Low-fat chews for dogs watching their weight

A lot of our customers come to us because their vet has had The Conversation with them about their dog's weight, and the first thing that usually gets cut is treats. That's understandable, but it isn't much fun for anyone, and it isn't strictly necessary either.

The trick is swapping rather than stopping. Plenty of natural chews are naturally lean, and a dog that still gets something to work on is a much happier dog than one that gets nothing.

Fish skins are the obvious place to start. Fish Twists and Fish Flatties are 60-80p, they're satisfying to chew, and white fish skin is low in fat. Our Fish Skin Cubes are £3.50, or £27 for a kilo if they become a regular.

Collagen is the other good option. Camel Collagen Braids are low in fat and last a long time, which is a useful combination, a chew that occupies your dog for half an hour is doing more work than one that's gone in a minute.

Rabbit is lean too. Hairy Rabbit Ears at 60p are a good everyday choice, and the 500g and 1kg bags at £14 make sense if they suit your dog.

If your dog does better without meat protein altogether, the vegetarian range is worth a look, Fruit & Veg Straws, Rice Bones and Veggie Nubby Bones are all under £1.20.

Whatever you swap to, count it. Treats should be a small share of what your dog eats in a day, and the most common mistake is adding good treats on top of a full dinner rather than adjusting the dinner down.

And do keep your vet in the loop. If your dog is on a prescribed weight-management plan, they'll want to know what else is going in.