The method is the same as for any dog, only the numbers are smaller. Take your dog's daily calories from the food bag or your vet, take the 10 percent allowance the product page calculator uses, then divide by the label's 85.6 kcal per ounce. The answer is a weight in ounces for every treat in the day.
We do not print a number by dog weight, because the label does not give one, and your vet may set a different treat share for a small dog. The treat budget calculator on the product page does the arithmetic once you type in the calories. For small dogs the result is often a small number, which is a good reason to break the pieces down.
Treat or meal topper is how the label describes it, so salmon sits beside your dog's regular food.
What do you do with the crumbs?
Use them. Crumbs are the same salmon as the pieces, so they count against the same allowance, and they are the right size for a small dog.
Sprinkle them over your dog's regular meal as a topper. Or save them in a small container for training, where a tiny reward is the whole point. Our guide on using salmon treats goes into the training side.
Treat the crumbs as treats and not as free extras. A spoonful of crumbs can weigh more than you expect.
How far does one pouch go with a small dog?
Farther than with a large dog. The pouch is 1.5 oz, one size, and a small dog's allowance is usually small. Divide the pouch's ounces by your dog's daily allowance in ounces and you will know how many days it covers if salmon is the only treat.
The salmon is also one of three bags in our seafood sampler, which holds salmon, shrimp and blue-lipped mussels, for owners who want the three together.
Break only what you plan to use. Leave the rest whole in the sealed pouch, stored cool and dry.
More plain advice lives in our guides.
Questions
Is the salmon too hard for a small dog?
The sampler listing calls the salmon the softest of its three bags, and the store rates its crunch 3 of 5. Even so, snap the pieces small for a small mouth, and supervise while your dog eats. If chewing is a concern for your dog, ask your vet.
Can a small dog have a whole piece?
The pieces are medium sized, so a whole one may be more than a small dog needs. We suggest breaking it first. A whole piece also uses up more of the daily allowance than a small bit, which matters on a small budget.
Is it for puppies?
The product page lists it for adult dogs of all sizes. For a puppy, ask your veterinarian before you start, since the page says nothing about puppies and a young dog's needs are not ours to guess.
Can a small dog and a cat share the pouch?
The page lists cats as well. For a cat, break it small or crumble it over food. Amounts for a cat are a question for your vet, and the calculator is written for dogs. Keep the pouch sealed between uses.
Should I break the whole pouch at once?
No. Break a session's worth and reseal the pouch, storing it cool and dry. Whole pieces keep in the pouch as they came, and you can snap more next time.
Is it a complete diet for a small dog?
No. It is a single ingredient pouch, and the label is clear that it is not a complete diet. Use it as a reward or a topper beside your dog's regular food, in amounts that fit the small dog's calorie budget.