“This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.”
Winter is usually the time for great holiday parties and huge home-style dinners. But as much as you’d like to include Fido in the fun, keep in mind that feeding him even just a few tasty treats from your table is definitely not the way. More often than not, table food is typically too fatty for a dog’s digestive system, and can result in severe stomach upsets. To help you keep your pooch safe and sound this holiday season, learn the following by heart:
Why Avoid Feeding Table Scraps
Oily and fatty foods, which are often found on our tables, can lead to severe dog health problems such as diarrhea, vomiting, and pancreatitis. Even worse, there are several people foods that are highly toxic to animals. Onions or any food prepared with them, for instance, can be unsafe for dogs and should never be given to him. Besides, some pooches that are constantly fed with table scraps have the tendency to become dependent on them. Dogs that eat table scraps may start refusing to eat regular dog food. Aside from that, feeding your pet with table scraps can also cause him to develop undesirable behaviors such as begging. If you intend to reward Fido for good behavior, just give him various treats which are especially made for them.
The Three Basic Principles
If you just can’t stop feeding your pet table scraps, always remind yourself of these rules:
· No junk food. Never feed Fido junk foods such as fries, potato chips, leftover pizza, or candies. Only provide your dog with healthy food items like steamed or baked potatoes, plain rice, oatmeal, bits of cooked chicken or turkey, finely chopped or steamed unseasoned vegetables and certain fresh fruits.
· Moderation is the key. If you like giving Fido healthy people food, don’t forget to factor his meals into his daily calorie requirement, then, feed your pooch less of his own dog food so he doesn’t gain weight. Balance his diet since your dog would still need his regular food. Just try giving him a less of it on times when you are feeding him with healthy table scraps.
· Watch out for toxic foodstuffs. Avoid foods that have been found to be poisonous to animals. These include raisins, grapes, onions, chocolates, cooked bones, fruit pits, and walnuts. For a list of foods that your pooch should never eat, check this link: www.dogingtonpost.com/foods-should-never-feed-your-dog/
Cooking something for your dog by following a recipe designed particularly for pets is another great way to add healthy human foods into Fido’s diet. Some of the table scraps that pose no harm to dogs include rice, cooked eggs, carrots, cheese, peanut butter, berries, chicken, green beans, seedless watermelon, and bananas.
skarlit
Jan 17, 2020 at 7:29 pm
can dogs have cancer
Pingback: 10 Safe Ways To Shed Pounds Off Your Pet and Why It’s So Important
James hamelin
Apr 21, 2019 at 5:19 pm
I watched a video on animals how they prepare their food and Manufacturing by steaming their food and taking all the nutrition out of their food to have a better life expand on shelf and they saying table scraps are bad for animals but it’s okay for them to take the nutrition out of our dog foods to lower their life expands for our dogs
Winston
Dec 23, 2017 at 10:39 pm
Can someone show me 1 test where a dog that only ate table scraps was less healthy than dogs that only eat dog food. This is propaganda and its sad how many people fall for it. Dogs have been around for thousands of years while commercial dog food appeared around 1922. I guess dogs before the 1920’s were just sickly dogs and they didn’t live long
Al
Oct 25, 2018 at 10:26 pm
You are correct. Dog food is a cancer causing garbage!
Paula Hughes
Jun 3, 2017 at 4:05 am
Feeding your dog on excessive table scraps can lead to obesity. A dog who regularly feed on fatty table scraps does not eat a nutritionally balanced diet which causes poor health.
Pingback: How to Curb Begging Behavior in Your Pet - Pet Wellness Advisor
Pingback: 3 Easy Ways to Stop Your Dog From Begging for Table Scraps - Dog Boys
Pingback: That’s Scrapy – Site Title
Pingback: National Animal Safety and Prevention Month: How to Ensure Your Pet’s Safety – AMCDocs
Pingback: Desperate for an answer to prayer (Matthew 15:22-28) - David@DSM
Gena
Jan 29, 2015 at 11:25 am
Please change / edit the sentence where you suggest giving bits of turkey to your dog. Turkey is dangerous and sometimes lethal for some breeds of dogs. My sister’s dog died this way. I’m not an expert but the facts are out there & easy to find. Thank you.
Kathy Greer-Gregory
Feb 16, 2015 at 12:42 pm
Thank you Gena. I wish this information was more well known.
Jay
Nov 21, 2016 at 7:07 pm
I have never heard of this … which breeds? Perhaps it’s the skin of the turkey, which could be quite fatty I suspect, so feeding too much of the skin for a period could exacerbate pancreatitis? Otherwise, lean turkey meat should be no problem at all. Very curious to know what specific breeds would have adverse reaction to turkey.
Peter
Feb 3, 2013 at 9:20 pm
Dogs are inherently intelligent and wish to please. People instill the negative behaviors we so wish to correct. So…. I for one who have had dogs all of my life, from yapping puppies to a dog over 200 pounds (french Mastiff)– it’s very simple…..put the time in… be consistent and assertive. Be affectionate and rewarding… Finally, while I know it will never happen, I wish I could get my hands on one of those bastards that deserted my new “son” Petey in a field with no thought whatsoever. I’d throw his ass in a kennel– for good !!! as for Petey– he is loved, he will never be abandoned again… And folks….isn’t that what it should all be about???
Kathy Greer-Gregory
Feb 16, 2015 at 12:56 pm
Thank you Peter. Your words help me remember how I should take much better care of our little Chihuahua, and NEVER forget to cherish her. We got her from the pound……someone abandoned her at about 3 or 4 months old in the local park. And she is the absolute sweetest, kindest, most loving and selfless little angel. Her name is Piper and I’ve been spoiling her…….but I’m going to work SO hard to care for her better. Thanks again. <3
You probably won't see this post, but if you do, do you know of any <> treats for Chihuahuas, or even better, what’s the best way to break a Chihuahua from being dependent on table scraps? I’m such a sap, hard to say No.
sandy sheldon
Jan 25, 2013 at 4:58 pm
The article says fresh fruit is okay, but
red/purple grapes have a substance in them that can damage a dogs kidneys. I saw this warning at the vets office.
Jay
Nov 21, 2016 at 6:59 pm
You are correct about grapes, but says “certain” fresh fruit.
Jamie
Jan 25, 2013 at 4:10 pm
My Cockapoo Cooper loves loves loves cheese & peanut butter. He gets a kong with peanut butter after his afternoon walk.
Noel
Jan 25, 2013 at 3:36 pm
I have a very small dog. he is some type of mix. he looks like a tiny collie. He also is a rescue and when I got him the vet had removed some of his teeth. so he doesn’t have any teeth between his canine and his molars. he was starving when I got him at approx 8 mos., I do cook for him. No onions but white meat chicken, carrots, green beans, spinach. His gum would be raw if I fed him a hard diet. also I think that’s why he was under weight and food agressive. That all changed when he was given a diet he could eat.