Can You Share Food With Your Dog?

It’s no secret that dogs love nothing more than being able to snag a bite to eat from their owner’s dinner plate. Some dogs are far more active in their pursuit of your food than others, but most canines will happily chow down on human food when they get the chance. This can create a challenge for owners, as you won’t want to disappoint your four-legged friend, but you also don’t want to make them unhealthy. So, can you share food with your dog without causing health issues? Let’s find out.

Can You Share Food With Your Dog?

The simple answer to this question is yes; you can certainly share food with your dog. This doesn’t apply to all of the foods you eat, though, and this means that you need to make sure that you are extremely careful with this aspect of your dog’s life. Some of the foods that you can happily enjoy are toxic to dogs.

What Foods Are Bad For Dogs?

Before looking at the types of foods that you can give to your dog, it makes sense to explore some of the options that will be very bad for them. This list can be quite long, but many of the foods you would expect to be completely fine for a dog will be found on it. This means that you need to be extremely careful when you are handling this aspect of your furry friend’s life.

• Chocolate: Most people are aware that chocolate is bad for their dogs, though many don’t realize that this delicious treat can actually kill their animals.
• Onions: One of the world’s most popular vegetables, onions are toxic to dogs and you should never feed them to your pet.
• Avocado: Avocado has become far more well-known in recent years, but this healthy snack isn’t good for your pet dog.
• Cooked Bones: Everyone knows that dogs like bones. Once they are cooked, though, bones will be too soft and flexible for your dog, creating a choking hazard.
• Alcohol: There is no alcoholic beverage that a dog can drink safely. While they may get a little drunk, the true danger of booze for dogs is the sickness it causes.

This is barely scratching the surface of the food that dogs can’t eat. It makes a lot of sense to research this area if you feel tempted to give your pooch a bite of the food from your plate. Of course, though, it also makes sense to look at foods that are completely fine for your dog to enjoy.

What Foods Are Good For Dogs?

Despite being hunters, dogs are able to eat a surprising variety of foods and still see the benefits. Feeding your dog a meat-only diet can be bad for them, but you should also avoid trying to keep your dog on a vegan diet. Like all animals, dogs need a balance in the food that they eat, and this makes many of the options below a good choice when you want to give them a taste of human cuisine.

• Carrots: Carrots are great for your dog’s teeth, providing natural plaque removal along with a good source of vitamin A.
• Apples: Apples can help with your dog’s digestive system, along with providing them with vital nutrients and vitamins.
• Fish: Dogs can eat fish, with options like salmon being great for their immune system and the quality of their fur.
• Peanut Butter: As long as it isn’t packed with sugar and salt, peanut butter can make a good treat for dogs.
• Chicken: Unseasoned chicken is very similar to the foods that a dog would eat in the wild, providing a great option for dogs who are fussy about their food.
• Pork: Most dogs love pork, though you have to make sure that they only have this meat in moderation to ensure that they don’t gain weight.
• Watermelon: As long as seeds have been removed, watermelon is a great treat for dogs that won’t negatively impact their health.

Much like the bad foods in this article, this only covers a small group of the human foods that you can give to your dog. It can be hard to figure out what is best for your pet when you’re sorting out their diet, but there are plenty of options available for dog owners who want to give their dog something new.

Additional Tips

Alongside the sections above, it’s time to look at some additional tips that can help you to maintain a good diet for your dog. Sticking with dog food for the majority of their food intake can be a good place to start with this, ensuring that they are getting the essentials before you add more food into the mix.

It can also be worth talking to your vet when you’re unsure about the foods you can give your dog. Many people aim to solve dietary issues by giving their dog different foods, but this can be hard to get right when you only have the web to help you. This makes it well worth taking the time to provide them with meals that a vet would recommend.

Finally, as the last tip, you should avoid making a habit out of feeding your dog from the table. The more you do this, the harder it will be to avoid it in the future, and this could be bad for your dog’s health. Feeding your pet at the same time as your own meals can solve this sort of issue, enabling you to combat their urges to beg for food from your plate.

As you can see, feeding a dog properly can be more complicated than you might expect. It can take a long time to get your animal’s diet right, but this work will be well worth it to ensure that they are living a healthy lifestyle.