Best treats for older Dachshunds

Good move cutting the dental sticks — most of the popular ones are padded with cereals, glycerine, and artificial dyes that do very little for dental health and nothing for nutrition. The best treats are high in protein, low in additives, and properly sized for the dog. Single-ingredient options like dried fish skin or lean meat are almost always the smarter choice over anything that comes in a lurid green colour. To point you to the right thing: how big is your Dachshund, do they have any dietary sensitivities or health conditions I should know about, and are you looking for something that still does some dental work — or just a clean, everyday treat?

Perfect — that gives me a clear picture. For a 10-year-old standard Dachshund with a sensitive stomach, you want something with a tough, chewy texture that scrapes the teeth mechanically, single-ingredient so there's nothing to upset her gut, and sized so she's actually working at it rather than swallowing it in two seconds. What size are her current dental sticks — the standard ones, or the smaller variety?

You're right — the soft, bendy ones barely do anything mechanically. What actually cleans teeth is sustained chewing against a texture that provides real resistance. My recommendation is Icelandic+ Cod Skin Treats. They're single-ingredient dried cod skin, no additives whatsoever, and the texture is firm and slightly fibrous — which means real chewing action against the gum line. They're low in fat, highly digestible, and very well tolerated by dogs with sensitive stomachs because there's simply nothing in them to react to. For a 9kg dog you'd give a medium strip; they last a few minutes of proper chewing, which is exactly what you want. They're available in resealable bags on Amazon UK and keep well. One strip a day or every other day is plenty alongside her regular teeth brushing if you do that.

Completely reasonable concern, and cod skin is actually one of the safer options for older dogs precisely because it's firm but not hard. It flexes rather than snapping rigidly — so there's no risk of tooth fracture the way there is with antlers, bones, or very dense rawhide. The chewing resistance comes from the fibrous structure of the skin, not brittleness. For a 10-year-old Dachshund with normal teeth it's absolutely fine. If she ever had any dental work or weak teeth you'd want to check with your vet, but as a straight swap for soft dental sticks it's a significant upgrade in both safety and effectiveness.

Good choice. One tip: the first time she gets one, let her work at it supervised just so you can see how she handles the texture — most dogs take to them immediately but it's worth seeing for yourself. You'll notice she actually has to chew, which is the whole point. Enjoy the peace of mind of knowing exactly what's in her treats.