To Eat or Not To Eat?

It’s the reality of being a dog owner- you’re about to take a nice big bite of your chicken sandwich or banana when they hit you with those big old puppy eyes. That look that insists they have not been fed in weeks even though you know those eyes are full of lies!

But while it might be tempting to slip them a little bit of your avocado salad or cinnamon roll, you should always err on the side of caution and double check every single human food you want to try them with. When you are introducing them to a new human food, ONLY try them with that one food. Remember that like humans, dogs can develop allergies or may have allergies that may not be detected until they try that food, so do be vigilant and never give them a new food unsupervised.

If your dog is prone to a sensitive stomach, clear any new foods with your vet before testing them on your pupper.

For example if you want to try them with watermelon, only give them watermelon that day as a treat, don’t give them watermelon, egg and cheese. If they end up having a reaction such as a runny tummy, you have no way of knowing which treat caused it.

Start off with tiny amounts of dog-safe human foods. Most fruits and vegetables are safe in moderation, but others must be avoided at all costs.

– Chocolate in any form (dog chocolate is made with carob, which is SAFE for them to have)

– Onions and garlic (in fresh and powder form)

– Cinnamon and nutmeg (beware human biscuits/cakes that may contain these spices)

– Mushrooms (this includes field mushrooms when out on walks)

– Grapes and raisins (beware fruit cakes/breads)

– Cherries, fruit with pits/stones and rhubarb (also beware apple seeds)

– Xylitol and other artificial sweeteners (xylitol can be found in peanut butter so be extra vigilant)

– Nuts such as almonds, macadamias etc

Other foods are not toxic but may upset your dog’s tummy if too much is given, such as tomatoes, dairy products, etc. These can lead to runny tummies, bloating, gas and even vomiting.

When giving treats it is advisable to stick to dog-safe and approved snacks. We like to use Tribal Treats as they are natural, healthy and contain only the safest ingredients for dogs. For example, our best-seller is the Peanut Butter, Coconut and Banana flavour.

If you do wish to supplement your dog’s diet with human food, stick to the likes of apples, bananas, celery, carrots, corn off the cob, spinach etc. If you are giving fish, make sure it is in oil, not brine or tomatoes as these can upset tummies. If you like to mix your dinner leftovers with your dog’s food, just check that your scraps don’t have any forbidden items, for example if you have Bolognese, don’t mix the sauce into their food as the onions, garlic and tomato can cause issues.

Now, just to resist those big ol’ hungry eyes!