Low-Calorie Chews for Overweight Basset Hounds

A vet flagging obesity risk in a 7-year-old Basset Hound is worth taking seriously — Bassets are already prone to joint stress, and extra weight makes that significantly worse. The good news is there are genuinely satisfying chews that won't blow the calorie budget. The best treats are high in protein, low in additives, and right-sized for the dog — and most heavily marketed chews are calorie-dense with little nutritional payoff. Single-ingredient options like dried fish skin tend to be the smartest choice here. To point you to the right thing: how heavy is your dog currently, and is the vet recommending a full diet overhaul or just tightening up on treats and extras?

That's a clear brief — he needs something that takes time to work through so it satisfies that chewing urge, but isn't packing in unnecessary calories. Does he have any known food sensitivities, or is fish generally fine for him?

Then I'd go with Icelandic+ Cod Skin Chews. They're single-ingredient dried cod skin — no additives, no fillers — and they're genuinely low calorie for the chew time you get out of them. A medium strip runs around 15–20 calories, which is a fraction of most dental chews or rawhide. The texture is firm enough that a Basset will work at it for a good while rather than inhaling it in seconds. They're also naturally high in omega-3s, which is a useful bonus for joint health given his breed and weight. You can get them on Amazon UK in multipacks — look for the Icelandic+ brand specifically, as the quality is consistent. One chew a day as his main treat allowance fits easily within a calorie-controlled day without making him feel shortchanged.

Daily is fine for most dogs — they're digestible and the ingredient list is as clean as it gets. That said, variety does no harm if you want to mix it up. Dried sprats are a good second option in the same calorie range, and they come in small whole fish which Bassets tend to love. But if he's chewing for comfort and routine matters to him, sticking to the cod skin daily is perfectly sensible. Just weigh out his meals slightly lighter on days he has one, especially while he's actively losing those 3kg.