Read This Before Sharing Pasta With Your Dog!

Last Updated on

Your dog is probably more than happy to help with any pasta leftovers you may have!

But is this classic Italian cuisine okay for canines?

Can I Give My Dog Pasta?Here’s the deal:

Being low in nutrients and high in carbohydrates, pasta really shouldn’t be fed to dogs — at least not in big portions or on a regular basis.

While giving your dog a bit of pasta is not dangerous, try not to make a habit of it.

Do Not Routinely Feed Your Dog Pasta

Adding a bunch of carbs means your buddy will pack on the pounds. Even plain pasta will eventually result in a sluggish and overweight pet dog.

Go easy! Moderation is a must.

Strictly limit the amount of pasta your little guy gets to eat. Strive to keep their diet as simple and as healthy as possible.

Seriously! When you share, it is important to ration pasta portions.

But, quite honestly, frequently feeding the family dog pasta is an overall bad idea.

Pasta’s High Carbohydrates

Truth be told, it’s best not to give your dog any pasta and especially if they are already a bit heavy.

Again, this popular food just has too many carbs. Pasta is a big contributor to human obesity and it can certainly make Fido fat too.

A quality diet, for any dog, should not contain a bunch of starch.

Remember that pasta is basically a filler food. Not optimal!

Curious Canines And Carbs

Sure, your dog can chow down this staple Italian food made from flour.

But the thing is your animal’s stomach can’t process pasta as well as the human digestive system. Besides, dogs require lots of calcium and protein — not calories from carbs.

Still want to give pasta now and then?

One piece of advice would be to go with whole wheat. It’s healthier!

Many Types of Pasta

There are many kinds of pasta (noodles) yet they are all fairly similar.

Here is what’s popular:

  • Macaroni
  • Rigatoni
  • Lasagne
  • Vermicelli
  • Penne
  • Spaghetti

Unfortunately, none are beneficial for dogs.

What about spaghetti and meatballs?

Adding a morsel of meat (protein) isn’t bad. That’d be a more balanced meal.

As for the sauce in your typical pasta dish, read up on feeding your dog tomatoes!

Gluten And Gut Heath

Keep your dog’s digestive system as healthy as possible.

Understand that pasta, and foods like it, are also high in gluten which may cause all sorts of difficult-to-diagnose problems. And that’s in addition to weight gain!

Leftover pasta, despite being cheap and convenient, is a poor choice. Reconsider sharing with your dog and, instead, stick to lean meats for much needed protein.

Tasty Is Not Terrific

Dogs, by their nature, are typically opportunistic eaters. They are usually up for delicious pasta, but you should be extra choosy with food scraps.

For example:

Garlic is often an ingredient in Italian cuisine. Too dangerous!

The Bottom Line

Careful giving your dog a bunch of pasta.

At the very least, limit portions due to a lack of nutrients and an abundance of carbs.

Feeding pasta often is a bad habit to get into. And it’ll eventually cause your dog to be overweight.

Just a taste is a reasonable policy.

What Do You Think? Have Your Say Below…

Was This Article Helpful?

13 thoughts on “Read This Before Sharing Pasta With Your Dog!”

  1. We started feeding our old Whippet Fresh Pet but it has been hard to find lately. My husband and I have been on Keto for a while and we have pastas, rice and grains in the pantry we can’t use. I had about a cup of Whole Wheat Orzo that I cooked up and mixed with a cooked bag of green beans, lima beans, corn and carrots, chicken, left over Instant Pot chicken juice and blue berries. I served about a 1/3 of the Orzo/Veggie mixture. She really liked it and we will see if there are any concerning side effects. Next up – the cat!

  2. Radegonda says:

    My 8 month old pup eats dehydrated raw food. I also give her homemade meats and fish as well as rice, sweet potato, peas and pasta once in a while. She loves it.

    She could not stand kibble. I’ve tried many different brands and she would go on for days not eating, just drinking water. I love her too much to see her not eat. She looks healthier ever since I started giving her dehydrated meat and fish. Her coat is shiner, less bad breath and her poop is firmer.

  3. I agree and would never feed my two Shih Tzus pasta. Dogs were never meant to eat this. Mine are fed on a quality dog food with all the vitamins they need. They are healthy and happy and have a lovely coat (with no health problems and regular bowel movements).

  4. We always give pasta to our dog, sometimes mixed with chicken-only or with tuna-only. He has never been fat as we take him out for a 30 minute walk in the morning and evening. Both of us benefit from the walk!

  5. Janet Reynolds says:

    My Golden Retriever has a dodgy tummy. She has had bouts of diarrhea so I now feed her a few dog biscuit meal, some cooked pasta and rice and about a third of a tin of meat. It’s about six months since she last had a tummy upset. I’m hoping I’m not doing anything wrong.

  6. Dogs are not carnivores. They are omnivores. Most commercial dog foods, even premium brands, are a death sentence. Imagine eating dried kibble, cooked at high heat which kills much of value, every day of your life. Even if it started out with decent ingredients, which many of them don’t, it isn’t food by the time it’s in their bowl. Balanced homemade diets are better and that might occasionally include pasta.

    1. I agree. I have studied in great detail what goes into commercial dog foods and they are full of toxins and chemicals which are killing our dogs at younger and younger ages.

      I feed my dog brown pasta, brown rice, boiled potatoes, sardines, pilchards, white fish, chicken and boiled eggs including the shell. She has blossomed since I ceased using dried kibble.

      1. Totally agree. I have a small Terrier that thrives on fish, chicken and small amounts of vegetables added in. She loves a treat on top, but don’t we all in moderation.

  7. I disagree. People can live on weight watchers for the rest of their lives and be perfectly fine and receive a healthy diet. That does not mean they have to like it. Candy bars aren’t good for us but we still eat them because it tastes good. I expect a dog or any other creature is no different. They also know what tastes good and just because it’s healthy doesn’t mean they want it.

    1. If we were never given a candy bar, we wouldn’t know how yummy it is. The same goes for a dog. I made the huge mistake of spoiling my Yorkie with offerings of people food. I thought it was cute.

      After several trips to the vet, and a ton of lectures, I finally got it. My dog is just that, a dog. Now she gets absolutely nothing other than her own dog food. It took her a while to accept this, and even longer for me.

      Because of my stupidity, her anal glands had to be manipulated once a month. Injections of pain meds were also required. Now her own food is offers enough of what she needs to take care of the gland problem on its own.

      1. Fresh food is so much better for health.

  8. Pasta is a noodle product, made mainly from wheat flour. Wheat is an inexpensive cereal grain nutritionally similar to corn. Wheat can be a GMO ingredient.

  9. A couple noodles or a small plateful is okay, but not a whole pot.

Leave a Reply to Anna Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *