Weight & longevity
Five reasons that matter more than almost anything else you'll do for them this year — plus an honest account of what treats can and can't do about it.
That distance is the entire reason this page exists. Not neglect — weight gain is gradual, and your eye adjusts to it long before your vet's does.
Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, US Pet Obesity Prevalence Survey (37% overweight, 22% obese) and APOP 2025 Opinion Survey.
This is the number that should stop you, and it's the one almost nobody quotes.
A long-running analysis of more than 50,000 veterinary records across twelve breeds found that dogs carrying excess weight lived shorter lives by as much as two and a half years.
University of Liverpool / Waltham records analysis and Kealy et al., Purina Lifetime Study.
This is the number that should stop you, and it's the one almost nobody quotes.
A long-running analysis of more than 50,000 veterinary records across twelve breeds found that dogs carrying excess weight lived shorter lives by as much as two and a half years.
Check it yourself in 30 seconds
Flat palm, light pressure. Feel each rib like the back of your hand.
Look down from above. Visible narrowing behind the ribs.
From the side, belly should rise towards back legs.
University of Liverpool / Waltham records analysis and Kealy et al., Purina Lifetime Study.
This is the number that should stop you, and it's the one almost nobody quotes.
A long-running analysis of more than 50,000 veterinary records across twelve breeds found that dogs carrying excess weight lived shorter lives by as much as two and a half years.
University of Liverpool / Waltham records analysis and Kealy et al., Purina Lifetime Study.
This is the number that should stop you, and it's the one almost nobody quotes.
A long-running analysis of more than 50,000 veterinary records across twelve breeds found that dogs carrying excess weight lived shorter lives by as much as two and a half years.
University of Liverpool / Waltham records analysis and Kealy et al., Purina Lifetime Study.
This is the number that should stop you, and it's the one almost nobody quotes.
A long-running analysis of more than 50,000 veterinary records across twelve breeds found that dogs carrying excess weight lived shorter lives by as much as two and a half years.
University of Liverpool / Waltham records analysis and Kealy et al., Purina Lifetime Study.
Before we sell you anything
A bag of treats will not make your dog lose weight. Anyone telling you otherwise is selling you something, and doing it dishonestly.
Weight comes off through portion control at meals and more movement. What treats decide is whether that plan survives contact with real life.
The weight & movement bundle
Not a themed gift basket. Each of these is here because a dog losing weight has a particular problem, and this one solves it.
Whole, single-ingredient, freeze-dried and tiny.
Puffed beef lung. Airy, single-ingredient, and naturally low in fat.
Natural source of omega-3s and glycosaminoglycans.
Every one of these is single-ingredient. If a label needs a paragraph to explain itself, it isn't ours.
If you start this week
Assuming you've also adjusted meal portions and added movement.
Nothing visible yet. Swap the treats first before touching anything else.
The first thing owners report is behaviour: stamina and interest in walks.
Where the rib check changes. Waist reappears, tuck comes back.
Rate of loss varies with breed and starting condition. Consult your vet.
Portion guide
The rule vets use: treats under 10% of daily calories.
| Dog weight | Daily treat budget | Minnows | Puffers | Mussel powder |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 lb | [X] kcal | [X] | [X] | [X] |
| 15–30 lb | [X] kcal | [X] | [X] | [X] |
| 30–50 lb | [X] kcal | [X] | [X] | [X] |
| 50–80 lb | [X] kcal | [X] | [X] | [X] |
| Over 80 lb | [X] kcal | [X] | [X] | [X] |
Budgets calculated at 8% of maintenance calories for a dog at target weight.
Munchworthy Minnows, Beef Puffers and Play Preserver Green Lipped Mussel. One box.
Roughly [$X] a week. Subscribe and save [X]%.
Get the bundleFree US shipping over [$XX]. Cancel or skip a subscription any time, in two clicks.
No. Weight comes off through meal portions and movement. These are lower-calorie treats that let you keep rewarding your dog while you do the actual work.
Freeze-dried single-ingredient tends to do well with picky dogs. If yours still refuses, that's what our guarantee is for.
Really. Munchworthy Minnows are an invasive species. Turning something wrecking freshwater into a healthy treat is sensible.
Ask your vet before changing anything, including treats.
[X] weeks for a [X] lb dog at the portion sizes in the chart.
