Human Foods Your Dog Can Enjoy

There are many foods you must avoid when thinking about treating your dog to a special snack. There are also a wide variety of foods that both you and your pet can enjoy. All things in moderation, though! It’s important to remember your favorite canine is already getting proper nutrition with a veterinarian-approved diet.

Some Human Foods Are Good For Fido

While there are plenty of human foods that are toxic for pets, there are some treats that can be shared with your dog. Certain items can:

• Add minerals, vitamins, and fiber to their diet
• Freshen your dog’s breath
• May help with bone, digestive, and skin health issues

Foods You Can Safely Share With Your Dog

A little of this and a little of that can easily add up to too much for your dog. Those extra calories can add unwanted weight that will affect your pet’s joints. Joint pain can lead to less exercise, more weight gain, and more pain.

Just because your dog is giving you the sad eye is no reason to loosen the rules on portion control. All of these foods, though safe, should be offered on occasion and in small amounts.

Salt and sugar can be dangerous for your dog, so check ingredients before considering these foods for treats:

Fruits—for healthy nutrients and fiber

• Apples—Be sure to remove all apple seeds, which contain cyanide, before feeding this fruit to your pet. Apples should be fresh, not spoiled. A rotting apple is a fermented fruit that can cause alcohol poisoning.
• Bananas—A little bit of banana adds nutrients to your pup’s diet.
• Blueberries—A handful of blueberries as a treat adds a nutrient and fiber boost.
• Coconuts—Not everybody loves coconut meat and milk, but they’re good for your dog. They contain lauric acid, which may combat bacteria and viruses, help sweeten doggie’s bad breath, and may help heal itchy skin and even hot spots! Don’t give your pet coconut shells for munching. The shells are hard and small pieces are a choking hazard.
• Oranges—Stay away from other citrus fruits, but oranges are okay in small amounts.
• Strawberries—A few strawberries add antioxidants, nutrients, and fiber to your dog’s diet.

Vegetables

• Broccoli—Raw or cooked, broccoli is okay in small amounts. Like all brassicas, broccoli contains isothiocyanates, which could irritate your dog’s stomach and intestines.
• Carrots—Raw or cooked are equally fine.
• Peas—Fresh or frozen peas are best. There’s a lot of salt added to canned peas, and salt is not good for your dog.
• Squash & pumpkin—Fresh or canned, squash and pumpkin are a great source of fiber and nutrients. Beware, however, of overdoing. Too much fiber could jam up a puppy’s digestive system!
• Cooked potatoes and sweet potatoes—Never feed raw potatoes to your dog.
• Green beans—Green beans contain fiber, vitamins, and minerals; they also contain iron, which helps build strong bones. Green beans may be the perfect substitute for commercial doggie treats.  

Cooked meats

Beef, pork, chicken, and turkey are all okay for your dog. Never feed raw meats and remove excess fat and skin before offering these tasty snacks.

Cooked fish

Fish, sardines, tuna, salmon, and shrimp are healthy additions to your dog’s diet. Remove all bones before feeding. Canned sardine bones are soft and safe for your pet.

Other tasty snacks

• Peanut butter—just make sure it does not contain xylitol.
• Honey—Not only is honey tasty, but it’s also rich in nutrients, and it might help with your pet’s allergies.
• Eggs—Only serve cooked eggs to your dog. 

Some Human Foods That Will Make Your Dog Sick

While there is a small list of foods that are acceptable to feed your pets, make sure to avoid giving the following:

• Grapes/raisins (dried grapes)
• Chocolate and caffeine
• Dairy foods may not be digestible as many dogs are lactose intolerant.
• Nuts—Many nuts are highly toxic for dogs.

Helping You Keep Your Pets Happy and Healthy

At Sunrise Boulevard Animal Hospital, we want your pets to be healthy and to live long and happy lives with you. Please contact us at (916) 619-4597 for more resources on safe foods for your dog. We are happy to answer your pet wellness questions and welcome you for a wellness checkup!