Best treats for Pekingese with brachycephalic airway

For a brachycephalic dog like a Pekingese, treat shape matters as much as ingredients — anything thick, chunky, or that requires prolonged chewing can cause problems with their compressed airways. The best treats are high in protein, low in additives, and flat or thin enough to be consumed quickly without gulping or struggling. A lot of popular treats ignore this entirely. Before I point you in the right direction, a few quick questions: does your Pekingese have any food sensitivities or allergies, and what are you mainly using treats for — training, general rewards, or something else?

That's really helpful — and the gulping is exactly what you want to manage. With a flat or wafer-style treat, she can get it down cleanly without the risk of a thick piece getting lodged or causing her to strain. Since it's casual rewarding rather than high-frequency training, you don't need something tiny and crumbly — you want something with a bit of substance but still flat. Any preference on protein source? Chicken, fish, and lamb are all solid options.

Most commercial biscuits are mostly cereal with a dusting of meat — not ideal. For a 6-year-old Pekingese who gulps and has airway concerns, I'd go with Lily's Kitchen Soft Baked Treats for Dogs in the chicken flavour. They're thin, soft, and flat — easy to break, easy to swallow, and they don't crumble into a dusty mess. The ingredient list is genuinely good: real chicken as the primary ingredient, no artificial colours or preservatives. The soft texture means she won't be crunching and working hard to get through them, which matters for a brachycephalic dog. Available on Amazon UK in a resealable pouch.

For a Pekingese — typically around 3–5kg — treats should make up no more than 10% of daily calories. With a soft treat like these, 3 to 5 per day as casual rewards is a reasonable ceiling. If you're using them more frequently on a given day, scale back her main meal slightly. The main thing to watch with Pekes isn't just calories but also keeping treat time calm — no tossing treats for her to catch, and ideally hand-feeding so she takes them gently rather than snatching.

Glad it helped. Lily's Kitchen Soft Baked Treats are a solid swap from whatever biscuit mix she's been getting. Just hand-feed, keep portions sensible, and she should do well with them. If you ever want something for dental benefit alongside this, there are flat dental strips designed for small breeds that won't challenge her airway — worth exploring separately once you've settled on a daily treat routine.