Are You Choosing Your Treats Wisely?
Dogs and humans metabolize foods differently. For this reason, some foods are safe for humans to eat but may be extremely unhealthy for dogs. Most of the treats we choose to feed our dogs usually aren’t great for us either- so why do we do it?
Dogs in the wild don’t eat a high sugar and saturated fat content diet, so perhaps we should consider that dogs in our homes shouldn’t either. In the wild, dogs eat raw meat, bones, organs and even foliage at times
We all want to show our pets how much we love them so we slip them a little treat off our plate. While the food you are sharing with your dog may not be considered immediately harmful to its health, it is slowly causing adverse side effects— physically, behaviourally, and socially.
Behaviour:
Believe it or not, our pets have us trained pretty well. We pet them when they nudge us, take them out when they bark, and give them treats when they whine. When we start to feed our pets from our plate, counter, anywhere not in their own food bowl, or food that is anything other than their normal dog food, we start to introduce bad habits that can be difficult to break.
Dogs, like children, will realize that if they do X (whine, cry, beg), human will do Y (feed me, drop food, etc.). Breaking this behaviour can be extremely difficult and time consuming; it is best to never start it in the first place.
Health problems:
Not only are we setting up our pets to behave badly, we are introducing the possibility of eating toxic foods, as well as an increase in daily calories.
Dogs that are kept at an optimum weight are less likely to have joint, bone, ligament, or mobility issues, and are less likely to develop heart disease, breathing issues, decreased liver function, and many other health problems. Just like humans, maintaining a healthy weight helps ensure a dog’s overall health and longevity.
Picky eaters:
Share too many of your delicious foods and your dog may become a picky eater and not want to eat their own food, especially if they know there may be something better on the menu if they hold out long enough. Again, this behaviour can be difficult to break and can even cause adverse physical side effects if the dog does not eat for long periods of time or is not receiving the appropriate nutrition.
TIP: Foods that are beneficial and healthy for humans are not necessarily healthy for dogs. In researching, we have found many foods that should not be given to dogs. Here is a partial list:
• Onions and garlic
• Avocado
• Macadamia nuts
• Caffeine
• Milk
• Anything with xylitol (NOTE: Beware this may now be added into some peanut butters! Always choose a natural peanut butter with no additives if using as a treat, in a KONG etc.)
• Chocolate or caffeine
• Grapes and raisins
• Salt (dogs don’t need as much as we do)
• Anything with yeast
Dogs and humans metabolize foods differently. For this reason, some foods are safe for humans to eat but may be extremely unhealthy for dogs. Most of the treats we choose to feed our dogs usually aren’t great for us either- so why do we do it?
Dogs in the wild don’t eat a high sugar and saturated fat content diet, so perhaps we should consider that dogs in our homes shouldn’t either. In the wild, dogs eat raw meat, bones, organs and even foliage at times
We all want to show our pets how much we love them so we slip them a little treat off our plate. While the food you are sharing with your dog may not be considered immediately harmful to its health, it is slowly causing adverse side effects— physically, behaviourally, and socially.
Behaviour:
Believe it or not, our pets have us trained pretty well. We pet them when they nudge us, take them out when they bark, and give them treats when they whine. When we start to feed our pets from our plate, counter, anywhere not in their own food bowl, or food that is anything other than their normal dog food, we start to introduce bad habits that can be difficult to break.
Dogs, like children, will realize that if they do X (whine, cry, beg), human will do Y (feed me, drop food, etc.). Breaking this behaviour can be extremely difficult and time consuming; it is best to never start it in the first place.
Health problems:
Not only are we setting up our pets to behave badly, we are introducing the possibility of eating toxic foods, as well as an increase in daily calories.
Dogs that are kept at an optimum weight are less likely to have joint, bone, ligament, or mobility issues, and are less likely to develop heart disease, breathing issues, decreased liver function, and many other health problems. Just like humans, maintaining a healthy weight helps ensure a dog’s overall health and longevity.
Picky eaters:
Share too many of your delicious foods and your dog may become a picky eater and not want to eat their own food, especially if they know there may be something better on the menu if they hold out long enough. Again, this behaviour can be difficult to break and can even cause adverse physical side effects if the dog does not eat for long periods of time or is not receiving the appropriate nutrition.
TIP: Foods that are beneficial and healthy for humans are not necessarily healthy for dogs. In researching, we have found many foods that should not be given to dogs. Here is a partial list:
• Onions and garlic
• Avocado
• Macadamia nuts
• Caffeine
• Milk
• Anything with xylitol (NOTE: Beware this may now be added into some peanut butters! Always choose a natural peanut butter with no additives if using as a treat, in a KONG etc.)
• Chocolate or caffeine
• Grapes and raisins
• Salt (dogs don’t need as much as we do)
• Anything with yeast