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Getting good food for your dog is an important part of being a responsible owner. Of course, you’ll want your beloved pooch to have the right kinds of foods to keep them healthy, fit and strong. You might think you can accomplish this with your basic dog food, but there is a better way.
You might be interested in knowing that some human foods are good for your dog and some foods that are toxic to dogs.
Knowing the difference between the two and what kind of stuff to feed your dog to keep them healthy will make a difference in your life as a dog owner. Let’s take a look at what you need to know.
A Lot of Human foods are safe for dogs.
There are quite a few different offerings that will be great for any growing dog. If you want your pet to be fit and healthy, these are all excellent options to pick from.
Are Eggs Good for Dogs?
Eggs are good for dogs; They provide a good source of protein and Vitamin A. Eggs are beneficial for the dogs’ skin and coat. My dogs love a portion of scrambled eggs as a weekend treat.
However, they should be treated as a treat. Remember that eggs are around 70 calories and should make up no more than 10 per cent of their diet.
Yoghurt
Dogs generally love yoghurt, and it is an excellent filler for things such as Kong’s, which can then be frozen to provide lots of fun and help cool them in the summer. However, when you first give your dog yoghurt, you must keep an eye on them to make sure they are not lactose intolerant (just like some humans)
Another important point is to make sure you give them plain natural yoghurt, which is safe for dogs. Flavoured yoghurt often contains harmful additives to your dog, such as artificial sweeteners, bits of fruit, or other extras.
Lean meat
Lean organic cuts of meat are always the best option for a dog. Dogs are naturally carnivores and will happily tuck into a piece of chicken or beef. However, below are a few tips to follow regarding lean meats.
Chicken
Most dogs love chicken. Before you give them this high-value treat, you must ensure it has been Deboned and the skin removed. Chicken is also great for dogs that are slightly under the weather when served with rice, as it is gentle on the stomach. It can be roasted, boiled or grilled. Don’t add any seasoning, as these are usually high in salt and possibly garlic or onion.
Beef
Lean cuts of Unsalted beef are also great to give your dog. Just lightly cook it for them. If you are using mince or ground beef, make sure that it is cooked first to remove bacteria. My dogs love a dog-friendly Shephard pit made up of mashed sweet potatoes, mince, carrots and peas.
Turkey
Like chicken is perfectly safe for dogs to eat, make sure that the bones and skin are removed first and that it doesn’t have any seasoning.
Ham
Whilst ham is relatively high in salt and fat, the odd bit as a special treat won’t hurt your dog. Just don’t give them ham regularly.
As a rule, most meats are safe to give your dog as an occasional treat. Just make sure you check for any bones, remove any excess fat and ensure that it isn’t seasoned (seasoning usually has salt and onion etc., which are bad for dogs)
Alternatively, you may wish to make a dog-friendly chicken casserole with lean chicken and vegetables, which will be good for your dog.
Seafood
Dogs, like cats, enjoy seafood, and the great news is that it is perfectly safe for them to eat as long as it is cooked.
Salmon – A great source of protein and healthy oils and acids. Just make sure you cook it at 170 degrees. If the salmon is not cooked correctly, it can contain parasites and cause digestive problems.
Shrimp – The same as salmon must be well cooked at 170 degrees or above. Also, make sure you remove the fish head and tail, the legs and bones etc. Shrimp is rich is in
Tuna – canned tuna is probably the most common option. When purchasing canned tuna, make sure it is in water rather than brine or oil.
Before giving your dog a small amount of shellfish, it is important that it has been cooked properly.
Vegetables
There are a lot of different veggies that you can serve up to your dog that will aid in their continued health, so let’s chat about those.
Dr Morse says colourful vegetables have a high concentration of phytonutrients rich in disease-fighting antioxidants and help eye and brain function.
However, as previously mentioned, dogs are natural carnivores, so they do not need vegetables in quite the same way as humans. However, many vegetables are good for dogs. – dogs diet is usually around 60 to 80 per cent meat then the rest of vegetables
Asparagus
This is a good pick, being full of favour vitamins and minerals. It is important to cut the asparagus up into Just cut it into tiny pieces to prevent a choking hazard. Then add a few pieces of steamed asparagus tips to your dog’s meal. Asparagus can be added to most dishes.
Broccoli
Another good option to add to food is broccoli. Broccoli is very good for immunity. This vegetable can also help with arthritic inflammation. Plus, if your pet chews on stalks from broccoli, it’s a naturally occurring toothbrush of sorts – no need for Dentastix.
Just be aware that broccoli should be less than 5% of your dog’s diet at best – too much causes an upset digestive system.
Brussel sprouts.
Sprouts can make dogs very gassy in the same way they do humans. They should be fed sparingly for this reason.
Carrots.
Carrots can help reduce anxiety symptoms and clean the teeth if chewed on while raw. Carrots are also a great form of antioxidants, which is good for keeping your dog healthy.
Something to think about is that some dogs find raw carrots difficult to chew, and you may need to cut them into small pieces to ensure there is no choking hazard.
Celery
These are another healthy, low-calorie snacks for dogs. Due to the shape etc., the celery will also help clean their teeth naturally.
Cucumbers.
Like carrots and celery, this is another low-calorie snack for dogs
Please be careful not to feed your dog too much celery to prevent upset tummies
Green Beans
Green beans are a really healthy high-fibre vegetable that is low in calories. They can help with both the digestive system and regular bowel movements.
As they are high in omegas, they are also good for the heart
Kale
We all know that Kale is classed as a superfood. This is the same for dogs. It really is a human food that is good for dogs as it can help with urinary tract problems, arthritis, heart issues and allergies.
Chop and lightly steam a small amount of Kale and add it to their food
It is important to remember that too much can cause gas, amongst other issues
Parsley
If you have a dog that has bad breath, then parsley is fantastic. It is a natural breath freshener. Parsley can also help with muscle and joint health by providing potassium for dogs.
Peas
Pretty much all peas are good, whether they be Green peas, Garden peas, sugar snap peas or snow peas. They are all safe to give to your dog on occasion. The great thing about peas is that they are high in fibre, protein, and various vitamins and minerals. Whilst canned peas should be avoided, you can feed frozen or fresh without any problem. The reason canned peas or indeed any canned veg should be avoided is that they are generally quite high in salt, which is not good for dogs (nor humans)
Pumpkin
Pumpkin is another high-fibre vegetable and great for dogs that are suffering from constipation or diarrhoea.
In general, dogs like the taste of pumpkin, whether it be canned or pureed.
If your dog is constipated, mix pumpkin with his food (around a quarter) until they return to normal.
Spinach
Whilst spinach is good for us, and indeed your dog can eat it, you shouldn’t really be giving it to your dog. Spinach is extremely high in oxalic acid. Oxalic acid causes the body to block the ability to absorb calcium. It has also been known to cause kidney damage in dogs.
Sweet potato
This is one of the best vegetables you can give a dog. It can be pureed or mashed to add to their food. You can even use it as a tasty treat.
Sweet potato is full of fibre, vitamins and minerals and will help fill their tummy nicely.
It is perfectly safe to replace up to a quarter of your dog’s regular meal with sweet potatoes. Like most vegetables, it is important to cut them into pieces to help prevent choking.
As a result, this is a great vegetable that is good for dogs
Fruits That Pets Can Safely Eat
Apples
Apples are an excellent source of vitamins, especially A & C. They are also a good source of fibre to help keep your dog’s digestive system healthy. As a result, this fruit makes really good food for dogs.
Before feeding the apple, it is important to remove the seeds and the core. I would recommend cutting it up to avoid a choking hazard.
Bananas
Bananas are high in sugar, and whilst they are suitable for dogs, they are rich in vitamins, copper and potassium, they should be given as a treat.
Blueberries.
Like a lot of berries, they are full of fibre and antioxidants. There is some evidence that this can help protect your pet from cancer.
Cantaloupe.
Like bananas, this is very high in natural sugar, so it should be treated as a treat.
Mango.
This is like many other fruits, including bananas and should be given as a treat.
It is important to make sure that you cut the mango up and remove the stone as it contains a small amount of cyanide as well as being a choke Hazzard.
Oranges.
They are high in vitamin C and need to be peeled and all the seeds removed before feeding.
Peaches. Again, cut around the pit and remove it before offering it to your furbaby.
Pears.
Ensure any stones and pit is removed from the pear
It is important to remember that not all fruits are good for dogs. For example, avocados and rhubarb should be avoided.
But Many Foods are Bad
Yes, a lot of food is really good for dogs. However, there is just as much food that is bad for them. It’s important to be able to tell the difference if you want to make sure that your dog lives a long and healthy life, and there are some things you should avoid under any circumstances.
Alcohol, chocolate, too much sugar, basically all the nice things that humans can eat, dogs can’t. Garlic, onion, fish, excessive salt, and many other things are all just as bad for your dog’s health.
It’s also probably important to mention that there is a limit to what you can give your dog. Many people keep all the food, leftovers, and human snacks to feed their pets as a way of showing affection. This is okay as a brief treat on a handful of occasions, but regular consumption of human food is not healthy for dogs.
There is a reason that we buy dog food for our pets. They’re not necessarily meant to have the same amount of fats and carbohydrates as we are, so it’s important to ensure that you ease up on giving them those extra pieces of cheese at dinnertime.
If in doubt, ask the vet.
If you have to feed human food to pets, do it sparingly, and if you’re not sure about something, ask a vet. These are trained professionals who can advise you on what is going to be healthy and safe for your pets and what isn’t, so you should follow their advice wherever you can. It’s important to be vigilant when keeping food out as well, as a lot of dogs can be very cheeky and will steal anything they think they can get their hands on. Any type of food that is harmful to dogs should be kept firmly out of their reach and stored safely in cupboards where they cannot be accessed.
A more detailed list of bad human foods can be found in our Toxic food for dogs article.
Final Thoughts on safe human foods for dogs
Ultimately, we all want to make sure that adults remain in the best health possible, and feeding them can make a big difference to that. It’s important to be responsible when feeding your cats and to make sure that you get them the best food they can have. Obviously, you don’t want to feed your dog something that would make them ill accidentally, so it’s really important to be very thorough with what you do.
Remember that pets have a different constitution from the rest of the animal kingdom, and they are especially different from us, so it’s important to be vigilant and responsible.
Ultimately, your dog would be happiest with a fresh, organic chunk of meat. This is perfect for a dog, as it keeps them in good health, they can get a lot of nutrients from the meat that will go into every part of their bodies, and they have teeth that are perfect for eating meat.
Vegetables are a good idea to add in on a semi-regular basis but don’t try and turn your dog vegetarian or vegan because they aren’t built for that.
When introducing a new food, if you doubt its safety for your dog, please consult with professional vets. That’s what they’re there for.
Finchley Dog walker are not vets and do not specialise in dog training. However, we work closely with dog trainers and vets and are proud to provide articles and advice to help you and your dog. However, it is important if you have any concerns about diet and health etc., that you consult your vet.
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