Soft treats for senior dogs with missing teeth

A 13-year-old Poodle with missing teeth needs treats that are genuinely soft all the way through — not just coated in something chewy on the outside with a hard centre. Most commercial treats, even ones marketed as 'senior', are full of fillers and cereals that don't do much for an older dog. The best choices are high in protein, low in additives, and soft enough to dissolve or mash easily with minimal chewing. What are you using the treats for — training, general rewards, or just giving her something enjoyable? And does she have any food allergies or sensitivities I should know about?

That dropping behaviour is really common when teeth are missing — she's trying to chew but there's nothing to grip against. You want something she can just squish with her tongue and gums, essentially. Given the sensitive stomach, I'd also steer away from anything with a long ingredients list or artificial preservatives. How small is she — standard, miniature, or toy Poodle? That'll affect what size or format works best.

Perfect — at 7kg you want small pieces anyway, so nothing needs cutting down much. I'd go with Forthglade Soft Bites. They're made with a single named meat source, genuinely soft throughout with no hard bits, and they're small enough that a miniature Poodle can handle them without any chewing required. The texture is almost paste-like under light pressure, so she should be able to manage them easily even with significant tooth loss. They're also free from artificial additives and grain-free, which tends to sit better with sensitive stomachs. Chicken or lamb are the most popular flavours, and both have a short, clean ingredients list. You can find them on Amazon UK — search Forthglade Soft Bites and look for the 100g resealable pouches.

Yes — avoid anything marketed as 'dental chews' or 'crunchy', even if it says senior on the pack. Rawhide is out entirely at her age, and dried meat jerky strips, while nutritionally good, are often too chewy for a dog without proper teeth. Also watch out for treats with high sugar or syrup content — some soft treats achieve that texture through glycerine and syrups, which aren't great long-term. Forthglade avoids all of that. At 13, keeping treat portions small and not overdoing frequency is worthwhile too — her digestion won't be quite what it was.

Good — I think she'll do well with them. If she turns her nose up at chicken, lamb tends to be a bit more aromatic which older dogs often prefer. Enjoy treating her.