The 10 Best Treats for Senior Dogs

Presenting a tasty treat to a senior dog is a delightful experience and an opportunity to enhance a well-mannered dog's overall well-being. “Senior dogs have varying needs when it comes to treats,” says Dr. Monica Tarantino, DVM, a veterinarian and founder of Senior Dog Revolution, which offers resources targeting senior dog health. “Many senior dogs already have specific health issues like hip or joint discomfort, anxiety, or digestive regularity.”

For dogs in their golden years, we curated a collection of treats made with beneficial ingredients intended to contribute to their age-specific health needs.

The Best Dog Treats for Senior Dogs

Bocce’s Bakery Soft & Chewy Treats for Dogs

$8

$6 at Amazon View on Chewy View on Boccesbakery.com

The Soft & Chewy line of dog treats from Bocce’s Bakery are made in a variety of flavors—including some that rotate seasonally, so you are highly likely to find at least one that your dog enjoys. All of the recipes are wheat-free, made with a limited amount of ingredients, and contain no artificial preservatives. The soft and chewy texture of the treats is great for older dogs who might have some dental issues or for those who have pickier palates.

The B-shaped treats are made in small batches with locally sourced ingredients such as molasses, oat flour, flaxseed, cheddar, and beef. They are baked in the United States and average about 14 calories each, but they are easy enough to break into smaller pieces if you only want to give your dog a small tasty morsel.

I like putting one of these Bocce’s Bakery inside a Kong Classic Dog Toy with peanut butter and freezing it to add a tasty surprise. My 10-year-old senior pup is pretty food-motivated, but these treats are especially appealing and they always smell pretty good to humans and dogs alike.

Free of wheat, fillers, and artificial preservatives.

A Great Crunchy Treat for Senior Dogs

Wet Noses Little Stars Dog Treats

View on Amazon View on Chewy View on Wet-noses.com

Wet Noses Little Star Dog Treats are made with USDA-certified organic and non-GMO verified with ingredients, and have a crunchy texture dogs enjoy. There are no byproducts, preservatives, or fillers, and no wheat, corn, or soy. These particular Little Stars treats are perfect for older dogs that still like a satisfying crunch but don’t need a ton of extra calories.

These tiny treats come in two flavors, peanut butter or sweet potato, and each treat has one calorie. The recipes for the Little Stars have a maximum of six ingredients, making it easier to avoid a potential allergen. The stars truly are little—about the size of a pencil eraser—so they might not be the best choice for very large dogs, but for small or medium-sized older pets, it’s plenty for a tasty reward.

Wet Noses also offers a line of original biscuits that come in more than a dozen flavor combinations. They’re a little larger than a quarter, but you can break them into smaller pieces if your dog wants some flavorful variety.

Free of byproducts and preservatives.

How We Picked

We considered dozens of best-selling and highly rated dog treats, specifically looking at qualities that would be important for senior dogs, such as texture, healthy ingredients, and size. The author has a senior dog and has examined and offered the majority of these treats to him, gauging his reaction. We also consulted with dog owners, fosters, trainers, and veterinarians and read hundreds of product reviews.

Other Products We Considered

In addition to our winners and recommended senior treats, we also evaluated the following:

Ark Naturals Gray Muzzle Brushless Toothpaste: These treats target dental health by breaking down buildup on teeth. The crunchy puffs are easier on seniors than other dental chews, which are tough. But dental treats don’t always sit well with all dogs and these don’t have the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) seal that shows products have met certain standards for effectiveness.

Zesty Paws Senior Advanced 11-in-1 Multivitamin Bites for Senior Dogs: These supplements address 11 bodily functions in senior dogs including hips and joints, skin health, and urinary and kidney health. These are soft chew and could be a good supplement option, but they really aren’t just a straightforward treat.

Vetriscience Golden Years Calm and Confident: These chews contain colostrum and L-theanine to support cognitive function and calmness, as well as other ingredients that may promote brain function, memory, and learning in aging dogs. They can be given daily or as needed, but they aren't as motivating taste-wise for picky dogs.

More We Recommend

Get Naked Biteables Senior Health Dog Treats

$8

$7 at Amazon View on Chewy View on Naturalpetwarehouse.com

Best Chicken-Flavored: Get Naked Biteables Senior Health Dog Treats are heart-shaped chewy treats formulated for senior dogs. The treats are softer than many other treats, so they’re easy to eat if your dog is missing a few teeth or has a sensitive mouth.

To support a dog’s health as they age, the treats are made with green-lipped mussels from New Zealand, a natural source of omega-3s and other fatty acids that have been shown to reduce inflammation, lubricate joints, and improve mobility. The treats also include chondroitin for healthy joints.

The Biteables are made with chicken as the primary ingredient along with sweet potatoes to provide a flavor profile most dogs enjoy. The small treats are high in protein, low in calories (less than 3 per treat), and made in the United States with globally sourced ingredients.

Get Naked offers several other senior-friendly recipes in the Biteables line of treats for dogs including Biteables Joint Health, which contains glucosamine and chondroitin, and Biteables Digestive Health, which is packed with prebiotics and probiotics for a healthy gut.

Free of wheat, grains, corn, and soy.

Zuke's Mini Naturals

$8

$6 at Amazon View on Chewy View on Petco

Best Low Calorie: These soft, tasty treats come in so many tempting flavors ranging from peanut butter and oats to turkey and cranberry. The main ingredient is always a specific meat protein—like salmon or chicken—typically followed by rice and lots of fruits and vegetables.

The treats are easy to chew, which makes them great for seniors with dental issues or mouth sensitivity. They also have fewer than 3 calories each, which is great for older dogs who shouldn’t put on any weight.

Zuke’s Mini Naturals are bite-sized, but they can be torn into even smaller pieces. They contain no corn, wheat, soy, byproducts, fillers, or any artificial ingredients, and are made in the United States with globally sourced ingredients. They are a bit smelly, which your dog will find very attractive.

 Free of corn, wheat, and soy,

Woof Pupsicle Pops Dog Treats

$18

$15 at Amazon View on Chewy View on Mywoof.com

Best Long-Lasting: The Pops Pupsicle dog treats from Woof are ball-shaped treats designed to be placed in the Woof Pupsicle, a durable toy that you fill and refill with these pre-made treats. There are currently six recipes to choose from: Chicken, Beef, Calming and Wellness, Joint Health, All-In-One Health, and Allergy Relief. All of the round treats are made with peanut butter and plasma to provide protein, amino acids, nutrients, and antibodies—and flavor dogs love.

The treats are often longer-lasting than a peanut-butter-filled Kong, for example, and can take 20 to 40 minutes (or more) for a dog to finish. The Pupsicle is a twist-apart rubber toy with a round opening in the middle. It's designed with slots so that the drool goes into the toy and not on your carpet, but the mess depends on the eagerness of your dog.

The Pupsicle treat dispenser comes in three sizes (small, large, and x-large) and it’s easy to take apart and clean. Without the treat dispenser, the long-lasting effectiveness of having your dog lick and spin with delight will not come into effect.

The name is inspired by the classic frozen popsicle treat, but these treats for dogs do not need to be refrigerated or frozen, making them easy to store. You can also DIY your own treats to put in the Pupsicle by freezing dog-safe ingredients in a treat tray mold. My dog enjoys watered-down chicken broth with fresh strawberry chunks or pieces of banana, but the frozen homemade treats are messier than the pre-made refill Pops from Woof.

Free of wheat and corn.

Wellness The Rewarding Life Training Rewards

$7

$7 at Amazon $7 at Chewy

$10

$7 at Petco

Best Soft Treats: The Rewarding Life Training Rewards from Wellness are great for older dogs with sensitive or missing teeth. The chewy square treats are soft and easy to tear, and each treat only has about eight calories. The treats feature a meat protein, like chicken, beef, or lamb, as the primary ingredient, and they are packed with nutrient-dense foods, like chickpeas, carrots, and blueberries for well-rounded nutrition.

These treats have added DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid important for brain health, and other omegas for healthy skin and coat. The treats come in five meaty flavors, which likely taste as good as they smell to your dog. They’re motivating to use as training treats when you’re working on teaching an aging dog a new trick.

Free of wheat, corn, soy, and artificial colors.

Open Farm Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food

$38 at Amazon View on Openfarmpet.com View on Petfood.express

Best Freeze Dried: These soft and crumbly morsels are actually freeze-dried premium dog food that is meant to be fed as a meal or sprinkled on top of a dog’s regular kibble to make dinner more appetizing. But they are so tasty (according to dogs) that they can be used as high-value treats. The soft texture makes them easy for older dogs to eat and the food is high in nutrients, so you’re not just plying your pup with empty calories.

The food is made of organic and responsibly sourced ingredients including humanely raised meats and wild-caught salmon. Those are combined with whole ingredients like organic fruits and vegetables, including blueberries, carrots, and squash. The food has no artificial preservatives, flavors, or fillers.

Open Farm Freeze-Dried Raw food comes in six different proteins which means you should find something for even the pickiest senior with not much of an appetite. The food is relatively expensive—for example, about $50 for 22 ounces—but a little truly goes a long way.

One morsel can be crumbled atop an entire meal or broken into pieces for treats. The food comes in a sturdy, resealable pouch.

Free of artificial flavors, additives, and preservatives.

Portland Pet Food Company Pumpkin Biscuits

$27 at Amazon View on Chewy View on Portlandpetfoodcompany.com

Best for Digestion: When your dog has an upset stomach, you may give them canned pumpkin for digestive health. These crunchy bone-shaped biscuits are made with just a handful of ingredients and are designed for senior dogs and those with sensitive stomachs. The recipe only includes garbanzo bean flour, pumpkin, peanut butter, molasses, and cinnamon with no artificial flavors, colors, or fillers.

The crunchy biscuits can be broken into smaller pieces if you just want to give your pup a little taste. All ingredients are sourced from the Pacific Northwest and the treats are twice baked in the United States for a serious crunch.

Portland Pet Food Company also makes other biscuits as well as meals that can be used as toppers for finicky seniors.

Free of grain, gluten, and wheat.

Old Mother Hubbard Hip and Joint Treats

$9

$8 at Amazon View on Chewy

Best for Joints: These crunchy little bone-shaped treats are made with a short list of natural ingredients including chicken and oatmeal, as well as eggs, apples, and carrots. The satisfying crunchy texture helps clean teeth while your pup chews.

The treats contain 750 mg/kg of glucosamine and 250 mg/kg of chondroitin, two ingredients that promote healthy joints. Old Mother Hubbard treats are oven-baked, with a recipe that dates back to 1926.

The company offers dog treats in loads of flavors and several different sizes. They’re made in North America from globally sourced ingredients.

Free of artificial preservatives or byproducts.

Full Moon Natural Essentials Jerky Tenders

$19 at Chewy

$17

$17 at Walmart

Best Jerky: These chicken tender jerky treats from Full Moon are made with human-grade ingredients and contain no byproducts, fillers, artificial flavors, preservatives, or colors. The relatively short ingredients list includes regionally sourced USDA-approved, antibiotic-free chicken, cassava root, and rosemary.

At 36 calories per serving, these high-protein treats are substantial in size, so unless you break them up into smaller bites, the pieces will be too big for most dogs except large breeds. Unfortunately, if you happen to get a bag with tougher, drier jerky, this will not only prove to be challenging, but the jerky will be difficult for some dogs to chew and swallow. Full Moon does make a beef jerky variety that some find consistently softer and easier to tear into bite-sized pieces.

Human-grade ingredients and antibiotic-free chicken.

Why Trust The Spruce Pets?

This article was researched and written by Mary Jo DiLonardo who has covered animals and pets for several decades. Mary Jo has fostered more than 70 dogs and puppies. Her own rescue dog is a spry senior who absolutely loves treats. To find the best treats for senior dogs, she asked owners, trainers, and veterinarians for input. She also read ingredient labels and sourcing information and checked customer reviews and availability. Mary Jo is always searching for the healthiest and most effective products to use with them such as best dog toys and best dog treats.

DiLonardo consulted with two experts: Dr. Monica Tarantino, DVM, a veterinarian and founder of Senior Dog Revolution, and Dr. Kathy Baker, DVM, of Lucy’s Veterinary Care.